Color temperature is tougher in decorating because you're working with color in a three-dimensional realm. 99.9% of color information available does not addresses color from a three-dimensional scope. That presents many opportunities to deconstruct color and think about it more truthfully and accurately. Someone suggested I start by selecting a "warm" or "cool" palette to help harmonize the rooms. That's one way to look at. Another is to use that level of contrast. Color is about relationships and to make believe that only the cool colors can play well with other cool colors and warm with warm is not the truth of how color works. It's an easier approach, for sure, but it is by no means the only approach. It could be argued that the rule of thumb of cool with cool and warm with warm really isn't a level of color "harmony" at all -- it just matches. It's the very same with intensity. Keeping to all one intensity or chromatic value room to room isn't THE way to do it. It's just one way to color a house. Juxtaposing a clearer color next to a more muted color can indeed make site lines that are interesting and help define architecture -- it's a way to meet certain expectations. how does dark, old woodwork factor into the warm/cool thing? It's a huge factor. Ya know, I'm always saying that paint does not have to be last, you don't have to have an inspiration piece and *pulling a color* is just one way to look at a color challenge. To say that paint color should always be last is implying that it could be first. Paint color can never be first. Not possible. This is where your woodwork comes into play. Like I said before, color is about relationships and you can start building color relationships once you have the non-transient elements established in the room. The woodwork, the flooring, cabinetry, bookshelves, etc. From those non-transient factors, you can build a shell that will gracefully house whatever contents you want to throw in there. Whatever transient elements you choose are going to "go with" the non transient elements of the room -- the shell. You're not going to choose a sofa that pales off once it's set on your hardwoods. So logically, if you craft the wall color to *harmonize* with the known non-transient elements, you're gonna be fine. It's not necessary to have everything in place to paint a room. Can if ya want, but far too many people put off coloring their environment waiting for that last piece of fluff to be installed. It might be right around the corner -- or it might be years off in the future. Waiting on a *thing* that may or may not ever materialize before you bring color into your experience is a waste of architecture, and time, IMHO. You can color for your now. When it comes to paint color per se, you have to be aware of what "warm" and "cool" really means. In situ undertone and color temperature is revealed when the wall color is juxtaposed to the other colors and elements and exposed to the inherent light in the space. What makes a color "cool" or "warm" is determined when it's experienced in the three-dimensional space it will reside. Outside of that experience, on it's own, whether a color is labeled "warm" or "cool" by some other sets of eyeballs is irrelevant to you and your three-dimensional space. Labeling a paint color as warm or cool can be useful but it's not a fact. It's just a temporary way to organize and categorize paint chips for the preliminary stages of coloring. But the blue-greens, which I thought would give the rooms a sense of peacefulness, actually seem to do the opposite when placed up against the dark reddish wood. I'm guessing it's because of the high contrast? According to your tolerance, it's the opposite of peacefulness. To someone else that playing of contrasts would be a spectacular way to set off, highlight, pay homage to the fabulous woodwork. So for you, a calmer flavor of color harmony would be best. For someone else the amped up vibration of the blue-green to the reddish wood is fabulousness. So to say that keeping an even keel of any level of color contrast is the best way to go about coloring environments would be correct in some instances, but not all. What's the saying....??? even a broken clock is right twice a day.... kinda the same thing.

We moved here for my job - chemicals :-). We're just west of New Orleans and the "suburban" towns. I love it, it's very quiet and small-townie, somewhere between suburban and rural. We're close to the river, within walking distance to the levees. It's wonderful! The whole house is under one roof. I will have to get some information on the A/C and the attic - until recently it has been wayyy too hot to do much up there! Our winter project is to go up there and remove whatever the previous homeowners have left behind (of course!!!). The sq. ft. of the house is just under 1700 including the garage. There is a small gap between the sheetrock/paneling and the slab - that is throughout the house under the baseboards so I assume that has to do with needing space between the wall and the concrete for moisture? The second picture is the inside of the garage door. As far as DIY, I'd say that we can do the basic to intermediate (with some practice) projects. When I was younger, my dad was really big into DIY and remodeling houses, so I have done a lot of work on water pipes, electric, flooring, etc. I have enough knowledge to know what I am comfortable doing and what I will need help with from someone more experienced. There are a lot of people I know around here willing to help out with the more "advanced" projects. That's what friends are for, right? Thank you for all your help so far! The bonfire sounds wonderful! Would've been nice the last few nights around here - finally starting to feel like Autumn!!!

You guys are the best!!! Thank you. I've been reading these posts (and cringing) because now I'm feeling embarrassed. I'm not bemoaning what we have - fabulous layout, and so many good choices, which I wouldn't change. The cabinet door fronts and design... another matter entirely. What I've been thinking about is the lack of knowledge/foresight we had, to address areas of cabinetry which we customized, while selecting a RTA cabinet. In hindsight, I think it could have been done better. I apologize up front for these very minor complaints of mine, to those of you whose homes are in total disarray at present. Our remodel (we put together our own cabinets and did our own plumbing and lots otherwise) took a good 6 months. I remember rolling my eyes at those who were dithering over hardware when our kitchen looked like this: I'll admit we don't have partial overlay, but what I've enjoyed about Scrappy25's post, is hearing and seeing the 'right' way and terms to treat filler space. Here are a few shots of some of the areas in question; if I could redo, I'd resize the drawer fronts and add a few fillers. (Oh, and select a much simpler, beaded inset door too, as well as totally different hardware). This is so picky, but consider what happens when you convert the door under your sink, from one which swings open to the right, to a Hafele pedal roll out. THE SPACE TO THE RIGHT CAN LESSEN. Baking area here. Lots of custom drawer sizes (which I love) but it would be nice if drawer fronts covered the whole space with minimum gaps. I guess my point is, when you see how well it can be done, you become very interested in the details!! As my dear MIL says - the more you do, the more you can do. If you need to get something done, ask a busy person to do it. Sorry to digress so much from my original post. beautybutdebtfree - yes, it's the punch I love and the contrasts which just satisfy something in me. texas_gem - I'm so glad you liked the kitchen! I think you're way ahead of me in being able to define cabinetry assembly, I'll take your word that we don't have partial overlay:) romy718 - yes to the pay it forward, especially the areas I love (tile and lighting). Great fun when I have the time. beachpea3 - thank you for putting into words what I saw in the picture. I do not fret (often), just still second guess myself. You're very kind, thanks! snookums2 - good point about the vintage feel, but I don't think vintage when I look at the picture. (This is why I need help deconstructing). peony4 - thanks for the link to the RH Lugarno pulls. I'm thinking these are slimmer, though? Yes, you are spot on with regards to the color overwhelming over time, but just picture this in the beach or ski condo you rented and into which you just walked....vavoom! I've got to disagree about the counter tops, think they add more then they detract. ctycdm - those look like my gaps, and I don't have exposed hinges. Ranchy beach... I had a ranchy cape which hopefully is now a cape :) scappy25, you know this is all because of you! Seriously, great thread and I will look forward to see what you do to resolve your concerns. linelle - Oh my gosh, now YOU stop! You're way too kind. I just happen to have combined an interest in photography and kitchen desighn, about the time my kids stopped letting me photograph them, resulting in the occasional "GOOD" picture. Interesting to know that you had new doors/drawers made. That's an idea I entertain, but then worry about colors matching. Oh well, when I win the lottery.... Interesting, I don't see the oak grain at all. Hi red_lover, thanks! The fire extinguisher niche was one of those 'aha' moments, to which poor DH came home one evening. I do love it.

I got an Aprilaire 800 beginning of Feb from & installed by HVAC comp. The owner (master HVAC 30+ yrs) was supposed to do it but was on another job. The guy who did has been in the businesses for 20 some years, hadn't put one of these in for a long time, he kept looking at install manual. Owner stopped by at the end to check everything over. The thing ran for 3 days & humidity went from 25 to 17. He shut off my hot water tank & I didnt realize it so no hot water over weekend. I turned it down to 1 (to quit running) & the next day my humidity was UP to 26. Owner came made adjustment & same thing. Says it needs 72 hrs to get humidity to correct level. So for a month now & seeing him about 6 times now, banging noises, smell, etc he has changed a pin, said my water was to clean & got a different canister (with salt), humidifier & furnace blew the electric - so had no heat thru the night. I googled & found noise was water hammer & the other the furnace flexing from temp change of steam going thru. He had insisted none of this was caused by his work/ install, just that i had never noticed it before!! ( he did do adjustments to resolve) He said he sells these all the time & had one himself., which now I don't believe cause he appears clueless as this is still not working properly. I think he just wanted the $$. If he sells/installs so many then he should have known about the water in " my area" being to clean. I told him just remove it & install a new one " can't Aprilaire makes me get on phone with them & trouble shoot can't just get a new one". After running over 24hrs (& past 2 days a lot of rain) it shows 19% ( down from 22 yesterday). He mentioned something about switching the amp from 15 to 20 in panel box. My 3 story townhouse is 9 yrs old, 2420 sq ft & voltage for Aprilaire is running off 110v, ( he said is fine), to install the 240 would mean $$$ , hiring an electrician & tearing up ceiling & re drywall+ paint etc 40' from furnace room to breaker panel. When it runs after an hour, the black hose w/steam to furnace gets hot, & after 2 hrs shuts off - which is correct, then hose cools down. The smell from this is bad, its an odor of sauerkraut, old dirty socks,& last nite I smelled an added smell of rubber/oil chemical . Not good, its ran enough I would think at this point the smell should be burned off? If this is the norm for anyone please advise!!! I don't want to breath this & its probably toxic for my pets. I'm already a month in with this, if its an ongoing smell & before it gets to late I want to return. I'm questioning his ability for this product, & overall knowledge period. When he became defensive about noises that he didn't "cause" , then I suggested water hammer, he made adjustments to fix' , so that was the problem- probably not enough water flowing to machine now lol! I read this can work off 110amp but don't know if it is enough for my house (3 story th, 2420 sq', 9 yrs old), I certainly do not want to spend another $1000+ for electrician & drywall repairs to put in 220 or 240amp (forgot). I live in the nations richest county Loudoun Va(not by choice- nor am i rich) so when I say $1k, that's probably low. Although he's willing to make it right, the constant visits, the smell, etc. is annoying. I'm scared what my electric bill will be, I think this unit is defective, but more so needs the higher voltage. If there is such a thing as returning it for full refund after 30 days, I'm now at 26 days with "trying" to get it to work. If I can return, then I'll have holes left all over furnace walls, He says he can't get a new unit, Aprilaire makes them do this. The next fix would be replace the electrical board & continue from there. I don't want to proceed by deconstructing & rebuilding the thing. It was $1200, it should work, if not after trying a few things replace it. Summer is close, so it will be shut off & then, in fall I have to play this again? (sorry venting now) Any suggestions? Is this normal - 3 days to get house humidity up? (its never even got to 35%) Smell? Running constantly gonna burn out my blower? No exchange for a new machine? Is there a better humidifier? Is electric voltage the true problem & I'll just use a boatload $$$ of electric to get this to work? Is there a better steam heat whole house humidifier that is out there? ( without requiring the higher electric amps) Thank you for any help!