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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

All red for a NE-facing small library/living room?

6 months ago

last modified: 6 months ago

I'm seeking opinions/advice on whether or not to paint everything (walls, shelving & possibly ceiling) in my NE-facing living room/library a bold red (F&B 'Incarnadine Red' or Little Greene 'Baked Cherry' are current favourites).

The room is 12' x 10' (10'x10' once bookshelves are fitted) with a 7'8 ceiling. The cottage is a 2-up 2-down Georgian period and the room opens onto another room (dining room, which I'm considering painting blue in a similar scheme).

I've read that when working limited natural light, to go with it and go bold, and I like the idea of a cosy cocooning room that will set off art and objets d'art on the shelves, however I'm worried it may be de trop, especially when contrasted with the adjoining blue room.

I'd welcome opinions form experienced decorators.

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Comments (4)

Sonia
6 months ago
This is an amateur site for people who are interested in home decor, but we are happy to help! I personally do not like red walls in a home. As the room is NE you probably get morning light? If you want dark and moody how about navy, dark green or a bright yellow like India Yellow by F&B? Inchyra blue is a lovely deep greeny blue (last picture). I would keep woodwork light as all one dark colour can be overpowering.
PRO
Kosilova_design
6 months ago
Your idea seems to me just incredible, but the red should be deep and muted. And then paint the ceiling a few tones lighter than the color of the walls. As a result, you will get a cozy, enveloping room in which you can spend time alone with yourself. And in the decor, based on the style of the house, you can add gold or bronze and paintings in gold and black frames. Don't be afraid to experiment. If you don't like the result, you can always repaint everything in one day.
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You have some really good advice from everyone. If you can remove the wallpaper I would paint in Colortrend Goya, it is a green/beige colour that would suit the sofas and compliment your floor. This colour will be warm for your north facing room. A large rug would really lift the room as suggested above. I would recommend the Adum rug from IKEA in 200cm x 300cm. Again as above you need to sort the lighting, I agree with the 5 arm pendants (the spots are very harsh when you are relaxing watching tv). The light should not hang more than 50cm from the ceiling, try the Barcelona 5 light from NEXT, the shades will keep the bulbs from annoying you when relaxing. I would also stretch your curtain pole if it is extendable or replace it so your curtains (which are lovely) sit back further on the wall to let more light in. I would also replace your tv stand and table with a nicer piece and put it centred on the wall (you can angle the tv when people are sitting on both sofas). I suggest Besta Hanvicken White, the white is nice and light in the space and it measures 180cm in width. Add a chair to the corner where the tv is currently to hide the radiator and make the room more beautiful. Try IKEA Strandmon in green or dark grey. Some new cushions will really bring it together, try Voyage Maison from Harvey Normans. For the mirror above the sofa as a great suggestion above try the rectangular Songe mirror from IKEA. Best of luck and post your after photos!!!
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Pam Gascoyne Hi Tom, As the focal point of the room is quite definitely the fireplace perhaps you should start with making something welcoming and eyecatching be it with candles, fake but really convincing burning gas coals in the grate or even good lighting it needs to really glow. The room is not really huge and perhaps keeping the walls light with, say, a warm very light grey with similar colour linen curtains or white venetian blinds would lighten the whole room and white bookshelves would be really excellent. A rug is essential but keep it cool too like the John Lewis multi stripe grey/neutral. A print or prints are a good idea and with the neutral scheme you could have anything you liked and pick out a pop of colour from the artwork and add to the cushions. The mirror is definitely too big and too gold. If you want to keep it hang it landscape and tone it right down dry brushing silver leaf over the gold but it’s a good place for a striking piece of artwork you like. Good luck Tom and enjoy your new room when it’s finished.
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Frank C
Original Author
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
Thank you! I agree, deep and muted is the way I want to go - and I also agree about the ceiling being a few tones lighter to give the impression of added height and variation.

My original intention was to have the shelving and cornicing in limed & waxed pine but sourcing quality wood is expensive. Painting it has the advantage of being considerably cheaper, adding cohesion, and blending the fixtures into the room.

The first the images below are Sketchup renders of my original design. The last two are close approximations of the room dimensions and style. (the pocket doors separating living room from dining room are exactly the same - and the blue is a similar the colour Im planning for the dining room.)
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PRO
Kosilova_design
6 months ago
Great job, Frank! This room looks very cozy. If the shelves made not from wood, you can use the same colour, or for example black (if you would like to add more dynamic). Maybe you can also try natural wood sheets for covering the schelves. I have also seen several silicone devices (rubber roller brush) for painting wood texture. It is not the best idea, but maybe it will be usefull for you.
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