There are no rules. Be prepared to turn on your lights by midafternoon to see anything if you paint the ceilings dark.

I'm under the impression design choices need to have a bit of decisiveness to them which would lead to suggest going for a darker shade throughout the entire space, because of the sheer volume of space it will also allow you to go for somewhat brighter tones than you might think. I've found Benjamin Moore has the best visualization tools for colors. Would also say the flooring isn't doing you any favors, perhaps a darker wood with a contrasting pattern or a tile with a grounding rug in the office?

It’s a nice idea. I could see a green - maybe such as BM Vintage Vogue. Or if you like blues, I think something like PPG Blue Fjord could be very nice. If you want dark and moody, just painting the wainscoting will not do it. You would need to paint the wall above the wainscoting and or all of it.

The paint visualizer painted the window trim and curtain, too - and I didn’t do the whole room. But this is the Blue Fjord. And actually, I think I like the painted window trim.

I would leave the ceilings in the light color as they are. And btw, I like your existing wood floor finish, as it is.

I would paint the ceiling white in both rooms. Paint the office walls any color you like.

The dining room I would paint the wainscoting white and the top of the wall any color you want.

I don't think the dining and office need to be the same color as long the colors coordinate with the rest of the house. Just try to bring the colors together with art, fabric, rugs, etc.

Guess i should have mentioned - we are ripping out all the carpet and existing hardwoods to put a consistent hardwood with wider plank that is a light/medium brown theoughout the entire first floor.

Not all moody has to be dark and brooding moody too. You can pull the moods of romance with peaches, pinks, mauve, or older hollywood moody with champagne and rich patterns and plants, or the quiet moody of sunlit forest pools in verdant greens, pale purples and dusty yellows, smooth aqua. Bright and rich jewel tones with heavy embellishments that lean into noir and deco can get quite moody. I realize paint it dark is the most common moody, but that not all there is to it- and other things can be done to create moody.

These are some of the inspiration photos we’ve been looking at. Just dont know if the rooms are too small/not big enough windows for natural light to pull it off a full moody look (walls and ceiling painted same color).

I'm a stickler for painting walls and ceiling the same color no matter the room, whether it is a moody space or light space. We hired a great color consultant who advised to cut a ceiling color 50%. When the wall colors bounce off the ceiling it makes the ceiling look darker. At 50% color, the ceiling will blend evenly with the walls.

I love the green of the last pic you posted for a dining room, and the office in one of the darker moody blues.

IMO not enough wall area to really have that moody feel you have a lot of stuff in the DR that takes up wall space . I love dark walls but usually in more modern settings with less traditional furniture . I think the FdR but not that huge buffet and hutch or that very chunky cabinet on the other wall. Maybe take the top off the buffet and strat by doing a dark wall color behind the buffet in the indent it is a samll enough area to test color. The office has the same issue the dark heavy piece on the wall and those super modern light deck and shelf . Could you post pics of the LR so we get a bit more of an idea of your style . Maybe try out moody for your bedroom first to see how you like it that is one room I often love dark and moody .

the pictures i posted are the listing pictures, we close this week and are starting the demo. We will definitely have more modern furniture. Sorry, i should have mentioned that!

Just a thought, you could add drama without going overly dark. If I had a white room between the two I may opt for a lighter, softer color rather than really dark. It may feel like two black holes.

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Kendrah did a great analysis. I think I'd do the ceiling, but do different colors in the two rooms, so they can take on totally different personalities with their color schemes and furniture.

Good luck, have fun!

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I love colour drenching - walls, trim and ceiling all same colour. your layout seems perfect for a colour drench in both rooms. id do same color in each (im correct that your rooms are similar size and on either sode of entryway).

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With that floor color I like BM October Mist or SW Evergreen Fog. I'll let you ponder the degree of moodiness you want. :-) But I will suggest that you have the walls painted (or are you going to DIY?) and then see how you like a white ceiling before moving ahead with a dark ceiling. A dark ceiling will either seem enveloping or oppressive. No one can tell you how you'll feel about it. Others have posted many great inspiration pictures - I will just add one more where they did a gold ceiling with navy which I think is stunning. This room is more traditional than your style, but it shows that the ceiling doesn't even have to be the same dark color as the walls if you really want to do something different.

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