There are a few spots in my house that have been long due for a makeover, but busyness and indecision have kept them at a standstill.
I got the opportunity to test out Olympic Paint’s ColorClix suite app that allows you to upload and virtually “paint” a room from your own home and see what it will look like in any of the 1200 Olympic brand paint colors. This is perfect for visual and indecisive people–like me!
This focal wall in my Family room has been a bit of an eyesore for a while now.
It has only been recently that I finished spray painting the frames and started displaying giant photos I’ve taken of my children. But I really want this to feel like more of a focal wall. The builder beige (which is actually a fairly pleasant neutral) is all over my downstairs, except for the red wall-papered wall below the stairs. My grand vision involves a flat screen TV and the removal of our broken IKEA media cabinets, but I’m not sure how soon that will be a reality. But for now I need a little help choosing a paint color and figuring out what I’m going for in this space there.
Part of my trouble is that I have a bit of decorating schizophrenia. I really like things with some history, but not overly shabby. Lately I’ve really been drawn to modern graphic patterns (a la Mandilicious), but I really don’t feel like most of that works well with the semi-rustic elements of my house, including rough stone bricks around the fireplace and wooden mantle.
So having the opportunity to play around with this tool was really fun for me! I could explore all of the different sides of my decorating personality with out cracking open a can of paint! Here are some of the options I came up with. I’d love to know your opinions.
1) Light and Bright
Paint Color: First Frost
I’ve watched so many homes go beachy in the last couple of years. Everything painted white or light blue. They all look so lovely, but honestly, I think it is kind of hard to pull of beachy in Arizona, unless it is in a bathroom. I do appreciate the trend to blues and greys as neutrals after all of the beige of the last decade, so I like how this frosty pale blue refreshes my room, but I’m not sure it’s a good fit. There isn’t a lot of other light blue in my decor anywhere and I’m not sure it is a dramatic enough contrast to my beige walls to make a great focal spot. But I think it is a very pretty color! What do you think?
2) Fresh Farmhouse
Color: Delicate White
Still with the light and bright, it is hard to get the full effect on this one, because, I think if I go this route, it will be with some architectural interest (planking or board and batten) on the wall. I feel like going white on the wall could work with the feel of the house and it would be a safe choice to coordinate with other paint and furnishings. Funny how hard I was working to get away from white walls 10 years ago, and now they are hot again!
3) It’s Not Easy Being Green (or choosing a green paint color)
Color: Aloe Vera
From the angle of this photograph, you can see my sage green sectional and the green curtains for the sliding glass window, as well as some green accessories. From another angle, you’d think this room is more about reds. The cafe curtains on the wall above the sectional are red and gold (stripe and damask patterns). So adding a little more green to the room seemed like it might be a good idea, but from this shot, I’m not convinced. It seems like too much green and I’m nervous about getting the right shade to blend with the rest of the greens.
4) Peacock Drama
Color: Plymouth Blue
Part of me really just wants to go big or go home! I’ve been in love with the rich drama of a dark peacock color for a while now! That would definitely make this a focal wall! I might soften it up with an all-over stencil with hints of red and gold. That would be dramatic, but would it be too much?
5) A New Navy
Color: Admiral Blue
Along the same lines, but maybe a little safer would be a deep navy. Navy is a hot neutral now! There is also a bit of navy in the area rug that is currently in this room, so it might tie in better than some colors. It is still dark and dramatic and definitely a focal point. Would you go for a solid wall or do a stenciled pattern?
So there your have it….until I dream up some other crazy color combo! Do you have any favorites?
If you are considering a change in paint color, you may want to try out the ColorClix suite! You can even download it on your phone.
Take a picture of your room in good light. I found that heavy shadows and lots of knickknacks made it harder for the software to detect the wall lines.
You go in and add wall markers to help define the spaces, and make sure furniture, etc, isn’t being counted as part of the wall or the trim. After you are satisfied with the picture you can add colors you are considering and paint. Make sure and add each completed picture to your “Painted Rooms” so you can compare them later.
Painting the walls on the computer is way easier than in real life! If only getting the paint on the walls could be done from your laptop! Someday…
That’s so cool! I’m going to have to check that out.
FYI, I love the Plymouth Blue in your room. It adds a lot of oomph. The pale colors look too wishy-washy. I say go for it!
one of the darker blues for sure! While the other colors are perfectly fine, they strike me as more for all the walls in a room, not an accent wall. The point of an accent wall is to scream Look at Me!, right?
It’s amazing what technology can do now. Seeing what a room looks like before you take the plunge – too cool
I also love the plymouth blue! 🙂 Its always worth taking the risk.
I wouldn’t necessarily soften it up with stencil but rather with softer accessories; some curvy lines (instead of pointy or staight), also adding dark raisin/purple or burgundy accessories.