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chillinda

Need design help for new home--wood trim, wall paint, and metals!

Linda M
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Hello everyone!


My hubby and I just bought our first single-family home (woo!) and are in desperate need of tips and ideas for various design projects. The house was built in the 50's and probably last updated in the early 2000s, so it needs some updating. Prepare to hear from us... a lot lol. Before we start furnishing the house and really diving into things, we're trying to just get the framework set up starting with the first floor.


1. The house is full of natural wood trim. Crown moldings, chair rails, baseboards, all the doors, window frames, archways, stair rails, kitchen cabinets, the floors.... like literally everywhere! I don't mind the color too much as it does feel warm and inviting, but I'm just trying to figure out how to minimize the effect of the orange/brown color tones without tearing everything out or redoing all the floors or something along those lines. Can I get away with keeping the brown, or would it be better to paint everything white? I was thinking maybe at a minimum remove the chair rails?? I was also thinking of refinishing the bathroom cabinets and painting them white along with the window frames and linen closet door, which will definitely brighten things up.

Home Redesign (1st floor) · More Info


2. The walls need to be repainted. Previous owner left various holes here and there and did a horrendous job patching them up, so we'll be hiring someone to just do it over and also paint the walls. Would like to find colors that complement the wood while making the rooms feel a little more fresh and contemporary. Something to note: the only white details in the house currently are the front door and the ceilings. Also, window treatments in photos are from the previous owner and will likely be changed.

The areas for which I'm trying to figure out wall colors are:

  • Entrance/foyer - floor is a black and magenta tile; front door is currently all white, but I'd like to paint black. maybe paint the walls by the entrance an off white or light grey?
  • Living room - connect entrance/foyer to kitchen; has bay windows and floors with dark brown border pattern
  • Kitchen - floors are marble magenta tile and counters are a similar color/pattern; cabinets are warm natural wood and appliances are stainless steel
  • Family room - has sliding doors leading out to deck and floors with dark brown border pattern


Home Redesign (1st floor) · More Info


A few colors I liked:




3. There's a mix of metals throughout the house, that I can't reconcile. Front door has bright gold details, and all the bedroom and bathroom door handles are the same. Kitchen appliances and handles are stainless steel and all the bathroom fixtures are brushed nickel. And to top it off, the house has a combination of recessed lighting and old-school fans in antique gold and brown. Gah! Should I be changing all the door handles?? Replacing the ceiling fans?? Can the combination be viewed as a strategic design choice?


Home Redesign (1st floor) · More Info


I welcome everyone's thoughts on all of the above. If there's any other information I can provide or photos I can share, just let me know.


Thanks in advance!

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