I agree with mom2reese about the painting losing its impact on an orange wall. I'd use something more subdued. I have BM Sea Urchin in a room that has orange accents in the fabric. I don't know how the name relates to the color; it went on the wall too orange (and I nearly had a heart attack) but dried to a bit browner/sandy color.

I was going to reply exactly as mom2reese did. I would put one of the beige/gold colors from the painting on the walls in the dining room to make your gorgeous painting really pop and stand out. And then a rust or orange in the kitchen tying it all together. I think you will lose a lot of the drama of the painting if you put the more vivid paint in the dining room. It will fade right into the wall rather than stand out.

I have BM buttered yam in my dining room and LOVE it. It is certainly not too light. Very yummy color. I'll try to hunt down a photo for you --

San37 - thanks I would love to see a picture! Does this color sometimes seem on the reddish side to you? Or when it is on there is no doubt it is orange.

Circus Peant - to you also thank you I would like to see a photo, perhaps I am miss judging the color.

Orginally I thought of doing the orange in the kitchen but then decided to pull the mudroom into the mix and paint it too. Below is a picture of the mudroom you can see it is pretty narrow and does not get alot of light. For some reason my guests like to enter by this door and I thought maybe the orange would be too much of a smack in your face kinda color for them to walk into? It is true what you all are saying...I will lose the painting on the orange wall...omg so confused!

Thanks everyone for your posts thus far!

How about:

BM "Earthly Russet" -- rich brown/orange that is the color of baked pumpkin pie (BM 2173-10)

And:

SW "Spicy Hue" #6342
SW "Roycroft Copper Red" #2839
SW "Gingery" #6363
SW "Yam" #6643
SW "Copper Mountain" #6356

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

What Teacats say's. I am going to paint one 12' wall with SW Copper Mountain. And rest of sunny walls SW Lemon Grass.

If you go to Sherwin Williams site..they have Rooms and samples that you can click and drag. What a fantastic resource that is. I can spend hours painting and repainting my walls there. Good Luck

Haley_c, what's the lighting like in your DR? Do you have a large window in there? I was thinking a warm brown would look lovely as a foil for your painting and your furniture. Could look nice with morning or afternoon sunlight and romantic at night.

Here's a crude mock-up using a rusty color. Hope this helps.

Here's a brown. It lets the painting and the furniture do the orange glow thing. I like it! Maybe needs a tad warmer brown.

JUST a stray thought that flitted through my brain ....

How about painting your kitchen island in the dark rich brown ..... and the dining room in the orange?

Or perhaps .... the other way around?? The island painted in the dark orange? And the dining room in the rich brown??

Jan at rosemary Cottage

This is Valspar Medallion Burnt Umber, the tan is City BLock. I love the Burnt Umber!! It looks more muted IRL a rusty clay orange.

Thanks Everyone!

Jan/Teacats - thank you I am going to check my swatches for the Earthly Russet color you mentioned.

AWM - THANKS! That is so cool to see it visually. Thanks for taking the time to do that for me. Wow you threw me for a loop with that brown....it is BEAUTIFUL! The art and the lighting really pop.

Nodakgal - thanks for the pic - beautiful color.

Hi haley_c, glad you like the brown too. Link below to a larger picture so you can get a better idea of how the colors work together.

Here is a link that might be useful: bigger brown picture

Ooo, I just painted my fireplace wall in my den the most wonderful shade of brown. It's called SW Toasty. It's a little lighter than the brown above and would look stunning with your artwork.
If I can find my camera I'll take a pic for you.

I looked around for examples of SW Toasty, and boy, is it ever a beautiful brown:

So is SW Coconut Husk:

Hmmm...now what can I paint brown in my home?

(Hope haley doesn't mind the brown discussion!)

I'm in FL and brown is so out of it! I'm into golds, aquas, and other colors that lift the sole. Out of step, but happy about it! Why paint brown and gray when the outdoor colors tend to decrease light and provide gloom? Don't understand it!

Maybe because colors that look great in FL look so out of it in other parts of the country? I moved from NOLA to Connecticut years ago. What worked in strong, bright subtropical light there didn't cut it here with our forested shady summers and cool lighting. I then understood the "colonial" palette you see in historical paints: the strong, muted colors work really well here (but look lousy in NOLA & probably in FL too). They look good in autumn, provide cheer in winter, and are cool & colorful in summer.

Browns can be shady & cool in summer, yet look cozy & warm in cold weather months. Not gloomy at all.

We painted our kitchen an orange color. The color is absolutely beautiful, but in the end I repainted the kitchen because the orange just did not flow well into the family room. (essentially the kitchen and family share one wall and I could not get over seeing 2 drastically different colors). But as oranges go...this one is beautiful. It is C2 paint, not sure if you can get your hands on it or the sample. But if there is a C2 dealer in your area, give it a try.

C2 paint has incredible pigments that really help to make a color like orange have depth that a different paint brand may not do as well with .

The color name is: C2 Cognac

Here is a picture of the color:

Sherwin Williams has a color called Earthen Jug, that is very similar to C2 Cognac - but different enough, that I wouldn't be able to say how it would look on a wall.

Another color - slightly less dramatic, but still beautiful that I have used with success (and did not repaint) is C2 Gingersnap.

Here is a link that might be useful: C2 Paints

And here are some pictures of Gingersnap, which is a color that is slightly less dramatic than C2 Cognac.

However, the Gingersnap looks much more "maroon" in these pictures than it actually did when we lived with it.

Also, (back to the C2 Cognac), the thing that I really liked about the Cognac is that it looked like a spice on the wall - a little brown, a little orange. I think it does hit the nail with the rusty, coppery color you are looking for. I received many comments about the depth and beauty of this color. It just didn't work in my space.

I did have SW make a match of the C2 Cognac because we moved into an area where there are no C2 paint dealers.

If you would like, I can dig out the code and you could have Sherwin Williams make this up in the $5 try it on the walls container. That way you can see it in real life and not have spent too much money or time painting and then decide. Also, another way to go, would be to order a large paper swatch of C2 cognac (they are very nice and large) and have it mailed to your home. Then you can go to your local SW and have them make a match (or use my code).

I highly suggest this orange, only because a decorator told me about the color and it truly is a fantastic color and I think it is what you are looking for.

Okay, I think I might be sounding pushy about this color (sorry if I am), so here are the gingersnap pictures and I'll stop about the Cognac! :-)

I definitely see Decatur Buff as a warm color and I think it would look great in your kitchen.

Laurie

Oh ya SW Toasty is such a nice warm brown!

I love browns...I am not a fan of greys in my home but have seen it in others that has been nice. I am just drawn to the warmer colors which I see browns falling into.
I deffinately aggree different areas and lightings highlight some colors beautifully and others not so much.

Repaintingagain - (great name!) thanks for the pictures that is a nice orange Cognac. I don't believe I have access to C2 paints as I dont' think I have heard of it before. Not sure if it is sold in my area (I am in Canada)but I am going to double check. I really do like the color very much - like you said it has a little bit of everything.
**cool I checked the C2 web site and they are sold in my area - I think I will go and check out their swatches. Thanks I will look further into this.

AWM - thanks for posting the pictures...they are so nice. I think I maybe getting vetoed on the brown from the family for the kitchen but I think I may have another room in mind for it.. ;)

" I think I maybe getting vetoed on the brown from the family ..."

I hear ya. Our foyer is the perfect place for brown: loads of light, lots of white trim, light colored floor. But DH makes a gagging sound whenever he sees the brown paint samples on the wall there.

Funcolors is an expert when it comes to paint colors.

Gosh...maybe it's me but I'm not loving the orange....

I think the color you have (or maybe a more gold green) looks great in both rooms.

I would leave the green and hang the painting as a nice contrast. To tie it in, I'd get a taller and more striking valance in the kitchen keeping those orange/gold colors...then I'd get orange/brown/green placements and a gold centerpiece...

Just my 2 cents....

Painting the rest of the room orange will take away from the painting instead of making it pop...

Count me among those who think that orange will overpower your picture. Also, keep in mind that orange is used in fast food restaurants to stimulate appetite and get people outta there fast. I prefer more subtle colors in a dining room because I like to linger and chat.

Entryways and mudrooms are great places for strong colors because one doesn't spend a lot of time there. I don't have any suggestions in the paint brands you listed, but I really liked the mudroom someone did awhile back in Ellen Kennon's Pumpkin Spice. I can't find the thread for some reason, but one of the pictures is on Ellen Kennon's web site. It might be something you could use for inspiration.

Well my painting is complete. Thanks to those who gave me some insight on colors I really appreciate it.

As promised here are my final pictures - I am not 100% complete with the picture placements, curtains ect but thought I would share anyways.

Colors
"Falling Leaves" Behr Paint and Primer
"Ginger Root" BM color mixed in Behr Paint.

Colors photo a little more vibrant then IRL.

Again thanks for answering my plea for color help!
Haley

Oh haley! That is a BEAUTIFUL color! I love it! My goodness that is pretty...

The kitchen too :)

Coming back for a second look -- it's sooo pretty. Did you carry the Ginger Root into the mudroom? And did you do your own painting? If so, you did a great job.

Thanks AWM!!!! I am so glad you like it.

Yes I did carry the Ginger Root into the mudroom. It is a little darker in the room than I thought but at the same time it is a really warm feeling when you walk in. Ginger Root has a real 'Tuscan' feel which I do love.

Before

After

Thanks yes I did do the painting myself- I actually really enjoy painting but I was sure achey when I finished this job.

I just can't get over how beautiful your rooms came out. I like the Ginger Root better than the color I chose for my foyer to go with my pumpkin living room. The can of paint is still sitting in the basement as I was planning on painting the foyer this week. Wonder if I should return it...

AWM - what's the name of the paint color you chose for your foyer?

It's Farrow & Ball Olive. I lost sleep last night for pondering over "Ginger Root or Olive? Olive or Ginger Root?" I've been trying to decide on a color scheme since January, thought I'd settled on one, and now you come along with your darn Ginger Root - LOL!

Your rooms turned out beautiful! You did a great job:)A little late now but I painted our foyer and laundry room SW 6347 Chrysanthemum satin finish.

Wow you paint fast! I didn't even recognize it as the same house at first! I thought someone was posting more color suggestions. Looks great and I love the picture!

Love, love, love the colors you settled on. Absolutely beautiful, rich colors! For anyone else considering orangey colors, HB this month features 2 pages of designers favorite oranges. Thought of this post when I saw it.

Thanks everyone for your kind posts. So far I like it too...I am still trying to get use to the orange since it is a little different then I 'visioned' in my mind which is my own fault for not buying paint testers and just using the swatch.
It does make me feel good to hear you all like it.

Kmcg - Thanks! I would have loved to see that HB feature....it would have helped but I will still check it out as I am curious now what they say.

Thanks Cam14 and ttodd for your posts!

AWM - I have had many of those crazy nights of thinking about paint...my husband thinks I am nuts! LOL I am sure you will love your paint!

Bumping for desertsteph

Hi Haley Comet,

I absolutely love the green paint in you kitchen (before painting), By the way, I love the fall colors you painted as well...just beautiful. Can you tell me the name of the green paint that was in your kitchen? It is the exact shade I have been looking for to paint my kitchen. Thanks for any help with this.

Maybe this link can help to House Beautiful magazine's website:

12 Best Shades of Orange

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/orange-paint

I'm scared of dark colors too because repainting is such a pain. I think I read somewhere recently that when chosing dark colors pick one you like on the color card and then move to the next lighter color on the card and test that one. I think that might be good advice. Don't know for sure. Has anyone else ever read that?

Yeah, I can splain' it if you want me to. Won't be short tho.

funcolors, please give us a paint lesson.

Hi All

Cosgrovepj the green color in my kitchen (post paint) is called Cactus Park by CIL - very nice green. I received a ton of compliments on it from guests. Hope you have CIL in your area.

Kimmie I totally area about picking your color then going one shade lighter - I have read this also. I find in my experience I almost always prefer the wet paint color to the darker dried color which to me proves I should be going one shade lighter then my swatch color choice.

I REALLY REALLY hate to type this and my husband REALLY REALLY hated hearing this the other day but I think the orange it too orange for me and I may repaint! LOL. I love the color so much it really is a beautiful orange but after awhile it is a little 'much'. Mind you my husband loves it so much (or maybe he is saying that to stop more painting! LOL). This is my third attempt to find a nice orange I love and my third failure...I think I will just become a neutral color girl... I see oranges I adore in other ppls homes but I never get it right in my home.

C'est La Vie...I guess.

On my monitor the orange looks beautiful! I hope you think it over a while longer and decide to keep it.

Darn -- and you've worked so hard to find the right color, haley_c, sorry this one didn't work out either. Hope you find true love in the near future!

roseabbey,

The 'one up' thing doesn't always apply to the way paint works present day -- because paint color strips are not all created equal. Back in the day, there was a lot more consistency and 'one up' kinda sorta could really mean something.

Now-a-days if you go one shade lighter, it's a real possibility that it's not the same color that you initially chose. A lighter color, yes, but very characteristically different than the darker color on the strip.

Not all paint color strips are the same - these days they're arranged in all sorts of ways. Sometimes, 'one up' is a viable option because the strip really is a progression of color arranged lighter to darker. Oftentimes, that's not the case. The strip is comprised of anywhere from five to seven colors that can be very similar, but are essentially different colors.

The way to manage and determine what is too dark, too light or just right is primarily by using LRV. Light Reflectance Value. The number is a consistent piece of data that tells you a lot about how light or how dark a color can look/feel. LRV is especially useful if you have paid attention to it over time and have benchmarks for you, your house that you can refer to when choosing what colors to sample.

Hi Haley Comet,

Thnks for the quick response in regards to the green paint....I just love it!!!! I have never heard of CIL. Is this just sold in Canada? Is Glidden paint the same as CIL? Does anyone know how I can get CIL paint?

Thanks, Paula

Hi Paula - perhaps it is just in Canada, one of the main stores that sells it is Home Depot. Perhaps they can help you find the formula? Wouldn't hurt to try?

Good luck, that has happened to me loving a BM color to find it is from there US line and not Canada (like why would there be any difference? LOL)

funcolors, thanks for the lesson. Now that I think about it, the color strip I had had colors that went well together but werent the same color.

Hi Haley Comet,

Okay, I just made many phonecalls (even to a store in Moncton,New Brunswick). They have no record of cactus park. Do you by chance still have the old paintcan? I just love that green and was wondering if you can send me the formula or if there is a number on the can that the store can then look up in the old paint catalogs. I'd be so appreciative with any help as I can't tell you how long I have been looking for the perfect green. Thanks, Paula

This article is oooolllldddd, but what I see is the white trim is too white. You should have a creamier white paint for the trim.