Calling Those with a Knack for Decorating...

[Esther]

It has been awhile since I took interior decorating, but one of the main things you need to consider is your room size.

If you paint with dark colors it will make your room appear smaller. If you want your room to appear larger then you want to go with lighter shades.

If you are hyper you may want to use a matte finish, if you need a burst of energy you may want to consider you a gloss.

You can also do some fun things with the room and paint one wall a darker shade of the same hues you are working with to give some charcter to the room.

I agree with Renda and APQ on how to make your decisions. Either choose first a color and then work from there, OR choose your bedding and then work from there. I tend to agree with Renda on this because it is hard to find what you want in the color you want to something you really like. The bedding takes up more space than anything in the room, usally.

[Tina]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

What colors make you feel happy and contented?

I'm not a pastel kind of person, I like rich colors. When I look at the walls of my bedroom and bathroom, I just feel all contented and happy inside.

I have that sand color that is so popular right now in my living room, but I plan to change it. That color doesn't make me feel happy at all. It makes me feel bleh. I'm not a pastel or neutral colors kind of person, so I've gone with very colorful, very bright in my home. But some people love shades of white, neutrals, pastels.....whatever. Think about what colors really float your boat.

I have the sand color in my living room also. I'm tired of it now and am seriously considering finding a color to go halfway up and put a wood chair-rail. I'm having trouble deciding which color, but I'm kinda leaning toward trying a burgundy or wine color. The furniture is what the dealer called a Camel brown suede leather. It will have light oak laminate flooring when we are finished with the facelift on the house.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Tina

I have the sand color in my living room also. I'm tired of it now and am seriously considering finding a color to go halfway up and put a wood chair-rail. I'm having trouble deciding which color, but I'm kinda leaning toward trying a burgundy or wine color. The furniture is what the dealer called a Camel brown suede leather. It will have light oak laminate flooring when we are finished with the facelift on the house.

I would pull out a color from your draperies or area rug for the wainscoting. I like all of my pattern and rich color to be in my accessories. So much easier to change.

I love calm and soothing colors. Dreamlight (not white, but a creamy off white) is my main theme for walls and upper walls in the rooms I have done the wainscoting. I either paint or have wallpaper for the wainscoting.

Behr paint has small paint samples for $2.95 which are such a big help. I went through only two in order to get the buttery yellow I wanted for the lower part of the walls in my sunroom. I found some Ralph Lauren panels and valances on sale. One panel was regularly priced at $85. I dressed four windows for $100. Love clearance items!

I do have to admit that I was excited about buying our clapboard fixer upper, but now I'm finding out there is a whole lot of maintenance involved and wish I had my brick home back. LOL! I'm trying to get my husband to sell, but he won't budge.

[Pressing-On]

This is so beautiful to me, but you have no idea what a pain this painting technique is. I'd probably replace the floral bedspread. Not into florals.

[Pressing-On]

Calm neutral - I love the ceiling!!

[Pressing-On]

On a side note - what a perfect dressing room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pressing-On]

I love how the darker pieces just pop!

[MissBrattified]

Great suggestions, guys. Please post more if you think of something.

I'm going to go shopping for curtains and bedding first, and when I find something I like, I'll figure out the paint. I think what is really stumping me is making sure I have a paint color that will go with anything that isn't white. Bedding first!


AQP: I love corals, turquoise, reds and browns. Neutrals are easy, but they don't make me feel great, either. If I did go with all white linens [again], I think I would have to do something really daring on the walls to make up for it.

rgcraig: good point about the table lamps. Probably best to go trendy with the less permanent fixtures.

Sister A: That's hilarious! I read on one of my homeschooling blogs about some parents who came home and their boys and one or two of their friends had repainted their living room for them--a dark, chocolate brown. Fortunately, they liked it!

I'm going to go through the links and see if I can find something that appeals to me.

In the meantime:

I really like these drapes - desert-gold velvet drapes.jpg

I saw some similar dark red velvet drapes at Tuesday Morning, and I loved those, too. (More than the gold.) We have low ceilings, so I plan to buy the 96" length of whatever I buy and hang them at the ceiling instead of the top of the window.

PO - those rooms are beautiful. I do especially love the light blue/white/cream room.

[Pressing-On]

I always pray that I will find what I want and I always do - on sale!

I love the velvet draperies in your photo. The only reason they work is because of the dark accents - picture frames, drapery pole, and the chair.

[Esther]

PO I love those pics you posted!