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If you have an open floor plan… and you are redecorating choosing colors is the most difficult thing on your mind.
How do you choose colors when you can see so many rooms from the front door?
This problem is often solved with a bit of color theory… I don't want to scare you, so I will make it simple.
I am going to use this letter I recently received as an example:
Debra.
Thank you for your email.
I am remodeling my old 50's ranch style home.
I want a more traditional French country charm.
I remodeled my kitchen 3years ago and put wine counter tops and island top in my kitchen.
I now have relocated my front door to make a entry way and opened up a wall to my living room.
When entering the front door one can now go to the left to the living room and to the right to the dinning room. The kitchen is behind the dinning room which also can be seen from the front door.
I am trying to decide on paint colors. I have wine counter tops and painted cupboards in a shade of light taupe, dark taupe on the walls of the kitchen. Trim is white base board, fluted door and window trim and crown molding.
I feel like I should stay with wine colors in the dinning room because of the kitchen being open behind this room.
I was trying to use a deep red wine on a accent wall with a glaze,lighter tone on the ceiling and a golden shade on the other walls. I have purchased quarts and put sample areas on the walls, satin paint. Afraid they might be too dark. The new trim work will be white.
I didn't want to use the same taupe color throughout my home.
The living room is off to the left, visible from entry and dinning room. Can I use a red shade or do I have to stay with wine color to flow properly.
I have a T.V. center I want to flaux, color ???
Thanks for your wisdom.
Jan Jones
Charles Faudree Country French Florals & Interiors
In this example we already know a few things:
- The kitchen counters are burgundy
- The kitchen cabinets are light taupe
- The kitchen walls are dark taupe
- The trim is all white
- The look she wants is French Country
Now… where do we go from here? Jan wants to know if she can use red? Nope… not a good idea if you have warm burgundy and taupe colors. Does she need to use just burgundy? Of course not… but we need to look for colors besides all the taupe colors she doesn't want to have throughout the rest of the rooms.
First… lets tackle the Dining Room. When we walk in from the front door and look to our right we see the dining room and beyond that the kitchen with burgundy and taupe colors. So…. when we look through to both of those rooms we should see something complimentary, not matchy - matchy.
French Country uses a dark forest green… this would be an excellent color combination. Of course… red and green can look like Christmas… but burgundy and forest green are elegant, traditional color in combination.
The ceiling should be left white… really. If you paint all the walls green… or some green and some dark taupe, and then do an accent wall with the green and a bronze faux glaze overlay… beautiful!
Make sure you have lots of black accents. This is French Country! But the black accents should have a comfortable, worn feel to them, like wood furniture and frames with a worn finish. Add a wrought iron chandelier with burgundy shades… and your good to go.
Second stage… the Living Room. If we look to the left… we look directly into the Living Room. Should it be painted green? No! Should it be painted burgundy? No! It should be painted the same dark taupe as the kitchen, but with punches of color in burgundy, gold and green. Pillows,furniture, rugs, vases, drapes… whatever. Don't forget the black wrought iron accessories.
Read more about choosing colors for adjoining rooms
I hope this is helpful! I know it's hard to go about redecorating choosing colors and such. I love the ideas you have already done in your home.
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