Cosy colors and updating a laminate dressing table

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Cosy colors and updating a laminate dressing table

Dear Charlotte,

I have recently purchased a small resale unit of about 69sqm. I have painted the living room a light pink colour. I need to make space out of the living room for dining.

How can I make it cosy looking and what colour schemes can I use to match the living room colours?

The past owner has also left behind an old laminated grey dressing cabinet in my bedroom. I have repainted the bedroom a sunny yellow with light pink ceiling.

How can I touch up the cabinet to make it new again and one that blends with the colours of my bedroom.

Please advise me, thank you.
Theresa
Singapore

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Cosy colors and updating a laminate dressing table

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Nov 16, 2011
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Pinks, honey, berries and 'zing'!
by: Charlotte

Hello Theresa

It sounds like you've been busy already - well done!

Some nice cozy colors to go with pink could be soft shades of mauves, raspberry or cranberry.

Some soft taupes, beiges and/or deeper browns could also look very nice.

Why not try some swatches out to see which colors you like in there with your pink.

It is warm colors which will create a cozy look in your room - these are colors with warm red tones - so similar and deeper pinks and berry colors can work very well.

Warm deeper neutrals (the beiges, taupes and browns) can give a similar warming effect - but are quite good to add a bit of contrast to the pink tones, so that you don't feel like you are living inside a big berry! ;)

If you have some wood, or wood effect, in your room, it can be good to choose a similar beige or brown to this (if it's not too dark) - and in this way include the wood as part of your color scheme, too.

If your wood is dark, but you wanted to use these tones, just choose something a bit lighter - beige tones rather than brown.

Too much of dark colors in a room can make it feel dark, and quite small. So quite often it can be good to add just a few lighter tones - even white picture frames on the wall can lift the look a little, should you find a room ends up feeling too dark.

For your cabinet, is it melamine? (like a plastic laminate coated board?) For melamine it is best to use a specialist melamine paint. You should be able get this from a local DIY store, or if not, look online.

Always follow manufacturers' instructions for use and application. For some makes you can use a melamine primer and any satin or gloss paint over the top.

From experience, always try to apply the paint to a horizontal surface if you can (even if it means waiting a while until you can reposition your unit to paint the next bit - make sure it's properly dry) - as the inevitable sags and drips can ruin your carefully painted finish.

With yellow and pink in your bedroom, if you wanted to keep it quite simple you could choose similar (yellowy) honey and beige tones, peaches, terracotta or creams...

...or, if you wanted to add some more color for quite a fresh and 'zingy' feel, you could try a pale blue, green or turquoise.

I hope some of these ideas have helped you, Theresa.

Please come back and ask again, if anything is not clear, or if you have any more questions.

Good luck with your makeovers. Do let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Charlotte :)

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Cosy colors and updating a laminate dressing table

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Cosy colors and updating a laminate dressing table