Should I repaint? (Edgecomb Gray) - update, I did it!
Hi all,
Here was my living room before (below) and now (above) with sectional sofa, darker, cooler paint and oatmeal roman shades. I know many were not keen on the idea of going cooler with the wall color. I consulted a designer first, spent hours with swatches before taking the plunge. I am happier with it. With a darker/cooler backdrop, I feel like everything kind of pops into the foreground and the roman shades soften it. It's still a work in progress. Will re-install wall shelves on left.
Comments (9)
Sarah F.
last yearRelated Discussions
Grey Paint Color ideas - leaning towards BM edgecomb grey
Comments (19)Gray has an undertone of green, purple or blue... best to match those with the surrounding colors. Maria Killam (of Colour me Happy blog) has a few rules for selecting gray shades. She is working out of Canada, but translation for the paint names should be available. Her posts on gray undertones including color samples are also very informative. -VW Working with Grays: 5 Rules of Thumb By Maria Killam 1. Decide whether you want your gray to have a green, purple or blue undertone, it will make it much easier to choose. 2. Consider your fixed elements when choosing a gray undertone. 3. Work with the light in the room. 4. If the house is empty at the start of a project, do not fill the walls with 10 samples of gray paint colours. 5. Choose your fabrics first. If you look closely at this kitchen (above) the stone countertop and flooring and subway tile have a green undertone while the interior panels of the doors have been painted a blue-gray. It's subtle and doesn't look necessarily wrong (to the untrained eye) but can you see it now that I'm describing the difference? Most people can. Here is a link that might be useful: Image Source: What Everyone should know about Gray...See MoreFor 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 MoreI’m repainting - What should I do with my fireplace?
Comments (16)Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments about the fireplace - maybe it's not so bad after all! Ha! Rugknots - you're probably right that I've gotten so used to it that I'm just thinking it looks dated. But we'll see what it looks like after the repainting. You've all got me thinking now about moving forward with getting rid of the entertainment center before I was really planning to! Perhaps I should really move THAT to Phase 1 and move the new furniture to Phase 2! Hmmm! tylerandabby - I never THOUGHT about taking off the side pieces! I know they are screwed into the main center piece (because I remember the RACKET the screwdriver made when the installer screwed them together!) But the top piece is connected to the bottom piece so I'm not sure I can take it apart. Something to investigate though. Thanks for the idea!...See Morewhen Edgecomb Gray goes REALLY tan... I need a Plan B
Comments (10)You’re getting color reflections from the not bright white ceiling, and from the poor yellow lighting. Finish painting. Repaint the ceiling a bright white. Make sure the bulbs are a 3500.+K, with a 95+CRI. It will be fine, as a gray. But it doesn’t go with the wallpaper choice at all. Which doesn’t sound like it goes with the tile at all. Stop and reevaluate the whole design....See More
Denise Marchand
last yearBeautiful room and no need to repaint. It reminds me of a brownstone apartment I loved many years ago. The room is warm and inviting as is.
Your concern is because there isn't a vignette to anchor the room. Work on the visuals around the sofa. Consider moving the side tables to either side of the sofa with matching lamps. The coffee table can use a larger top also. I find craigslist is perfect to find fantastic lamps and coffee table glass for free or at very little cost. Locate the plant near the window to the left of the sofa.
The item that will pull everything together would be curtains. Your color palette is neutral so that gives you a large range of choices. Again, craigslist is a treasure chest of fine custom made window treatments, just keep checking.For instance, these are available 4 panels 108" long for $40.
Welcome any comments!
Sarah F. thanked Denise MarchandSarah F.
last yearHi all! I just wanted to update you on my progress. I did wind up selling my sofa and buying a sectional that fits much better! I am thinking of repainting. You can see the blue-gray swatch below the wall hanging. I will consult a designer before I paint though. I am working on window treatments as well but just wanted to show you how much better the room looks w/ the sectional!
Shawna
last year
PROBeth H. :
last yearI like the current color. Looks good so far.
what you could do is bring in more color and pattern w/diff pillows and art
I'd also be on the hunt for 3 new tables.
what you could do behind the sofa is a sofa table. you could put the lamps and other accessories on them
then find lower, matching side table is you prefer. the addition of greenery is also nice
if you did a thin one behind this sofa, you could place your lamps there. gave you some other items
Beth H. :