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Looking at SW strip 17, 18 and 19. I need to choose a wall color and an accent wall color. Here is my room. We are overlooking expansive saw grass and woods. I'm drawn towards Cardboard for the accent and either Baguette or Camelback for the walls. Chamois, Mannered gold, and Restrained gold from #19 also jumped out as did Bagel, Tatami Tan for walls and Smokey Topas and Leather bound for accent wall from #17. I am doing and accent wall on the cabinet wall because they are a light color and would blend with the walls as a tan. I want warm soothing walls. (Floors are a gray stone. My ceiling and trim are white and will stay white...is that a big mistake?) Any thoughts on these colors?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: peppyun,

Other side of room. My wall currently are light blue.

Peppyun, you have a nice space to work with. The colors you are considering are nice colors. I can't stress enough though that just considering nice color from a strip can be a mistake. You will not know if any of the colors you mention work in your space without testing them first in your rooms. I always, when using new colors in spaces, test them either on a painted out poster board or directly onto the wall. Study the color at different times of the day. The appearance of color changes with artificial lighting, natural lighting and flooring colors, etc., etc. Please get samples of your colors and test them first in your space. The sample to go jugs at SW are less than $5 each. It could save you in the long run. Color does change from home to home. What works in my home may not work at all in your home.

Please consider your gray flooring in selecting color too. I would suggest one other color to sample in your room to be SW Wool Skein.

Good luck.

paintlady is right. I also have seen that type of flooring and it does give off a blueish tint on the walls or come across as green. If the walls stay blue, you will see your golds get even more prominent in color and the green in the floor and views out the window can 'pink' up the space. If that is a West window, then the sunset comes across the water and it is very orange light.

Test your color on a a large piece of foamcore or sheet of cardboard you have primed white first (showing none of the cardboard color around the edges either).

Wonderful space. I am on the East Coast in the center of the state. I used to Live in Fort Lauderdale. Are you on the West Coast?

Going back to your question, I so like the tans, but you will have a monochromatic color scheme and you will want more color in your home. The cabinets will disappear on the walls and become part of the wall in a sense. If that is what you want then go for it, you can always add color with art, pillows and accessories. I would leave the ceiling white. LOVE your view!

I am going to "third" that you should absolutely test your color choices before you actually paint. Try not to rush when you are choosing wall color, as it actually is a big decision and takes time to do properly.

Tan beigy colors are notorious for picking up reflected color, so they can be tricky to work with. It is much smarter to buy a sample pot of color, paint a large sample on poster board, tape it up for a few days to observe....and then discover that the color is all wrong, then to paint the entire room only to realize the color was a big expensive mistake.

Many people resist doing the sample step in paint selection, feeling that it is an extra expense or that it takes too long, but seriously it can save you hundreds of dollars and untold frustration and disappointment.

Thank you for your quick responses....None of the blue walls are staying! Our back faces northeast so we get some sun in the morning. We hate the blue walls. One thing I don't want are walls with a yellow appearance. I love warm darker tones. I love soft suede appearance. We need to do the cabinet walls darker than the rest of the other walls because we don't want the cabinets to blend in with the new paint color on the other walls. And as I mentioned the ceiling will be the same white as well as the trim. I do plan to do swatch testing but but was hoping to narrow sown the choices or consider some I have not seen.

On a side note my sons room is done in Totally Tan and I love it. Our basement is Whole Wheat and it's nice but sometimes gives a yellow hue, but our floors are a walnut down there. I did test areas in both those rooms before choosing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: peppyun,

You live in Florida AND have a basement? Wow that is great! You live so close to the water so your house must be built up.

Seems you have your wall colors already selected. I would avoid the gold or yellow shades since you do not want those in your house.

Paint over the blue and you will be done with that color.

You asked about whether the ceiling and trim should stay white, so I suggested 'yes'.

You asked for thoughts on the colors, so I gave my thoughts.
I think the direction you want to go in all beige is a nice stable safe way to go.

I have used both Mannered Gold and Restrained Gold in a previous house. They are VERY yellow so I'd cross them off the list right away.

Please do what the others have suggested and get several paint samples to try out on your walls first. Paint looks SO different on a wall.
Those little squares on the strip are only a starting point.

I bought 7 samples when we repainted the exterior of our house a few years ago. I had huge strips of each one on the side of my house and I'm so glad I did. I went with my 4th choice because it looked so different IRL.

If the living space area rug is to stay, perhaps you can draw wall color inspiration from it. Do view test boards under varied lighting conditions before you commit tho as has been wisely advised.

BTW, my experience w/ Restrained Gold is that it has green undertones. I have used it in my powder room w/ white trim and floor.


Also, keep constrast to furniture in mind and the feel you seek tho I agree, a deeply saturated color on the cabinet wall will offset them nicely.

I may be wrong about this but don't you have a difficult time watching TV with the constant glare from the outside windows hitting you in the face?
If that is the case, have you ever considered reversing the TV wall and table wall and turning the sofas with back to the armoire and toward the TV wall instead? Would it work roomwise?
Just asking'

PS. Are you aware that every color you have listed as your favorites all have a yellow base to them, yet you say you want to keep away from yellow.
Perhaps, if you want to stick to that color theme, you might consider a beige toward the grey (like taupe) rather than yellow and charcoal/brown tones toward the grey rather than yellow.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arepo,

I love the openness of your home! I wouldn't leave your ceilings white. Have you thought of maybe painting them blue like the sky as the sky goes with everything.

Wow! Thanks for all the input!!

Arepo we have never had any trouble with the glare. Our cable outlet was on that wall so we kept the tv there. The only thought we had was to put a fireplace there and move the tv to the left or right wall. Can you give examples of SW taupes and the browns. We really want to bring out the gray and tans in floor and warm up the room with the colors on the walls...

Froo, We plan to change the rug once our youngest gets a little neater only due to age of rug though not because we don't like it. I love all the colors in it. I may go with a two toned shaggy rug next.

MyDog, I was thinking the same on the golds.

Mary Ruth, yes we live in a stilt we closed in the bottom a a couple years ago...hence the basement


Would something in the "warm neutrals" of SW bring out the gray/beige in the tiles and warm out the room?? Been looking at Camelback (Y) and for the contrast, cardboard (WN) or craftpaper (WN). I do know I don't want gray walls. I'd like to keep it beachy and warm. What about two colors off or strip # 16 or 21?? My husband suggested doing something on the walls that makes the outside stand out...gosh if I know what that would be..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: peppyun,

Here are some suggestions you might try.
SW Virtual taupe
SW Foothills
SW Library pewter

Thanks Arepo I'll take a look at those.