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June 25, 2007
Posted by: Cathy at 12:02 am
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To see details, click on the picture to enlarge.
A client was happy with the playful colors and furnishings she had in her small family room. But, she said, “it just doesn’t look finished”.(top photo, before). She wanted to paint all the walls yellow. I told her to try red. She wasn’t sure about all of the walls being red. So, she installed a chair rail and paneling and painted them white and above were the red walls. Also, crown moulding was added to “frame” and “contain” the color. The red was the right background for the art and furnishings. The room came to life. All it needed was a little color. Another idea we had was to use the childrens table and chairs in place of a coffee table so they could color and play in the room. Remove the chairs and it became a coffee table. A dual purpose idea. Sometimes all it takes is a little color to transform a room.
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1. Hi Cathy,
You appear to be a night owl, where I am an early bird. Yes COLOR can magically transform a room. I painted just one wall in my kitchen red and the difference is amazing. People just have to remember that you can always paint over it if you don’t like it. Just remember that when you are painting red, ALWAYS prime it in a tinted primer to match your paint and always let each coat dry in between so you don’t see any streaks. It can sometimes take as many as 3 – 4 coats of paint when painting with red. Always worth it though!
by lynn — 6/25/07 at 8:51 am #
2. Hi Lynn,
I’m not too much of a night owl. The posting time shows 12:02 AM, thats East coast time. It was 9:02 PM my time on the West coast. So, not too late, but quieter. YES, you are right about painting any strong color. Prime first with a tinted primer then, 2-3 coats of the color. Always let it dry between coats as you said. Always get a REALLY GOOD quality paint with strong colors to lessen the amount of coats you may need. Love your red kitchen. Thats what we did here also. Looked fabulous. Sorry the photo here isn’t too sharp. It was a photo of a photo out of my portfolio. At least it gets an idea across. Thanks for writing in. Always good to hear form you.
by Cathy — 6/25/07 at 12:18 pm #
3. Hi,
I just moved from a very old home (100+ years) to a newer, more updated home (30 year old Cape Cod) and from a very small living room to a large one. All the other rooms “fell” into place, but I am having trouble arranging a large, almost square, living room. There are two windows to the south, and it opens to a small dining room to the north. I have a neutral floral couch with two matching loveseats and assorted tables, a bookcase, a small trunk, and a table lamp. If I arrange a conversation area toward the windows, I don’t know what to do with the space going toward the dining room (which has a neat vintage table, six chairs, and buffet). Help.
Thanks,
Carol
by Carol Whittington — 6/28/07 at 6:54 pm #
4. Hi Carol,
Your new house sounds nice. You say your living room is large enough to have a sofa and 2 love seats and is almost square. If theres a fireplace in the room, I’d arrange the seating area in a “U” shape to float ( away from the walls) facing the fireplace. If not. Face the seating area to the windows in a “U” shape. The large sofa’s back to your dining room, the two loveseats on either side . Behind the large sofa (if theres room) place a sofa table or even a writing desk and chair with a lamp. Fill in with the rest of your furnishings. Hope that gave you some help. Good Luck.
by Cathy — 6/29/07 at 4:43 pm #
5. All the ideas really helped unify that room….
Good job!
by Julie — 6/29/07 at 7:33 pm #
6. I painted my kitchen red and I used tinted primer. I used 3 coats ( I guess I should have tried 4) I am not happy with my coverage and was told by someone who has painted red that I should use a gray primer. This really worked well for them. So, I would recommend gray primer over a red tinted primer.
I love my red kitchen. I had red kitchen cupboards in my last home. I got lots of great comments. This time I went with red walls and white cabinents.
by val — 6/30/07 at 4:41 am #
7. Hi. I really like what you did with this room and I like color in rooms. I have a question. In my bedroom there is one window in the center of the long wall. I have a French-style off-white painted iron and old brass king-size bed. Because the room is large enough, I put a French style armchair and small off-white marble and gold little table with an antique French lamp on it. The problem is that my little sitting area makes the bed off-center so the one window is behind only the right side of the bed. My thought was to fake a double window with French style layered curtains or possibly a screen of some kind but I need the light from that window on a day to day basis. So I was going to put a top opening blind on the one window because I’m able to keep the top half of the window without a covering 24/7 and no one can see in. When I have company, I thought I’d pull the drapes over the window or use whatever other kind of window covering I choose. Any ideas? Thanks.
Joyce
by Joyce — 7/2/07 at 11:01 am #
8. Hi Julie,
Thanks Julie. Do I know you from somewhere? LOL.
Hi Val,
A great bit of information. I’ve heard that before, tinting the primer a gray color, It makes sense. Lessens the contrast and provides an even undercoat for a strong color. Has anyone else tried this? Your kitchen sounds cheerful and fun. Thanks for the info.
Hello Joyce,
Your French bedroom sounds tres magnifique! An idea for your off- centered bed under the window. Center the bed so the left side of the window is above the center of the headboard. Hang 2 pieces of art work or large plates on the wall above the left side of the bed. One above the other. On the right side only of the window, tie back a pretty silk or lace floor length drapery panel to let light in the room. Maybe a tall topiary in the right corner behind the chair as well. This will look like it was “meant” to be arranged this way. Keep it simple or you’ll look like you’re trying to disguise something. Good luck. Let me know what you do.
drapery panel
by Cathy — 7/2/07 at 2:36 pm #
9. Hi Cathy,
The room looks great! I am going to get paint tomorrow! I am tired of living in a “vanilla house”.
Thanks for the inspiration!
alli
by Alli — 7/2/07 at 6:31 pm #
10. Go for it Alli!! Its only paint. Don’t let it scare you. Show us what you do. A “before” and “after” picture. Take Care!
by Cathy — 7/2/07 at 10:50 pm #
11. Is there a Red paint color that would be considered “the most popular choice for Red”? Interested in painting a bathroom red, but would am having a hard time with my red paint color choices, want it to be a nice warm red. Thanks for your help.
by Stephanie — 8/19/07 at 5:11 pm #
12. Hello Stephanie,
There is really no “most popular” red color. A great red in California might look very different in New York. The natural light that comes into a room is different in every area and every home. I would suggest you get 3 or 4 samples painted on large poster boards and look at the reds throughout the day and night. Paint 2-3 coats to give you the right color.
To get the best results on painting walls red…prime with a charcoal grey primer. Buy great quality paint like Benjamin Moore, Pratt and Lambert. Doing that, you should only need two coats to get your color.
You might want to read a related post. Go to the top of the page here and look at “related posts”…click on “Make wall color samples with craft paint”.
I hope you can find your red, its a great color.
Thanks for your question.
A few good reds to look at might be…
Ben Moore: Ruby Red, Sangria, Ladybug Red, Tomato Red, Strawberry Red.
by Cathy — 8/20/07 at 4:27 pm #
13. I love the red, but not with the white in a family room. I would do something softer. Like maybe red with an ivory or off white at the bottom. It needs a softer contrast not something that is so shocking. Red goes better with a warmer tone.
by jana — 8/23/07 at 2:44 pm #
14. Hello Jana,
The lady wanted a crisp white color to go with her white kitchen just to the left of the picture. Many whites work well with red. Thanks for noticing the details…
by Cathy — 8/23/07 at 5:42 pm #
15. would like to know what color to paint my other walls i have one red and i have silver-grey carpet going out of my mind with hubby to come up with a color that would be best. ceilings are white and its a park model
by carol — 10/23/07 at 2:14 pm #
16. Hello Carol,
You say, you have a red accent wall and need a color for the other walls. You have silver-grey carpet as well.
A cool neutral would work well. A light to medium grey wall color would look nice and tie in the carpet color. Also a taupe (grey/beigh) color would work as well. Keep your accent wall the red color and the cool neutral (a greyed beigh, not a yellow beigh) . Pull in the grey and reds in your furnishings to repeat the colors and it should work for you.
Thanks for your question,
Good Luck,
by Cathy — 10/23/07 at 11:00 pm #
17. Hi, Moving into a new-to-us older home. Most rooms need painting, which I’m happy to do. All colors decided, except large family room. It has dark paneling, a large stoned fireplace, and two sets of sliding glass doors 1 faces north, other south). Also, 1 window on each side of fireplace facing west, and 1 window facing east. Ceiling is tiled, and can’t be painted. Exisiting carpet is tan, our furniture is khaki. Struggling to find a color that looks good with the fireplace: gray mortor behind what appears to be lake stones: dark-colored, with greens and browns. Room also includes half bath, and is adjoined to a mudroom/laundry room that has wainscoating and chair rail. Planning to carry Ben Moore Cocord Ivory from kitchen into mud room, with lower wainscoating Newbury Port blue (to match my dishes). Lots of details–but desperate to find the best color for this fantastic fasmily room. Any suggestions??? Thanks!
by Michelle — 1/13/08 at 12:16 am #
18. Hi, Moving into a new-to-us older home. Most rooms need painting, which I’m happy to do. All colors decided, except large family room. It has dark paneling, a large stoned fireplace, and two sets of sliding glass doors 1 faces north, other south). Also, 1 window on each side of fireplace facing west, and 1 window facing east. Ceiling is tiled, and can’t be painted. Exisiting carpet is tan, our furniture is khaki. Struggling to find a color that looks good with the fireplace: gray mortor behind what appears to be lake stones: dark-colored, with greens and browns. Room also includes half bath, and is adjoined to a mudroom/laundry room that has wainscoating and chair rail. Planning to carry Ben Moore Concord Ivory from kitchen into mud room, with lower wainscoating Newbury Port blue (to match my dishes). Lots of details–but desperate to find the best color for this fantastic family room. Any suggestions??? Thanks!
by Michelle — 1/13/08 at 12:17 am #
19. Hello Michelle,
Your new-to -you home sounds wonderful.You are looking for a color to paint your family room. To recap…large room, good light, dark paneling, stone fireplace, khaki furniture, tan rug.
What mood do you want in that room? Do you want to keep the dark paneling as is or are you open to painting it? As is, you have lots of neutrals, tan, grey,brown, khaki etc. If you want a warmer color try a complementary color to the greens in the fireplace and furniture. A terra cotta color, spice, yam, rust etc. Still very earthy but it adds some warmer color to the mix.
If you want to stay monochromatic…tints, tones and shades of one color.
Stay within the shaded green palette. Then add in accents in the room in the terra cotta color.
Look at Benjamin Moore Affinity colors…
Terra cotta colors….Firenze, buttered yam
Greens…. Elemental, Thicket, grasshopper, agave
Try a few samples in your room to see how they look in your light and with your furnishings.
Good luck and enjoy your new home.
by Cathy — 1/14/08 at 1:15 pm #
20. Hello,
We are building long distance and choose our colors with the help of a paint consultant. The main part of the house is Shaker Beige which is what the living room is and opens on to the dining room which faces north painted rapture red, also rapture red in the kitchen which has no windows. Rapture was selected for us as we requested a warm, comfortable color to spice up the shaker beige. Photos were emailed to us today, and the rapture red is not the warm, inviting color we had imagined. Any suggestions for a really quick fix. Final coat of rapture goes on tomorrow.
Thanks
by Fiona [...] — 2/16/08 at 5:11 am #
21. Hello Fiona,
It sounds like your red might be a little more intense than you expected. Since its already on the wall, a way to tone it down and blend with the other walls is a Strie paint technique. You can use the Shaker Beigh paint to STRIE or DRAG over your red color. The red will show through in uneven tiny long vertical lines. Have your painter or someone that knows how to paint decorative wall treatments do the job. Basically, you mix 1 part of your beigh paint to one part of water-based glazing liquid. Roll it on the red wall completely and while the glaze is still wet, pull a dragging brush vertically through the glaze. Do this several times until the lines look straight. Work in 2 ft widths around the wall. Try a few sample boards to see how this will look first. If you want more red showing. Get a notched squeegee instead of a brush to make wider lines. Google “Strie or Dragged paint finishes” and they will tell you more.
A lighter wheat color (gold undertones) might work nice too. Try your beigh paint first.
I hope this was helpful to you. Let me know how it turns out.
Good Luck.
by Cathy — 2/16/08 at 1:17 pm #