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I need paint ideas!!

9 replies

Geocentric · 15/07/2010 14:47

We are currently re-doing our "family room". This is a second living room where we keep the computer and a second TV (for when the DC are killing each other or DH wants to watch football), also their books, games, puzzles, art supplies etc. I want it to be warm and friendly. There's not much in the way of furniture - computer desk/TV rack/ small table and two vast, dark blue armchairs. However there is a huuuuuge bookcase - we've removed half of it but still loads left, goes right up to (high) ceiling and covers the entire half of one wall (it used to be my parent's office when they lived here - academic types...). Current colours, courtesy of my parents, are brick, bright yellow, light green - sounds awful but quite pretty actually, but very ready for a change!!

Sorry for the loooong intro, just wanted to give an idea of the space and its uses. Its sunny in the afternoon, and I want to maximise the light.

I'm thinking possibly a very light, buttery yellow for the walls and white ceiling, sort of a margarine colour iykwim. I had thought of white shelves, too (there really are a LOT of them), but DH thinks the shelves need more definition or he is afraid the whole place will look a bit waiting-room-ish. He is muttering about brown shelves, yuk, so please, please, please give me some ideas!!!!

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Heartsease · 15/07/2010 15:06

Pale yellow sounds nice for that kind of room. I think white is really nice and clean looking for shelves, and I don't see how they could lack definition really, as prominent 3D structures, on which you put things. What are you planning to use them for? If they've got a mixture of objects, storage baskets, and books, and maybe some photos in frames if you like that, it will look far from bland. What kind of furniture have you got/will you get?

Geocentric · 15/07/2010 15:32

Heart, shelves hold: DVDs, books, puzzles, games, some toys, childen's art supplies, office stuff (files and etc), sewing stuff, lots of random decorative items like my dad's old metal train set...

Looking a bit scruffy at the moment and I like your idea of storage baskets to tie things together.

Furniture - we have a long pine shelf on one wall which we use as computer/laptop space on one side of fireplace (red brick), pine TV rack on the other side, small round table (light wood) with white-painted wooden chairs (used for games, drawing and homework) and two big dark-blue armchairs (a rather pretty fabric with small white polka-dots).

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Heartsease · 16/07/2010 13:44

Sounds like it's one of those rooms that will always be very 'lived in' (that being the point!), so what would make most difference is bringing it together -- the storage baskets on shelves would help with that. Maybe a blue rug? Or a couple of nice big pictures, so you have some strong focal points which will shout louder than the all the bits and bobs? I still don't really get your husband's point about how it would look like a waiting room, nor do I really understand how painting them brown would help with that... Is that to imitate wood colour? Anyway, you wanted paint ideas, and I for one don't have any better ones than your yellow. So am no help .

Angmeringangel · 16/07/2010 13:54

I painted our family room 2 walls Lemon and 2 walls Lime green - nice and bright and sunny for the children :-)

Geocentric · 16/07/2010 19:04

Lemon and lime is lovely, but pretty much whay we have right now. Need chaaaaange!

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Geocentric · 16/07/2010 19:11

Heart, I do like your point about using more than paint to pull it together!

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catherinedenerve · 17/07/2010 02:17

Your room sounds lovely.
Suggestion; paint the walls white-ish, off-white a nice classic clean shade, matt finish, (not a pink or blue white), because this will make a huge change to what you have and will make the room feel airy and fresh, as well as bring out any picture.
ceiling brilliant white off course.
For the shelves, use the exact same colour than for the walls in the less shiny wood paint finish you can find and paint the facing side of the shelves only, in a contrasting colour; indigo blue, pea green, sage green, peacock blue, a nice strong yellow, anything you like. This is assuming your shelves are not ornate or rounded, but plain sharp edge.
This way you have colour burst without colour bore.

If you have some big books with nice covers on your shelves, show them off facing the room. Some children books are particularly attractive.

For goodness sake never ever ever paint anything brown.

Heartsease · 17/07/2010 11:04

C de N's final line is the most important thing here. Just say no to brown .

Geocentric · 17/07/2010 15:18
Grin
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