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Design Dilemma
mialois

new sofas - need help with colour scheme

mialois
7 years ago

I have ordered 2 new sofas from solology. They are officially duck egg but are more pale green than blue apart from 2 of the cushions. They style is called Isabella [sorry I'm hopeless with links etc.] I'm now struggling with a colour scheme for the room as pale green is quite cold and as its north facing I want to warm the room somehow. I need to buy a carpet curtains and paint for the walls. I have no photos of the rooms as yet but will try to take some and upload in the next few days. To give an idea the room has 2 windows one going across a corner and is traditional in style with a frieze around ceiling so need to keep classic/traditional style hence Isabella sofas. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Featured Answer
  • minnie101
    7 years ago

    Hi. In terms of an accent colour I'd look at apricot or a pale coral. For the carpet I think an oatmeal colour would work. A great colour for north facing rooms is this colour from little Greene which should work with your sofas. (I can't find an image of it on a wall but will look much lighter than pictured). Do you want a feature wall at all?

    Comments (29)

    • Kyle Barrett
      7 years ago
      I think most people will wait until there is some photos.

      Also, Isabella will be a model name, what brand is the sofa?
      mialois thanked Kyle Barrett
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Thanks for the reply. You are correct it is the model name but its Isabelle not Isabella. Not sure of 'brand' but is on the sofology website. Hope I get some more replies as photos of room unlikely before tomorrow eve. I have a pretty blank canvas apart from sofas. Thanks anyway.

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    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Yes I am thinking about the chimney breast wall being a darker warm shade. Im not sure about oatmeal carpet as it may be too light. we have a child and a dog equally as messy ! Thanks for the reply

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      here is the sofa. I like the dark blue wall in the background, however, we have used this colour in another room

      https://www.sofology.co.uk/sofas/ISABELLE?category=Fabric

    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      I might avoid carpet altogether in that case! Karndean is apparently very good for dogs, something in a warm wood effect which would warm the room? You could try an inky blue with a green undertone?

      mialois thanked minnie101
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      I thought about Kardean briefly but wasn't sure if it would make the room cold [not colour wize but actually] as below this room there is a cellar and not the best floorboards to keep out draughts! I will look at it again though. I do appreciate your help. did you manage to look at the sofas? I do like the pale blue cushions but again a cold colour. I am finding this quite difficult.

    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      I think you'd have ply fitted over the boards and then they'd use a self levelling compound of sorts so it wouldn't be cold.they may have to check the moisture levels though if it's over a cellar. I looked online before. They seem more of an eau de nil colour which is pretty much a neutral colour

      mialois thanked minnie101
    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      If you're not keen on apricot/coral you could also look at yellow, amethyst or pink (cushion is showing the colours!). A raspberry as shown in the pic below would also work but perhaps with less depth than shown

      mialois thanked minnie101
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      I didn't dislike the idea of apricot or coral. I'm sorry I didn't mention either before. I've started to think more about the flooring now and really want carpet. I have a jewel green [hint of grey] rug I'd like to keep and oatmeal would work with that. Food for though. Any other ideas gratefully received

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Oops thought not though

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      mialois's ideas · More Info

      mialois's ideas · More Info
      Hopefully these photos may help. The room has just been plastered so still drying. fireplace is offset rather odd shaped room.
      mialois's ideas · More Info
      The is a close up of the frieze around the top of the room. Detail limits other patterns in room I feel.
      mialois's ideas · More Info
      The rug mentioned before I'd like to keep
      mialois's ideas · More Info
      Fabric sample of sofas [better picture on sofology website.

      I love this room with its quirky shape, offset fireplace and 2 windows but the frieze [which we must keep] does make decorating difficult.

      I hope these pictures help

    • A B
      7 years ago

      I'd go with the portland stone (or a warm grey) then how about a feature wall in a lavender wallpaper?


      http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-croft-collection-grasses-wallpaper/p1659169?colour=Clover

      or


      http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-cow-parsley-wallpaper/p2053139?colour=Cassis

      That would work with your rug then I'd probably have neutral curtains, and pick out green and purple in accessories.

      mialois thanked A B
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      I like the idea of Portland stone. I've always been afraid of using any patterned wallpaper because of the pattered frieze - in case it looked too much but I have had pattered curtains before. I have a tiffany style table lamp with purple and green shade so could use that. Any flooring suggestions - I'm leaning towards carpet [not literally - I am sober!

    • Kyle Barrett
      7 years ago

      Wow, that room is a VERY odd shape! I really like it, but it's very quirky. Do you have a floorplan you can photograph?

      mialois thanked Kyle Barrett
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      sorry I don't have a floorplan. To be fair the photo makes it look more odd than it actually is. It is just over 4m from the back wall to the deepest point of the corner window and just under 4m from the main window to the opposite side. We normally have a 3 seater sofa on the wall opposite the fire and a 3 seater on the wall facing the main window, The TV fits nicely on a stand under the corner window so is recessed [its been pulled out a little for the plasterer in the photo] and the radiator will be back on the main window wall. I realise having typed this that a floorplan would have been so much easier to understand ! Thanks for your interest.

    • Kyle Barrett
      7 years ago

      It's no problem, it's not an issue of layout at the moment, it's just colour stuff!

      You're keeping the furniture you have so far, right? So nice warm wood colours there. Is the rug you have grey?

      I have quite a bit of that duck egg that's almost sage green in my living room now and I have paired it fairly successfully with a burgundy or dark red. I don't know if it's a colour I'd want on my walls or floor though. Having said that a dark red carpet is VERY traditional.

      I'd personally think about a linen coloured carpet with neutral light walls. I was thinking burgundy under the dado rail, but perhaps a burgundy feature wall on the chimney breast would make more sense so the rest of the furniture isn't lost in the dark colour.

      mialois thanked Kyle Barrett
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      yes keeping oak tv stand, table under main window and small oak table in other chimney recess for lamp [mentioned before] and photos. Rug is more green with a leaning towards grey - a deep jewel colour I would call it. To be honest I hadn't considered burgundy but I could use it to add a bit of warmth. I have been looking at carpets today carrying a swatch of the sofa material and unless I go really light [which I'm not keen to do with my dog [and daughter!] the only colour I like with it is a mid to dark grey. I brought 2 samples home and placed them under the rug and they both looked ok but typically 1 looked better against rug and other looked better against sofa fabric. I will probably choose one of those though. Then its curtains and wall colour. The frieze I've always done white - can't see beyond that but then there's the wood directly above and below it and dado rail as well. Any ideas on those?

    • Kyle Barrett
      7 years ago

      I think you'd make your life easier by painting them a white to match the frieze, obviously the various rails would classically be in gloss rather than egg shell or whatever finish you go for.

      I will say, especially under warm artificial light the duck egg colour (if it's anything like mine) kind of fades into the mid grey carpet I have (it's a rental so I can't choose, but I did have to get a light coloured rug so my sofa didn't disappear). So I'd be concerned that between your rug, carpet and sofas it'll all become an indistinguishable grey. Not an issue of colours clashing at all, but form being lost.

      mialois thanked Kyle Barrett
    • Kyle Barrett
      7 years ago

      This is my view right now, and I am fine with the lamp because it has a defined shape against the brighter walls, but under warm light, it does this:

      I have a kilim rug that is a worn light blue, with plenty of these duck egg hints in it, and it just disappears into the carpet. So just be aware of that issue.

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Thanks for your honest opinion. One of the carpets is a darker shade and the sofa sample seems to stand out ok in daylight and more so in artificial light, however, I can see it could be an issue with the other. I will bear it in mind though.

    • PRO
      re-decorate
      7 years ago
      Try a coral tone, very chic slightly 20s. Lends itself to formal schemes which your sofa definitely is.

      There is a great villa nova satin with a bashed metal type finish that would bring out the glamour, for curtains etc.

      Add in some mohair throws for texture and visual warmth


      A striped wallpaper might work too
      mialois thanked re-decorate
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Coral has been mentioned before so I will look again at that. Were you meaning for the walls? I don't know villa nova but will google it and I love the idea of mohair throws. Thanks

    • PRO
      re-decorate
      7 years ago

      ther are lots of great papers that are semi plain which would work, the formality of the room might lend itself to some of the ones with touch of opalescense to them.


      I was having a think that perhaps the palest of pale pinks might work with the scheme. knowing you don't want to go in ot he colder palettes. dorchester pink from little greene is a locvely colour.


      and maybe don't get a roman blind but a softer style, a swedish blind might do the trick. they roll up from the bottom and a very loose in style, don;t want the room to get so formal you are scared to sit in it.


      mialois thanked re-decorate
    • PRO
      re-decorate
      7 years ago

      https://www.villanova.co.uk/collections/plains/kasian/kasian

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Having tried a deep, rich coral colour against the chimney breast I am convinced this is the colour to choose for this feature wall. Thanks to re-decorate and also minnie101 who first suggested it. It really warms the room and looks very elegant. I am going to go with a darkish grey carpet as the sofas will stand out as opposed to get swallowed up if its dark enough. Now I just need to decide on ceiling colour, frieze all other walls and woodwork. As the room has just been replastered I would like to paint the walls but unsure of colour. A shade of grey I think, but not sure how dark to go, and then frieze and ceiling a shade or 2 lighter. Does this sound ok?

    • PRO
      re-decorate
      7 years ago

      keep the frieze white, I know that it might be tempting to paint it to go, but as it is likely an original feature, and was originaly white, plaster friezes should just stay white. not briliant white dulux, like an art gallery but a lovely natural white, like shirting from the little greene paint co. UNless you are painting them with golds etc in some palace I fell they always look much better white.

      and try not to get too much contrast in your paints, look for a pinky greys , lilac shadow from sanderson paints, mirage from the little green paint company , and fig greyt from zoffany are all examples of greys that hit a pinky tone, but GET SAMPLES they are invaluable for the seeing the nuances of shade and sublteties that only the light in your room will pick up.


      i can send you paint charts if ytou need them


      karly

      mialois thanked re-decorate
    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      I will look at the paint colours you mentioned. I haven't used these particular brands but have heard of them all and we have stockists locally. I always get samples as colours on tins/colour cards never seem to be quite like the actual paint! but I will bear in mind pinky toned grey for walls and no brilliant whites Thanks for all your help. I feel ideas are coming together now. I will try to post photos once its finished.

    • mialois
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      redecorate /karly could you tell me Farrow and Balls equivalent to Little Greenes shirting?

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