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Need a neutral colored paint to go with golden oak trim

14 years ago

Could you give me some suggestions for a neutral colored paint to go with golden oak trim. The painter is coming in 8 days, and I haven't even looked at paint samples yet. I hate this process, I want two choices, one that is so awful that I have to go with the other one. NO not really, just kidding. Thanks for your help.

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Lori A. Sawaya
14 years ago
I'll give you my Golden Oak spiel. :) When you look at oak the thing that stands out no matter which kind of oak it is, brown, orange or golden, there is the grain. Heavy, dramatic grain.

Often the color focus is on the color of the oak, brown, orange or golden. One option is to shift focus to the grain. If you can get a wall color to harmonize with the lesser real estate of the oak which is the grain, it's likely going to harmonize with the main stain color.

It's a different approach that opens up new color thoughts and considerations about oak trim and cabinets. Often folks who have oak, feel like they are stuck with a narrow band of wall color choices because they exclusively look at the bigger part of the oak which is the stain color and not so much the smaller portion, the darker grained areas.

There's a color from Ellen Kennon called Powdered Pebbles. It is a taupe color. Now, a standard color belief is that you can not put a taupe with an oak. Powdered Pebbles was born out of flipping the focus to the lesser real estate of oak which is the grain. Powdered P. *came from* the colors in oak graining.

As always, nothing in color world is one size fits all, but Powdered Pebbles' provenance (as they say) is directly related to an oak experience and it is an option to consider for similar oak situations. It might be worth grabbing a large chip from Ellen to see what you think.

A *traditional* color option for oak to snag from Ben Moore might be Powell Buff HC-35.

Here is a link that might be useful: Powdered Pebbles
randita
14 years ago
My favorite golden neutral is SW Ivoire. Another possibility - SW August Moon. Is there a chance to you can get a couple $5 sample jars of a couple of colors you like and paint a foamboard? That might help you visualize.

It might be helpful for you to take a sample of the trim (do you have a scrap?) to either SW or BM and ask for advice there? They both have color consultants on site to help you (call ahead to make sure the consultant will be there to help).
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I agree with flyleft. Tell your friend to keep an open mind and try at least one dark, moody gray. I think Behr's Squirrel is a divine color, and so is Benjamin Moore's Chelsea Gray. greatgollymolly, your question made me seek out one of my Kelly Hoppen decorating books. To quote her: Taupe Loves: *Pure white paint *Dark stained wood *Purple undertoned natural linens *Stones that contain gray or blue, such as blue limestone *The companionship of gray or brown *Metals such as silver or chrome *Dramatic accents of green, purple or red *Clear glass Taupe Hates: *Anything that contains yellow such as buttery paint *Golden woods, such as oak *Yellow-hued linens *Tan leathers *Stones that contain beige *Accessories that hint at yellow, such as dark cream porcelain ----- However, shades of taupe vary widely, so I don't believe in hard and fast rules about a color like that. And there is a difference between taupe and gray. Gray/yellow and gray and golden brown woods pair very well together. I agree with flyleft again--gold can do amazing things paired with gray. I've linked to a room painted in Squirrel, a word by the way which has been totally ruined for me by the movie Up. It must always be said now in a talking dog voice with an upward doggie head tilt. ;) Here is a link that might be useful:
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I like some of the suggestions on the Kylie M. Interiors web site on the topic of paint that goes with oak. You could use her suggestions as a starting point and then adjust depending on your lighting and other elements you need to consider (furniture, etc. in the room to be painted). To avoid playing up the wood you're on the right track in sticking with a warm color, but it definitely doesn't need to be brown to be warm and cozy. If your husband likes rustic/traditional, I'm guessing painting the trim is not an option. My husband much prefers wood trim as well, and I've definitely come to appreciate its beauty way more than I thought I would (our main floor trim is stained fir). It definitely adds a nice warmth and gives personality to your home.
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Here is a photo with a floor with color and grain similar to your samples next to oak cabinets. It's too busy and the stain undertones clash. You need to start looking at a different part of the flooring store. Try samples with less prominent grain and not as much stain color variation. I hate to keep raining on your parade but light gray paint and white/gray stone will not look good with orange oak. You are mixing warm and cool colors. Even though gray and wood tones are both considered "neutral", they don't usually play nice together. Here is an oak with light spice stain. It is from Bruce.
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Comments (12)
Humans are diurnal creatures. We are not bats. All due respect to other pro's , saving the planet, but the last hing I want in my home is daylight ALL the time. I especially do not want it in areas where that "day light" , even on dimmers , is not required. Lighting is no different than paint. There is not really a one type fits all . It's my experience that even the wealthiest client will walk around in near darkness, before it occurs to them to turn on a nine hundred dollar LAMP. OR , conversely, someone will flick on recessed from on high.. nearly all the time, forgetting they even OWN a lamp. An attractive and functional lighting plan is layered. It combines led, incandescent, it is high , it is low - as in ambient and task, and it can involve accent lighting in sconces, or picture lights. The weather and season will affect any paint, as will the lighting you would select for the moment and for that particular space. But to say any any kelvin, all the time , is the "answer"? No. It isn't. To me, that is akin to saying your bedroom should be lit as a potential surgical center, your kitchen as a romantic getaway, and your dining room for a tax preparation event . lol. Paint the walls as you tend to USE lighting. No matter your preference as cave dweller or surgeon. Leopards have a tendency to never change "spots"
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Bunny
14 years ago
Eight days?!!! It took me eight weeks before I finally calmed down enough to pick colors with any confidence. Then it came down to splitting hairs. :)

Funcolors brings up a concept I'd never even thought of, surrounded by lots of grainy oak in my house. All along it was right in front of my nose!

I'll repeat the old mantra of watch out for too much yellow which, for me, doesn't look good at all next to the gold/orange of oak.

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