just bought my first condo... trying to choose paint colors...?

Question

the kitchen is a deep red which i love, but i am not sure what to paint the dining room/living room to compliment it. also, i am attracted to deep plum/wine colors for my bedroom, but don't know if those are too dark. anyone have similar colors in their home that they can comment on?

Answer 1

I think the red sounds great for the kitchen. As to plum for the bedroom, I think I'd use the darkest tones for accent colors, rather than big areas of paint. Maybe lighter plums for the walls, and dark plum for trim or whatever. You can also use opposing colors, like plum and gold, or stick with one end of the spectrum (I'm a big fan of blue/green/violet mixes with small gold accents). Whatever you do, just remember that if you don't like it the first time around, paint is comparatively inexpensive, so you're not locked into it!

Happy new home!

Answer 2

It depends on what you're going for. If you want a high amount of contrast between the rooms you would want to look at the opposite side of the color wheel and head towards greens/blues for the dining/living room. However, if you're looking for flow & ease of transition it would be wise to stay on the same side of the wheel & go for browns, rusts, even oranges.
You should go for the colors you like in your bedroom. Use lighter colors in your bedding, curtains, & any wall hangings This way the dark walls will play up textures, fabrics, etc. Also, make sure that you have several light sources so that you can set the mood in different areas of your room.
Have fun with color, you can always paint again if you don't like something.

Answer 3

For the living/dining area I'd go with a neutral color, maybe khaki? Then I'd use the deep red as accent color. Too much red and it loses its wow factor. But you want to tie it all together.

For the bedroom I'd do the wine/plum for window and bed treatments with a wall color maybe pale gold. Something warm but not too heavy.

Congrats on your new home!

Answer 4

I would paint the dining room/living room a light tan, like "buckram binding" by sherwin williams. I have this in my own home, and it's very warm without being too plain or overwhelming. And it will match whatever color your furniture/accessories happen to be.

As for your bedroom, don't let people scare you away from trying a dark wall color. I did my spare bedroom in a rust/brick red and I love it. Pick out a shade that you love, and paint the whole room that color. If you think it's too strong after you've lived with it for a while, then you could always add stripes, or paint three walls another shade leaving a plum feature wall, or add a chair rail with another paint color on top - the possibilities are endless.
http://sherlink.sherwin.com/swapp/color_visualizer/index.jsp