Gray walls with hardwood floor

by Kathy ann
(Ohio)

We have a new couch on order that looks close to the one I have in the picture, I can not decide what color to paint the walls.

The other picture shows the color of hard wood floor I have in the living room, it is a medium size room and I would like to do a darker gray rather than a light one, but I don't want to make the room look smaller.



What color would you suggest?

One wall meets our kitchen wall that is painted an off white.

I have black end tables and ottoman, and thought about one wall that is about 7 feet wide where the TV is painting it a dark dark gray as an accent wall also.

The picture of the hallway I included is the color of gray I am thinking of going with in this room.



Any thoughts??

Reply:

Hi Kathy Ann

That gray looks a great match to the sofa (and a good combination with the floor) - a very sophisticated and modern look.

Using a gray, especially a dark gray, can make a room look darker, though, as you are already aware - and it can make it seem a little dull and lifeless too - especially for rooms with low light levels.

To help combat this, you can go for a slightly lighter shade - colors will usually appear one or two shades darker once painted in your room, than from the test patch - so if in doubt, go a shade or two paler.

You can avoid that dull, lifeless feeling by mixing different tonalities of gray - light and dark - as you have already thought about a darker gray accent wall - and the room also meets your paler kitchen wall, which will give some visual relief to the scheme.

The dark gray accents will also make the lighter gray seem paler, by contrast, and the orangey tones in the floor will warm the whole scheme up.

Also include touches of white to lift the scheme (see how something so simple as the white picture frame mounts in your photo supplied 'lifts' the gray of the wall)...

...and perhaps splashes of a brighter color if you feel the scheme needs brightening up - a bright red, orange, yellow, lime green or teal/turquoise would all look great with a simple gray scheme.

these could be in pictures, cushions, curtains, throws, accessories etc.

Remember to try out your proposed gray in your home - paint a little in your room, and see how you like it, and how it makes you feel.

Hope that helps with your decorating decisions - your gray room will look very sophisticated I'm sure.

Do come back and share the finished product with us

Good luck with your makeover.

Best wishes

Charlotte