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Colour of curtains and armchair to match brown couch

16 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I have a chocolate leather brown couch and my walls are painted Benjamin Moore CC-360 Cableknit which is a creamy beigy colour. My accent colour is sage green.

I have two questions:

1. What colour curtains should I get? I'm thinking of getting curtains in the sage green or a in a cream colour.

2. What colour armchairs should I get? I am currently looking for 2 arm chairs to sit next to the couch. I want the arm chairs to be modern looking and in a fabric (not leather).

I was thinking of a cream colour but wasn't sure if the contrast would be too much.

I was also considering brown fabric so it would "match" the couch.

I live in a condo so the space is not that big. The room is a living room/slash dining room. The dining room furniture is also a dark brown.

I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

chelone
16 years ago
I was taught to START with the drapery fabric when working out a room's palette, but have done the opposite, too. I think it's harder, BTW, but our living room is proof that it can be successfully done!

Paint up a piece of cardboard in your wall color (give it couple of coats), do the same thing for your trim color, see if you can score a sample of the couch leather (arm protectors?!). Your accent color is sage green... what does that mean, exactly? your trim is that color, your toss pillows, it's a color you really like... 'splain it to me. If you have a sample of it, add it to the wall color and leather samples.

Go to the fabric store and walk around. Give yourself plenty of time (1/2 hr. won't be enough), and leave the kids with a sitter! Look for patterns that "grab" you and that work with your samples. DON'T rule out fabrics with dark backgrounds; a common mistake is thinking the background of the fabric must match the walls. UNHUH! all that is required for a good selection is that the wall color and upholstery be represented in the palette of the fabric you select.

Hope this helps.
Ideefixe
16 years ago
House Beautiful has a section every month in which a decorator picks various fabrics that coordinate together. Pick up a copy or leaf through some back issues at a library. Matching solids isn't very exciting. You can look for florals, stripes, tweedy weaves, geometric patterns, plaids--a zillion choices that will work with your sofa.

A fabric with a texture, even in a cream/beige, will seem more interesting than just a flat wool or cotton/linen one. Your small space will look more spacious if your furniture doesn't all match-up.
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Would a slipcover that isn't a solid color be acceptable? I don't exactly know what your style is but something like a ticking stripe in blue/white or even red/white with some yellow pillows would look nice. The white stripes would "mellow down" the color some. Overstock has a blue/beige/white stripe that might also look good; the blue in this one might be closer to the rug color. Surefit.com has a red/white/blue/green stripe on clearance (Avalon Stripe - the picture is better at JCPenney although their price is a joke) that I don't see evoking quite the same "nursery school" vibe that a solid red slipcover would. Another option would be to go to a darker neutral that doesn't fade into the wall color - maybe more of a "toast" color - and pillows that pick up the other accent colors.
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Really nice room. Looks comfortable and inviting. Good choice w/new sofas. Like the fireplace as is ... but less clutter could improve the look of it. Not sure what the picture is above the piano. If it is a family photograph, reframe it and the family photo on the mantel with the same frames and put both above the piano. Really like your coffee table. One day it will be a valuable antique if you don't booger it up. So, for the coffee table, consider taking the table to a glass company and having a dark gray tinted thick glass top created for it -- no refinish for the table necessary. (Alternately, cover everything but the top and paint the top only -- perhaps black or else the same white as your cabinets.) Do the same for your current end table as you do for the coffee table. If you're going to add a second end table, since matching the existing one would likely prove difficult, consider a totally different look -- perhaps a wood 2-drawer filing cabinet? http://realsolidoak.com/office.html
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Yes I agree. Please do not make the mistake of using color on the drapes. You have enough going on in your room with wall grid and fireplace. I would put the drapes on a quiet rod (no jazzy finials) almost at the top of the ceiling outside mount on the wall. It will make your room feel bigger and more architectural. Match (or in the color range) the drape color to the walls. Not a heavy fabric - something light in feel. You want one (may be custom depending on window length) pull down blackout shade in a cream or white at the top of the window inside mount for at night. If you want any pattern or color put it on pillows or one piece of furniture vs all the rest. I would be very careful to put a pattern rug in that room - very difficult to find the right one to pull it off with the wall grid.
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I like stores like Penney's that offer same fabric in different styles/ sizes - patio door panel is the thermal version of our largest, most versatile drapery collection called Supreme. Then look for Supreme elsewhere on their website... for other windows. https://www.jcpenney.com/p/royal-velvet-supreme-pinch-pleat-back-tab-thermal-patio-door-panel/pp5003990718?pTmplType=regular&amp;rrec=true&rrplacementtype=product1_rr
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kitchenkelly
16 years ago
If your space is small, have you considered going armless on the chairs? To me, armless is more contemporary.

As far as curtains, I like when the curtains are a close match to the wall color. Really depends on what look you are going for. Do you want the curtains to be more of a statement or do you have enough going on in the room that the curtains should not be noticed as much?

HTH.
daydreamer912
Original Author
16 years ago
Hello,

Thanks for the comments so far. The sage green will be used in pillows, possibly placemats, throw blanket.

In terms of the curtains, I want them to look elegant but understated, so I think I will go with curtains in a similar colour as the walls.

Thanks!

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