Annie,
I’ve spent months obsessing over paint colors for my new condo. This is my first home and I’m losing my mind! I live in a fairly well lit garden unit…
I am not attached to most of my furniture and will be changing most of it over the next few months. The only piece I would like to keep is my straight line bone leather couch. I would like to find a light color, modern or contemporary, to compliment it….I noticed your recommendation for Wedgewood Gray. I just don’t want to end up with a baby blue living room.
I was thinking of complimenting the gray with a darker gray in the book case and back wall in the foyer…Any ideas?
Thanks in advance! Sabrina
A: Oh, Sabrina, I always have ideas. It’s a curse, really :)
Here’s my concern: garden apartment + medium grey-blue walls + darker grey accent walls – loads of natural sunlight = potential dungeon. Not the look you’re going for.
Benjamin Moore‘s Wedgewood Gray is a great color, but unfortunately, I think it’s simply too dark for your living room.
I suggest a lighter neutral for the living room walls – keep the blue-grey idea if you want a change from the current taupe – with punches of color on the back of your bookshelves and foyer. (Very smart to think of an accent wall in your foyer, btw. Will make for a great view from the living room.)
First, make sure you have enough freestanding lamps. If you don’t, go buy some. You want to assess the paint colors in the right light.
Then put swatches of these colors on at least two walls before making a decision:
2125-60 Marilyn’s Dress
1611 Graytint
1591 Sterling (on the walls in the picture below)
For the bookshelves and foyer wall, I recommend using two hot, potentially clashy colors, such as 2007 Hot Lips with 2001-20 Bonfire.
Or if you REALLY want to be au courant, work in a bright yellow from Pantone’s color prediction for 2009 2021-20 Lemon with 2018-10 Orange Sky.
Pick up the hot colors with a few jolts of color in other parts of the room – they don’t have to match the accent colors exactly, by the way. A pillow, a lamp with a colored shade, a throw –
Thanks for the great question, Sabrina – a color challenge to get the year started right. Best of luck!
The pillow is the Thomas Paul Spiro Orange Silk pillow from Design Public. The Throw is the Parker Merino Blanket from Garnet Hill. One or the other, not both, together…you knew that, right?
