Should I paint my dining room a dark color?
I am thinking about painting my dining room a dark color (gray or navy family). The ceilings are relatively low and there is one large window. Is there not enough natural light and is the space too small to paint it a dark color:? Below are the measurements and pictures. I will be changing the chandelier that was already there to something more modern.
Floor to ceiling about 8'5"
Length of window-7'3"
Comments (16)
PROBeth H. :
4 years agowhat else is going in there?
yes you can, if it's what you like. (besides, it's only paint. if you don't like it, paint over it)
your room is similar to this one
or this one ^
get a nice rug, and a good table and chairs with adequate lighting. a dark color will be fine.
you'll notice w/these two rooms they did a very dark upper color w/a white wainscot. and they both have lighter rugs to bounce around the light.
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For selling, should I re-paint my red dining room/kitchen?
Comments (36)When you get new paint mixed, it is more likely to be slightly different and when you add years of exposure and aging on top of that, you are likely to get some variation. Give it some more time -- even thought paint dries to the touch in minutes, it isn't completely dry for a lot longer. Also get away from it and see if you still see it -- or better yet, have someone else see if their eyes are drawn to any of the touch ups. Clean the wall where ever possible instead of using paint. Then see what you can do to help the places that need paint. If you have a cooperative paint person at your Lowe's, you might be able to get them to help you tweak the paint a bit. You might be able to get a sample pot of a darker shade that you could mix in. I have also been known -- well, not known, but I have done it -- get out my other cans of paint or even craft paint -- those 99 cent little bottles, and mix until I get what I need. Work with small amounts if that is all you need - take a cup or jar and mix a small amount -- working with dots of the tint paints until you get the hang of it. Test on index cards or posterboard, a plain white paper plate. I haven't done it often, but it has pulled me out of a couple of cracks. Also, use a small craft brush and only fill in what is essential. Another trick I use when touching up is to feather the paint out. sometimes adding a little water or using a wet brush to thin the paint as it goes over the existing paint. That is more likely to work on your living room paint (lighter color) than the red, but I've never tried it on a strong color. On the red, I'd be inclined to put the photos back up if the nicks don't show - change out the pictures in the frames if you are happier with that. Even if you repaint, there will be new spots that need retouching when you move your things out. I've bought two homes thinking I wouldn't have to paint most of the rooms only to move in and need to paint everything. Worst case, if you feel you need to paint the LR, get the color as close as you can and let the break of the white and wood stairs provide the break you need to stop. And if you do repaint anything, leave them the leftover paint for their move-in touch ups....See MoreHelp. Just stained my floors dark . Should I paint my walls?
Comments (10)Lighter walls and a darker rug, and overall more color please. Right now there is no focal point in this room, and I hope you'll consider a fantastic painting over the fireplace and ditch all the small stuff on the mantel. With such a very dark floor the light rug just looks wrong. In nature you have the brown earth, then green grass and trees and then the lighter blue of the sky. Try a warm colored rug (like an Oriental, which has many colors), a glass coffee table which will show the rug instead of the weighty, chunky ottoman, off-white walls and drapes that are not much darker than the walls to open up this room. Pillows with colors taken from the rug which will tie the color scheme together, and then art on the walls in rich colors to glow against the light walls....See MoreI can't decide to paint my dining room dark grey or dark navy.
Comments (4)It really depends like Color Zen said. Pictures would help. Personally, I love navy. It's a color while also being a neutral and it works well with warm and cool colors....See MoreIf I am listing my house should I paint all the rooms white . Colour?
Comments (9)Are the walls painted a dark or bright, or deep color? If they are then i might think of painting them. If they are more neutral I would do as jmm said first. You can always give a painting allowance in the sales contract. The chance of YOU picking the the exact colors that I would are fairly slim. Wouldn't spend the money unless I had to...See More
ser107
4 years ago
PROFlo Mangan
4 years agoI don’t know what style you want ultimately but this color from SW Naval goes with most anything.
ser107 thanked Flo Mangan- PRO
Flo Mangan
4 years ago 
jalarse
4 years agoWe have a small dining room that is dark since we have wrap around porches. The floors are dark and the dining room furniture is trimmed in black. I can’t change the amount of natural light it gets so just decided to embrace it. Painted it Spring Moss by Behr. The room has 9 1/2 foot ceiling but the room itself is small. I just went with chair rail molding around the room. If wainscoting is not an option, perhaps chair rail molding in white against what ever color paint you choose. Best of luck to you.
- PRO
- PRO
Flo Mangan
4 years agoAnother great dark color to consider is SW Cyberspace or SW Dark Night. But in any case this room will be gorgeous in a dark color.
ser107
4 years ago
Kimberly Miller
4 years ago
decoenthusiaste
4 years ago
Jennifer Hogan
4 years agoYou need light to see reflected color, so the lighter, less intense a color is when we have low light the more gray and washed out the color looks. The room below would need a very rich color to not look like a gray blob. Most homes are not this extreme, but it gives you the idea of what happens to light, de-saturated color in a room with poor lighting.
Jennifer Hogan