Painting our lounge at wkend....... advice needed on where to use the accent colour !

[sohappyicouldcry]

It is our turn to host the family Christmas this year, so we're having a big spruce up !! Our lounge is open plan into the dining room and has a chimney breast in both parts of the room. The Chimney in the lounge part, has a beautiful black slate and green marbly victorian fireplace (complete with original victorian tiles ).
We are looking at painting the room a soft creamy colour, probably either Antique Cream or Soft Linen. The chimney breast, we would like to do in an accent colour of sage green, but are unsure as to whether we do JUST the chimney breast itself, or the 2 alcoves at the side of it as well (ie the full wall the chimney is on).

What do you reckon ?????

I would do the two alcoves and leave the chimney breast cream - as the fireplace will set of this part of the room - as it is such a lovely caressable fireplace!

Good question, I've been wondering whether the whole wall is better but have always just plumped for chimney breast myself. Whimp.
If you can find a good sage green, btw, you're a better woman than me.

Oh no, you're worrying me now !! Thought I was happy with Mellow Sage by Crown, but not so sure now . Really don't want to upset my beautiful fireplace !

Maybe I'm being fussy. use a tester pot and you should be fine. (she says with 10 tester strips on the wall...)

Have just put dreadful photo on my profile of said chimney breast and alcoves. Am going to buy a couple of different colours tomorrow and experiment ! Fingers crossed !!

Another quick question ........ Satin or Matt ?

I would do the alcoves too. Not the chimney breast.

BTW get dulux if you can. I have been doing tester pots all over the place and it is far nicer paint than crown or b&q's own.

matt.

Matt.

Alcoves.

but to do above or below picture rail?

Alcoves and Chimney

If it was my wall and beautiful fireplace then I really wouldn't be painting the chimney breast - just the alcoves.

Reason being that If you paint the breast wall aswell it is going to just look like one long wall. Whereas if you just paint the alcove you will "acent" the alcoves.

(didn't notice any clutter.

I would also go for a different clour - didn't like to say before but I did use sage green once and painted over before I had finished, wasn't very nice after all.

As other post says go for dulux - much better paint and therefore easier to apply (i.e. less work invloved)

Thought I'd update you all with our final decision and the results !!

We went for a colour called Mellow Sage. We painted just the chimney breast (including the wrapround bits) and have bought cushions in similar colours to go on the choc brown leather sofa.

I am really happy with the finished look
DH is well and truly in the good books (got up on saturday morning to find he'd almost finished the first coats !!!).

Will post pic of completed project on my profile.

Thanks for all your help etc......

any pics? Thinking of going for this colour!