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recordaras

Please help us choose bedroom wall color - exposed brick!

recordaras
9 years ago

Hi Gardenweb folks,

I was wondering if you could help us start wrapping our heads around paint color for our bedroom. We need to decide in the next couple of weeks, and I think my head is about to explode. The main "problem" we face is an exposed brick wall. I can't for the life of me figure out what color will go well next to the brick, all I can say is that I definitely do not like the current yellow we have. We will not be painting any of the trim or wainscoting, just the two walls that are yellow right now.

I wish we had better pictures, but hopefully these will give a bit of a general idea.

This is the bedroom - the wall behind the bed is brick and the wainscoting and trim are some variety of ecru. The furniture is a dark brown-black.Ceilings are white with big wood beams. (Don't mind the curtains or comforter, those will be changed out).

Here is a better picture of the floor and wall colors - the desk is being replaced by a dresser.

And this picture should give a better idea of what the wall, ceiling and wainscoting look like:

I personally love light neutrals, greige, pastels (sage!) and absolutely adore light gray, but I just can't piece together if any of those will work with the room and furniture... I tried playing around with the BM color tool - they have a somewhat similar bedroom layout available, with brick and dark furniture, but quickly got overwhelmed, not to mention how different paint colors look there vs photos.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

This post was edited by recordaras on Tue, Oct 14, 14 at 15:21

Comments (16)

  • User
    9 years ago

    FIrst of all I just want you to know I absolutely LOvE that bedroom! You are sooo lucky, I love the floors, the red brick wall, the big gorgeous windows, omg, I love it!
    The brick is red. I love it. So, I would go with a color that would go really well with red.
    Your floors are a little bit on the gold side, so, you want a color that wouldnt clash with that.
    Red and gold, and pick a color. Seriously.
    Personally, I would go with a blue that would go with both, on the lighter side, but that is me.
    It would definately show off your bick wall, and to me, I would want to show that off.
    600-F-6 Atlantic Blue is a color match with Red Brick.
    B&M color wheel suggestions. S-H-170 is the number.
    Just a suggestion.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    The brick and those windows are gorgeous and are the stars of that room, as are the beams in the ceiling in the LR (are there beams on the BR ceiling as well?) I'd use a paint that would really make them shine, which means picking a paint that lets the white trim of the windows and the wainscoting bring out those features, which means picking a bolder, darker color in order to give the white trim and wainscoting a LOT of definition.

    How about something like BM Weimaraner?

  • teacats
    9 years ago

    Paint the remaining walls to simple fresh white -- close to the color of the trim/wainscoting -- and then the room will gain a more visually cohesive look .....

  • recordaras
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you both so much for the quick replies and kind words! We are incredibly lucky to have our condo - it was a foreclosure in really rough shape when we bought it, but I fell in love with the floors and windows the minute I walked in. At the same time, I feel like the space has so much more potential than we are utilizing, since in all honesty neither me nor my husband have any kind of interior decorating skills...

    I will definitely take a look at the colors you suggested, it's great to be able to start narrowing things down instead of staring at a huge color chart and wondering where to begin.
    I am a little scared of stronger, more saturated colors, although I have been wondering if they would "stand up" to the brick better than something light. For no real reason other than that it seems like it would be harder to live with a dark color that isn't a good fit than to ignore a lighter one.

    Tibbrix - we have the beams in all rooms of the house, and I absolutely adore them as well.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    If you go light, I would do as teacats suggests - white, and then put plenty of artwork/photography on it.

    What kind of light does the BR get? What direction is it facing?

    Bolder/darker colors are GORGEOUS at night with lamps turned on, i.e.: reading in bed. Lighter colors look drab.

    You have so many earthy elements in there, so I'd stay with an earthy color and stick with that rustic, cozy look. I would also absolutely suggest looking at BM Lenox Tan (everyone's rolling their eyes - because I just did my LR in it and have been exploding with glee about it around here), but it is a GREAT earthy, natural color that really brings out the beauty of other natural elements, like my pine ceilings and floors, and would your brick and beams and that beautiful floor you've got.

    This post was edited by Tibbrix on Tue, Oct 14, 14 at 16:00

  • recordaras
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Teacats, thank you for your suggestion! White was actually the first color I started considering, but then I got a little worried that the trim will look dingy next to it. The pictures don't show it well, but it's kind of a dirty greyish ecru, if that makes sense. Not the world's prettiest color, to be honest with you.

    One more thing to consider with white is that we have A LOT of sun during the day (have to keep the windows open in the winter, even though we're in MA!), and I'm a little worried that the sun reflecting from the white will be a little too intense for comfort.

    Wish I had a better picture than this episode of Corgi destruction (he really didn't like that thunder storm...), but it's all I could find on my phone.

  • recordaras
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Tibbrix, thanks so much for all the awesome suggestions! Lenox Tan is absolutely lovely. What would you say the undertone is, since the pictures all look so different online?

    And both rooms get all the sunlight you could possible want, lol. The windows face south, and we have sunlight pretty much all day.

  • recordaras
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    And Weimaraner is such a lovely color too!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    One thing I am LOVING about the Lenox Tan is that there is NO undertone! I was so worried about a green or red undertone ,but there is NONE. And yet, the color changes dramatically as the light changes, yet every version is gorgeous. It moves from a cooler, soft tan (first thing in the morning) and then starts warming up and emitting a golden glow; sometimes it's a burnt light brown (read the thread on my LR where I liken it to the Crayon color from when I was a kid, Burnt Sienna). In the late afternoon and evening, it's like being wrapped in caramel, and at night it's just luxurious and romantic and gorgeous. It is as near a perfect color as I've seen. Of course, that is subjective! I'd call it a stunning neutral with a lot of personality..if that makes any sense. It doesn't overpower a room, but it compliments everything, esp. those natural, rustic elements, which is why I think it would look gorgeous in your BR.

    Btw, I'm also in MA.

    The thread is called "Painting LR is done!". First pic of my LR is the least representative of the color. Further down the thread I put the Web pic that inspired me to go with Lenox Tan. It's very handsome and sophisticated, as you shall see if you look at the thread.

  • lazydaisynot
    9 years ago

    I'd paint the walls the same off-white as the trim. Fantastic room!!!

  • User
    9 years ago

    Another vote for walls the color of the trim.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Once again, when deciding on a paint color, decide how it is you want to feel when you're in the particular room. If you want cozy and rustic, go warm and darker. Beachy - go pastel. More contemporary and austere, white for your room.

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    haven't read all the replies, but I'd go with the color of the wainscoting if it goes with the grout of the bricks. Then I'd go with dramatic black and white photo art.
    And lots of texture, like a lamb skin, faux fur, or chunky wool.

    LOVE that room!

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago

    What a cool room , lucky you.

    I think brick is almost a neutral; ie you can go many directions with what you have. If it were me, I would start with a bedding decision, which would help me choose a palette, and then take it from there...

  • recordaras
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow, thank you all SO MUCH!!! Seriously, I wish I had come here for advice right away!

    I love your suggestions. The idea to match the mortar color is absolutely brilliant, and definitely not something I would have thought of myself. I'll have to take a closer look tomorrow in daylight, but right now it looks like a medium gray with a touch of beige in there.

    I also never would have thought to use the trim color. In all honesty I don't like it on its own, but I can definitely see how it will make the opposing wall stand out, so that one is definitely going on the list of possible options. And that one would actually be pretty easy, since supposedly our local BM dealer has our standard trim colors on file, so no crazy color matching would be in order.

    mtnrdredux, I'm pretty set on white bedding, and we actually just bought a new comforter that I love - such an improvement over our old one, which was left over from my husband's bachelor days. I'll probably have a folded blanket/throw on the bottom third of the bed, and I'm completely flexible on the color of that, same with the curtains.

    Once again, a big huge thank you for all the great ideas and inspiration!!!

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