Hello Caroline,

Why not continue the earthy theme... I like the brick fireplace, and you could pick out some earthy shades by looking at all the brick colours as there are a variety and the stone colours could be nice to bring something lighter into the mix. If you painted the alcoves a lighter stone colour.. then the fireplace stands out. Have a look at Little Greene, they do a range of earthy stone colours which could be lovely.. They are matt and chalky which would be fantastic here..

For the Sofa then you could continue along these lines and build up a scheme with say 3 colours.. A stone, plastery salmon colour and an earthy brown.. Sofa could be a mole colour with stone and salmon cushions... So really the focus for the scheme here is the fireplace..

Then have a think about other textures here... Coir or Jute rugs? Maybe hang a large mirror opposite the sliding doors.. that would reflect light.. Textured shades for the lighting perhaps.. : ))

Love it, thank you. I'll have a look at the paints you suggested. Can I just check, when you say look at the brick colours, do you envisage these colours on the other walls?

Hello Caroline,

Glad you like the suggestions.. Yes exactly but for the alcoves something lighter so the chimney breast stands out.... There in the brick is a lighter stone colour... If you want to keep the theme lighter keep the colours on variations on a theme as I like to describe it.. So one colour in variations of it, ie lighter and darker versions can be used on wood work and skirting etc.. Little Greene's site is down at present but.. things like (Stone's) Portland Stone, and the pale and dark version.. or Hammock, Mushroom and Rolling Fog could be lovely too. For the ceiling whitening is really lovely as its creamy and chalky.. It's warm in tone..

If you like the idea of a slightly warmer plastery colour.. Then (Plasters) Beauvais Lilac (it's not lilac!) : )) Regency Fawn or Button could be lovely too.... Also Roman Plaster would go with either the "Stone's" or the "Plasters"

So either go for a couple of colours that compliment or one in it's range of... It depends on how far you want to go... I like to deal with all the wood work too including the doors... I don't believe in white skirting... Unless it's a white scheme...

So look at it like layering and see the room as a palette.. That's another AJ saying!

: ))

Then if you want to inject some dark add "Mole" colours like cushions and other soft furnishings.. Velvet mole sofa would be lovely with some salmon accent cushions to compliment any mole colours.. Textures and other interesting materials... woods etc.. will be lovely... : ))

Update update on Lounge first pic is when I bought the house, last one as it is now