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Paint ideas for low-light basement?

10 years ago

We're finishing our basement, and I'm looking for some happy, fun colors for the walls. The area will be the kids play room as well as family entertainment area. There is one egress window, but it will be low light. The current floor is brown and beige tiles, but eventually that will go.

I'm not tied to a decorating scheme, I just want colors that will feel warm and happy in the low-light, cold cold days of MN winter. Originally, I was thinking perhaps one blue wall with remainder off white, but I've read that blue can turn chilly and sad. Is that always true? Are there warm, happy blues? Any other ideas? We'd like a little color, not all neutral for sure.

Thanks for any ideas!

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Comments (8)

awm03
10 years ago
I've always found blues to be cold & chilly, and grays depressing. But many people enjoy those wall colors, so I would say it all depends on your personal reaction.

Did you see the thread on corals? Perhaps there's a shade of coral that feels warm & cheery in winter without being too warm or stifling in summer.

Another color to consider: Farrow & Ball's Red Earth
Google images of F&B Red Earth

Here is a link that might be useful: Corals
LuAnn_in_PA
10 years ago
Use any color you like... and get "warm and happy" with lighting.

Ours is an aquamarine, upon which DH's B&W art looks great.
We have floor lamps, table lamps and sconces, along with a few cans.
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The orange/tan on your walls is looking like a fairly lovely yellow on my monitor but the purple-gray is unmistakable in Edgecomb Gray, Wind's Breath and Pale Oak. Have you thought of a simple white like Simply White? The yellow in it is strong in certain lights. Alternatively, perhaps a mid-tone green, a bit greyer than the one you like in your samples. My advice? Play around with craft colours on cheap canvas before buying more paint samples. BM gets expensive fast. Also, live with the paint strips on your walls for a couple of weeks to see the colours in every light. (Had I done that, I would have saved myself $20 of test samples. :P) Some BM colours you might want to check out (based on my monitor): Gray Wisp, Silver Marlin, Gray Cashmere, Healing Aloe (potential to look minty), Palladian Blue (classic but not very blue at all). Good luck! I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions. :)
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sreedesq
10 years ago
Why not a warm cream color and then bring in brightness through artwork? You could hang colorful quilts, blow up some of the kids artwork and frame it, throw pillows, a bright rug, etc. This would leave the room bright, but give you the color you want.
ellendi
10 years ago
I agree with sree, I would do a soft cream or yellow. A dark color would look too cave like down there.
slaurajones
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes, I am leaning to warm white or cream, so that we can live in it for a while and see how we feel. Ultimately, I think we might do a colored accent wall or pillars, but starting white might be best.

Any suggestions for best creams and white for low light that won't read pink/green/weird?
lala girl
10 years ago
We just updated our basement a bit and went from yellow (for when our boys were toddlers) to white (with hits of red and grey). We used SW Dover White and are really happy with it. I was afraid it would be stark but it's really a soft white without any weird undertones. Also, upstairs we've used SW Honied White and love that color also - warmer but still white. HTH!
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
10 years ago
In a low light basement, with perhaps a ceiling that is less than 8', the most important surface to consider is the floor. If that is light in color, you can do almost anything with the walls.
KylieM
10 years ago
I'm an Interior Decorator/Designer and have had a lot of luck with Benjamin Moore Dill Pickle, paired with B.M. Navajo White. It's fresh and fun without being too punchy.
I hope that helps!

This post was edited by KylieM on Tue, Sep 24, 13 at 0:38

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