skip to main content

Home Decorating

Help with choosing paint color for my open floor plan living area

7 years ago

Hi,

We just bought our first house and we would like to repaint the kitchen/living/dinning area. So here is how our place looks like: it's an L shaped space (there is a sketch below), where the long L part is the combined living and dinning and the other part is the kitchen. The kitchen is separated from the rest with a "half wall". Kitchen has white cabinets and dark grey countertop. I would love to have blue/aqua kitchen walls, but I don't like the idea of blue in the living area. I would love for the rest of the space to be somehow very pale warm greyish, but I have no idea on how to get to the right paint for that (maybe BM Revere Pewter, but not sure how it would go with blue in the kitchen). I definitely do not want any yellow tones (the living is now soft yellow and I hate is as it looks a bit outdated). There is a big sliding door covering almost all the wall on the side where kitchen and living room meet. This door is facing to the east. There is also a window on the opposite wall (so facing west). Ps. I live quite up north so not somewhere with abundance of sunny and super bright days.

Any ideas about paint color or suggestions would be very appreciated.

K.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

monicamc123
7 years ago
I would probably stick with one color for both rooms, if it were me. I instantly thought of BM Grey Owl for what you are describing. It is slightly blue-green while still being a warmish grey. I love it, but it was too blue to pair with my pinkish carpet in my house (didn't want a pastel color combo going on!) I also like SW Passive, but it is a little cooler.

If you do the blue kitchen, I would caution against a warm grey with too much pink in it (the baby room effect).

I'm definitely no expert, but I just bought my first home too and have spent MONTHS researching grey paint! I ended up selecting SW Useful Grey. It is a greenish grey, which I never thought I'd pick. I guess I'd just suggest taking your time and keeping an open mind when looking at colors :) And definitely buy samples to test in your home...
Katarina Nidar thanked monicamc123
torreykm
7 years ago
I'd go with one color for both areas as well and accessorize with blue/aqua pieces.
Related Discussions
Help choosing a paint color for a very open plan
Q
Comments (8)
Hi Carrie, I didn't see this post when I replied to the other one. In the rest of my house I have Dunn Edwards Sidewalk Chalk, which is pretty close to the one in your inspiration (beautiful btw). That blue definitely has a green tinge along with some gray. I picked it to match a faded light blue denim sofa. It's probably about halfway between the popular "spa"/tiffany/robins egg blue and classic baby blue. It goes very well with light yellow; natural maple; either stark white or creamy white; dark red; and lots of other stuff too. IMO it's a very calming and restful color. In this pic you can see Sidewalk Chalk at the extreme right side, on the wall at right angle to the wall with tile. Sorry I don't have anything better. I'm in California and the granddaughter of a Dunn Edwards painter, so am not familiar with Ben Moore colors (and thus hesitant to recommend my colors to the rest of the world). DE has everyone else's mixes in their computer, so perhaps BM can likewise look up a DE color? HTH and sorry for rambling.
...See More
Help with paint colors for an open floor plan.
Q
Comments (5)
Take a look at this design seeds thread and scroll down to August 24, 2013. I created an example of how you can play with a color palette to get the rooms to all coordinate while each being their own identity. Perhaps this will help you see how it can all work. Then you'd need to look for an overall inspiration for the color palette and the select the specific colors you want to predominate in each room.
...See More
Help my open floor plan living room/kitchen
Q
Comments (9)
Consider a privacy film for the door-the curtains take away from the pretty doors. I agree that the curtains are too stark. They're also too short and not full enough. If the curtains are 84", try 96" instead. Try to find something closer to the wall color. The gray, white and navy are a bit blah. Is there a color you like that you can add in with different pillows and a throw as suggested? I also agree that the coffee table is not quite right. I'd consider a round ottoman, maybe in leather, that you can add a tray to for drinks and a bit of decor. What is the distance inside the U shape? You could add a pretty demilune shaped table next to the door to ground the artwork. Maybe something like this with just a small lamp and pretty bowl. https://www.hayneedle.com/product/belham-living-james-half-round-mid-century-modern-sofa-table.cfm
...See More
what color to paint main living room-open floor plan
Q
Comments (0)
Purchasing a new house- need paint color ideas for main room when walking in. Currently has very white carpet, cream walls. I will be putting in new flooring (LVP). Also any idea what to put in the top nook area?!?!
...See More
Katarina Nidar
Original Author
7 years ago
I was also thinking about one color for both rooms, but I'm afraid that it will look a bit too plain. But it's indeed maybe better to keep the walls neutral throughout and give some life with accessories.

monicamc123 - you're right, a lot of times you get the best effect with colors that you never even consider when looking at paint strips. I was also looking at SW Useful Gray - it looks like a beautiful wall color. I think something with green undertones would be best for my space, but I'm afraid that the walls will come out too green, which it a big no for me as I rarely see a green living that I like.
nosoccermom
7 years ago
I would paint the kitchen the blue/aqua you like and pick a gray for the living/dining area that is a similar shade to the gray counter tops.

Or look at Sherwin Williams color collections

and pick coordination colors.

For example, Silver Mist and Mindful Gray

or Tidewater and Functional Gray

or BM Revere Pewter and Wythe Blue or Water fall or whatever aqua or blue.

Related Stories

DECLUTTERING Downsizing Help: Choosing What Furniture to Leave Behind

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

What to take, what to buy, how to make your favorite furniture fit ... get some answers from a homeowner who scaled way down

DECORATING GUIDES How to Use Color With an Open Floor Plan

By Kelly Porter

Large, open spaces can be tricky when it comes to painting walls and trim and adding accessories. These strategies can help

REMODELING GUIDES House Planning: How to Choose Tile

By Vanessa Brunner

Glass, Ceramic, Porcelain...? Three Basic Questions Will Help You Make the Right Pick

MOST POPULAR How to Choose a Front Door Color

By Vanessa Brunner

If choosing a door paint isn't an open-and-shut case for you, here's help

DECORATING GUIDES How to Choose an Awesome Area Rug No Matter What Your Space

By Apartment 46 for the Home

High use, a low door, kids and pets running amok — whatever your area endures, this insight will help you find the right rug for it

DECORATING GUIDES How to Combine Area Rugs in an Open Floor Plan

Carpets can artfully define spaces and distinguish functions in a wide-open room — if you know how to avoid the dreaded clash

HOUSEKEEPING Choose Your Own Spring Cleaning Plan

By Laura Gaskill

Instead of trying to do it all, pick one of these six cleaning approaches that’s right for you now

MATERIALS What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor

By Mitchell Parker

We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring

COLOR How to Choose a Paint Color

By Erin Carlyle

Designers offer tips for examining your closet, memories and daily life to find the right paint colors for your home

EXTERIORS 5 Easy Tips for Choosing Your Exterior Paint Palette

By Lisa Frederick

Make your home the talk of the neighborhood — in a good way — with an exterior paint scheme that pops

Sponsored

More Discussions

Living room update /WITH DIMENSIONS. UPDATE

7

Designing a kitchen that has yellow/orange original floors…

44

What can I do with this dining room space?

41

Pros and cons of roller shades on sliding glass doors?

1

Hardwood Flooring Dilemma

6