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Help needed with colours!!

9 replies

Zeeky · 11/10/2013 20:39

We've just had a new limestone fireplace & woodburner installed & a false chimney breast. Now need to get the whole room redecorated but totally confused/undecided with what colour scheme to go with. Here are the main features of the room:

  • the room is huge with a high ceiling and a window at either end
  • 2 cream sofas
  • large Persian rug with pale blue & beige pattern which fills a lot of the room
  • old varnished wooden floorboards
  • pale limestone fireplace with slate hearth


At first I thought I would go for a bold, rich blue like F&B's pitch blue or Oval Room Blue, but I'm worried that it would be too much in such a big room & that I might get tired of it. I think pale blue might look too sickly or cold. Then thought of going with something neutral, but again not sure if it would make the room bland, and I'm totally flummoxed by all the 'neutral' shades in the F&B colour chart!!

Help!
Help needed with colours!!
OP posts:
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ZingDollyChops · 12/10/2013 01:07

I'd go with the blue/brown colours for the walls but add some red curtains, cushions, lampshades etc. with a bit of gold.

or a deep plum shade with gold instead of red

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wonkylegs · 12/10/2013 08:38

Pale blue can be cold but with cream & beige you can warm it up using warm textures such as velvet curtains/cushions etc. Warm intimate lighting such as side lamps in addition to main fitting will also help.
Blue with cream will be warmer than with white.

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Zeeky · 13/10/2013 07:09

Any recommendations for particular shades?

OP posts:
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chickydoo · 13/10/2013 07:16

We have a similar sounding rug to you in our family/playroom
We have dark brown sofas on one side and cream on the other.
Dark brown oak floors ( very old)
We have 3 walls in Dulux Timeless. ( endurance paint) and the wall with the fire place in Jade white ( it's actually duck egg blue)
It picks out the blue in the rug really well. Large chocolate colour floor cushions, and some nice throws etc from OKA.
It doesn't look cold at all.

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mathanxiety · 13/10/2013 07:53

A medium tone/warm greige would pick up the beige and any grey from the rug. It would make your mantle pop nicely and would also compliment the deep colour of the floors. The pitfall of greige is that if you choose a wishy washy tone your room looks pretty blah.

F&B Mouse's Back looks great with white trim. It's a crisp grey beige and might look really good with your floors and cream sofas and wouldn't overwhelm your Persian rug. French Grey might work but it might have too green a cast. Manor House Grey is lighter but a nice clean colour. Downpipe and Mole's Breath (a bit deeper and darker) are true greys without much of a hint of other colours. But they might be too much of a departure from the cream/soft blue/beige scheme you already have in place.

I think you are right about avoiding light blues -- they can seem cold. However, Stiffkey Blue would be similar in tone to your rug's beige and blue tones (from what I can see) and has enough grey to make it feel a bit warmer than a light blue.

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Roshbegosh · 13/10/2013 07:55

Try F&B blackened. Looks nothing like the card, try a tester pot.

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OnePlanOnHouzz · 13/10/2013 17:54

Some lovely suggestions put out there already ! I would add this ... Bring in some blues in the soft furnishing - a cosey knitted cushion or two perhaps or a Blue Laura Ashley lamp with a warm white bulb - just a few key pieces to link to the rug - but avoid cold blue things like ceramics - ie mix the blue with something warm - wool throws etc you know what I mean ! Keeps it all flowing well without bringing in any cold elements ! :-)

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mathanxiety · 13/10/2013 19:56

YY I think the warm white bulbs are crucial or you feel you're sitting in a lab, and knitted cushion covers and other soft furnishings are really cozy.

(You can make these easily from men's jumpers bought in a second hand clothes shop - very little sewing involved, lots of design ideas and tutorials for these on Pinterest. There are always men's jumpers in blue and brown tones, sometimes striped or argyle patterned..)

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HaveToWearHeels · 14/10/2013 14:22

If you are worried about blue being cold what about Duck egg, you can then warm it up with browns and creams. Try Dulux Birds Egg, it is only available at Homebase.

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