Eve’s Color Conundrum
When Eve sounded the paint palette alarm we whipped out our swatches and got down to business. Here’s her letter:
The room in need of a color makeover is the entry to the house. It is used as a dining room and it opens to the kitchen which is connected in an open layout to the living room. I’d like the room to look glamorous… I need a miracle for that fireplace! I’m keeping the furniture and the chandelier but the accessories can be replaced and I’m also removing the shelves by the stairs and the ivory drapery. All the rooms are the same boring rental beige. We’ll be placing the house on the market in about a year or less so I want a “staged home” friendly color but I do want to make a dramatic change in this room, I don’t want this to look like a rental anymore. I have been in love with rooms that are in the gray family (saw one with blue-ish tones that I loved and one with a pink-ish\lavender-ish undertone that I loved as well). I also love chocolate brown and silvery blue. I don’t like vibrant colors like green, orange and lime. I like “luxurious\glamorous” looking rooms- I love spa or boutique hotel like. I don’t want anything dark or that will make the space look smaller. I’m so excited about this, I can’t wait! – Eve
This dining room actually has a lot going for it: huge windows to let in lots of light and a fireplace at the head of the table. We just have to accentuate the positives and tone down some of the negatives (overpowering shiny curtains and dingy bricks) to really make this room a glamorous and luxurious place to share a meal. Here are our three color scheme suggestions for Eve:
And now for the disclaimer: the color depictions above are only as accurate as your monitor (and not nearly as rich as the real thing) so Laura should grab each of the paint chips and bring ‘em into her kitchen before picking a favorite palette. Here’s the color scheme breakdown.
Color Scheme #1:
Curtains: replacing those shiny ivory curtains with something softer (cotton, linen or even velvet) in a moody gray-blue tone (use Glidden’s Skyline as a guide) will contribute to a soft, inviting atmosphere.
Walls: a soft silvery gray-blue on the walls will work with the curtains and create a glamorous ambiance while serving as a “neutral” in the space thanks to the subtle tone (Faint Reflection by Glidden).
Fireplace brick: clean and crisp white (with subtle gray undertones to work with the rest of our palette) will crisp things up in a flash (Glidden’s Gallery White). And painting the darker grout the same color as the bricks will make all the difference. With most brick you don’t need to prime, just apply two to three coats of paint with a nappy roller (and a brush to get into those cracks) and you’re all set.
Accent color: a taupey tone with cool gray undertones will serve as the perfect accent color and we’d actually suggest painting the table this color, or grabbing a tablecloth in this color (Glidden’s Disco Ball). The warm wood of the table can certainly coexist with the rest of our palette, but a grayer tone would really drive home the glamorous feeling and update the country-ish table for a more luxe effect. To paint the table, lightly sand it, prime it with oil-based primer, apply two coats of regular latex paint and then add two coats of polyurethane for wipe-able protection that lasts.
Color Scheme #2:
Curtains: replacing those shiny ivory curtains with something softer (cotton, linen or even velvet) in a bright white tone will crisp things up in an instant.
Walls: a soft azure blue will feel glammy and open without looking too bright or overwhelming (Ocean Flower by Glidden).
Fireplace brick: a sweet pale silvery gray with blue undertones (Glidden’s Winter Walk) will absolutely transform that fireplace (and painting the darker grout the same color as the bricks will make all the difference). With most brick you don’t need to prime, just apply two to three coats of paint with a nappy roller (and a brush to get into those cracks) and you’re all set.
Accent color: white is the name of the game (we’d love to see the table go white or be covered with a white tablecloth and the fireplace mantel could also go white to work with the curtains and all the white trim). To paint the table, lightly sand it, prime it with oil-based primer, apply two coats of regular latex paint and then add two coats of polyurethane for wipe-able protection that lasts.
Color Scheme #3:
Curtains: soft gauzy curtains in pale lavender-gray will instantly add luxe appeal to the room. Use Benjamin Moore’s Oyster as a guide- or even shoot for the same color as the walls for a fully enveloping and serene effect- Glidden’s Mystic Purple.
Walls: a gentle and soothing gray-lavender tone (still very subtle and moody to keep the space open) will look great on those walls (Glidden’s Mystic Purple).
Fireplace brick: clean and crisp white will work with the rest of our palette (Glidden’s Ready-Mix White). And painting the darker grout the same color as the bricks will make all the difference. With most brick you don’t need to prime, just apply two to three coats of paint with a nappy roller (and a brush to get into those cracks) and you’re all set.
Accent color: a chocolate brown tone (Glidden’s Trurkish Brown) will serve as the perfect accent color and we’d actually suggest painting the table this color (or grabbing a table cloth or runner in this color). The warm wood of the table can certainly coexist with the rest of our palette, but a chocolate coat of paint or two would really drive home the glamorous feeling and update the country-ish table for a more luxe effect. To paint the table, lightly sand it, prime it with oil-based primer, apply two coats of regular latex paint and then add two coats of polyurethane for wipe-able protection that lasts.
So there you have it. Three ways to swank that dining room in a flash. We can’t wait to see what you guys think- especially you Eve!
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This is awesome news to what had begun as not such a great day (work)!
I can’t wait to implement your suggestions. I’ll start recruiting to see if I can get this makeover done this weekend!!!
Thank you so much, I will keep you posted!
Love your suggestions, I’m torn between 2 and 3.
In other news, I just heard that Domino magazine is folding…and they are going to be shutting down the website… I have to say that that is absolutely devastating news!
Ack! Jen beat me to it! I just read about Domino too! Oh the economy is going too far now! Our beloved Domino!?
My personal taste goes for #1 — but they will all turn out beautiful I believe.
Is there a reason (privacy!) that the curtains are closed? They are overpowering in this small room. I’d consider some type of blinds or sheers for privacy and then keep the curtains open. Just a thought.
And I really like the idea of painting the table in order to make it more sleek. . . .like those chairs. I LOVE them! Super Glam!
PS That stinks about Domino!!!
I’ve noticed you always recommend Glidden paint.. is there a reason for that? Do you like their color palette best or have you compared with other brands and preferred Glidden? I have always used Behr because it was given the best review in a Consumer report I read, but I’m open to change!
Hey Beth,
We actually painted our house with mostly Glidden paint and were very happy with the results. Sometimes it took two coats where Benjamin Moore would have taken one, but just as you suspected, we adore the color palette offered by Glidden! The reason we use it a lot when we recommend colors for people is because we often find that they have the best colors for the job, and Glidden paint can be purchased on a budget or color matched to Benjamin Moore paint for people who prefer a higher quality paint (which might mean one less coat). It has mass appeal!
Of course there are exceptions to every rule (there are some Behr, Valspar, Ralph Lauren, and Benjamin Moore colors that we absolutely love) which is why other paint companies pop up from time to time in our color palette suggestions (and our home). Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry