The Stenciled Wall

Hi Christine!

You very generously gave me some suggestions back in December for my living room (I stuck to a budget! 12/8/09)...although I'm not quite there yet, I'm wondering if you have any recommendations for a wall color(s) for the room as it stands. My painter is coming on Thursday and I'm at a complete and total loss! I would love to be a little daring but I just can't figure out what is right for this room...I'm afraid I will have to leave the walls neutral unless you can guide me in a different direction. I am stuck with this traditional style area rug (craigslist...I know it's too small but $$) for a while and the window panels are a sheer (ish) olive green.

I'm in panic mode!!

Thanks!

Peggy

Dear Peggy,

No reason to panic. I will give you some ideas.

1. Sample quarts. remember that I am looking at a picture of your room on a computer screen. Although I will give you specifics. Get sample quarts today, and look at the paint in a few different lights. (morning, noon, evening, etc.)
2. Let me also give you some do nots. Do not go too dark. Your room is not large enough to handle a dark color. Do not do an "accent wall." Your architecture and room decor are not geared for it.
3. Your bold color in there now is red. My response to this is go green. Green is opposite the color wheel to red, and tends to make red look better. With this said, I would go neutral- with green undertones- not a bold green. I would get sample quarts of a few paints- these are Sherwin Williams colors: SW 6150 Universal Khaki, and 6149 Relaxed Khaki. Also look at 6156 Ramie and 6157 Favorite tan.
4. Now, you said you wanted to be daring, and I just gave you paint colors that are light and neutral. Not exactly daring. However, if you want to be daring, add pattern. The following pictures of of stenciled walls. I would do a subtle tone on tone. Perhaps a damask or over sized floral. In the same paint colors I mentioned previously. What to be leery of??? If you are not really good at this type of thing, and cannot afford to have it done for you- forget it. We are just covering up a lot of do it yourself faux finish jobs- and there were a lot of bad ones. But after you take the time to go to a class, and purchase all the paints- I think a lot of people convinced themselves that it looked good. But really it's like those singers on American Idol that can't really sing- but think they can. Good, professional stencil jobs are amazing, but a solid wall is much better than a poor, inexperienced painter trying their hand on their living room walls. I am trying to be so clear here that I cannot be misunderstood. Your friends will lie to you- tell you it looks good- that doesn't mean that it actually does. Just because you are using a stencil, and not hand painting, does not mean that talent is not necessary.
   So- there you go. Keep moving your furniture- Sofas on angles are rarely the best solution. And if you do have it on an angle- the rug should be on an angle- and I don't think you have room for that.... I really wish I could just come over sometimes...

Hey everyone- have a favorite of the stenciled walls?

Thanks,
Christine

pictures from Apartment Therapy