I am a painter- Why can't I choose a color?!?!

13 years ago

Hi Everyone!

Well, I thought since my kitchen/living room reno is almost done, that I was finished making a buzzilion decisions...... Soooo WRONG. I just can't seem to make myself happy with my living room color choice!! ARGH!

I have an open layout, with the kitchen and living room taking up one floor of my condo. The kitchen is done and I am happy with the colors, but the living room- is another story. I originally chose BM grant beige, but once painted I was underwhelmed. It looked way too light and boring. I am trying to create a room that is both modern but comfy and warm. I want to keep it neutral so that I can add/change pops of color in accessories. I'll also be hanging some of my paintings, which are very colorful.

Can you all take a look at my color stories and tell me what direction I should be heading in? After looking at more colors, I am leaning towards the BM Danville. For some reason everything reads more red than it is in there, so I don't want a brown/tan that is going to look too pinky- if that makes sense.

I need your help, GWers- you never fail me and I am second, third fourth and fifth guessing myself!!! HELP!

Kitchen:

Living Room:

Thanks so much, guys- I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

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Comments (11)

User
13 years ago
Have you considered a silvery gray in the living room? There are lots of pics in the forum where gray has made a great neutral back ground in the living room and it would flow well with the purpley gray in the kitchen.
painterly
Original Author
13 years ago
Lukkiirish- I was just thinking about a grey- my only concern is it just looking like a different version of the purpley grey in the kitchen. I'll pick a gray and try out a sample along with the Danville.

Should I be looking at wall colors that are darker than the couch? Lighter?

I never thought this would be so difficult, but I am having maaaajor paint commitment issues!!
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Check the colors against your furniture and such. If you are starting with the walls first then I suggest you do like I did. After painting my 25"walls by myself, yeah really scary up there, I did the following: We purchased a rug that had all our favorite colors and put it in our family room as the anchor. I went to store and picked one of those pallet cards that gives a group of colors that go together. Mine are the Biltmore Estate colors. All my favorites are there with even a few I would never have thought of. And it turns out all the colors in the pallet are actually in the rug we got. It took a few months before we realized that there were colonial blue areas in the rug that actually matched the blue we used in one room. I used the neutral tan for my entry and stairwell, used a lighter version of the tan for my kitchen, family and hallways. I used the red in my livingroom, hunter green in dining and the blue in my upstairs bonus room. I just did my guest bath using the same blue in the rug andthe bonus room and it is actually my unexpected color in the house. It matches all the other colors but you would never really think to see it. But together they all match really well. I carry my colors in my purse and use them all the time when I am out and about and tempted to get something for the house. So pick that tan and find a pallet that goes with it, it really helped me a lot.
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I feel your pain. I spent around $100 and a month painting foam core poster boards with samples to find the perfect green for my living areas. I finally settled on one and the painters finished up today. I'm happy with my choice. It's worth it to take your time and live with the color in the space, in all lights, for at least a few days. Bigger samples help a lot. When you find one you think is "it", put some on the wall, then live with that for a couple of days. I wish I could help with your colors. I'm not familiar with any of them or their nuances, but I could tell you a lot about the greens I tried out :-D.
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Let me just echo what melsouth said above. I was quoted an upcharge by one cabinet maker for painted white, but in our current new house the price was the same for stained or painted white from a different cabinetmaker. Perhaps you can get an estimate from another shop. It also bothers me that your cabinet maker is trying to discourage you from using white since he prefers stained. He should NOT be doing that. In a previous home, I let myself be pressured to do some things by the cabinet maker and always regretted those choices since I really preferred other things, but felt I had to go with his recommendations. As others have said, you're stronger than you even realize after sustaining the loss of your husband. It's natural to struggle with decisions following that...and sometimes I've found just getting a bit older can make decision making (particularly so many at the same time) more likely to be overwhelming. Just take them one at a time, and it will get done. My sincere sympathy over your loss, and I hope you'll still find the joy in each new day you have. Regarding appliances--if YOU like white cabinets and choose that, you can go with either white or stainless. With cherry, IMHO stainless would look best. We went with stainless in this house with white cabinets because I didn't care for the appearance of big white refrigerators. But we chose the stainless look frig that doesn't show fingerprints. I've found that the stainless undermount sink I thought I'd hate, is actually less work than my previous white one. As with so many things, in the long run, it will work out. Just take it one step at a time. Keep us posted. You have so many friends here ready to help you.
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Yes, that is definitely the way to test it out -- slap it on a wall. Dark paint is infinitely easier to pick compared to light/off whites, in my experience -- the color is pretty much the color, usually no wonky color shifts or light situation affecting to any great degree. My first step is narrowing it down to light vs dark, that's where I'm struggling. What I didn't mention is this is a hire it out job, so labor is going to cost $$ -- there is no get it wrong and re-do it next month; next decade maybe... If I went the light direction, it would something along these lines, re-doing the woodwork to a darker stain and pulling in some dark blue-green decorating accents (love BM Silver Pine, for reference of what I'm envisioning): I did get a Samplize of SW Medici Ivory, and it looks good in my space, not pulling yellow (at least not in the places I've tried it out already). I've got some leftover Silver Pine from when DH painted the vanity, I can throw that up on the walls just to give me an idea even if it's not quite the right color for the walls. Sigh...
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ttodd
13 years ago
I think that the Danville Tan seems to have green undertones that will make the Elephant Gray pull more purple in the end and look less grey.

I looked at 2 BM colors (close to Danville Tan) against the EG that I liked:

Greenbrier Beige HC-79 but I wonder if it might be a tad to dark than what you're looking for.

and

Bennington Gray HC-82.

Ooooh! I took one last peek at my deck before putting it down.

What about:

Hot Springs Stones AC-31

or

Pismo Dunes AC-32

I've sampled both of the colors in my house and they are both beautiful!

You've made beautiful selections BTW! Good luck!
User
13 years ago
I would go lighter. Gray can be a challenging color to get right but once you nail it, it's fabulous. My suggestions would be to get a fan deck from either Sherwin Williams (they have some very popular grays) and/or Benjamin Moore. They're very inexpensive and will save you a lot of money in sample costs. Also in this forum as well as the Gallery forum there are tons of pictures and threads about grays. Just do a search for both "grays" and "greys" because people spell it differently.
painterly
Original Author
13 years ago
Ahhh you guys are wonderful!

Ttodd- thank you! You have given me a boost of confidence- Bennington and greenbrier were the only other two beiges I was mulling over before I decided I liked danville. At least I am moving in the right direction here. I will check out hot springs stones and pismo dunes right now. Thank you for the compliment - I've really had a difficult time trusting my decisions, so that really helps!

Lukkiirish- I will do that- great ideas! Thank you again :)
ttodd
13 years ago
Cool - have fun! Off to do some painting projects myself now!
busybee3
13 years ago
we did master bath/bed awhile back...sampled grant beige as one of the possibilities...
we have similar wood colors as you--went with bm weimaramer-a warm brownish gray- for the walls in bed---is alittle deeper than our other colors (revere pewter in sitting rm and glacial till(similar to grant beige) in bath---love it! you may want to check it out.
painterly
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you guys for all of your help!

@lukkiirish- I did a search and you were right- sooo many informative posts!

I have narrowed down my choices and am off to get some sample jars tomorrow. Wish me luck!
mahatmacat1
13 years ago
Another thing to do is to mix colors (make enough that you can make a good swatch of it for duplication) *yourself*. I had to mix colors myself to get the right thing for our main bath; maybe you might try that, rather than trying to work your brain around making a pre-made color work. Just an idea...
User
13 years ago
That's great! Good luck and I hope you let us know what you end up with! Don't forget the fan decks either. A pretty color in the store can look so different in your own space and lighting. That fan deck will really help with that!
painterly
Original Author
13 years ago
I'm back!

Well I went and painted about 5 different swatches- and just didn't love 4 them... Too dark and too green or mustardy were the main issues for most. There WAS one I really liked though - BM Revere Pewter.

But I was so similar to the BM Grant Beige that I have up there (same intensity, but a little greyer/tauper) - that I can't justify repriming and repainting. (not to mention paying the $$ for BM) if it's not going to be much different looking.

SO I Have decided to just stay with the Grant Beige and see how I feel once the floors and trim go down next week.

I have never been more indecisive in my life than I have been during this renovation- but thank goodness I have you guys to help keep my head up!

I am a painter- Why can't I choose a color?!?!

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