A Paint Color for Gail

I am stumped with paint color for our new home. The living areas are very open. I like a grey/blue with a little green. Maybe Sea Salt? 

Or do I need something a darker? You can see the trim color in pictures and the granite I picked is a bit lighter than that in the pictures, same dark floors. These pics are from model home. While I am at it what should I do with the wall beside fireplace? The tv will be above fireplace. Any and all advice is very much appreciated!
 
 
Thank you!

- Gail

Hi Gail,

I run into this a lot, where your builder or painter wants a paint color from you, but I will tell you that you are not ready to give it to him.  If you were, you would have drapery samples and rugs to show me.  When your home is in the state it is, you can go with any grayish, greenish bluish color you want to.  However, that is such a ridiculous thing to do.  Then what?  Try to find a rug that matches your paint?  Try to find drapery fabric to go with your paint? Make furniture decisions around your paint color?  You are setting yourself up for a difficult time decorating.  It is SO MUCH EASIER to make the textile selections first.  Even if you just so much as started with a rug selection. 

Let's say you selected this rug from Williams Sonoma Home:

Then, when you have paint chips, set them right next to the rug. You can make some good selections, then you try a couple of sample quarts in larger sections on your wall, then you are happy. 

But, you might find that you like this rug from Dash and Albert:

Do you see how that could lead you to a very different paint color, even though they both fit your description?

Painting is expensive, or it is a lot of work.  (depending on how you roll)  One color does not cost any more or less than another color.  Don't trap your future decisions by making this one too early.  Do it right the first time. 

I find that when selected in the right order, paint colors practically select themselves. 

A Few Bad Ideas- A Few Good Ideas

Christine,

I just found your website and loved the posting on chair rail snob.  My fiance and I just bought our first home, and we're very excited about it.  I envision our master bedroom as this warm and rich, luxurious place with neutral tones and a little flair.  It was originally blood red on all four walls...now it's primed and ready, we just can't make a decision!  We'd love your opinions on the issue of color, texture/faux painting, design for the room.

1.) Our current furniture is a lighter oak, tall platform bed.  We'd like to paint the room in something neutral/warm to match this, but something that could also easily look good with darker color furniture in the future.   We haven't picked out the exact bedding yet, but it will be something of creams, ivories, tans (light & dark) with hints of burgundy possibly.  Or maybe bringing in some tones of lighter blue/green?

2.) I really want to do a faux paint finish to add texture to the walls.  I'm unsure if doing this on all four walls with such a large room would be too much though.  I also tried to play with ideas of doing a chair rail split with a faux finish in darker tone below and lighter paint upward.  I'm currently looking at tissue paper finish or a brushed pearl, but open to other as well.

3.) The room has a vaulted ceiling.  We love it, but I'm not sure how that plays into the overall look of the room. For example, would it look better to put chair railing at natural 8' ceiling line and then do vertical paneling in an ivory color down to it? Do we paint it all the way up?

4.) I'm thinking of arranging the bed on the long wall with a normal 8' ceiling (essentially opposite the way that the previous owner has it in the photo).  I'd make an upholstered headboard to attach to the wall above it.  Bed stands could go on either side of the bed with a larger vanity/dresser or wardrobe against the vaulted wall.  I've also thought that I could put a very small half-moon window seat with a plush button cushion and dramatic drapery or light lace.

Thanks for your help!  Please let me know if you need other photos.  (Not seen to the left, large open entry to the master bathroom, no door.  Above this entry way is a large plant shelf.)

Stacey

Bad Ideas:

1.  As you can see- bad idea #1 was the previous owner's paint selection.  ;)  I WOULD NEVER PAINT A BEDROOM RED.  Any bedroom.  Not only is it ugly, but it does not lend itself to sleeping.  I especially think it is a bad idea to paint a little boy's room red- which is where I see it most frequently.  I, for one, want my boys to sleep.

2.  Bad idea #2 would be selecting a paint color prior to selecting your bedding.  It is in your fabrics where you find your paint color.  It is a very bad idea to select the paint first.

3.  Faux painting yourself is a bad idea.  Unless you happen to be AMAZINGLY TALENTED- it will not look good.  This is what happens.  You put so much time and effort, blood sweat and tears into the project that you think it looks good- but it really doesn't.  Your friends are too kind to tell you otherwise- but it looks bad.  It's like when people have an ugly baby. They think the baby is beautiful, thier friends tell them the baby is beautiful- but...  Add some texture in other ways.  Get some plants.

4.  Bad idea #4.  Don't do a 3' chair rail in a room with a ceiling that goes over 9'.

Good ideas:

1.  I like the idea of the vertical paneling on the bottom 8' of the room.

2.  If you have a wall that is not interrupted with windows or doors- that is a good wall to make your headboard wall.

Go select your bedding, and write me back.  :)

Photos from House Beautiful