COLOR PALETTE FOR MARY
I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this to you, but you have me a lot to digest, and I wanted to put it here in such a way that you can see the palette working throughout your home. As always, a few words of wisdom: Paint looks completely different in your house than it would in mine or anyone else's for that matter. Light, size of room, wood tones, height of ceiling, time of day and even geographical settings all alter the appearance of paint color. It may take us a couple of tries to get it right, but the best way is for you to put some sample paint on a poster board (leaving at least 2-3 inches of white all around) (two coats) and try it out in your room for 24 hours. You will see the changes it goes through as the light changes, and you will see if it looks good with the woods, tile and flooring already installed. You gave me some guidelines:
I really was hoping to get away from tans, yellows, greens. If I could I would love to do warm grays or a Stonington Gray with BM Eclipse or BM Black Pepper accents in our bedroom and try to find a flow for bathroom and living room.
Ceilings are high (except on north wall of dining room)... All rooms upstairs are open to each other...
I made a huge mistake with a gray tile I used on fireplace. It looks horrible with Manchester tan wall paint and really everything else too... I am hoping the right wall color will bring it together but still keep suggesting to my husband we rip it out and put something much more interesting to replace gray tile.
Hard surface colors: hope pics of kitchen granite counter tops and backslash are clear enough in pics. Bathroom and adjoining master bedroom are currently BM smokey taupe
The bathroom vanity top is Caesarstone linen and the back splash in shower and sink is a glass ...I guess shades of brown.
Bathroom porcelain tiles on wall surround and floors are called "ash" and I thought they had a taupe color undertone (hence why I painted walls smokey taupe) but now I am told they are a green gray. Green again :).
So is the undertone noticeable? Does the green show up against the smokey taupe? If it is truly reading green, then we should go with a gray with a subtle green/blue undertone that may lead it in the right direction. And since you have treasures throughout your home that share that color, its a natural choice to suggest it as an undertone. However, you wanted this area to be the Stonington Gray and darker Black Pepper or Eclipse accents - which may not play well with the brown glass accent tiles in the bathroom.
Bearing that in mind, and the photos of rooms you have collected (he's one of my favorites, too!) which bring in more beige/grays, taupes and soft blues - here is the palette I'm recommending. We will tweak it as we go along if one or more of these colors doesn't work out.
LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM/STAIRS/ENTRY and KITCHEN SOFFITS
Because of the open floor plan and close proximity to the fireplace with the gray tile you are having some difficulty with, I've given you 3 colors to try here - It's hard for me to get an exact idea of the color of the tile, but it is apparent that a beige or brown undertone is not working with it. We also have the backsplash and the counter top to consider - so I think a cooler tone gray should work. You will have to paint a sample and take it to each area to see if it plays nicely with the other colors :)
MASTER BEDROOM
Along with the Stonington Gray you liked for this area, I'm also suggesting another color to try:
Gray Horse has a subtle green/blue undertone, and your accent colors will blend beautifully with this tone.
MASTER BATHROOM
So I like to think you can go a little more dramatic in bathrooms. To pair with Stonington Gray is these slightly darker blends - (the color is so off in the photo of the bathroom due to the flash, that I don't know how it will go with the tile). See what you think....
And this one a little more taupey gray - you can steer me in the right direction on these.
Mary, get back to me as soon as you can on these colors - let me know which ones work and which ones don't and we will play with them until we get it right.
I love Vincent Wolf's vibe (in the attachment i have added some pics from his book and magazine tear out that I have been carrying around for way to long :)
The hardwood floors, window casings and kitchen cabinets are all that dark wood....espresso ? Everyone thought the dark wood floors would not work but we think they do as again the natural light is so abundant that light floors, cabinets would get washed out (I think anyway )....
So my dream is to have a somewhat contemporary vibe but with a warm comfortable inviting space.
It does have a tropical feel with palms, bird of paradise , etc. and trying to figure out how we might use a few beach accents incorporated into a more more contemporary look. i spent some time years a go in Bali and went nuts over that look so our garage is full of art, etc. from that look....but tired of it and yet want to use a few things that mean something to us from our travels....i.e. glass balls, shells, etc.
A few other things, .small balcony deck paint color off living room will be changed and planning to paint deck wood a dark stain so looks like an extension of living room floors. Still need a railing on deck too.
I know you are only doing paint palette now but I am hoping we can continue to work together in furnishings etc. and getting to a house I want to come home to ! there is currently no home feel and it is EMPTY!! I love your work and love love love that you are willing to help the DIY'ers :)
FROM HOUZZ - LIVING ROOM IDEAS WITH COLORS MARY LIKES
I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this to you, but you have me a lot to digest, and I wanted to put it here in such a way that you can see the palette working throughout your home. As always, a few words of wisdom: Paint looks completely different in your house than it would in mine or anyone else's for that matter. Light, size of room, wood tones, height of ceiling, time of day and even geographical settings all alter the appearance of paint color. It may take us a couple of tries to get it right, but the best way is for you to put some sample paint on a poster board (leaving at least 2-3 inches of white all around) (two coats) and try it out in your room for 24 hours. You will see the changes it goes through as the light changes, and you will see if it looks good with the woods, tile and flooring already installed. You gave me some guidelines:
I really was hoping to get away from tans, yellows, greens. If I could I would love to do warm grays or a Stonington Gray with BM Eclipse or BM Black Pepper accents in our bedroom and try to find a flow for bathroom and living room.
Stonington Gray
Eclipse
Black Pepper
Ceilings are high (except on north wall of dining room)... All rooms upstairs are open to each other...
The soffit and wall above soffit in kitchen is BM kangaroo.
Kangaroo
Since they are all open to each other and the tile on the fireplace is gray - and a particular problem spot for you - I'm recommending we go a little less beige and more gray on this level. The cool of the gray will play off the warm wood tones and there is should be sufficient gray in the backsplash tiles and counter top material to support it.
The living room, dining area, stairs (very high ceilings in stairway) and front door entry way is Manchester tan (which looks completely different downstairs where there is little natural light)
Manchester Tan
I made a huge mistake with a gray tile I used on fireplace. It looks horrible with Manchester tan wall paint and really everything else too... I am hoping the right wall color will bring it together but still keep suggesting to my husband we rip it out and put something much more interesting to replace gray tile.
Hard surface colors: hope pics of kitchen granite counter tops and backslash are clear enough in pics. Bathroom and adjoining master bedroom are currently BM smokey taupe
Smokey Taupe
Bathroom porcelain tiles on wall surround and floors are called "ash" and I thought they had a taupe color undertone (hence why I painted walls smokey taupe) but now I am told they are a green gray. Green again :).
So is the undertone noticeable? Does the green show up against the smokey taupe? If it is truly reading green, then we should go with a gray with a subtle green/blue undertone that may lead it in the right direction. And since you have treasures throughout your home that share that color, its a natural choice to suggest it as an undertone. However, you wanted this area to be the Stonington Gray and darker Black Pepper or Eclipse accents - which may not play well with the brown glass accent tiles in the bathroom.
LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM/STAIRS/ENTRY and KITCHEN SOFFITS
Because of the open floor plan and close proximity to the fireplace with the gray tile you are having some difficulty with, I've given you 3 colors to try here - It's hard for me to get an exact idea of the color of the tile, but it is apparent that a beige or brown undertone is not working with it. We also have the backsplash and the counter top to consider - so I think a cooler tone gray should work. You will have to paint a sample and take it to each area to see if it plays nicely with the other colors :)
 |
| Benjamin Moore GALVESTON GRAY |
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| Benjamin Moore HORIZON GRAY |
 |
| Benjamin Moore PENTHOUSE |
MASTER BEDROOM
Along with the Stonington Gray you liked for this area, I'm also suggesting another color to try:
 |
| Benjamin Moore GRAY HORSE |
 |
| Benjamin Moore GRAY HORSE |
 |
| Benjamin Moore STONINGTON GRAY |
Sherwin Williams has a wonderful array of grays - this one with a little warm undertone
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| Sherwin Williams ACCESSIBLE BEIGE |
MASTER BATHROOM
So I like to think you can go a little more dramatic in bathrooms. To pair with Stonington Gray is these slightly darker blends - (the color is so off in the photo of the bathroom due to the flash, that I don't know how it will go with the tile). See what you think....
 |
| Benjamin Moore COVENTRY GRAY |
 |
| Benjamin Moore BOOTHBAY GRAY |
Slight blue/green undertone to this one -
And this one a little more taupey gray - you can steer me in the right direction on these.
 |
| Benjamin Moore GALVESTON GRAY |
I love Vincent Wolf's vibe (in the attachment i have added some pics from his book and magazine tear out that I have been carrying around for way to long :)
The hardwood floors, window casings and kitchen cabinets are all that dark wood....espresso ? Everyone thought the dark wood floors would not work but we think they do as again the natural light is so abundant that light floors, cabinets would get washed out (I think anyway )....
So my dream is to have a somewhat contemporary vibe but with a warm comfortable inviting space.
It does have a tropical feel with palms, bird of paradise , etc. and trying to figure out how we might use a few beach accents incorporated into a more more contemporary look. i spent some time years a go in Bali and went nuts over that look so our garage is full of art, etc. from that look....but tired of it and yet want to use a few things that mean something to us from our travels....i.e. glass balls, shells, etc.
A few other things, .small balcony deck paint color off living room will be changed and planning to paint deck wood a dark stain so looks like an extension of living room floors. Still need a railing on deck too.
I know you are only doing paint palette now but I am hoping we can continue to work together in furnishings etc. and getting to a house I want to come home to ! there is currently no home feel and it is EMPTY!! I love your work and love love love that you are willing to help the DIY'ers :)
FROM HOUZZ - LIVING ROOM IDEAS WITH COLORS MARY LIKES
Transitional Living Room by Calgary Interior Designers & Decorators Bruce Johnson & Associates Interior Design
Transitional Living Room by Great Falls Architects & Designers Carlyn And Company Interiors + Design
