How to choose paint colours? What neutral to match dark ivy?

3 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Tread gently because I am rather clueless when it comes to decorating - I generally just choose what I like with no thought to whether it goes!The dining room is East-facing, high ceilings, picture rail with a large (tall) wooden fire surround with mirror (1930s?). So it is bright in the mornings, and as the window is a large square bay it has decent light even in the afternoons. In my head, the fire surround will be painted white/off-white cream and the fireplace wall and alcoves will be a dark green. I have painted a patch of Dark Ivy from Wilko on the wall but can't decide if it is warm or cool. Is it warm? So do I then need a warm neural for the other walls?In my head the finished room with have off-white/white fire surround, dark green fireplace wall, brown pleather sofa in window, acacia wood dining table, dark chairs, lots of brass accents, plants etc.Oh, and we have plantation shutters in 'Pearl White' ordered. But how do I choose the corresponding whites, skirting board/picture rail, remaining 3 walls?! We aren't averse to a bit of colour so have generally painted all our rooms in a colour we just take a fancy to... this is the first room where I seem to have a 'vision'! We've never done pale before so I'm a bit scared that a. it will look cold and b. it will get filthy (2 kids, 1 dog, some chickens).Can anyone help? New to the forum but will attempt to add photographs too.

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Comments (11)

Bec Reid
Original Author
3 years ago
Bec Reid
Original Author
3 years ago
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Window shopping and lots of online browsing.! .haven't purchased anything yet!. Just getting house back in order after painting! I have put back the red/winey curtains that I previously had up...convinces me more to go with a neutral colour. The walls are rich Taupe but with a slight grey hue off them so I think the bottom left above actually might work. I have bedding very similar so I took them out and held up and think it would look very nice. Purple isn't a theme in my house (although I do have one bedroom painted purple/lilac) My sitting room is white red black and silver and living/kitchen room is tan and red. I want a rug that wont show up the dirt that much...I live in the country side and have lots of dirty feet coming in so I cant go for any rug that is too light in colour
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Susiem14, I think this room looks lovely and cosy and like your fireplace. I would add a few bits in cream and fawn/grey. Please don't be offended by the comment above... Everybody is different and we all have different budgets! I have recently changed my lounge to be neutral tones - still working on the cushions but sending you a photo of my new rug - was from Dunelm Mill - not expensive at all but v pleased with it.
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Sonia
3 years ago
My living room is so similar to your dining room, it faces North-East, with a big bay window. With the help of Houzzers I painted it F&B Cromarty (a grey-green). I painted my fireplace Dulux Brilliant White as well as the skirting and architrave. I actually like the cleanliness of this white. The wall above the picture rail is white as is the ceiling. Would you consider painting your fireplace white?

Difficult to say whether Dark Ivy is warm or cool as It’s such a deep colour. I’ll leave that for others to say! I think it would look nice on that fireplace wall.
Bec Reid
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Sonia, that looks beautiful. Our living room is a similar colour (I love green!).

We'll definitely paint the fireplace white but not sure which white - it's good to know that brilliant white worked for you. I'll add it to our list, especially as you have the same picture rail/ceiling set up as us. Thank you!
Bec Reid
Original Author
3 years ago
Is that a woodburner? I was wondering about the finish for the fireplace as the burner creates a lot of soot so would need to be wipeable? A gloss? Is eggshell wipeable I wonder?
Bec Reid
Original Author
2 years ago
Bec Reid
Original Author
2 years ago
Bec Reid
Original Author
2 years ago
Sonia
2 years ago
My woodburner is electric so creates no soot 😊 I painted my fireplace in Dulux Satinwood, very easy to clean. Now you've painted a second coat of the green it looks lovely. Remember, it’s only paint and can easily be changed, but I think it will look stunning. 😊
Bec Reid
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you - Satinwood it is. Not too shiny but still wipeable sounds perfect for the fireplace. So Brilliant White ceiling down to the picture rail, plus white gloss (or satinwood?) for the picture rail and skirting. But what about the 3 neutral walls - will white all round be too much white?! Or do I need a putty/taupe? Surely there must be some kind of app that does this type of thing 🤔
Sonia
2 years ago
Satinwood all through my house. I really don’t like gloss, but it’s just personal taste. Why not do your feature wall and fireplace, then see what you think. It may be too stark? My friend has used Dulux Polished Pebble for her non feature walls and it is a lovely, very pale grey. I’m going to use it in my bedroom soon!

How to choose paint colours? What neutral to match dark ivy?

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Bec Reid
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How to choose paint colours? What neutral to match dark ivy?

Comments (11)

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Sonia

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Sonia

Bec ReidOriginal Author

Sonia

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
Original Author

Bec Reid
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Bec Reid
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