Colour dilemma north/south facing open plan space
We’re mid renovation and we have opened up our kitchen to make a large L shaped lounge/kitchen/diner. The lounge window is north facing and it can be quite dark in there. Around the corner a bit to the kitchen and it’s lovely and light (south facing). The kitchen cabinets are light grey with brushed brass handles. Going for modern brass accents throughout (furniture, lighting , tap etc ). I’m having a colour dilemma for the walls. I’d like the main colour in the space to be a light grey. We’ve chosen Little Greene colonial blue for an accent wall (behind the dining table and through to the kitchen). I’ve chosen blush pink tiles for splashback and will be having blush pink cushions etc. The problem I’m having is finding the right grey to bring it all together. I need a warm grey in the lounge but I’m finding a lot of them look purple or too beige. I wanted the same grey in the kitchen area too but I’m wondering due to the different light a cooler grey might look better there? We’ve tried Dulux pebble shore, just walnut, polished pebble (too cool for lounge), Little Greene french grey pale (too pale and looks a bit cool for lounge), dusted moss 3 (too green)...help! Any ideas?! Photos to show the space (excuse the mess in the kitchen!).
Comments (53)
Marylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoHi, floor is a warm oak, hopefully you can see in this photo. Table is also a warm mango wood.
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flooring/furniture choice in south facing open plan living space
Comments (12)We are just fitting our kitchen in a new 8 x 4m south facing extension with 2.4m high x 6m wide bi-folds and have 2 x skylights. I am worried about the fading so we had laminated glass put on the outside of the doors (rather than 2 x panes of toughened glass). It's supposed to block most of the UV rays that cause fading. The rooflights aren't directly over the kitchen furniture but there must be some sheer blinds you can fit that have a UV filter and won't block out the light? Thinking when it's super hot and sunny they would be used. My floor fitted said that as long as you buy a UV stable LVT (should say on the product) and it's fitted with a heat stable glue (to allow for contractions) then there shouldn't be an issue. Not saying it won't happen but will see how our dark kitchen lasts!...See Moreopen plan dilemma
Comments (3)I’m not very good at flows etc but I do wonder whether you might be a bit short on worktop space? There’s a long run of tall units, but not much worktop area that I can see. I’m not a fan of hobs on islands, but I know they are popular. I think I would try to find a way to incorporate the Christmas lounge with the rest of the house, maybe glazed doors in place of the wall to improve lighting and give the option of closing off if need be. With the dining table so close to the island, do you need both? But there are others on here who have much more insight than I do on these matters. Have fun planning. Angie...See MoreOpen plan layout dilemma
Comments (16)You know I think I still prefer no. 2, whilst retaining the cloakroom, because in this version you have three seating areas spread quite thinly. I think it is better to have a decent sized seating area in the family area and, if you have the luxury of space, a snug to escape to. Also it is nice to be able to look out at the garden from the kitchen especially if you have children out there and you want to keep an eye whilst you are cooking. I have only just noticed that you have two doors into the utility. Could you manage with just the one? It would give you more room for more cupboards in there. The smaller dining table works better or you can have an expandable one for big gatherings. I have forgotten what a big gathering feels like. Heck I have forgotten what a group of more than two feels like!...See Morenorth/south facing open living room.
Comments (4)For me, it's more the size of room that would make me want to paint different areas. If it's just one normal size room eg 6m X 6 m then it could be one colour. If it's just one room, used for one thing I'd do it in same colour. If it's open plan and is like 2 rooms knocked together and there is going to be a living area as well as another area that you want to zone then painting a different colour can make this work....See MoreKelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoThanks for your help. This is the tile and worktop if it helps....
French grey pale was just a bit pale i think. Haven’t tried mid yet.
Kelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoTile against worktop and floor. Who knew finding the perfect grey would be so hard?!
Kelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years ago
Sonia
3 years agoGreat space. Wow that’s a lot of samples on those walls! I’m not a colour expert, but when people say a “warm grey” I’m not sure such a thing exists. Grey is a cool colour to my eyes, as people call taupe a warm grey but to me it’s more on the beige side. Whatever colour you choose, it will look different in the two parts of the room. How about a gentle off white like F&B Pointing or Dulux Timeless? They have a warmth to them but not too yellow. Just a suggestion and I’m sure others will not agree, but does a warm grey exist?
First is Pointing, second is Timeless.
Kelly E
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoSonia
3 years agoMy friend has Ammonite in her downstairs loo. It’s a very dark room but it looks a true pale grey, but no idea what it’s like in a brighter room. Here’s two rooms in Ammonite
Marylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoCupboards are bought pre painted - Second Nature dove grey - quite light. It’s not the best light to take a photo of the colour at the moment!
Marylee H
3 years agomacbroom
3 years ago
Marylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoCornforth White in comparison to Just Walnut/Ammonite/Skimming Stone.
Darkest of the 4. More Chroma than Just Walnut but less than Skimming Stone.
Is warmer than Ammonite.
That bit more neutral than Skimming Stone. Beautiful in balanced light. Watch out for those with Hue Angles less than 90° for being more likely to shift Purple in imbalanced light.It may not happen in your space but it’s possible.
Marylee H
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoHi Kelly - Dulux confirmed the Codes for Pebble Shore and Polished Pebble. We had Pebble Shore already as a possible, from the data.
colleen_osborne84
3 years agoTrudi Brown
3 years agoDulux Rock Salt is a grey but off-white which reflects a lot of light but dries darker than a white.
It joins warmer colours like blush or grape well and the Laura Ashley Garrat side table in honey you can see sits well too. It easily matches your marble but would join your tiles, accent wall and floor up I'm positive.
This is in our westerly facing landing and stairs which doesn't get a massive amount of light; painted this week (so not quite finished).
In my view, yellowy greys look more of a beige too and would look sickly with your other colours (the dust sheets you can see are creamy beige for context). Rock salt looks very clean without out being cold.
Trudi Brown
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoMarylee H
3 years ago
Liz Sloan
3 years agoGoose Down from Dulux is light grey but very easy to pair with a lot of colours. I used it in dark corners and it worked really well as it’s quite a cool grey. Worth testing.
Kelly E
3 years agoLiz Sloan
3 years agoKelly E
3 years agoWe went for Dulux Khaki mists 6, and Little Greene colonial blue on the back wall. We are reallt pleased with it. It works really well with the kitchen and the blush pink accents too (cushions and tiles for splashback). The light isn't great here at the moment so can't get decent pics but have tried to show the colours in these pics and how it works with the kitchen accents.
Kelly E
3 years agoLiz Sloan
3 years ago
Juliet Docherty