1- dried basil
2- yes but a color that compliments 1
3- tyler taupe

Love that fabric!

I really like Tyler taupe

Val,
OUt of the colors chosen I like the dried basil - I thought tyler taupe was in the running but the last pic it reads very mustardy on my monitor which I don't like w/your palette

It is a little difficult to get a good read w/the colors lumped all together w/the fabrics - singled out may be a better way to judge

- Also, not sure on the accent wall - that would depend on the wall color for rest of the room - As it is now the chairs are blending into the wall color - it could work w/your accent colors with a lumbar pillow on the chairs -

- Not sure on the entry color - i would pic the LR color 1st

Things are looking great Val - lovely choices

PLEASE don't let anyone roll that piano on your beautiful floors - that needs a special piano dolly to move - otherwise the wheels will dig into the flooring & leave some hefty track marks that don't come out (don't ask how I know this ;)

To refresh, the parameters for this project are that it tie together all of my living room fabrics, work with the existing neutral and trim colors which are painted thoughout much of the house, accent the trim (we are adding crown molding) and look good with the hardwood floor (though next decorating item is to purchase an area rug for both living and dining).

IMO, I would purchase the rug before choosing a paint color as that could throw off what goes on the wall. This happened to me in our master. We chose Malted Milk, then got a taupe carpet, it made the walls peach.

And (6) Weekend Getaway with Suntan Bronze and Dried Basil

I like this grouping. Where were you using the Suntan Bronze?

I also like the Tyler Taupe, had to find it online to see the true color

I second the excellent point made by Rose, getting your carpet selected first.

Val, I am not crazy about any of them. The Dried Basil reads really grey on my monitor, and the Tyler Taupe seems to go very yellow in the pix by the floor. The Weekend Getaway seems to work the best, especially if you want to keep the fireplace wall the same color.

I think it would help to see the colors in the room a bit more. Is it possible to hang the paint chips on the white mantel front of the fireplace, with a little space between each one, and take a pix from a bit back - something like you did in your second overall pix? I don't think we need to see the fabrics near them, as the paint colors all match the fabrics just fine. What I am trying to get is a feel for the colors in the room. The close-up shots taped to the wall just don't do that.

Also, could you take one pix without the overheads on? I think they are making your flooring go yellower than it really is, and that is affecting the color choices as well.

I too would get the rug first. Trust me, if not then it could be limiting. Get the rug and then that should help you select a color MUCH more easily!

I do appreciate those voicing the opinion to get the rug first. I really wish I had the time. The issue is my drapes are ready--stored in Calico Corners and my crown molding is being painted as I write this and my contractor will start putting up in the next few days. This is the ideal time to paint. I do not want to paint and have to then deal with moving all my furniture and painting around custom expensive drapes and hardware and all the extra masking involved with the added trim up top. So, the reality is if I am going to paint, it's going to be now. I *know* the ivory color does not work as it does not have enough contrast to the trim. That is definitely going to be painted. The accent wall I am much more open to leaving it for later.

I'm now narrowed it down to three colors: Wilmington Tan (back on the list), Tyler Taupe and Dried Basil.

I've taken some better shots (both with and without the flash). The issue is that this room is a Northern Exposure, doesn't get direct sunlight and today is a cloudy day. But I did put a lot of recessed lighting and as we mostly use this room for entertaining where the lights will be on, I'm OK with a darker color. The entryway which is open to it has a skylight so there is cross over light from that, plus that room is brighter as a result.

Here is the shot which Les had requested with each of the samples on the fireplace wall:

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Then we have the three colors on each of the walls in the room (again with no flash). I really did not have enough paint in the sample pot to get the true color for the Tyler Taupe (it really should have 2 coats of paint). It reads more like the sample board I made up.

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Then as jejvtr wanted to see each color alone.

Wilmington Tan w/ Flash:

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Wilmingtan Tan w/o Flash:

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Tyler Taupe w/ Flash:
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Tyler Taupe w/o Flash:
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Dried Basil w/ Flash:
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Dried Basil w/o Flash:
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I just did Wilmington Tan in my kitchen, and it is a very pretty gold - it looks really different in your pictures!

Actually, I like them all. The Tyler Taupe looks so rust colored on the wall, but totally different in the sample board.

I like Tyler Taupe the best since it's a neutral that will flow nice with the colors in the DR, but dark enough to highlight the pretty drapes. It also seems to be close to the color in the background of your new chairs.

BUT, I am a fan of Wilmington Tan, and if you want a pretty gold color that will brighten the room, it's a good choice. I am just having a problem picturing it with your drapes - they seem very taupe to me, not gold, and the aqua/turquoise of the chairs.

I also liked the Sunset Bronze color! - How about Tyler Taupe on the main walls and the Sunset on the accent wall?

I agree that it's really hard to tell from various monitors, but I think I like the Wilmington Tan and the Tyler Taupe in that order. My vote is to not do the accent wall--I think your furniture is magnificent and once you "dress up" the fireplace wall with a painting, etc. it might overwhelm the rest of what you have going on in the room (your fireplace is very pretty in itself, BTW!). Have you every considered built-ins on either side of the fireplace? I think that could look great with the style you're doing.

Val, I was hoping for that shot with the paint swatches from a much greater distance back, to kind of get the feel for the floor, etc in the same pix. That is how the room will be seen, not close up to the walls, and so I think it will give a better sense of how the colors look. Sorry to be a pain!

Seeing the swatches on the furniture one at a time, I would do the Wilmington Tan. The Tyler Taupe works, but doesn't feel as well-matched. The Dried Basil looks okay on the chair, but on the fireplace wall it looks too yellow, and on the regular wall shots it reads grey.

I assume when you say the room will be used mostly for entertaining with the lights on, you mean lamps, not the overheads. You want to be careful, because too many overheads create glare and wash out the depth and color of the room, so probably not what you want for creating a warm feeling while entertaining.

To refresh, the parameters for this project are that it tie together all of my living room fabrics, work with the existing neutral and trim colors which are painted thoughout much of the house, accent the trim (we are adding crown molding) and look good with the hardwood floor (though next decorating item is to purchase an area rug for both living and dining).

IMO, I would purchase the rug before choosing a paint color as that could throw off what goes on the wall. This happened to me in our master. We chose Malted Milk, then got a taupe carpet, it made the walls peach.

And (6) Weekend Getaway with Suntan Bronze and Dried Basil

I like this grouping. Where were you using the Suntan Bronze?

I also like the Tyler Taupe, had to find it online to see the true color

Thank you everyone for weighing in with your thoughts. I can just kick myself that I didn't seek advice from this forum when we were choosing paints for our whole house. I just love Wilmington Tan and feel it would look better than the Oat Straw we have presently--DH likes it also. I do agree with caroleoh that Tyler Taupe pairs best with the Oat Straw, but for this room the one I prefer it the Wilmington Tan so am glad to read a few others here think similarly. It's hard to think of repainting the other rooms just now, but perhaps we will phase over to the WT over time. We paid to have the house professionally painted, but this time around it will be DIY.

While I've not chosen a rug, I've thought about it and looked at some. Even though this room is formal, it still needs to fairly kid proof (we have three ourselves ranging in age from six to 14, and most of our friends have children also) so I tend towards rugs that are darker in color without an ivory/taupe/gold background. Particularly if I were to put the WT on the walls and with the existing WT and sofa, I feel the rug would be an area to bring in more color so with that in mind I'm hoping I'll still have some options open. I'm also wondering with a more neutral backdrop, if it will allow the chairs to become the focal point along with the fireplace.

Les, you are never a pain. I truely appreciate your insights as well as everyone else who has replied to my threads. Here are a couple of distance shots that I hope will give you a better feel. As it was later in the day, it worked better to put the sample boards lower. Notice, I've also tried to drape the drapery fabric as I know once it's hung in folds and how the light plays on the sheen of the material also gives it a different look. I'm really getting very curious to see my drapes. They have such a lovely weight to them and with the lining and the leading edge trim, I'm hoping they will meet my expectations. This has been the biggest splurge in this whole LR/DR remodel--and the next I imagine will be the rugs.

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Boy, this is hard. As hard as it is to choose a color in my own home, with my fabric in hand and all the light factors of the day easy to come by, it's 12 times harder to picture a real color in someone else's house, even with good photos. And Val, you have an amazing way with photos. I mean, you do color with flash, color without flash, color with fabric, etc.

That drapery fabric is one I'm familiar with. I checked it out for my own house, but couldn't work it out with my old wall color. I loved it and hope your drapes are as awesome as you hope. As for the rug thing.......well.........I do think that in a well-measured, well-thought-out, designed and decorated world, One would absolutely buy a wonderful rug, then, work the room around it, choosing paint and even furniture with a great rug in mind. But in my world, where I paint on a dime, but mostly have to wait on new furniture, rugs, etc., the rugs have come later. I find that when I buy a patterned rug, whether semi-antique persian, or something nice from HomeGoods, I can usually make it work with the house and wall and furniture. I painted my LR in Baby Turtle, thought it worked beautifully with my navy/red persian, but later, found a cool rug in a darker sagey-beigy greenish color that looks wonderful in there. The persian went in my dining room where it paired very well with the apple/pear green walls. Just recently, I repainted in Northampton Putty and that looks much better with the rug. I cannot get on board with waiting to paint till you buy a rug. There are many many gorgeous rugs out there. If you find a paint you love, the rug will follow.

Red

Thanks Val, for not sending me hate mail! LOL Those pix really did help me, even in the later day light. The Dried Basil is better than I thought, but what I am afraid might happen is that all the walls in the room will be very cool feeling, and the major items in the room, (the drapery, couch, floor and case goods) will be warm - and create a disconnect.

I am guessing the Tyler Taupe is on the left - it works well with the stone on the fireplace, but I don't like it with the floor or the drapery fabric. If the Wilmington Tan is on the right, that would be my vote.

My vote is for the Wilmington Tan first with the Tyler Taupe Second.