Exterior paint scheme to update 80s contemporary?
elizabethdunbar
7 years ago
Hi, we just bought a new home that is amazing inside but seems rather dated and disconnected on the outside. The exterior has a HUGE brown roof (which we can't afford to replace right now) mixed with brick, wood siding, and stone details on the portico. I'd love to unify the many materials/textures somehow, and give the house a more contemporary feel. Any suggestions for a paint palette?
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Comments (2)I wish someone would post on here, because I have the same problem! I have two really pretty velvet-ish burgundy sofas that look beautiful on their own, but I'm having a hell of a time designing a contemporary-looking room around it. I feel like maroon tends to quickly move toward a 90s discount furniture showroom look despite the fact that it's pretty on its own. Plus, I also have the dark room factor (north-facing room in a small, run-of-the-mill townhome) and not a whole lot of space to work with. Ugg. Anyway, I've been reading up like crazy, so I'll just post my ideas and maybe they'll help you. I want to paint a warmish medium gray on the walls (like Benjamin Moore Reverie Pewter or Feather Gray) and incorporate a strong accent color or two on the wall art and throw pillows (coral, yellow, or bright teal are favorites). As for paint, dark rooms need mid-tones (so I've read), because light colors will feel nonexistent and super dark colors will feel, well, super dark. If your room is dark, it might be worth it to try some Jedi mind tricks with your trim too. I have a chair rail and crown moulding, but I'm thinking of doing wainscoting beneath the chair rail and extending the crown moulding by placing a thin piece of trim about six inches below the moulding and painting the whole thing white. Then gray goes between the chair rail and that bottom crown moulding. I've liked the pictures I've seen with this done in small spaces. (I forget where this attached picture came from, but it shows how the wainscoting can be useful in a small room.) My end and coffee table right now are just black, second-hand placeholders, but I'm going to look for an affordable tufted ottoman and some lighter, more organic end tables. Wicker baskets have seemed to help make the room feel more updated too. So now with that paint scheme, I'm thinking throw pillows in gray and very light linen ikat (which is very chic but still homey), chevron, pale gray zebra, and other contemporary patterns. I found a great throw pillow that had kind of a native American cross stitch in coral and gray tones against a linen background, so I think that would go with the couch. I'm a graphic designer, so I'm going to throw in some subway art and other typographic pieces to modern-up the joint. Also I'm putting a large mirror either on the wall adjacent to the windows or propped in the corner at an angle. If you get a nice one it can look deliberate enough go with the rest of the room. Or, if you're down with slip covers, you can always do that and then paint the walls however the hell you want. A lot of places have them, and upholstery shops can make you a custom one that won't look as sloppy as some of the off-the-rack ones. Good luck, and please comment back if you made any progress on your room :-)...See MoreHow do I co-ordinate my living room with this wallpaper seem to have a lot of the same colour
Comments (20)HI -- Well the wallpaper was just done so there is no changing that , soooo I think you should paint the rest of that wall the same white as the white background of the wallpaper and paint fireplace mantel too. Then have two small matching cabinets painted the blue from the paper or the leaf color placed on each side of the fireplace. . Then have white or glass shelves above , maybe three is best . Now the rest of the room painted the exact color of your sofa . Because the room looks small I think it would look best to have the sofa blend into the walls color wise. Now just keep some of your room accents in the blue color but not too much. Remember not to clutter the shelves and if you don't want the shelves then have a large painting on each side and have a big round mirror over the mantel and keep the small items off the mantel and onto the side cabinets ....See MoreWhat colour carpet?
Comments (22)If you have a Lowe's nearby, take a look at the Pergo Driftwood Pine Laminate Flooring (top photos.) Even though it has a rustic, beach house feel, I love the color. It's a silvery/white/taupe (for lack of a better description) and that would be striking with your wall color, white bedding and black/brown bed. My other suggestion would be Brazilian Teak, (bottom photos) which is beautiful. It really depends on what makes you feel good and what you love living in! Christi for ThosBaker...See MoreFireplace Help
Comments (5)If you want the look of the fireplace you posted but are scared that the dark grey will flood your room, you could paint just the one panel/side wall with the grey, paint the fireplace frame white, and then paint the rest of the room a more light neutral colour. It will also create a more contemporary look and create more focus to your fireplace. Alternatively you may feel more safe to paint the fireplace frame a neutral colour to match the neutral walls. When you are ready to replace the fireplace, I would suggest a bio ethanol burner as a simple solution with minimal DIY work and an option of different styles. Good luck, and please feel free to visit our profile if you're in need of more fireplace inspiration!...See More
elizabethdunbar
7 years agoelizabethdunbar
7 years agommilos
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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PROHERR window & door
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