I need help on colors for my place. Its a bachelor pad and I'm looking for recommendations on paint colors for the living room and bed/bath that will give a masculine feel. I was thinking about doing 2 colors for the place, a lighter for the living room and darker for the bed/bath. The painters are coming next week, so I need to pull the trigger on a few colors soon. Here is a photo of the living room:
Welcome to GardenStew bad959fl Hmmm that's an interesting one. I think to achieve a masculine feel to the room it would be achieved easier by the objects that are in the room and not exclusively from the colour. Colour is subjective after all. Having said that obviously pink and baby blue and come to thing of it most pastel shades should be avoided. Maybe a stark contrast between two colours may do the trick. You could use the existing white effectively as well as it is neutral.
My friends recommended taupes for the colors either brown or green (Burlap & Totally Tan). They mentioned that the crown molding and baseboards would "pop" out and really look great with a darker color than what is currently on there. Any recommendations on other specific colors to try out?
Yes something on the brown end of the scale is a real possibility having now seen the rug and furniture. You are probably going to spend a lot of time in this area so achieving a relaxing mood is key. Not so sure a green would work, possibly a very light shade. BTW your friends are right, the crown molding will stand out a lot more as the colour of the walls becomes darker. That is the beauty of white. Also I'm no expert but I've heard that the darker the walls become the smaller the room will appear.
I agree with what Frank said about the objects in the room acheiving a masculine feel easier than color. What interests do you have? For that matter, what colors do you really like? Make the room reflect your interests and who you are. One warning tho, painting the room in the colors of your favorite sports team is not advised :-D If you lock yourself into the some colors are for guys and some are for girls thinking, you are limiting yourself too much. Myself, I can not stand pastels even if some say they are girls colors..I much prefer browns and other dark colors typically referred to as guy colors. This is strictly personal preferrence on my part, but I do not like white walls...they are fine in a kitchen, but I believe a tan or beige on the walls give a livingroom a warmer feeling. Let us know what you decide.
Glimpsing your upholstered pieces in the background brought to mind this room which is painted a color I might call "Cafe AuLait", note that they used a "warm white" for the woodwork, rather than "refrigerator" white. To me, one way to achieve a comfortably masculine room, is to use a rich tone, and keep most of the other colors that are used in the room (carpets, upholstery, drapery . . . etc) all in the same color family. Monotone doesn't have to be boring, using a light to mid-range brown on the walls will allow a spectrum from warm white to gold to black in your furnishings and accessories, which it seems, is the direction you are already going. Incidentally, I really like the style of your dining suite.
Don't be afraid of dark colors. I have painted hundreds of rooms dark colors and they don't make your room seem any smaller. Just don't paint your ceiling dark and have good lighting so you don't look like you live in a cave (unless that is the look your going after).
Well, here is the end result. We ended up going with "Shortbread" for the entry/living/kitchen and "Jackson Tan" for the accent wall, kitchen tray and kitchen nook. Feels much warmer and inviting now but also a little smaller. Here are a few pics:
MUCH warmer looking and definately more inviting than the clinical look it had before. A job well done. It no longer has the stark 'hallway with furniture' look.
Wow superb job bad959fl, the walls most definitely complement the furniture and coverings now. It looks far warmer. Are you pleased with the end result personally? Thanks for posting the update photos.
Yes, I'm very happy with the end results. It feels great now walking into to a much "warmer" home where I can really see and appreciate all the details of the rooms (crown moldings/baseboards, etc.).
Give yourself a big round of applause. I showed it to my husband last night and his first words were WOW wish I'd had a batchelor pad like that!!! :-D
