Dear Annie,
I sold Audrey that lovely Tudor in Seattle and I love your Mondrian suggestion for her fireplace!
I also just recently bought this Craftsman with lots of old wood. We are trying to figure out paint colors as well as whether or not to stain the fir floors to match the trim. Can you give me a quicky color palate…?
We’re keeping [our current] furniture, which is mostly bright colors.
Thank you thank you thank you! Amy, Seattle
Dear Amy: WOW. This is a real style shift – good for you!
First, I hope you’re sitting down on your big red comfy couch…
Because you may not have it much longer. It pains me to say it, but your gigantic red sectional simply may not fit in your charming, more modestly scaled new home.
Second, I do not recommend staining wood floors to match the trim. The floors are beautiful, and it’s fine – preferable, actually – that they don’t match the trim.
The really fun thing about your new house is that you can use MORE colors; you had fewer options with your previous open plan. Because you’re a fan of bright furniture, though, I suggest keeping the walls somewhat muted.
Working with *A* red sofa, let’s stay rather neutral on the living room walls – leaning grey/taupe rather than cream. Too yellow and the room will look like a circus. Benjamin Moore‘s OC-20 Pale Oak is a lovely grey that looks great with red. If you don’t mind going a little darker, you can’t go wrong with HC-45 Shaker Beige.
The dining room can be more fun. I suggest a darker color on the wainscoting to reduce the stripey effect. With your beautiful orange DR chairs, how about a purple, such as 1385 Cupid’s Dart? Even if you’re in a rush, PLEASE put a few purple paint 
swatches on the wall before settling on one. Purple is tough.
Then to play it safe, go with HC-45 Shaker Beige on the upper walls AND ceiling. To be a little bolder – dare I say, bossier? – 
HC 118 Sherwood Green on the upper walls and Shaker Beige on the ceiling.
Continue with the Sherwood Green in the kitchen.
I think it would be great to do a soft red in your entry foyer and halls if that’s your taste. Take a look at 1300 Tuscon Red and if that’s too dark, 1299 Crimson. The red does NOT have to match your red sofa exactly.
The website About:Architecture.com is excellent, by the way. Lots of good information presented clearly.
