Q: hi annie – so, i’ve decided to take the plunge and paint my living room a color other than the lovely-apartment -standard-beige it currently is….i have a bright red couch and chair, and i’m trying to figure out a good color for the room, as well as what to do about the trim depending on my color choice.
i’m curious what folks are suggesting now for colors to go with red. i’m not interested in sage/greens – too christmas. i think yellows could be too warm/hot, but i’m open to something creative in this group. and i am concerned about the neutral khakis – too neutral. i’ve been thinking about a silver grey and am just curious what you think the pro’s/con’s of silver grey. i’ve attached a current photo of the room. any thoughts MUCH appreciated. 
A: I love it when clients work things out on their own. Yes, I think a silvery BLUE-grey is the answer for you. Nice job. If you didn’t have the red furniture, then you would be in danger of making your living room too cold. But since you have those hot spots, a very light bluish grey will make the room sophisticated and elegant – and, best of all, NOT condo-issue cream. Keep it light and airy.
Here are some colors worth considering.
Benjamin Moore‘s 2125-60 Marilyn’s Dress, which is an extremely light grey with a touch of blue in it. A very stylish colleague of mine used this in her living room and an extremely dark brown in her foyer – it looks smashing:
Benjamin Moore’s 2128-70 Lily White actually has a little purple in it:
Annoyingly, I can’t get a picture of it on this post, but Farrow & Ball’s 205 Skylight is worth seeing. It’s the bluest of the three, but it could be perfect; it’s a lovely, subtle color (also good for bedrooms).
As for trim, a greyish off-white would be crisp and nice. Look at my two white standbys (as opposed to my cream standbys): Benj. Moore’s OC-17 White Dove and OC-18 Dove Wing. Paint the ceiling the same white, but flat finish instead of semi-gloss.
Good luck, and let me know what you decide!