don't know how to do multiple links! Here it is with the rock flooring. The floor will be cleaned and sealed so it will be a deeper, richer color eventually....

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I don't think that's the right gold with the rock floor. With both floors, I think the darker color is too similar to the flooring.

Sorry Dirtymartini, but I think you need to keep on looking. There is just too much baby doo doo in the darker and you don't want to settle for "safe" so don't sweetie.

I'm not normally crazy about bamboo floors, but yours are gorgeous. I don't know how accurate your pictures are, but the lighter color doesn't seem safe to me. It's the one on the left in the first picture, right? It definitely looks like it would make a statement.

Laurie

Remember that once you get the color on all four walls, the supposedly *safe* color will look much more bold.

You can't really tell much from such a small sample.

I like the lighter one. Believe me, on the walls that one would be plenty dark and make a statement. The darker one looks more green to me, I don't care for it.

Love you guys! Really!

I copied and pasted this thread for DH...just emailed it to him. I expected him to say "who the heck are these people whose judgement you trust so much?" but he didn't. he said, "ÃK, well, I am ready to paint, so go get the lighter one!"

I think I will get a small sample and paint a wall and look at it for a day or two.

I thought by now I would see a sample that really jumps out at me, but I have not. :(

Thanks again for all the help!

Just want to warn you....yellow tends to build up in a room. With the warm toned floors (particularly the flagstone) you might have too much of a good thing there.

Last house, I tried to paint my family room gold. I also had bamboo, but it was the light natural version. I felt like I was in a yellow light box. Not good...

Have you check to see if you have an ICI store for EK paint? I love the Mustard Seed -- had it in my last house. But, I'd look at some of the softer colors like Honeysuckle or Wheat.

You might also want to think about using a cooler color to balance all that warmth. Just because the floors are a warm color doesn't mean you have to keep everything warm. Sometimes, having a balance is a good thing, especially in a hot climate.

oh geez...amysrq...you make so much sense! But now I am confused...i always thought I would have a medium to dark gold tone in my home, and now I am having to rethink that?

It's true, when we looked at some orangey tones, we decided they matched to much with the flagstone flooring. We want that floor to POP. You are thinking that lighter gold will do the same?

Remember, I am the chick that wants some subtle nods to the 1970's going on in my house. I thought a "harvest gold" paint would be PERFECT. But if it doesn't compliment my flooring, well, it just doesn't compliment.

Ok, back to the paint store. I'll update with some ideas. Thanks so much!

Have you checked out SW Ivoire? It's a very soft light golden beige. It seems to go with just about everything. Two other popular and nice beiges with touches of gold are SW Believable Buff and Duron Plantation Beige (SW now owns Duron and can mix the Plantation Beige for you).

If you wanted to go another direction, I could see a green like SW Grassland or Svelte Sage-neutral greens. They would make your floor pop more than a beige or yellow would. Green is the best color for making wood pop, esp. real warm toned woods. A similar nice shade by BM is Dry Sage. But maybe you're not a "green" person.

You can get small sample jars of paint from both SW and BM. I have a whole closet full of them!

Both of those colors show a green cast.

Check out this site--this is the color of yellow that I would use--it's called sunbeam. Flip the color and see a living room with floors exactly the color of yours. Then compare it with the stone, If I'm not mistaken that yellow is in your stone

https://www.glidden.com/color/color-palette.do

I love your floors, very pretty! And agree that that gold has a green cast that makes it look dreary. We have Behr Warm Muffin in our living room and are really happy with it. It looks brown on the swatch but goes up gold. You may want to take a look at it, I think it would look amazing with your floors. I don't have a good picture of it, but if you think it will help I can try to get one. Just email me to let me know. -- Lukki

I've posted this before, but I love the SW chip 18 mentioned above with Believable Buff on it. I like the darker, richer shades though, like Camelback and Baguette. The chip might look more tan or brown, but on the wall it's a warm gold. The whole range on that chip seems to work well with so many other elements. You could use one of the deeper color to really make the room pop without being too yellow or green. I haven't used Baguette, but it's right between the two colors below, so you might like it.

Here's my foyer in SW Cardboard (same chip, one darker than Baguette). The flash made the colors a bit off, especially the right side adjacent to the grasscloth. It's not that bronzy-green IRL; the left side where the prints are hanging is more accurate.

Here's my dining room in Camelback.

I completely agree with amysrq and was about to post that the floor and the walls would be an overabundance of warmth. if you want proof, get some 2x4 pieces of foamcore from Michaels and paint samples on them and put them up in the room with say, drapery or upholstery that will be in the room blocking one edge and the other edges up to the floor and trim. I say all this so that you can put your hands up over the rest of what you'd see and just imagine the whole room with out the mediation of the light blue that's there now. Somehow, when I do that my eye always tricks me and lets me imagine very effectively what the rest of the room would look like if it were all that color. Seriously. You'll see what it would be like. If you like it, then go for it. For my particular tastes, it would be too monochrome of a particularly rich color.

p.s. to equest -- could you please ship me the vases on your console table by the stairs? Thanks so much :)

(p.p.s.: IMO the reason why equest's hallway works so beautifully is that there are *many* other shades in there, including the cools of the vases, which absolutely pull your eye, at least mine. If you will have that many other colors, and some natural light as well, then the monochrome background could work...)

Color 101...if you want something to "pop" as you say, go to the opposite side of the color wheel. Orange floors? Blue walls. I'm not saying to paint your walls blue necessarily...just that painting them the same color (or a variation on that theme) is going to have the opposite effect of what you say you are after.

While I applaud you for honoring your 70's ranch and not trying to make it into something it isn't (like an English Country cottage), I wouldn't be too wedded to those 70's colors like avocado green and harvest gold. I think you can be true to what you have without being a slave to what is actually passé for a good reason.

And what you're saying there, Amy, is why equest's hallway works so well -- the blue matting and the blue vases "pop" out from the monochrome background. So much depends on what else is in the room.

Window treatments?
Rugs?
etc.

I'm not saying this to you, amy, as I know you know this, but to dirtymartini...what are the other determined elements in the room? Or are they pictured somewhere in a thread I missed? Would be very much like me...

Thanks for the compliments flyleft. We bought the vases on a trip to Peru, so if you venture down to South America, you too can acquire a set! My DH was doubtful they would make the flight home, but they must be sturdier than they look.

Dirtymartini, our house was built in the 70's also, so I know what you mean about trying to stay with the style of the house. I happen to like earthy golds and olive greens, so I've gone with that in several rooms, even using the grasscloth accent as a bit of an homage. Where the wood trim was left unpainted, I gel stained it to highlight the grain, but I wasn't about to strip all the painted woodwork, so I worked with that, too. As someone else mentioned above, have you considered a green for your wall color? That might look really nice with your floors, give more contrast, and stay with the 70's color palette (if you picked an olive tone).

"Remember, I am the chick that wants some subtle nods to the 1970's going on in my house. I thought a "harvest gold" paint would be PERFECT. But if it doesn't compliment my flooring, well, it just doesn't compliment."

Well, hold a minute. Knowing what you want is half the battle - that often can be the hardest part. I'm reading a lot of clarity with regard to color direction. Finding the right color of gold with the right pitch of nuance to work in the room is the easy part.

Aztec from Glidden might not harmonize well with the bamboo and the stone, but it's not like that's the only *gold* out there to choose from. Btw, the only "Aztec" in the Glidden deck is Azteca 10YY 21/500 and it's like a spicy pumpkin or nutmeg color. I wouldn't call it *gold* so maybe I'm looking at the wrong chip.

You got some good suggestions for *golds*. Mustard Seed, the SW Strip #18. If you're getting your Glidden chips from the Home Depot, then you also have Ralph Lauren's palette to work with and he has small samples -- something like County Cork NA06 or Walnut NA07.

*testing*

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs028.snc1/3170_1159104655708_1170516074_30470246_3362568_n.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Hmmm, I am trying to figure out how to post a picture without making it a link? Anyway, no need to copy and paste that link, it is the same as the link I provided. This is our bedroom with the bamboo flooring. I just wanted randita and the rest of you to know I *LOVE* green! I just wanted our bedroom to be the only green (so it would be "special" I suppose but now you have me thinking I should go green elsewhere.

Here is another shot in our bedroom...this is my comforter set (rusty color). We still have to do our baseboards.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Hi flyleft! I have posted pics thru the various weeks, showing my flooring and explaining my situation, but of course not everyone has seen them. We are renovationing our 70's ranch. Right now, our family room/kitchen is concrete floors, NO FURNITURE at all! The kitchen will be gutted...right now it is in shambles, but still operating. It has fairly new appliances, but the cabinets are rickety and I already tore all the doors off of them so DH cannot change his mind and tell me "no new kitchen"! :) we MUST get a new kitchen now that I have partially destroyed the cabinets! Muhahaha! (that was my evil laugh, in case you don't know!)

The family room will have the strand bamboo that is pictured.

The living/dining room also has no furniture. It has a flagstone floor that is unique, and I do love it, although I would not have *picked* this flooring for a room inside the house. It seems more like an outdoor stone, but whatever...it is unique so I am "going with it."

SOOOO, both rooms are a blank slate.

the link below is of the living/dining area. Those window treatments are gone (those are french doors where the green curtain is) as are the dark baseboards.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I have allot of greens and golds in my home. my DBIL is my painter and he likes BM paint so all my paint is BM. Both your floors are lovely BTW.
PR Wilmington Tan

The bottom link is a picture of my husband taking up the tile. The guy is really working hard on this house! Picture was taken from the existing kitchen, looking into the family room. There is one window at the end of the room, and french doors that lead out to the pool.

I really LOVE LOVE LOVE this house. We plan on living here 15 years minimum, probably more. We were both born and raised in this general area. We lived in our 1300 sq ft townhouse for the past 12 years. When we were finally ready to "graduate" to a house, the bubble was in full swing. We had to wait it out. We sold our town house a year ago and lived in one of my parents' homes for almost a year, watching prices fall further. Now we have our 2000 sq ft ranch on an acre in an equestrian neighborhood, we purchased it at an incredible price (even though we think housing prices will still go lower, we were ready to buy NOW) and we couldn't be happier! We are just overwhelmed a bit with all the renovation.

equest-Ok, I am *so* gonna do grasscloth somewhere in this house. i just love it and you are right, it lends itself to that '70's feel! What a gorgeous home you have. Love the wall color.

lukki-thanks, I will look at that color somewhere!

funcolors-Well, I guess what I am gathering here if I insist on doing a gold tone, it will have to be light? I was so set on a bold, strong color, but DH and I are realizing (with all the help from this forum) that maybe gold just isn't the way to go.

oilpainter-I think I detect a slight peachy/orangey tone in that color you posted? I know it is hard to tell on the computer.

randita-I really wanted to stay away from greens in the rest of the house, but now I am realizing it may be the only way to go, unless I go super light with golds/tans etc.

sorry for all the links, folks. I appreciate a the time you are taking with me. Thank you

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

ohhh, marybeth...how pretty! I am laughing, because I have a baby turtle chip here right now! I am a sucker for a good paint name. I usually go for food items...but baby turtle made me smile! I am so happy to see the BT paint in your room, I can't wait to show my DH. I absolutely LOVE the golds you have painted, but I see you have light floors in that room, right?

Here is a better pic. of Baby Turtle. Sorry I had to shut the shutters or my flash would not go off. My floors are QS white oak with a light brown stain. I alway's considered them a medium tone but they are lighter than your floor.Hope that helps.

Sorry I hit the submit button by mistake. Better pic. BT

dirtym, I had to read and reread to figure out that the *DR* has the casual stone floor...I kept thinking it was the family room, but I saw it was ripped up and would have wood...so confusing...I see why you want to keep the stone, because it's definitely special, but then again it's in an odd place. But that's what makes homes individual, isn't it :)

So a question--other than flooring, these rooms are complete blank slates? You don't have any upholstery or other fabric (rugs, WTs) in there or on the way? My suggestion would then be to *wait*, since it's a lot easier to match a paint to a fabric tone than it is to find fabric to match a paint tone. The furniture/other fabrics will also affect the light in the room. Can you prime the walls for now, find a rug or something else that will be in there, or furniture, or something else to form more touchpoints for what undertones you want in your color? That's what I'd be doing. I consider it the pragmatic, not the chicken, way out :)

Here is a link that might be useful: lancaster whitewash--enlarge it

LOL -- I forgot I'd gone down a whole long path of suggesting considering a lighter tone altogether, a higher-level '70s', IMO, like AD vs. BHG...but then I realized I didn't have anything to anchor the undertones to in my suggested color so I deleted the whole paragraph.

G*d. What is with me these days. Trying to do too many things -- I'm painting trim something like 5 different colors (to match the paint color in different rooms--it really does work, trust me :)) and I'm way over-color-focused right now...sorry for my sloppiness of posting.

After reading all this and looking at all the pics you've posted, I still like your original lighter gold. It reminds of Tobacco Road which is one of my all time favorite colors. It just seems like it "goes" with your house and your look. Use accents for more POP but I love the lighter gold in your first post.

funcolors-Well, I guess what I am gathering here if I insist on doing a gold tone, it will have to be light? I was so set on a bold, strong color, but DH and I are realizing (with all the help from this forum) that maybe gold just isn't the way to go.

I dunno, I don't like where this is going: You said, "I was so set on a bold, strong color." So why should that change.

Why would you veer off of your original vision so quickly - after just a few bold gold color chips? That's not a good thing.

If your story was that you've sample a half dozen golds and you are feeling like that color choice just isn't syncing up with the space even tho it was what you clearly envisioned to begin with, THEN I could see your caving so quickly to another color idea like more greens.

I just don't see the reasoning or logic here. You had a plan up to and including how color would be distributed - i.e. leaving green for the MB so it would be special, etc.

Having a clearly defined vision to color and then changing and not going with your gut, your original intent rarely turns out for the better.

I think you should stop. Quit over-thinking this and revisit your original vision and color plan. There's nothing here that I am reading to indicate that it was not a good plan to begin with or that you've proven out your original color plan and are now at the point that it needs revising.

funcolors, what do you think about the idea, since dm is having trouble with the choice, that she (you, dm :)) might want to choose the large furniture pieces and rugs and get them in the room, with the flooring, before she sees what tone paint to choose? Yes, paint itself is inexpensive, but if you're not envisioning it with particular furniture/rugs etc. it could be a fair amount of labor/labor cost to change it out if you then choose furnishings that don't go with it, and far less trouble to find a color when you've already narrowed down the choices by what else is in the room.

This is, I don't see HER having trouble with the choice. She's tried, what?, two gold-ish-like paint chips?

I absolutely think it's possible to create a harmonious shell that can gracefully hold the contents of the present and the future.

I am not of the camp that thinks you must have everything in place before you can color a space, that paint color has to be last. Saying that paint color has to be last is implying that it can be first. It's not possible for paint color to be first.

"I am not of the camp that thinks you must have everything in place before you can color a space, that paint color has to be last."

I tend to pick out a paint for a new area before deciding on furniture, just because it's harder to find a color I love, than to find a fabric that's complementary.

DM:

I live in a 70s house and just painted half of my walls in Quiet Veranda by Behr. It's a nice mild to medium gold that I paired with Navajo White by Behr. I love yellows and gold--yellow's my favorite color. You are decorating though for you and your family. We can suggest, but ultimately, the decision will be yours.

I agree with the poster that said nothing's wrong with your first color choice. If you like it--why not go with it? Also, remember, sample paints are not quite the same as the "REAL" paint. If you don't like your choice-you can always change it for a minimum amount of $$.

Peachie

There is a really great goldish color in Benjamin Moore that you might try- it's kind of different from a lot of golds in a way I can't really explain. But check out durango dust (2165-60) and pearl harbor (2165-50). You have to put them on a big part of the wall to really see the color.

I think gold will look fine when you find the right one. You also might try tan with just a hint of gold because the eye picks up on that hint when the whole wall is done. Like, Putnam Ivory has a fair amount of gold in it on the wall (to my eye) even though on the strip it's less obvious.

"Saying that paint color has to be last is implying that it can be first."

I fold -- that just went right over my head :)

*Although* I also want to add that I never said it "has to be last". Those are words you choose to describe what I said. I said that it's easier when at least you have a touchpoint or two besides the flooring. Maybe that's why I was surprised. I really don't want folks to think I was being absolutist at all. I'm 100% against absolutes of any kind :)

Nope. You're right. That's not what you said. I said it. And it was part of my response to the question you asked me about what I thought about an idea.

I still like the original lighter color!

Laurie

Oh geez...I didn't think it would be this difficult. This thread is giving me a headache! Too much to think about! I sooo appreciate evryne's passion on the subject, though.

To everyone giving suggestions of paint colors, with names...thank you, I will be looking at each and every one of them!

I only really have a couch and loveseat for the family room. There will be no paint in the adjoining kitchen, (only backsplash, and cabinets go up to the ceiling) but the rooms flow together. My cabinets will be an antique white...kind of have a slight yellow tone, certainly no pink undertone, I dislike pink undertones and was very careful to avoid that when looking at cabinets.

I the dining room, I will be getting my family dining room table that my mom bought n the early 70's. It is that super dark walnut finish that was so popular back then, and is a very spanish style. I also have a huge hutch that goes with it. I love the table but I am a little afraid of decorating around it because it is SO spanish looking, but I don't want to carry that theme thru the house. I plan on posting a thread about that issue when the time comes!

Soooo...other than a couch in the family room (browinish color, BTW, very neutral) and the dining table/hutch in the DR, my decorating is a clean slate, and I hate to say this, but there is NO WAY my DH will wait to paint the walls. We are going to buy furnishings and accessories slowly, as after we do this reno, we are going to have no money left over! I doubt I will have living room furniture for, at the very least, a year...probably longer than that. I will be putting my old coffee table/end tables with the couch in the family room, but that's not what will be staying permanently.

I do plan on having area rugs throughout the rooms.

I guess what I am saying is if I have a color that compliments the flooring, I will but furnishings that compliment the paint and floor. I think that will be easier for me anyway, since I am "decorating challenged" so it will help me go in one direction...to compliment paint and flooring.

In the picture I am linking, here are 3 sample colors painted on the wall (Laurie...the one you like is 1st, on the left). We experimented with the green (this is BM Georgian Green) and DH and I think it is not "ëarthy" enough, it is too green.

Anyway, would love to hear if you think either of these golds look good, or if I should stick to greens, just find something with a little more brown in it, or should I go to a lighter color altogether?

I am kinda starting to like the first one...the one laurie likes! Also, I am getting more open minded to putting one color in the LR/DR, and another in the family room.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and vote for the middle one. I think it would fit your spanish theme. I really like it. With your dark furniture and maybe some black accents? I think the other two are nice but the gold gives you that pop. JMHO.

Have you choosen a color yet? Of the samples pictured, I like the far left swatch, closest to the camera. It looks more muted than the other, but once it's all over the wall paint always takes on more emphasis. Or a more earthy green; some of my favorite greens look very muddied on the chip but perfect on the wall.

It's funny that you have flagstone in the living room. In my 70's foyer that I posted, the entry is tiled in a terra cotta flagstone, too! I didn't like it at first, but now with the seagrass rug, paint, and accessories, it has really grown on me.

The first color on the left on my monitor is such a nice match to your floor. I love your floor by the way. I really feel that is the color to use. What is the name of this beautiful color? Please post pictures when you are done.

Is there an update yet?
Your floor is very nice.

Thank you, readerlearner!

No, there is no update, we still have to seal the floor, but before that we have to lift up some loose stones and secure/regrout them (or whatever it is called...I say "we" but it is all my husband's doing!)

I almost hate to say it..but we are wondering if a nice grey might look good? Problem is, there is not tons of natural light in the room, I don't want the walls to look dingy.

Anyway, thanks for asking. Still undecided. It might end up being a creamy neutral for the time being.

Picking paint colors is a tough chore, atleast to me. I am sure what ever you decide, it will turn out nice. A creamy neutral will give you alot of options. Good Luck with it!

Just now seeing this, and I had to tell you that your floor is gorgeous!!! After having just read a book on color, I definitely wouldn't go neutral unless you really love neutrals (which it doesn't sound like you do). My choice of the 3 above would be the one on the left. I think the middle is too harsh and the green doesn't do the floor justice. But the one on the left won't be "too much" when you get it on the walls, and it is very complimentary with your gorgeous stone flooring. Good luck!!!

thank you, reader!

Hoosier-ahhh, I really wanted a BOLD "statement" color...but what I am hearing is maybe the floor is statement enough? What adds the my indecision is that the room is a blank slate, the only furniture is my dining room table and hutch. I know when I get furniture, area rugs, etc...it may "calm down" and bold color I put on the walls, but right now I am kind of scared to do it.

I promise to post pics when we decide. I probably will chicken out and do the creamy neutral.

Thanks for the compliments on the floor...I am excited about it...not something I would have chosen, but as time goes on, I am loving them more and more! I have gone from "Eh, I don't *hate* them" to actually diggin'them!

Can you tell me the name of the paint sample on the far left of the photo you posted above, the muted gold? It's my favorite and looks strong enough to still make a statement.

Hi equest! That is SW Chestertown Buff. It is an awfully pretty color, eh?