Decorating Help

lovely1m

lovely1m

Active member
I've lived in apartments most of my life so I haven't had real control over any decorating, but we are moving into a house next month and I need some decorating help. I need to decide on paint colors before I move in because I am having a painter come in, but I have no idea what to do with the great room. Its the living room, dining room, kitchen and foyer. There will be tigerwood laminate floors, the cupboards and trim are cherry, the counter tops are a dark green (not my favorite, but they are staying) and I bought a grey, modern style couch. I plan to buy an area rug and a chair yet, but haven't found the right ones. What color would you paint and which walls? Any other design help is appreciated. My style tends to be modern. Thanks!
Here's a couple of pictures I took from the listing of it (the foyer one is from a different, but same floor plan house).

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This is the flooring I bought:
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I'd go with a light grey, and do all the walls. I think it will really open it up and pop the gorgeous flooring and cabinetry.
 
I agree with Jennifer. I'd definitely go lighter on the wall that is so dark now. Your cabinets just blend in to the wall as it is. A pop would really brighten it up! :)
 
I thought grays right off and those floors scream to me! tell that green to deal with it, and put some pops of yellow and Burgundy!! Let the sun shine in!! Bring in some silver or chrome to accent with the grays...it is a beautiful home!
 
I would go with these new popular Benjamin Moore colors: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/artisan They're similar to what I chose a couple years ago...

I have to agree, gray is an excellent choice for wall color. Our walls are gray now downstairs and we get so many compliments. Colors only made our small (650 sq. feet downstairs) space feel even smaller. Gray has a nice way of warming up the walls without being noticeable. I think once you 'look' at the walls the space feels small... especially if it really is a small space.

This is the color of our living room: Edgecomb Gray Some examples of rooms in that color:
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(above photo... the edgecomb is the color in the stairwell)

Then, our kitchen/dining room (which butts right up to the livingroom) is painted in Silver Fox
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edited to add... my cabinets are cherry in color and the silver fox looks great with it.
 
That's so pretty, Mari! I like the suggestions that everyone made so far. I'm still stumped about how to paint our house and we've been here 5-1/2 years. The one room that I put some real color on the walls is our bedroom and I'm not sure I like it anymore. Still, it's better than it was (weird multi-color sponge-painted). I hope you show some "after" pictures; I'd love to see the way it turns out!
 
I'm a gray girl, too! I've did my living room a couple of months ago and will be doing my basement in a few weeks. It's quite nice and photographs wonderfully! :)
 
Its funny you all have mostly mentioned gray so far. I actually already choose that for my bathroom and my son picked it for his room.
 
I'm no good with decorating advice. My house has white walls and is still the same as the day we moved in.
 
I would go gray as well... and very light gray though. It will totally open it up and make it feel bigger. We are in the processing of painting over all of our dark colors.

Also, totally just personal preference, but I would personally paint all the trim white! Around the windows and the baseboards (and doors if they aren't white!). That would make a huge difference in lightening up the place as well! And definitely add a modern feel to it!
 
Sarah8914 said:
Also, totally just personal preference, but I would personally paint all the trim white! Around the windows and the baseboards (and doors if they aren't white!). That would make a huge difference in lightening up the place as well! And definitely add a modern feel to it!
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Agreed! Crisp white trim would go a long way in making it feel more modern. What shade of grey is your couch? And is going to be placed up against the wall like in the photo?
 
I never knew about that counter top thing! That's awesome. I'll have to look into that.

Lynnette, the couch is a medium gray. Its almost like a sweater material and really the only place to put the couch is that place. Its a small living room.

Thanks for the compliments on my house and the help so far, girls. I'm pretty proud of the place already.
 
I was also going to say grey, with pops of yellow and turquoise in the decorating accents.

I like the butter yellow option too.

I've been wanting to do my countertops with something similar for a long time...ours are dark green too. Ew!
 
Nice home Mari, I hope you enjoy it!!

I agree with the light grey, it would be super pretty. Im also a sucker for white trim, I do white trim always. It makes it feel so clean and crisp to me.
 
I want all my walls to be white but not crisp white. I don't like decorating but I don't like color on walls. I'd rather change my pillows and bedspread than having to repaint...

I think we have Sherwin Williams - Natural White
It's not as gray as it looks here. It's nice against our white trim.


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