BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use

Subject: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 02:36 PM

We are getting ready to paint our kitchen, maybe this coming week. I know there are some better colours to use in a kitchen than others. I think it is red that is supposed to encourage more eating, so we don't want that. I am thinking a bold yellow. Rog thinks that we don't want to go with too dark of a colour, but by dark he means bold, cause the yellow I think I like is not dark!**bg**

Anyway, I'd love to know what colours you all might have in your kitchens and/or any advice on choosing a colour. It is really a blank canvas except for the Colonial Blue cupboards which WILL get painted or stripped, probably painted.(Those are the infamous cupboards Rog claimed were purple when we bought the house.:-)

Pix would be welcome, too. Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 02:45 PM

Is the kitchen large, Kat??? What color/s are the appliances... Number of windows... Where is the kitchen as related to the compass??? Art work/nic nacs you'd like to have in the kitchen???
Does the kitchen share space with any other rooms, such as a pass thru???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 02:46 PM

Kat, I think an intense yellow would be too much unless you use it as an accent color.

Do you have objects and towels sitting out that are colorful?

Best is to choose a neutral color for walls and cabinets and then
pick out a color or two from your accessories and pots and dishes to color the knobs and accents like trim.

My kitchen is a very light tan for the ceiling and then a latte brown for the cabinets. The floor is a pebble like linoleum that has those two colors and off white.

The counter top is a light yellow and I have collectible pottery displayed that is pale yellow and potholders that are pale yellow.

Cabinet knobs are painted hunter green and I have hunter green, purple and light yellow dishes displayed.

Make the ceiling and walls coordinate with the floor color in a neutral way, then play up more color with accessories and stuff you display.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 03:05 PM

I'm with Alice. If the kitchen is HUGE, you could do one wall in your yellow. If it's small, go white/off white for the walls and use the colour for accents.

My kitchen is a shotgun shape with a box on one end for seating. All one room, and an open door to the front living room. Walls and ceiling are white, accents are country blue (not quite a Colonial or Federal), Cobalt blue and maroon. The windows have shirred valances only made of blue and white pillow ticking.

I have 2 12 gallon crocks for flour and dog food. I made wooden lids for them, put a piece of foam on for a cushion then covered with maroon naughahyde. Couple of Dutch blue/Delft things on the walls, old kitchen utensils (butter paddle, kraut cutter, etc), my (WELL USED) cast iron and a printers tray filled with little things like keys.

Stained glass suncatchers in the windows and 'stuff' on the windowsills.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 03:26 PM

Had yellow, all-yellow, with white ceiling. Nice for about 5 minutes (that's how long it takes to choose a paint chip, LOL), then when you sit and look at it for an hour, you go ballistic. Really-- read up on color psychology. (It's physioslogical.)

A classic combination that flatters yellow's better aspects is blue and yellow. Our grayblue-floral-papered rental kitrchen was quite drably orful till I added golden-yellow accents. Any blue will work; I had an aqua LR once with golden yellow curtains.

Another color that pairs well with yellow is purple, and it doesn't have to be a deep or lurid purple for that to work. Very nice combination, very peacefully cheering. A friend took my advice and did A LR in brights, 2 walls each, and it was great; I've seen it done well in pastels as well.

Look at floral arrangements and bird colors-- you'll see what attracts you. Or wallpapers-- look at the color combos there. Or wrapping paper, greeting cards....

Blue & orange is good too, and again, the shades do not have to be lurid... peach is orange, too. Had an all-melon kitchen once; it was BAD. I didn't know it then, but if I had added blue accents it would have been better.

Greens and red-- not Christmas-dark shades-- are nice. Our avocado-green-papered living room is only bearable because of the rose upholstery and curtains I added. (Our last post-G'way Gathering pic shows that one as does the dog photo I sent you.)

Blue and green, very restful and organic-looking.

Very amall splashes of red, orange, or black will make any other colors in the room "pop."

Darker shades below chair rail-level "ground" a room. Lighter shades as a top border float the ceiling. Semi-gloss stripes on a background of the exact same color will "glow" like a very subtle metallic.

There is an HGTV show on these days that does a good job teaching about this, where the color wheel is illustrated with common, everyday objects and the color-wheel theories are explained and shown in concrete terms. It's about how colors that are near each other have one effect, and colors across from each other have a different effect. "Get Color," I think. (HGTV website probably has stuff there for you as well.)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 03:37 PM

Ah, should have thought of pictures. Be warned, the room is in sorry shape! CLICK HERE if you dare!**bg**

The room is big, about 12-14 X 20-22 running south - north on the longest and that includes the dining area which is at the south end with two side-by-side good sized windows. There is a window over the sink on the west wall. The only cabinets are on the west side also.

The frig and stove do not match, but the stove was new when we bought it, so I can do something to the frig to make it match, so I am not worried about that.

The top of the cabinets used to have one door on each section which opened up like a lid towards the ceiling, with the hinges closest to the ceiling. We took those off and I use those areas for display of breakables to keep them out of Morgan's reach, esp. when he was a baby. I now notice my most predominate colours in them are Chinaware blue and different shades of Carnival glass orange with a fe reads and yellows. I have houseplants in the window, one of which has lavender blooms and I have a tray of stones which sits in the window with all colours represented just about.

The cabinets are so boldly coloured. THEY can be painted...or even have their doors removed and old-fashioned glass-panel or fabric panels set in (maybe!) Neither one of us particularly fond of them except that they are solid, good wood and we like their sizing.

We need more storage space, i.e. more cabinets on the east wall, but that's not going to happen for a while. Also, the floor will be redone. It's been stripped down to the first 1950's atrocious brown lino and it is ugly!

So, it's pretty much an open deal. I wonder if the stove wall would be a good spot for the bold colour with more pastel on the other walls and something lighter and neutral on the cupboards?

I had thought, at one point, using my design, Tree of Hearts as a focal point somewhere, but not sure where. I like the colours used in it, though, and have done one wall-sized when Morgan still lived here.

Well, you've already set me to thinking. Let's hear more of your ideas and experiences and THANKS a bunch!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 03:41 PM

HGTV.com has great ideas for Kitchens, kat.
Advice on painting, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 03:52 PM

http://design.hgtv.com/kitchen/Article_detail.aspx?id=235

Kitchen color choices

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 04:31 PM

Well, it is a long room but not really all that wide so I'd stay away from any dark colors on the long walls or the room will definately *look* smaller... I see alot of green down on the south end and kinda think a light pastel green but not too green... I think you can mix in a touch of red that won't really be seen as red and just enough black to move the green toward gray without seeing gray... I know thism color exists because I helped my mom find it to do the dining room at her summer house...

Now here's what I see behind your stove (which BTW, I know you are going to hate me but I have some thought on the stove as well...): I see a real dark green green... Almost charcoal black green in satin (not semi gloss)... I think that would make the room look longer but the only way it works is to move the stove over against the east wall giving the kitchen a ship's galley look to it... I can't see what else is on the east wall that would prevent that and the refrigerator would definately have to share the east wall with the stove, meaning that you might need a base cabinet to seperate them and still give you "the triangle" (stove, refrig, sink) with some counterspace...

That's the way I see it... UI think it would be lovely with a round oak breakfast table at the south end surrounded by you houseplants and kitties...

Ceiling: Ceiling white...

Flooring: Light, without patern... Many Manigton vynal or peel-'um-n'eat'um light colored tile from Lowes... Cheap... But easy...

B

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 04:49 PM

We went for yellow and bright green. Lovely to sit in - very wine-bar-esque. I have put 2 stone on!

:(

D.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Joybell
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 05:38 PM

Looks like great fun, Kat. I love playing around with colours. Please show us when you've finished. I wouldn't presume to impose my ideas because colour is such a personal thing. There's something to be said for following your first idea I always think. I love yellow. I never have enough around me. Clear yellows --not muddy ones - lemon yellow to buttercup to sunshine and all in between. On the other hand I know most people feel more comfortable with green. A monochromatic scheme using green would give you lots of scope. I really like your Tree of Hearts. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: mg
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 06:17 PM

I vote for a light clear sunny but not overpowering yellow, with lots of white and a bit of blue. A red kitchen would raise your blood pressure probably. Blue and green don't seem like kitchen colors to me. Maybe white cabinets. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 06:36 PM

I can't be much help....we have the same busy wallpaper it had 24 years ago. Little pictures of....(had to go look)....lamps and grapes and teapots and flowers, with a vaguely whitish background and yellowish to goldish images.

   I DID recently paint the entire bedroom, though. Oughta be ready for the kitchen in 8-10 years.


But, I do like some yellows and golds....maybe that's why I've waited.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bee
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 07:51 PM

With such a nice big kitchen, I think you can have some fun. My kitchens have always tended toward having a lot of appliance clutter, which has always lead me away from having an accent wall - just adds one more dimension of clutter.

I might stick with yellow, but go for a nice warm light butter yellow. I might paint the cabinets a rich warm dark, almost brown, ochre - I know, sounds like baby poop. Then make them shiny with a coat of clear latex or urethane.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: black walnut
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 09:09 PM

My niece is an interior decorator. She helped us pick paint colours the last time we renovated, and now our kitchen is a wonderful shade of spicy orange. Gorgeous!

~b.w.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 10:07 PM

Most of the paint manufacturers have color combination suggestions that go well together.
Go to Benjaminmoore.com and look at their color viewer for home owners.
Remember to stay light with the ceiling.

How about going with earth tones, a buff color on the ceiling, a sage green for cabinets and the back wall and buff color for the rest of the walls. Since your countertops and appliances will stay white, I would keep the ceiling and at least one wall an off white (like buff) color. You don't want to have the white you can't change to look too stark against deep or bright colors.

Try out different color combinations on the paint company sites, but include white as that is your countertop color.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 10:15 PM

At the Benjamin Moore site in their color selector, choose the bedroom, then set the wall color to Adirondack Green and the trim color to Deer Path. I think that would look good in your kitchen.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 10:19 PM

Sounds lovely, bw! It'd take me some time to think spicy orange, but only because my mom had a disaster in her kitchen decorating days once. I don't know if she couldn't afford to take the paint back or what, but she painted the kitchen the most gawdawful pukey pumpkin orange. She felt badly as did we girls who helped. I know she had no money to do what she really wanted to do...it was a money pit, huge old farm Victorian - a great place to grow up, but oh my parents had to spend so much on it!

I think with a warm yellow on the walls, I could keep the cabinets an updated blue or take the doors off and accent them with something else on the fronts. I can't get Rog to keep them closed anyway...he hates having doors on the cupboards. I really like blues, yellows,and purples together. Green is my fav. but I already have it in the bathroom, which is also going to get repainted and I may do the dining area window wall and the one wall in the extreme southwest corner of it in a very light green on which my son has promised to paint a greenhouse mural taken from a framed print I have on that sw wall, just above the cat feeding table.:-)

Bobert, if I ever get the shutters for outside painted and out of that end I can put a table there for eating, BUT space is at a premium and my treadmill is just right there to the southeast rubbing elbows with the plants. (Good thing I am short, or my head would be in them when I walk on it!) We have an old library table to the nearest right as one walks into the kitchen (facing the backdoor) which we use to dine on, plus Rog has his laptop set up right next to it. The table is kind of like a low breakfast bar in that it sits crossways out from the east wall, creating a divider between the kitchen, the doorway from the living room and the dining area in the south. If that makes sense. If you look at the picture of the backdoor, it's that wide archway, kinda, that enters the kitchen and the table is to your immediate right.

I wouldn't mind moving the stove, at all, Bobert, in fact I like the idea, but my Rog says he'd have to go down in the crawl space to move the special electrical wire for it and that's a no-go for now, at least. It's too cold, damp, and spidery for now.:-) I also like the idea of a bold, darker colour at that end, BUT we'll have to be careful with that. The lighting is not good in the kitchen, another thing to work on. (Can't spend all of the money I am getting from my new job as I promised it was going into savings for Getaway!) Anyway, when we first moved in that wall had awful, dark wood panelling on it. First thing we did to this house was pull it down and paint that wall white. The panelling made the whole room so dark, it was terrible. On the flooring, we will do the stick'em tiles. We could have gotten some wood laminate really cheap on sale recently, but neither of us thought it would fit the look of a kitchen, so we didn't get it. We painted the floor in our bedroom and I really love it. It reminds me of the old painted wide boards floors back in New England.Once we put down new subflooring, we might look into doing that only it wouldn't be very practical as there is no way we can block that room from foot traffic for time for the paint and polyurethene coating to dry, so it'll be tiles.

Alice, thanks for the link and your input. I love your artist's eye!

Joybell, thanks for the compliment re' my tree. I am not an artist, but that is what came out for my sister's b-day one year and I like it. :-)I hope you are patient. Getting my Rog in gear and actually getting things done takes time. He is taking his first week off in five years THIS week, so I am just trying to get him geared up to *think* about what we might do for colours, etc. I know he needs and deserves just a few days of doing nothing. He's thinking about trying to take the next week off, too. If I can get him to do that, we might actually get started! We did our bedroom around his work schedule last year and it turned out really nice, so I know we can do it; it's just usually at a sloooow pace. It's just a matter of getting him started or getting some help, which I may wind up doing.

mg, I've read that red is not a good colour for a kitchen. I do have two walls painted a beautiful, strong red, one in the living room with my library on shelves on it, the other is the long wall running down the hallway (on the other side of the kitchen's east wall.) I have my gallery of old prints on it. Some people tell me it looks like a museum wall.:-)

BillD, I wouldn't mind some wallpaper, but I don't know how Rog would feel about it. It'd probably be a lot easier than painting. I used to love papering with my mom and later with my kids a couple of times.

Bee, I'll think about that for the cabinets, but I am not much for browns, even baby poo brown. :-) Sounds like a few of us agree on the yellow though!

Sorcha, sounds neat. I don't have room for extra stuff on the floor, too much cluttering, but I like the idea of the crock pots, etc.

Susan, thanks for your input, too. I am getting lots of good ideas!

Thanks, folks, please feel free to continue. I can use and appreciate all of the input. It helps to put it to paper, so to speak...get my thinking cap on and explain myself!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 10:23 PM

Whoops, cross-posted, Alice. I will go take a look. I have a colour sampler thingie from Sherwin Williams (theirs is the only paint I will use) and I can get a four-dollar sampler of the actual paint to put on the walls once i narrow it down. I have a few of those samples from when I was trying to decide on a colour for the office. I'll have to see what is left. Oh, I forgot to say I am going to do something to the countertops. Not sure what. They are a hideous blond fake wood grain-type of thing.:-)

Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bee
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 11:16 PM

I have the same hideous countertops. Talking of getting new ones, besides the expense, leads to a Hole-in-the-Bucket discussion: "The counters are worn out, dear hubby, dear hubby" "The cupboards are wonky, dear wifey, dear wifey" "Then straighten them, dear husband" "The floors they aren't level, Dear wifey, dear wifey" "Then level them, dear hubby" "I'll have to jack up the house, dear wifey, dear wifey"....

Needless to say, that ain't happenin' soonish.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 11:48 PM

I recently read a book by a decorator who'd worked with colors for years. One day it occurred to her simply to use her favorite color!

What's your favorite color?

Remember that you can use a deep tone or a pale tone, a clean tone or a shady tone, and it will still be your favorite color.

My kitchen is a pinkish tan. The cupboard doors are dappled glass, and the multicolors of my dishes show through.

Pink is one of my favorite colors. I also favor it because it makes people look pretty.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 12:39 AM

Oh, dappled glass sounds lovely!I told my Rog maybe he could cut out the doors so I could put glass or cloth in them. He said it would pretty involved. I told him juts get out his electric saw and cut out a rectangle; we're good to go, 'cause I can do the rest. I'll have to look at some dappled glass. Thanks!

My favourite colour is green but I am saving it for other rooms in the house. Close seconds include purple, saffron, and red and yellow.:-) I used to have an aversion to pink because my mother always made dresses for me in pink or green pastels; I think she liked the way they looked with my red hair and green eyes. Heck, I must've like it, too, as she wouldn't have made me wear them without my helping to pick out the material. Don't know why I still like green, but I love it. I am slowly getting to where I like some shades of pink, again, just not pastels.

Bee, your posting made me laugh out loud! Sounds just like Rog and me AND our house. My office chair would scoot clear across the room if I didn't anchor it with my bum!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 09:32 AM

Couple more thoughts, Kat:

1. If you are going to have to replace the subfloor before the peel'um tiles use "multi-ply"... It is the best subfloor suitable for tiles... We used to use luan but the newer adhesives in these tiles tend to suck up bubbles in the luan and next thing you have a tile that won't stay down and when it come up it brings that leyer of luan with it and you now have a mess...

2. Rog is gonna hate me for this one but he might not have to go under the house to move the 220V outlet depending on what it is that is going on in what looks like a "chase" to the right of the stove... If it's a chimney then, yeah, he gonna have to go under the house... If it's a chase for duct work then he might be able to run the wire top-side using "10/3 with ground BX" cable, a junction box for the splice and the existing 220V stove outlet...... Heck, if you did move ther stove to the east wall the BX cable would be well hidden back behin it, a possible new base cabinet and/or refrig... Of course if you do this Rog will have to drilla couple holes on the chase and fish the BX around whatever is in the chase... BTW, if it is a chimney, keep in mind that down the road if you want to add hood to your stove that you might be able to vent into it...

3. Do you actaully use the dreadmill, ahhhh, treadmill??? We have one in our guest bedroom that when the P-Vine brought it home I was thinkin', "Oh great, an exercise shaped space theif that won't ver get used" but she has racked up quits a few miles on it, now and averages 8 miles a week so I really can't complain...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 09:48 AM

Back to yellow-- the technique of working with it-- this is not an anti-yellow advertisement and I approved this message. ;~)

When they've used it on the decorating shows, they've cautioned that extra coats are often needed for any shade of yellow, and they've also indicated that a softer, paler shade may "vibrate" as strongly as the deeper shade you liked on the paint chip without being so irritating over the long term.

The yellow, blue, purple should go well with the green you have elsewhere, and also you can use the green in the K as the tiny-accent splash to unify the green, pulling bits of it throughout the house as paint, fabric, rugs, or plant material.

Sorry about that pumpkin thing. If they'd had the right colors to go with it, it could have worked. The current crop of HGTV shows on staging homes for sale shows how to neutralize the impact of even the worst colors.

BTW if we hold another Mudcat Gathering, we'll be asking people to bring their painting clothes-- we got the OK to paint over the bird wallpaper and my colors are all picked out! I saved the fabric from my favorite room ever, and I believe I even have the piece of paper with the original paint chips stapled on, where I planned the first room in which I used the color scheme.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 10:03 AM

Speaking of yellow, WYSuzie, in the new (to us) house here in Virginia, I decided to try Southwaest colors... We use alot of yellow... No, not yellow-yellow but mellow-yellow mustardy colors with browns, no not brown-brown but chocolatey-browns and then accent with reds, no not red-reds but earthy-reds...

This is the first time in my life that I have gone pure Southwest and it has really grown on me as the combinations are earthy and relaxing...

BTW, will paint for food...

B;)

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bert
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 10:35 AM

Hi katmeluv,

I just posted a couple of pics on Newgates's Knocker for ya.

Rachael did her kitchen and living room with a textured finish. I think she calls it Florentine.

Tree did Grandma's kitchen if gray with a white kinda frosted overtone.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 10:55 AM

BTW, will paint for food...

At last, the excuse/reason that will get the P-Vine (and you) here to visit. "I gotta urgent job up in Pennsyltucky, darlin'," sez Bobert. "I'se gonna need your womanly help on this one, so pack up the critters, mulch them seedlings, and let's go!"

Then when you get here, you prime with extra-sticky Kilz while me and the P-Vine cook and have girl-fun in the kitchen, and Hardi can be assigned to your team.... you get your own wing of the house....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 11:35 AM

Kat, that Benjamin Moore site lets you change the colors on a photo of the rooms, so you can experiment with how combinations look.
Click on FOR YOUR HOME from their home page
then click on PERSONAL COLOR VIEWER (it will load in window)
Select any sample room, and then you can change the colors
of the walls and trim and ceiling to view different combos.

I have one wall in my living room that has a bay window in it
that is painted yellow, neither pale nor bright, and the drapes
on the bay window are yellow. But, all the other colors are
natural, hardwood floor, wood walls, brick fireplace.

Yellow goes a long way. Think about maybe one wall being yellow.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bert
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 11:46 AM

Some more of Rachael's work on Casa Interiors Might give you some ideas.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 11:56 AM

I have bowls with the green, blue, and purple, on white, that look like your idea. Not this one but like it:

http://www.corelle.com/index.asp?pageId=53&pid=50

And in denser ("color-saturated") colors: http://www.corelle.com/index.asp?pageId=53&pid=275 and http://www.corelle.com/index.asp?pageId=53&pid=64

If you print it and take to to there paint store you can compare yellows against it.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 03:08 PM

Well red

Blue can make a room feel cold, subjective maybe but it works. Duck-egg blues are not bad and for a kitchen maybe work better, but anything that remids you of water or sky - well you get the idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 07:38 AM

Beige, I think we should paint the ceiling beige...




Leaving now...

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 12:33 PM

If yellow is one of your favorite colors and you've been dreaming of a yellow kitchen, I say go with it.

I suggest finding a paint store where they have staff with some training. I say this because I just had a happy experience at a Sherwin Williams store where they sold me paint that was black with a green tone to paint the porch rails on our green house. Then they sold me a shade of gray off the same paint card for the porch floor. It is amazing how much those subtle, shared tones do to make the job look good.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 01:42 PM

Good point, leeneia. The Sherwin Williams where I go has a couple of women who understand me when I say "I want to paint this thingie and i want it to this kind of colour only with this shade and that shade added in, what do you think?" They are very good at using their experience to gently guide me away from bloopers.

Yellow isn't really a fav, fav. but I do like it in certain areas, so I think that's it for the kitchen. We'll keep the cabinets almost the same so it won't take so much paint to cover them and I think they'll look good with the yellow I am thinking - Sherwin Wms' Decisive Yellow.

Thanks, folks. Bobert, I'll get back to on the wiring suggestions. I think you may be on to something.:-)

Merry Christmas!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 01:51 PM

Yeah, Kat... It's a piece of cake... If Rog has any question about it I can go thru it step by step with him either in a PM or on the phone... It will even be up to code...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bert
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 02:07 PM

I too have had good luck with Sherwin Williams matching a color. But I have found that, having used, many different paint stores, it often depends upon the actual person you get to serve you.

Sometimes there is one person in the store who is the greatest at using the paint matching machine.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 04:22 PM

Your Decisive Yellow is shown on the Sherwin Williams site here
http://sherlink.sherwin.com/swapp/search/searchAllColors.do

type Yellow in the color search box, think click
view All Colors.
When all colors of yellow come up, you can see the one
closest to the yellow around my bay window - it is
called lively yellow.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,kt not logged in
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 04:57 PM

kat, what color is your counter top? Is it actually white or is it a tan? If it's tan, I think to add some latte/mocha colors (walls) would be lovely. Blues, and tans are very soothing together. Yellows, while they are lovely to look at, often cast a weird light on faces.

I've just redone a room in mocha (latte) and off white, with accents of olive green and blue (much darker blue than yours.) Realized afterwards they're all earthy (in fact, beachy) colors. All I need now is the sun! (can you send me your leftover yellow?)

KT

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 10:19 PM

Decisive Yellow is JUST the color I once had-- caution, caution, Kat. One wall at a time-- live with it-- be sure before you do all 4.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 10:51 PM

KT, it's a light tan, but I am NOT keeping it that way. I do not like the counter top and wouldn't want to use it to design around, sorry.:-) I am just not into brown shades. I can do light peachy, but i plan to use that in the living room, so I don't think I want it in the kitchen, too.

IF I go with the Decisive Yellow, I will try it on the north wall where the stove is first and go from there. I will also ask the gals at SWms what they think.

Thanks, folks!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Dec 07 - 11:55 PM

About earth tones:

My little bungalow doesn't get enough sun, so much of the downstairs is white. I know, I know, white is so 70's! I don't care.

One day I decided to paint the dining room ceiling pink. It's a sophisticated pink, not a Barbie pink. This way, when we are having a dinner party, we look better than we have a right to.

After a few years, I painted the living room ceiling blue, just because I was bored with all the white.

Recently it occurred to me that instead of earth tones, I have sky tones. I think that 'sky tones' sounds a lot more sophisticated than 'pink and blue.'

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 26 Dec 07 - 05:43 PM

KT makes a good point.
The worst selling garment color is yellow, as it makes most people look sallow and unhealthy. Remember the color casts reflected color on what is in the room.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Dec 07 - 10:48 PM

Well, I went to SWms, today, and got Decisive Yellow, just one of their samplers, four bucks. Came home and put it on about a 3' X3.5' section, close to the blue cupboards and I have to say it is a beautiful, to me, ripe lemon yellow. Rog thinks it looks too primary, like for a children's school wall or something. It grows on ya, but the wall kind of disappears and I want that wall, the north one, to *pop*.

So, going back to their online visualise it thingie, I painted a kitchen they had with blue cupboards, close to what ours are, then I did that one wall with "Serape" and the other walls with "Flan" and I think they look pretty good. The Serape is a darker, warmish orange, but not a blatant orange, just of that hue family, while the Flan is also from that hue family, but much, much lighter, almost a cream.

Their tips say if a room is long and narrow and you want it to look wider, you should paint the shorter walls a darker colour, which explains why I keep wanting to put a dark colour on the north wall.

I will probably go back, tomorrow, and get samplers of those two colours to see what we think. Rog said he'd be happy to just use white on all of the walls! Then, he's not a decorator type of guy.:-)

The only other thought is wallpaper. I love wallpaper and they have some new ones they promise are easy to put on and take off and it's so easy. BUT, have you seen how many there are to choose from? Egads, don't know how I'd ever make my mind up on one of them!

Thanks, ya'll...kat

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Dec 07 - 11:03 PM

Hahaha...I have to laugh. In looking through some Event photos, I see that jimmyt and Jane have yellow in their kitchen, or at least they did when Jerry Rasmussen and his wife visited.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: KT
Date: 27 Dec 07 - 11:09 PM

A good friend of mine just painted three walls in his office a very deep shade of yellow. It's very bold and it looks good.

Have fun with it katdarlin! The cool thing about paint is.....it can always be painted over!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 02:56 AM

I wouldn't advise you on colour, but....

Do NOT use Ceiling White on the ceiling. I'm not sure if that is what Bobert meant, but Ceiling White is a great 'flat' paint for, say, a lounge ceiling, where it may never get stained, but it is porous, or at least cellular, and you cannot wash or bleach stains off it, the go into it. Especially flyspots, grease, or mildew.

Go one shade lighter than your first choice of wall colour. One shade blander than the colour sample. You can add colour with accents, pictures and suchlike, but its a big job to take it away.

There are programs for computers which will show the finished rooms. They are available for a token price at paint suppliers. Some advanced ones even work on your own photos.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 01:41 PM

Thanks, KT!

Gurney, good point, thanks! I don't like white ceilings, anyway. I wouldn't mind a lot lighter shade of the lightest I will put on the walls. May have to hire someone to do the ceiling, though. Kills my neck and shoulders.:-)

I am off to go get those two colours, today.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Bert
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 04:47 PM

Use an adjustable extension for your roller when doing ceilings.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 05:06 PM

I think the hardest thing I have had to learn, using what the decorating shows teach, is that the paint color is just the backdrop, and that it is going to behave totally differently depending on what I put up on it, near it, on the floor, etc.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 06:33 PM

I do, Bertdarlin', thanks.:-) Being short, it is difficult to apply good pressure and any kind of decent angle to paint overhead.

(Meant this in response to Susan) That's why I have tried the samples NEXT to the cupboards which are staying blue.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 09:50 PM

Besides, to get the edges of the ceiling you need a brush and ladder anyway! I don't do ceilings.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Dec 07 - 10:00 PM

Paint everything -- walls, ceiling, floor, steps, furniture, everything -- flat black. The dirt won't show that way.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 12:40 AM

Had that with a teenager...no thanks, Rapaire! *very funny!*

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: gnu
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 11:02 AM

Semi-gloss white Kitchen & Bath or Kid's Room. Ceiling too. The whole house. Makes everything look clean and bright and much bigger. Washes up nice and easy. Goes witn everything... furniture, flooring, trim, wallpaper... Easy to match when you repaint, IF you EVER need to.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 03:10 PM

Came across an interesting article about using yellow - Click Here. We have done one coat of the Martha Stewart colour called "Koi" and, so far, we love it. It's a very rich colour. Oddly enough, it is in two items I hadn't really cared about which I got from a friend when she moved: a flat metal rooster and clock with graduated shades of yellow on the face of the clock and a piano lamp with a ceramic shade which has the same colours. It's funny because they are both in the kitchen by default. Another coat will go on this afternoon and then we'll choose a lighter, almost white colour for the rest of the kitchen walls, which will be another weekend project. I'll post pix when we get done.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 04:27 PM

Just a suggestion, display those items with the yellow in them on the opposite off white wall to bring the room together. I'm looking forward to photos!!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,dianavan
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 09:10 PM

I like a yellow kitchen. Its warm and inviting. Be sure to paint the ceiling white, semi-gloss to reflect the light. I noticed you have a lot of plants. Green, white and soft yellow is lovely.

You didn't mention tiles. I, too, am giving my kitchen a face-lift but I wasted about $1000.00 by choosing the wrong tiles. I bought high glazed, ceramic 4" tiles for a backsplash. Wrong! They are too thick, have no ridges on the back and require a cement board backing. Now I am going with off-white. No design, no colour and no more big ideas!

No anyone who wants beautiful Italian, porcelain tiles (bisque, silveleaf and pottery yellow that can only be used for countertops)? They would be too slippery for the floor.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 11:42 PM

I'm glad to hear that you took that decorator's advice and went with your favorite color, kat.

Not feeling qualmish by now, I hope.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 06:02 AM

"Magnolia" all the way. Or have I just been living in cheap rented houses for too long?

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 11:47 AM

Just a brief update: we have finally put two coats of yellow paint, Martha Stewart's "Koi," over a primer, on the north wall. The last two (blurry, sorry!) photos on THIS PAGE will give you some idea of the yellow we decided on. The pix don't show the right golden colour it really is. I'll try taking some better shots when the afternoon light comes round.

The more we put it on, the more I noticed shades of that colour in the various teapots, tins, vases, etc. I have above the cupboards. We will also put that colour on the narrow wall which is just to the right (as you look at it) of the north wall and the "jog" wall (the frig is up against it) next to that which, technically, is also a north wall.

I've got some pix of the four year old grandson helping us paint. They are on the old PC. I'll post them later today.

Thanks, again!

kat (Oh, and don't look at my messy kitchen!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: gnu
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 02:53 PM

A messy kitchen is a busy kitchen is a happy kitchen. Just not when you wake up to one.

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 03:57 PM

Yeah, gnu, that's right and I've been waking up to this one for a few days too many! Who wants to do dishes when there's other stuff to do that's a whole lot more fun?!

On the other hand, if I look in the opposite direction, to the south end of the room, this morning I saw not the usual one, but TWO fully-opened hibiscus blossoms on my old hibiscus tree! So beautiful and such a lovely shade of red: Take a Look!. It's always had to be grown inside and is about 41 years old. My brother started out with it, then passed it on to me when he moved. It has travelled from Colorado to Wyoming to Massachusetts, to Connecticut and back to Wyoming, then Colorado! When it went from WY to MA, it lived inside a refrigerator, in storage, for over thirty days until our house was ready. It was yellowish and spindly but it survived!

Subject: RE: BS: Interior Decorating -what colours to use
From: Alice
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 04:36 PM

And the pollen on that hibiscus matches the wall! LOL
I have been looking forward to the indoor blooms of winter, too.
My citrus tree has two flower buds! I moved my bird of paradise
to a west window a few days ago, hoping for some flowers.