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by 11diamond11
5 months ago in Design Dilemma
Need help choosing paint colour
I need help choosing a paint colour for my kitchen, my cupboards are a bit unique. The colour is called olive oak. In the picture they look a bit more brown then olive, but they do have the olive undertones. I have black granite with specs of tan at different shades. My living room is open to the kitchen and I"m planning to paint that area Honey Dew.

Please help!
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Cynthia Taylor-Luce I looked up Honey Dew paint and it ranges from screaming yellowy orange to screaming green to pale green depending on the manufacturer. Whose Honey Dew are you using? Hopefully a quieter one!

I think because this is open concept, your living room paint could slide into your kitchen, as there's likely not too much wall space there anyway, especially if you were to do a nice backsplash.
5 months ago ·
11diamond11 This is the colour for the living room.
5 months ago ·
Cynthia Taylor-Luce Gosh, sorry but I find it a "screamer". Does it relate to something and is that why you picked it? Your kitchen is so subtle and elegant and your dining furniture is neutral. Would you consided toning that one down or is your heart set on it?
5 months ago · ·
11diamond11 I have a grey sectional in the living room now, and I have dark grey/black hardwood floors so I wanted something to add colour as I didnt want my whole house to be all shades of grey, Could you suggested a different colour?
5 months ago ·
steffoxy Maybe a light blue with navy accents?
5 months ago ·
fabia Please consider the exposure of this area. The exposure will change the honey dew to a honey don't. An Eastern exposure can make greens seem Khaki. A western will brighten up this colour. Here is the thing, all colours in this room are monochromatic. That's why this colour will be a lot of contrast. If you do use this colour in the dining room, please add some other items that add this colour. MAybe cushions, area rug, art. Kitchen can't handle this colour. Sometimes, I like to use a shock of colour in a central location. Then the rooms that feed off it will be more calm. Maybe neutral.
5 months ago ·
Color Zen This is a color you love or hate. I happen to love :) Here is my advice, tone down the shade. Take a peak at Benjamin Moore pale sea mist or pale avocado. Use it in just one small area, for example the kitchen. This color coordinates really well with grays, taupes, and whites. Paint all other walls neutral and incorporate this bright chartreuse with the use of area rugs and accents. Less is more, but a little will bring you the vitality you crave. Good luck! I like your cabinetry, etc. Blank slate to build upon.. have fun.
5 months ago ·
Cynthia Taylor-Luce I totally agree with you about shades of gray. I'm getting pretty tired of gray and everyone is asking for it for every room of the house, for paint, for finishes, for fabrics, the works!

Since you settled on a yellow-green, I can see that the palette of pinks/purples/blues is to be ruled out, and I agree with that. It would be too cold to use all over the walls, especially with your kitchen. The yellow/green side of the colour wheel is much more cheerful to live with.

Now I want to be clear on your layout. You have this kitchen that's open to the dining room, and the living room is open to the other areas? Is the living room the room I can barely see that has the fireplace in it?

There are so many options when you start looking at paint. I decided to look at the shading of the stain in your cabinetry. If you did Pittsburgh Paints 412-1 WITCH HAZEL in the kitchen, shaded out to 412-2 VAGABOND in the dining room and all the walls of the living room except the fireplace wall which would be 412-4 WOOLEN VEST, your colours would flow and the intensities would vary nicely. The darkest colour being on the fireplace wall would reinforce it as a focal point.

I would play up black and white in window treatments for a bold, yet non-coloured accent, and then pop in fuschia and teal and lemon in solid colour pillows for the sectional and linens and/or candles and/or accessories on the dining table. If there's room for a fantastic rug in the fireplace room, that would look great too.

You can see that it's the beautiful things that you add to your space that are going to form the character and the interest in your decor, and the wall colour will add personality in a quieter way, warming up the space softly and not in a way that will overpower the space.
5 months ago · ·
Cynthia Taylor-Luce If you choose a rug first, then please post a photo of it, and we can tweak the colours to work with it. Normally, the paint colour is chosen last, after the furnishings are selected...
5 months ago ·
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