Paint Color Indecision

[jade]

The last big thing to do to finish our first floor is paint the living room and office area.  I have been trying to pick a color for two months and just cannot decide what I want.  Decor wise we are basically starting over and just got a beige couch.  The floors are a nice dark reddish brown and the rest of the trim in the house is oak.  Right now it is a light bluish lavender color that I never really liked and just does not blend well with the new kitchen.  I was thinking something in a warmer color, but I am terrible about colors that aren't blue.  I like bright colors, but I am afraid of painting this very large space something bold and then not liking it.

So what would you paint?  Please no gray or greige suggestions, those are basically the opposite of what I am looking for.

I don't have any decent pictures of the space but here is the kitchen that is open to the area.  You can see part of the room off to the left.

[sierramist03]

Everything is neutral Id go with your favorite color.

[Deleted]

Do you have a picture of the couch? Hang on a minute and let me browse....

[jade]

Apr 24, 2015 15:09:10 GMT -5 @notquiteblushing said:

Do you have a picture of the couch? Hang on a minute and let me browse....

This is the couch:



It is a little lighter in real life, basically an oatmeal color.  That, the matching ottoman, and a dark brown cabinet from ikea is all that is in the room right now.

[Deleted]

What about something like this?



I wouldn't do too bold a color for a room you'll spend a lot of time in.  We went really bold with our last living room and it just was overwhelming and hard to work with. How much natural light does the space get?

[jade]

I have considered that kind of look before, but I can't envision it in my own house. Since all the trim in the house is a honey oak color, there wouldn't be a ton of contrast like in the pick with the white trim. Here is the front door for an example (pre floors and ceilings):



But I also tend to overthink these things.

It doesn't get a ton of natural light. The window faces north so it doesn't get any direct sun. The windows next to the kitchen let in a lot of light but not much reaches the living room. Though it is a lot better since we took out the little dividing half wall between the living and dining areas.

[TBM]

What about a different shade of green that looks nice with the kitchen green but is maybe a little toned down?

[magdala]

Coral, turquoise or a soft rose would play off the green in the kitchen.

[cjeanette]

I would consider a navy. Rich but not bright. Neutral but not boring.

[auntie]

Is the trim staying golden oak? Or will you be matching it to your kitchen cabinets? Painting? More than the furniture, that woodtone is the thing to match/coordinate.

I love the color @notquiteblushing suggested, but it might not work with that oak stain. Maybe something in a creamy gold/chamois color. Or even a deeper version of the kitchen green.

I have a friend who's an interior designer, she often "shops" clients closets to find colors they're drawn to when picking palettes for new designs.

[jade]

The trim is staying. I am trying to embrace it rather than wish it was something else. Thanks for all the ideas!

[auntie]

Apr 25, 2015 9:20:52 GMT -5 jade said:

The trim is staying. I am trying to embrace it rather than wish it was something else. Thanks for all the ideas!

That makes it more challenging, since you'll have to find a color that works well with the golden honey oak, the redder floors, the kitchen choices and the pale earth-tone couch.

The classic combination for oak is going to be deeper midtone and darker colors- the jewel tones. A denim color could be awesome but isn't warm. A pale cocoa color with some pink to it might work. I have a Behr Mesa Taupe in my powder room which has honey oak flooring- it works pretty well. It's almost a damp sand color.


www.behr.com/consumer/ColorDetailView/PPU5-14


ETA: It might make sense to look at fabric swatches that have a similar green to your kitchen and look for what colors are used to coordinate.