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Looking to punch-up the color
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Posted by charlieinnj (My Page) on Tue, Jan 12, 10 at 12:42
| Below, are pics of my formal living room. The living room and dining room have been the same color since we bought the house 10+ years ago. I don't dislike the color but I think there's too much of it. The walls, ceiling and woodwork are the same color.
I'm contemplating painting the trim, crown molding and ceiling a creamy white and painting the walls a mustard/gold/yellow.
The light sage color in the border of the area rug accurately reflects the wall color now.
So, I'm looking for opinions on how to punch up the color and/or visual interest in this room.
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Honestly? I wouldn't change a thing! The little color you *do* have is just right, IMO. If you're wanting a change, how about changing out accessories, such as lamps, or even just the shades? Your rooms are lovely. ;o) |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I would definitely paint the trim out white or cream. It is very hard to tell on my monitor anyway the colors of your room, it is a very dark picture. One thing I would do if it is in your budget is to put hardwoodflooring in place of your wall to wall carpet. I think the green color on the wall would look great with the new flooring and white trim but I would do a mid tone instead of the light green. The room is quite beautiful already. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I think paint--or even wall paper--would go a long way in making the room seem fresher. Not that you asked, but the curtains might also be a place to update. And I agree with Roseabbey about hardwood floors, but that might be too much work. Paint's a fairly cheap/easy fix. The room is very pretty, and I like your accessories, but a little update might enliven it. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Your room is gorgeous. But, I understand getting tired of something after some time. If you really want a change, you could paint the walls a couple of shades darker on your paint chip. Right in between the tones of light sage and the darker green in your rug. Keep your trim and ceiling the same shade. This would give your room a touch more drama. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Wow.....I'm appreciating all the feedback and advice! I LOVE hardwoods and recently had them put in elsewhere in the house. The living room is in the front of the house with southern exposure but we have a porch that runs the length of the front and the roof overhang from the porch blocks out SO much light from coming into this room. I think hardwoods would make the room look even more dungeon-like. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I think your thoughts are right on! A darker color would really bring life to an alredy gorgeous room. Someone mentioned your lamp shades...maybe you could change them out to a darker (black) color? or, don't think I'm crazy, but I see animals in different spots throughout your room. Would you consider animal (leopard) print shades for a truly unexpected "WOW" factor? |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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A smaller (but also less expensive) suggestion is to take those bright scarlet reds I see in the pictures on either side and have your throw pillows in those colors. That should add a nice pop.
My living room in my old condo had sage green walls.For the windows I put in some scarlet red sheers. (I didn't know such a thing existing until I saw them at the store but decided, "what they hey" and went for it.) It wasn't what most people might think to do but I got more compliments on those curtains. Even if you don't want to go that far, I think your room could use some brightness and since you already have red in the paintings, it should work well with your other furnishings. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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Cosmikcat ~
I had this fabric around the house that I never ended up using. I draped it over one of the green pillows on the couch and pulled in another striped pillow. I think it really makes a big difference by pulling more colors down into the room. 
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RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I have a big old white sofa and IKWYM about needing some color. It just got lost on my pale walls. I really wanted it to stand out so I went with a "paper bag brown" for contrast. I think an earthy mustard would be nice. What is the wallpaper in the dining room? You need to consider that in the equation. And you need to get ready for the domino effect with the DR. Once the LR gets some color, you may need more! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| What a lovely room! I like the idea of punching it up a bit with color. Have you considered a warmer color on the walls...perhaps a peac or soft yellow that runs towards gold? That being said, it looks like your dining room wall paper matches the wall color in the living room. So, it might be more trouble than it's worth to paint the living room a different color (unless of course you want to remove the wallpaper). Can the header portion of the curtains be removed and leave your panels in place? That would update the look of your curtains without a huge investment. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I love the idea of painting the walls in a mustard/yellow/gold with a creamy white trim. I also think taking down the headers on the curtains would help bring a lot more sunlight and brightness into the room. It's a lovely room as it is, yet these changes would really freshen it by giving it more warmth and light. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I love the tranquil feel of the grey-green. As a quick fix, I see places where more color could be quickly and probably cheaply added. 1 - The pillows could use more color and pattern. Pick up some color from the rug.
2 - The art to the sides of that cabinet is very pastel. Re-mat those two with a darker shade of matting.
3 - The sofas and chair are white. Toss a bright shawl over the arm of one. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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So did you add those pillows pillows after I posted or did I just miss them in the first picture? If if was "my" idea, I'm glad you like it! :-)
Either way, I think they look great. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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cosmikcat ~
Yes....I added them after your post. Going to look at pillows this weekend when I'm out and about. I think that's the 'quick fix' for right now. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I'm going to try and post some pic updates here later tonight but I have another question. I have a new area rug I'll be putting down. Link is below. I've also swapped out ALL of the green pillows for red ones. Over the weekend, I bought some inexpensive silk panels for the windows. I'm not 100% sold on having so much red in the room but I do like how it updates the look of the room. Here's where I'm kinda stuck. I'd LOVE to paint the walls a beautiful yellow/gold with creamy white trim. But if I do, what color should the drapes be? I was tossing around the idea of a chocolate brown? Or, should I keep them the tone of the wall or even go with a creamy white? If I don't paint the walls that color, I'm considering that neutral BM tan/beige color that so many people love. But again, what color window panels would look best? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Isfan Red rug
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Do you want the drapery to stand out or blend in? I like the idea of the gold walls, red and gold is a great combination. If you want to drapes to blend in I would go with a deeper tone gold solid fabic, if you want the drapes to stand out, a striped fabric in gold/chocolate, or gold/red would look great. I really like the rug you are getting. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| OK....here's the pics. Like I mentioned earlier, the red drapes were only to see if I liked the look (vs, my current window treatments). Looking for feedback on what color panels would look good if I paint the room a yellow/gold or mid-range neutral tan. Thanks! 
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RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Wow, I'm not usually a fan of red, but I love what you've done so far! It's not too much, it's not too little, it looks great! I also agree that with a yellow(ish) wall color you're thinking about doing, the room would really have the color you said you're looking for yet it still wouldn't be over the top or too much. The question really is though, after seeing it in picture format, how do you like it? |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I love the red drapes! Even if you chose not to paint, you have just enough to make the colors pops in your room. It is enough without being over the top. I love the change they made to the room and they really pull the color out of that rug. I agree that a golden yellow color would look nice. Have you checked out EK's Mustard Seed? |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| luv the red window treatments, wow what a difference! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Wow! Everyone seems to love the red drapes. I have to admit that I like them too. I'll keep them in the back of my mind for after the room gets repainted. Anyone know what 'EK' is an abbreviaton for? (ie., EK's Mustard Seed). |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Sure, Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paints. Mustard Seed is a color I am looking at also. http://www.ellenkennon.com/ Love the way you changed the room.The red touches look amazing! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I am not a red fan either, but those drapes and the pillows are a great change for your room...they really bring out the colors in your woods and are a good compliment to the rug. I agree on changing out the lampshades...black with red would be good. Also sometimes changing out the plants can bring a totally different look to a room...or maybe a colorful platter with different colored pillar candles on the coffee table. It looks fabulous now though. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| IMHO, I am just loving the changes. The red curtains make such a statement in the room. I agree that you should take slow steps. If you decide to keep the wall color I would change the shades but if you do paint, then I would wait to see if the current shades work - if you went with a golden tone and painted the trim white, then the white shades might be it. But... one step at a time. Personally, I really can't believe the difference a few changes have made already. Great!!! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| What kind/style of lampshades would look better? |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Oh, I like those shades. IMHO, the black would be too strong and wouldn't look as nice. They'd also change the lighting you have entirely. I honestly think the shades you have now work perfectly with the room. Especially if you're going to put a yellow/gold on the walls, cream and gold are beautiful together. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Love the red! It's amazing how such a small change makes such a big impact. Beautiful room :-) |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Love the red drapes!! They made such a difference! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Looking for opinions. I think I've narrowed my drapery choices down to two options. This is the picture of my room where I decided I liked the look of red drapes. I couldn't find a yellow/gold paint for the walls that I liked, so I ended up painting the room a warm brown color. It's a shade lighter than what I just painted my kitchen. 
Here's my first choice that I'm really leaning towards.
 Here's a second option but I would not be incorporating the baloon valance.
 Thoughts? |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| What's wrong with the red drapes you had up there in the pics? Honestly, I like the simplicity of those and I wouldn't go too dark with whatever gold paint you are condidering. I love the simple sophistication of the room. Very classy and updated. |
RE: ....Looking to punch-up the color
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kmcg85,
I didn't keep them because they were really cheaply made. If I stick with a solid color, I'll get pinch pleat panels from Penney's, etc. Here's a crude mockup.
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RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Charlie, even though I like the 'before', the red is looking stunning, and is a nice change. Did you look at the 'Mystique'(Chris Madden)draperies on the Penney's site? Anyway, you could use the red during the winter months, and go back to the all white look for the spring/summer months. I like changing a few things out for different seasons making a room/rooms look fresh and 'new'. ;o) |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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patty cakes ~
Yes, I did look at the Mystique line but a reviewer mentioned that the 'wine' color was almost purple. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Where did you find the Giovanni draperies? Those are absolutely stunning and fit SO well with your room. Thank you for the information. Dee |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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Dee ~
They're from Penneys (and on sale for like half off!) I ordered them this afternoon...Can'twait to see how they look. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Please bear in mind the painting is still underway but I wanted to get opinions if the ceiling looks good in the darker color or if I should have stayed with a creamy color? BTW, I think the wall color REALLY warms the room! 
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RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| WOW!!!!!!! Love the new wall color. It is so beautiful, IMO I would go with a more neutral drape color instead of the red so you can really focus on the new paint! I thought the red drapes were beautiful, but the new color is so pretty maybe pick something more neutral and let the new color be "center stage" |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I think your living room is beautiful but I am going to have to go against the grain. I think the red drapes are too jarring and too much red. I think you should go with a subtle patterned drape close to the color of your couches. Red drapes in your room would become a focal point and not your beautiful furniture. I would however keep the red in the rug, pillows, and picture because, in my opinion, that is the perfect amount of red without overpowering the room completely. I recently had gorgeous red drapes in my living room but I had to take them down because they were competing (and winning) with my other stuff and I didn't like that. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Well, the painting is finished and my new curtains came. I'm real happy about how things turned out. Before:
After:
 Before:
After:
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RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Mission accomplished. Well done!! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Fabulous!!! That wall color really updated your room and those burgundy curtains punch up the color especially with the gold accent. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| Wow what a beautiful transformation and I love love love those drapes. Just gorgeous. Good job on you! I wanted to ask what color is that in your kitchen...its very inviting. High Five Haley |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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Haley ~
The kitchen is Behr's "New Chestnut". I did the next lighter shade called "Burnt Almond" in my LR/DR. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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WOW....just absolutely beautiful. Red looks phenomenal in your room.
Love everything you did! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I said it before. This is a testimony to what a little paint and new drapes can do to a room! Amazing! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| ...and one of my favs are the chocolate brown and ivory zebra print pillows (from Walmart) I put in the DR. You can see one of them in the second 'after' pic. I think it's an unexpected pattern. |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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I just wanted to add that I absolutely love your furniture. They look like family antiques and are very unique.
I do like the pop of red pillows you added.
But with the risk of everyone coming down on me I really don't like that rug in that beautiful room. The colors are fine it just looks like it is a contemporary type of rug. Maybe I am wrong bc I can't see the pattern that well but it looks like squares.
Everything else looks great! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| I love the color! It is so much brighter. Thanks for all the in-progress and what-if pics-so much fun to follow your transformation! |
RE: Looking to punch-up the color
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| What a gorgeous room! All the changes you made are spot on. Good job! |
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