Drowning in Paint Chips

[anneandkita]

Hi all!

I was just reminded that I need to pick paint colors asap for the living room, hallway, and both bedrooms. Those are the rooms with carpet, and it makes sense to paint them before we pull out the natty old carpet, and we want to pull out the natty old carpet before we move in. So, priority #1! Figure out paint colors!

I have a few questions for you all.
1. Do you pick a paint color scheme for the entire house (like, all yellows, all blues, whatever) or is each room a different color?

2. How do you narrow down from the billions of colors out there?

3. Do you let the names of colors sway you in color selection?

I'm finding that I really don't want to paint a room "daddy-o" (which is a yellow cream color) but am very keen to paint it "Pismo Dunes" since I grew up near the Pismo dunes and have great memories there. This seems totally illogical, though.

[Gigi]

Hi Anne~ What fun....you can certainly drown in all sorts of possibilities because it will be your home...

One thing I would think about it the color of the mouldings...I prefer to keep that the same throughout the house~ either white or cottage white...

Sounds like you like yellow & blue (you mentioned them)---certainly go with what you LOVE and what will match current furniture, etc...

Also- try to LOOK at the BIG picture--which means--does one room flow into another- or are they broken up- what about bathrooms, etc...

Really I'm sure you'll do great- grab some magazines and start a "tear sheet" of whats, what I like, what I want to achieve, etc...

Can't wait to hear more!

[chyna]

I don't really let the name of the paint sway me too much but I should in some instances. :o I for one wouldn't want to be rushed to pick out a color right on the spot for the simple reason you don't know the light quality yet of your new house. Do you have any colors that you've wanted to capture for ages? For me it was the the color of the sun on walls before a storm. Sort of a clear amber shade, the best I could come up for htat was a color called Dusk from the Sand Dunes of Durango collection. No I have no idea who's color it was, Lowes swears it never existed though wouldnt you know it, I got my paint from them. :mad::rolleyes:

What color will the carpet be once you get it? Also do you know for certain you are putting in carpet? If you find lovely or fairly lovely hardwoods under that carpet will that sway you in a different direction. Guess I'm telling you that in my opinion I'd wait until the carpet/flooring is in and go from there. Is there any way you can live with the house for a bit before deciding? I know it is only paint but rushing into things is not always a good choice. Case in point. The trim in my livingroom, one of the colors is called Light Amber. Guess what paint I hate in that room and need to paint over? :o I got swayed by the Amber.

[anneandkita]

Hhaahah chyna, that sounds like something I would do!

I know I want to paint the living room some form of yellow because it's the first room you see. The door opens right into it. There's a huge window on one side, and I just want it to feel warm and welcoming.

On top of that, there are hardwood floors underneath, and they're very orange-y. The sofa I have is currently sage green. So I figured I'd go with analgous colors and get the yellow to tie the two together.

You're right about living with the place for a while. I just know I hate the colors that are in there now. :( The back bedroom is really dark, so I think I want a light color to lighten it up. Not sure which direction to go though!

[anneandkita]

http://www.asdesigned.com/house/305grant/livingroom.jpg

That's the floor under the carpets. Since we haven't closed yet, I can't get in there and sweep, and there's lotsa dirt trapped under the carpet.

Just waiting for the title company but we should close by the end of this week!

[Lisa S]

Beautiful floors! Are you staying awake at night, plotting and planning?

[shabbychick]

I can sympathize about the ugly colors you're moving in to. I had that same situation when I moved in here but didn't have the time to paint first. One of the things I did with my first income tax return as a homeowner was hire someone to paint the downstairs. I opted for a nice, soft yellow throughout the downstairs because it's a good neutral color that harmonized with my furniture and dishes. The rest of the house I've done in stages. I'm a fairly eclectic kind of person, and I tend to decorate more in themes than in colors, so I just went with what felt nice. I figured that if I'm the one living there, every room could be a happy surprise if I wanted it to be, whether it matched the other rooms or not. If I ever sell, I can slap a coat of white paint on everything if necessary. I say, if it makes you happy, go with it. It's just paint, and you can change it later.

Those wood floors might be really beautiful once you get them cleaned up and shined. If not, you might consider painting them. I've always like the look of white painted wood flooring.

[memmey]

I love seeing your photo. It lets us be there with you.:)
I might add the suggestion that if you chose a warm color to be sure to stay with the warm family. Personally I don't care for a cool with a warm next to it. It distracts me. BUT that is just me.
I'm with GiGi to unify the baseboards with one color. If the colors change to much it makes the eye stop and your rooms will appear smaller. If you choose a yellow for the main room then maybe a cottagey yellow based white for the trim. You know not a blue white.
Lowes has a shade of yellow called applesause, I used it in my living room and it has held up wonderful. I got a matte finnish.
I wish we could come and help paint. Oh have a wonderful time selecting your colors, what great fun.:D


Here an older photo of the color on my walls. I have rearranged a little since I took this old picture but the paint is over 8 years old.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/feb_07088.jpg

[Gigi]

Anne- OMGoodness this is going to be such a charm!!!! I love the wood floors and I just know you can restore them to be happy with, I love the opening too! I see some beautiful wood work too!

You must be superbly happy- getting any sleep???

And oh Memmey- I LOVE LOVE that picture of your cottage- and I just had a brainstorm when viewing it- my beach house has pale yellow walls in the kitchen area- and I see you have red toile on the windows--- I think that would be a perfect fit for my window treatments too! I have red toile in the living room at our "base" home...

Anne- This is so exciting for you and it will be fun sharing some ideas and everything as you go along....:);)

[Lynzee]

Oh, Anne! I love the floors! You are so lucky. I'll bet they will be beautiful!

I can't help you with the paint sitch--white is the only color I am willing to admit that paint comes in--so I will leave that for our local experts. Just remember, paint is really an easy fix in the grand scheme of things. If you don't like the one you choose, you can always paint it another color. It's not like choosing flooring, having it installed and then deciding you hate it and can't live with it. :eek:

I am so excited for you! I hope you will continue to let us share in the transition from house to home. :)

[Lisa S]

Memmey ~ I was so taken by your decor when I first looked at your picture that I failed to notice your beautiful floors. Are they new?

[memmey]

Nah...same ole floors, don't you remember the epic tale of me cutting the carpet and having to clean those old floors. They had latex paint overspray on them...didn't I tell that tale???? I have reaaranged 3 times since that photo and I forgot I like it that way...lol may have to put it back. I keep stirring my things up over and over to make it feel different. BOREDOM

[chyna]

I personally love the yellow walls so if you like it then go for it! And a warm yellow/tan would be great with those floors. As for different colors in different rooms, long as they flow well and aren't jarring go for it. Just keep in mind what the eye sees if looking thru a doorway/window/pass thru from another room. It bothers me to no end that the curtains in my livingroom can be seen from the porch thru the huge window and are a deep burgundy/red. My porch is yellow/blue/white. I find it jarring and looks bad. I can't wait until we get that family room built and I can open the drapes! :o

[Lisa S]

Oh Memmy, that's right. I do remember now. They're beautiful! What did you clean the floors with? I remember is sounded like a miracle cure. I could use a miracle!

[anneandkita]

You all are sanity savers, let me tell you!

To answer the most common question, No, I can't sleep AT ALL! :D I spent every spare moment looking at pictures for inspiration.

Memmey that is SO BEAUTIFUL! I'm scared of white furniture though. We have two cats, both with dark fur, and they're spoiled little things who will sleep on all the furniture. :)

My current idea is the goldish/tan color for the living room, the next step up from that color on the paint chip for the hallway, then one bedroom in a warm green (light green), and then the other in ummm I don't know yet! I was toying around with the idea of lavender. Maybe peach?

We'll be using the front bedroom (the non-green one) as an office for now, so I need a good color to work in.

All the mouldings will definitely be white (or probably a yellow-based white, like cream) throughout the house.

Thanks so much for all your support and ideas! I love seeing pictures of your places!

[Daffodil]

Anne, I am so living vicariously through you right now! A new home that you can do what you want with, and a cottage to boot! We've been in our "colonial" for almost 7 years now and are ready to get out. Long story as to why (I'll fill you gals in another time), but as for paint colors, I initially painted each of our rooms a different based on "color psychology", i.e. blue is calming, so it goes well in bedrooms, etc. My kitchen was yellow, dining room green, bedrooms blue, and living room and hallways a taupe/tan called "Cafe Au Lait". We loved it for about 5 years, then decided we (or rather "I" -- DH rolls his eyes every time I pull out the paint supplies;)) wanted a change. I had seen a layout in "Cottage Living" (so mad that mag got shut down!:mad:) that I loved, and went with "Vanilla Cream" on all our walls. I love the continuity from room to room. I'll try to get a pic in sometime.

[mac78]

I love the pictures of your living area/kitchen. I love the yellow. I'll have to take another look.