DrupalWomenQ-#6926

I have a narrow home on a hillside, one side is all windows with a great view. Should I keep white walls or will color make it look wider?

0 Answers

  1. jvosler15 wrote on :

    In one sentence: LOSE THE WHITE! Do not cancel all that beautiful nature with a man-made color (or absence of color). Continuing a soft sage or other earthtone will greatly enlarge your space, as well as being much more comfortable to live in. Soft coloration will enhance art, furniture and mood!

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    • Staness Jonekos wrote on :

      I agree, love your “vote” to add color. Soft sage is a GREAT idea – thank you.

      Reply
  2. sheilasshowcase wrote on :

    I would paint the largest wall an earth tone and leave the other walls a light color that accents the earth tone that you paint the largest wall.

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  3. sheilasshowcase wrote on :

    I would paint the largest wall an earth tone and leave the other walls white.

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  4. sheilasshowcase wrote on :

    Just color one wall and leave the other walls white. Thatv will make your home look bigger.

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  5. jeanmkee wrote on :

    I totally agree with Teri- can’t really go wrong with those Ben Moore grayed-off greens. Depends on your lighting conditions, but another fav of mine is Ben Moore Clarksville Gray HC-102. Gorgeous with sisal rugs, cream or white upholstery, dark woods- just about anything!

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    • Staness Jonekos wrote on :

      I can’t wait to check out those Ben Moore grays – everyone loves them. And explore all the other fabulous suggestions. Thank you all!

      Reply
  6. deena singer wrote on :

    Going lighter does open up so if you don’t want to go white, shades of vanilla also work well and add warmth. On the opposite wall adding either brick, rocks or textured stucco adds depth and brings the outdoors inside. A full-length framed mirror will reflect your window view beautifully. Your home sounds very special.

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  7. Renee Murphy wrote on :

    I would definitely bring some of the colors in from the outside. Maybe add a mural to bring the outdoors in. I do agree some really nice earthy tones would be great in this instance.

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  8. Sandra Oster wrote on :

    What a wonderful question, Staness! How lucky you are to have an entire side of your home open to the outdoors! I would never want anything to conflict with this incredible visual bonus. I say keep the walls white so there is absolutely no distraction to what you really want to see…and enjoy the view! As an additional suggestion, try placing a mirror on the opposite wall so you get to see nature’s bounty as you are heading away from the windows! Let me know how that works for you.

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  9. Patricia Assanowicz wrote on :

    Part two, I wanted you to know the exact name, here it is, “Eastern Amber”, you can purchase a small container of this paint and use it do do a section around a window, have a great and creative day. Pat

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  10. Patricia Assanowicz wrote on :

    First let me say your home sounds beautiful. I love windows and love when the sun comes through, what I did in my back room with 9 windows, my home was built in 1930 and still have original windows, still saving to replace a few at a time, anyways, what i did was an awesome color. Granted white is an easy clean color, when you have windows that are on one side and display a beautiful view I would add color, I went to home depot and picked up color charts, I ended up going with a color called Amber, there is a photo on the pamphlet that shows a room with the Amber and the trim in Country white, it is an off white beautiful color, I have a painting and powerwashing business and paint alot of homes in my area, mostly for the elderly, the women that are alot of fun I chose the Amber and Country White for a customer that owns a 2500 sq. ft. home with her sunroom that looks out over her gardens. The walls were done with the Amber and trim and ceiling with Country White, I found that alot of people continue to use white for their ceilings, you would not believe how beautiful the ceilings looked in the Country White. I did the bathroom in a beautiful light blue, the walls and I carried the color throughtout the entire bathroom the ceiling was also done with the light blue, when you add your favorite photos or paintings or little plaques on the walls sometimes funny little sayings your entire room comes together. For your room, I do not know how it is set up, your photo to me shows a woman with a great sense of humor and alot of class and creativity and someone who is not afraid of color. Pick up your booklet from Home Depot, I am saying Home Depot because their Behr paints are awesome, the paint provides excellent coverage and looks awesome. If you have trim around your windows choose an off white color and also paint the ceiling the same color as the trim. Don’t be afraid, who knows you may start a trend with your friends, I wish I had the opportunity to actually look at your room, if possible send me a couple photos at http://www.nascarblue3@att.net this way I can add more imput. Good luck, and go for it, stay away from dark colors, dark colors close in the room, you want this room to look larger than it is, dark colors are rarely used, at least in my business, you want something beautiful and the Amber looks something like a southwestern flair. when you add plants and photos or anything special this room will come alive and your windwos will be the focal point. Enjoy, this is your room, go with your instincts, I found when I was hired to paint an old mansion for a great lady in her 80’s she kept telling me, everyone was trying to talk her out of the color she choose, I went out and picked up a quart of what she wanted and painted one important wall for her in the colors she wanted, she fell in love with it and so did I, well we did it the entire room and trimmed out everything else in a lighter color she loved, the great thing about choosing paint for a room, add your personality, hang up what you want without over doing it, these windows sound great for plants also, one hanging in each window on awesome colored chains, they did not have the chains in the colors, so I took the chains home and sprayed each one in the color she wanted, when we hung them up, the sun came in and the chains litterally sparkled, the plants were in pots that I also painted and added chips of different colored glass over a beautiful base color, everyone was in awe, along with me, lol. Good luck I hope you can send me a photo or two. Let me know how things are progressing, the one major factor here make this your personal project ending in an awesome room, and making the windows the focal point is important. You have my email address so please keep me informed, together we will create a room people will drop their jaws when they walk in, now that to me is the WOW factor. I have been painting for over 17 years and I run into alot of male painters that question why as a woman I should be painting, I tell them I can give them references for alot of women that go from poor to very rich, when I paint something for a person that does not have alot of money, I tell them not to worry, my husband is a retired home improvement contractor this is how we met, he tells me I have a big heart, and I do. I ask them if they know how to paint and if they would like to help me, they love it and the only money they put out is for the paint, I usually end up paying for most of the paint to help them out we have alot of fun and they ask me why I do this, helping them out and reaching into my pocket, I tell them why not? We earn our wings every day and giving them an incentive by helping me and showing them little tricks in painting a room they are so influenced and want to continue, I ended up dropping off around 12 cans of paint I had left over mostly full, so they can also paint other rooms, we still stay in touch, I get messages hey Pat, how do I do this or that? So keep in touch, when finished your room will look awesome, one more important point I have, if you are hiring someone, PLEASE get at least 4 estimates and ask questions, like how long have you been painting, ask for references, check them out, if they start questoning you on your choices, leave them alone, they are there to paint with what you choose, not what they think should go into the room, goodluck Staness, I love your name, very creative. My email one more time is http://www.nascarblue3@att.net you can call me Pat, have a very creative day, I am going on Home Depots site right now and will let you know the exact name of the Amber, believe me when this color goes on the wall, your windows will POP, YES I LOVE IT!!!

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  11. SHERRI STECK wrote on :

    Hi Staness
    I am also a big fan of Benjamin Moore paint..I design hoses in Park City Ut where there are vistas similar to what you are describing. We use almost exclusively Shelburn Buff. Its an amazing warm color that reflects whatever light or color it is exposed to….It looks almost different in every room depending on the light and color scheme. I would suggest going and picking up some of the sample pots and paint some on the walls to see how it looks. It looks darker originally than it will when its dry so be brave and have fun…here’s a tip…it can be kind of pricey so once you find a color you love…take the color from the sample paint it on a stir stick and have the paint matched at home depot in the behr brand…the paint quality is comparable….but the price is more “budget friendly”…good luck!

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  12. Marcia Reed wrote on :

    I always love color on walls, no matter what! I agree with extending your view/color with your paint color…sounds as though it could be wonderfully dramatic.

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    • Staness Jonekos wrote on :

      Fantastic suggestions! Thank you everyone! I wish we were all neighbors so we could enjoy a cup of coffee while sampling your creative ideas!

      Reply
  13. Helen Kenney-Poore wrote on :

    The most important factor in choosing a color to make a room appear wider is using a lighter shade that will reflect light. Most darker colors will absorb light, as will many “warmer” shades of paint. Also, if you have molding in the room paint that a contrasting light color as well. Another trick, if all of your furniture in the room is the same color, is to repeat that color on the walls. So, if you like sage as a color, make sure it is a lighter shade then paint the molding a soft white, this will make the walls seem darker yet still reflect light which will make the room appear visually wider.

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  14. Kathy Hayes wrote on :

    If by wider you mean will color open up the view and provide a more expansive look, I believe it would. If you live in a warm climate, I’d consider deep, saturated brights like a deep pink with a hint of purple, or a deep purprle blue. A deep gray would also be a cool but still dramatic counterpoint to greenery outside. If your home is in a an area where the weather can be cold, I would go for mid-range greens, a medium gray, or a warm orange or terracotta.

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  15. Michelle Davidson wrote on :

    Keeping everything white may wash out your decor especially since one side is all windows with natural light coming in. I think you should experiment with colors using a darker shade on the opposite walls to the window and a lighter shade on the side walls while keeping the walls surrounding the windows paler.

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  16. shari nicsevic wrote on :

    I nearly responded before seeing that others had given FAB answers. I agree on both accounts. If you feel like staying slightly neutral (although I’d say no to white also)… how about a mushroom, or putty type color? Still very in keeping with the views out your windows. And they show warm, as you’ve mentioned that you prefer. Happy painting!

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  17. Sherrie Mathieson wrote on :

    I agree with using a subtle neutral as twb’s advice prompts.
    I also love white and its’ many diversities–so it’s never boring.
    The view is important but most important is to determine your interior palette–and consider the inside and outside (bringing it indoors).
    Best,
    Sherrie Mathieson

    Reply
  18. twb design wrote on :

    Hello Staness,

    I am a big believer in color and when I describe myself as an interior designer, I identify myself as a colorist. While I work within a wide range of colors, I have found myself going back to Benjamin Moore’s “Richmond Gray” HC-96, it is an amazing neutral. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not gray, it’s more of a taupe with subtle green overtones, it is a great chameleon. Taking a color like Richmond Gray or a selection from Benjamin Moores’ Historical Colors or Personal Collection [identified with an OC- …] and painting trim a soft white can make a space sing. Good luck!

    Teri Brajewski
    twb design

    Reply
    • Louise Fadness wrote on :

      Hi Staness,
      I’m with twb on this one. I just had one wall in my bedroom painted in BM’s Temporal Spirit. Describing it is a bit of a challenge – it’s not quite beige, not quite gray, not quite sage. But it’s soothing. I painted the trim in White Dove and the contrast is just perfect. You want your eyes to be drawn to your beautiful view yet, at night or on rainy days, you want your wall(s) to stand on their own. Good luck and happy viewing!

      Reply
    • Staness Jonekos wrote on :

      I am going to check it out – “Richmond Gray” sounds rich! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  19. Kristin Drohan wrote on :

    It might be nice to take a cue from nature and paint the walls a color you see through the windows to extend the “view” into your home. I would not do white in this case. Kristin Drohan

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    • Staness Jonekos wrote on :

      That is an incredible idea! We are surrounded by gorgeous oak trees and blue skies. Maybe a deep sage – I like warm earth tones over cool tones. Thank you!

      Reply
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