Help with basement room

[barrie]

I have a basement room finished with paneling that I want to paint over. The only furniture I have in there is a deep purple couch and teak furniture from the 70's (kind of goldish cast). I also have a traditional oriental rug (red tones). I would like to be able to use these things but need help with colors and tying things together!

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Barrie
Do you have any pictures of the furniture,rug or room? It always helps to get a feel of what you are working with.
What other colours have you used in the rest of the house?
It sounds like a challenge but that's why it's fun:D

[braviya]

Hello,


I think you have to use blue or white color that will match perfect from my point of view and yes post some picture so that i will tell you some more suggestions for your room. but from my point of view white is good because it is silent and cool.


thanks!!

[Julie-Ann]

I like white and blue rooms too. They are so fresh and blue never dates, it always seems to be in fashion:).

I assume being a basement the ceilings aren't high and it probably doesn't have a lot of natural light. To make a space look bigger I would have light coloured floors, walls and ceilings. I would have any mouldings or trims the same colour as the walls so as not to break up the space. I would use a light bone colour on the walls and floor and a white ceiling - if you have some natural light in the basement. The less light you have the paler I would make the floors and walls.

I like the idea of a a white & black & purple room.
So with the pale walls, floor and ceiling and the purple couch. I suggest black as an accent colour. So maybe black & white photos, if the room is used as a TV room maybe black and white pictures of movie stars. I would have large white mats/mounts on the pictures and black frames. Some black or black & purple patterned cushions.
I am not sure about the red rug. I think it would look very fashionable to have a black and white rug maybe with some geometrical pattern.
I would use purple in some of your accessories such as a lamp shade, candles. flowers, vases, platters etc.
Let us know if we are on the right track:D

This room I found in a great blog called www.apartmenttherapy.com (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com) might help you visualise the room

[Richelle]

I would be avoiding red at all cost with the purple couch, unless you want to show your appreciation to the 50+ ladies social scene (http://www.redhatsociety.com/)

My bedroom has a deep purple in the colour scheme that I matched to a beautiful painting we purchased. The painting and the quilt cover have 3 shades of purple on them, and while the painting has a teal background, I have matched other things up in cream and calico. The calico seems to accentuate the purple much better than white, and the splash of teal draws the eye to the painting the scheme is based on.

For this basement, I'd feel inclined to paint the walls cream (boring, I know) but then use the couch and another rug as a focal point. I'd be turning to nature for a complimentary colour to the purple - think grape vines, pistachio nuts, autumn leaves, iris' and eggplants. In my head I have a pistachio green rug with the purple couch and gloss black coffee table etc.

[LisaT]

I love red and purple together, so I would probably tend to paint the room in off white and have a red or purple feature wall. I'd recover the gold/teak furniture with purple apholstery and really run with the 70's theme with big red cushions for the couch and maybe even some beanbags in the room too.

Of course, pictures of the room and furniture would give us a better idea of what you're working with. :)

[barrie]

I was very bad this weekend. I painted the room with Benjamin Moore Peal Harbor and it came out a lot more goldish than I thought. In the room of have the Teak Roll top desk, a Teak cabinet fot the TV, the deep purple couch, and my red oriental rug that takes up a large part of the off white tiled floor. Can I work with the walls the way they are now? Should I not use the rug and get another?

Thanks!

[Julie-Ann]

Hi
That paint colour "Pearl Harbor" does look very golden. I think it would be best to use a lighter colour that doesn't have orange or yellow tones. The lighter colour will make the room look bigger and brighter. The yellow and oranges tones of the paint you have might clash with the tones of the teak wood. Next time pick up a sample pot and paint 2 coats on a piece of A3 white paper. Tack the paper onto the wall and check it out at different times of the day and in different light conditions.
With whether or not you keep the rug depends on the look you want to create:
Keep the rug if you like the look of using clashing colours like Lisa suggested above. And use red in other areas like cushions and bean bags.
Or get rid of the rug and either go for a soft nature look and use the greens as suggested above by Richelle.
Or change the rug to something black & white and go for a contemporary look like I suggested.
Don't rush things- that's when we make mistakes. If you are not sure of things you see that you might want to add to the room- take a photo and show us, we will be happy to advise.
There are instructions on how to add photos here at the top of the topics under Home Decorating Forum

[barrie]

THanks, it was a lot of painting and Im not sure I can do it again! There are flourescant lights in the ceiling...would they tend to make the paint look more or less gold?

[Julie-Ann]

Hi
I hate to say it but that colour is gold and would probably look gold under most lights.:( but the fact is you don't like it now so might never like it. Better to redo it and make it exactly what you wanted:).
Take the weekend off to find just the right colour. Go to the paint store and ask for a warm white. But not one that is warm with yellow or orange undertones. You want more brown undertones. By undertones I mean when you look at warm whites you can see it either has a tinge of yellow, or brown, or orange, or purple, or green...Look for one that has a tinge of brown and that should make the teak look less golden.
Then when you think you have found the right colour buy a sample pot and paint the 2 coats on the white A4 sheet. Then spend the week looking at it and being sure this is the right colour before you paint the whole room.
What colour is your ceiling?

[barrie]

I tried to attach photos but they failed.I think the files were toobig. I finished with the Pearl Harbor and its really not terrible as it brightens up the room and added some different purple and green accessories. I'm actually pleased with it except for the red oriental. I'd like to get another area rug over the whitish tiles. Any suggesions?

[barrie]

I went ahead and finished with the Pearl Harbour. I don't dislike it and it brightens up the room. Then I went out and purchased some green and purple accessories. After tr
g

ying several times to upload some photos I gave up! I think it said the files were too big. The thing that looks wrong to me is the red oriental. In a nutshell, Pearl Harbour walls, white trim, dark purple couch, different hues of purple and green accessories, golden teak furniture from the seventies. Any suggestions for a rug on my whitish tiles and or any other accessories?

[MareeJaeger]

Hi Barry I've got no suggestions (useful aren't I) but please try and read the post about attaching pictures as I'd love love love to see it. ..and I do have a purple fetish...so would love to see the couch :)

[barrie]

Hopefully ive attached the files, the room doesnt really looke that yellow and the floors are whiter!

[Lorraine]

I would also love to see the pictures too Barrie. The Pearl Harbour colour sounds lovely. What about a sisal rug for your floor? How big a rug would you like? :)

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Barrie
A pity the pictures didn't attach.
But with the rug I liked the idea of a sisal rug or something in a light brown tone. The other option is to choose a rug in green tones. I get the impression that you have added a few green accessories this would add a little more green to the room. But yes I would replace the red rug.
Here (http://www.decoratingforum.com.au/showthread.php/how-insert-attach-189.html) are the instructions on how to attach pictures. This might help:D

[barrie]

hI, i BROUGHT HOME A SMALL ZEBRA STRIPE RUG TO TRY BEFORE i PURCHASE A LARGER ONE AND I ACTUALLY LIKE IT EVEN WITH THE GREEN AND PURPLE ACCESSORIES! thE ONE i BROUGHT HOME IS BEIGE WITH BLACK. i CAN ALSO GET ONE WITH IVORY AND BLACK....CAN'T DECIDE...WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[barrie]

The photos just wont post...it says the file is too big....sorry!

[barrie]

My son finally helped me with the photos! Please keep in mind that the walls might appear a liile more yellow on the photo (they are more golden). Also, the floor tiles are whiitish! Thanks for your patience! Do you think I can do the beige and black or ivory and black zebra rug?

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Barrie
Thanks for the pictures.
The paint looks good- not as golden as I expected.
I love zebra rugs- they make such a big statement. Personally I would choose the black and white version because of the floor tiles being white.
The other suggestion is to maybe stain the teak furniture. I noticed you seemed to have some dark wood furniture too. Maybe if you stained the teak furniture to a darker tone that would work well with the other wooden furniture. I also think a dark wood would look good against the gold walls- the teak is a little too similar a colour to the walls.
Your couch is gorgeous.
Let us know what you think:)

[barrie]

Hi Julie,

Thanks, I wasn't sure if the rug should blend more with the walls or floor. What color for a few pillows on the couch? As for the furniture do you know of any method to darken it without the usual stripping ect. The roll top desk has a lot of nooks and crannies and I'm not that good at it!

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Barrie,
with the staining you would have to get it done professionally or else make it a long term project because it would be fiddly. Every nook has to be sanded. So best to probably leave it.
With the cushions are you going with the green and purple or the black and purple look?
Your near the end now so I would suggest you take all the ornaments out of the room and put back only the ones that go with you new look. With ornaments less is more. Keep your colours and the look your after in mind when choosing which items can go back to the room. Put the rest in a box for storage or give to charity.
I can't wait to see how it turns out. Let me know about the colours and then I can be more specific on cushions and prints etc.

[barrie]

hi Julie,

I think that I will do the purple and green since Ive already purchased some ornaments that I really like!...and I will leave the teak as is! Should I try to bring in the wall color to the cushions?

THanks!!

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Barrie
Personally I would have plain not patterned cushions as I wouldn't want to distract any attention from the zebra rug. But perhaps that's because I have always wanted a zebra rug and if I had one I would be showing it off:D. My DH doesn't like them:(. But I would be sure that the fabric of the cushions is a good quality or has some texture or shine to the fabric. I wouldn't get plain green cotton cushions.
I would also get a green throw rug, once again with an interesting texture to it. It will be good for those cold nights you must be having at this time of the year.
I'm not sure if you have wall space for some good size pictures? But some pictures of plants or forest or vineyards, anything like that with green as the main colour would add to your look.
Then there are your green ornaments you bought. It should be looking good.
I can't wait to see the finished result:)