San Francisco Bay Area - Going from lots of color to grays for great room

by cusogolf

Going from lots of color to grays for great room

I'm painting our kitchen/living/dining "great room" a shade of gray. I notice that our room has a "darker" side and wonder how it would look if I use the lighter shades of gray in the darker areas and darker shades of gray in the lighter area of the room. I plan to do an accent red in our dining room which is a window for the most part and side wall. Then the ceiling, should it be white or a very light shade of the gray? Our counter bar area that has the new shades of gray/white/black granite I plan to paint in charcoal. The new granite is varying shades of grays but not installed yet. The wall with the TV and clown gets more light, across from it the wall with mirror which is over red leather couch always seems darker and the window with the wall on the right is where I plan to paint red. The wall where the lamp shade is I would paint the darker shade of gray. Currently our baseboards and doors are white. Should they be changed? Thanks for your help. Aloha

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Annie Nozawa Hi there, I think painting one great room different shades of grey depending on how much light the wall receives wouldn't be necessary -- I would choose your favorite shade of grey and go for it on all walls of the great room. Ceilings, I'd do white. And keep the door and baseboards white too -- grey + white is so pretty and fresh.

Where is the bar area in relation to the great room? Having grey in the great room + charcoal in the bar area sounds really fun!

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf The bar/counter is right near the living room. The only division of the two areas is tile floor in the kitchen and bamboo floor in the living room. Included are pictures showing the counter which I would do in charcoal and from that area you can see the wall that I plan to paint red. Does that look like a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion re painting all one shade of grey and leaving the ceiling and baseboards white.

5 months ago · Like

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Aloha! On the other hand, I would paint the ceiling the same gray as the walls, while keeping the trim and doors white. Painting the wall around the bar charcoal may be too dark what with the dark tile floor and the dark barstools. Maybe a darker shade of gray would work without being as dark as charcoal. Red certainly works with gray, but you could also consider lime, or orange. Perhaps a red orange.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

Carroll Gardens Abode

5 months ago · Like ·

Annie Nozawa Agree with Carolyn about the charcoal maybe being too dark. The red-orange in the photo she posted is amazing!!

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf The reason for the red is that I have a red, leaning toward burgundy leather couch in the living room. The tile floor is a mottled beige/grey/white. But I get what you mean with the dark bar stools and kitchen chairs. Also the new granite will be on the darker side. So going lighter than charcoal is a good idea. I appreciate your time and expertise. Mahalo

5 months ago · Like

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Pillows to the rescue! Take a look at the pillow on the right side of the picture below. It has both burgundy and orange in it. Using one of those pillows, plus a solid orange pillow on your burgundy leather sofa might enable you to paint that DR wall the lovely red orange above instead of burgundy which is not a currently popular color. It wouldn't have to be that exact pillow. Find a print you like that has both colors in it. Do you live in Hawaii? I spent 7 lovely years there in Nuuanu area of Oahu.

Area Pebbles Pillows

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf I'm so glad I have posted here. I would never have thought of the pillow idea and painting the wall any other color than red. However, I have an area rug in the living room (see photo) that has orange in it (Note red leather couch in back). Pardon the mess, just anxious to get photos out there. We live on the Big Island in Waikoloa Village. Are you in New York? A friend and I hope to go there in May for the first time! Mahalo again!

5 months ago · Like

Stanton Designs-online design services Use all one color gray...and the darker areas just need the correct lighting.

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf Again, another great idea! I should have seen the "lightbulb"! Mahalo

5 months ago · Like

decoenthusiaste Like the grey all over look, but might put the pop of red or orange on the bar/peninsula.

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf Carolyn, not sure why I thought you were in NYC. I see you are in Texas. I have another idea...we thought of using copper for our backsplash in our kitchen which I think would lend us toward the orange red wall as you suggested. Hmmm? Our appliances are stainless and I hope to reface our cabinets in a light bamboo.

5 months ago · Like

cusogolf oops I forgot to attach the photos of the rug and couch:)

5 months ago · Like

Christine I think that gray is one color that should NOT be color blocked. Other than an over all color for the walls and maybe a few shades lighter for the ceiling.

5 months ago · Like

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Yes, your rug does seem to have some peachy-coral tones in it. My kids went to Punahou on Oahu when we lived there.

5 months ago · Like

Natalie Hi---I suggest looking at khaki grays for walls to coordinate with the varied color palette. Look at SW 7036 Accessible Beige, SW 7037 Balanced Beige, and SW 7032 Warm Stone... Hope this is helpful. Good Luck!
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