Anonymous wrote:Remember when EVERYONE was doing the dark red in the living room or dining room back in about 2005?

Yes! What is everyone doing these days?

Remember when EVERYONE was doing the dark red in the living room or dining room back in about 2005?

I would do a paler shade (much paler) of blue or a white. Not green.

First off, you should always choose whatever colors you like since paint is the easiest thing to change. Having said that, I find that I'm very influenced by the colors of my surroundings. We first had a red dining room back in the '90's when it was popular and every time I was in that room I felt uncomfortable--almost agitated.

Same with yellow, (family room) and orange, (tiles in our kitchen.) I changed all of it to a more muted palette--soft green in the dining room and mossy black tiles in the kitchen with taupe in the family room. I feel so much calmer in these spaces now, even though I know it sounds a little wackadoodle to feel it made that much of a difference.

Yuck, but that's just my opinion.

green comes to mind. I'd say go with one green (comparable shade to the blue) accent wall in the living area, do the other walls in the room white and then do some nice patterned pillows and accessories that pick up the green and blue from the other room.

I think that shade of blue is dated.

OP here--thanks for all your responses. Very helpful! Now if I can ask for more help: I'm pretty sure I want my dining room/ kitchen to be the blue color. Our floor plan is somewhat open-the layout is kitchen (with very little actual wall space, separated from dining area only by a peninsula-type counter, then into living room through a medium sized archway.

Any suggestions on a color to paint the living room? Furniture is neutral, I have a brick fireplace, and a large north-facing picture window and south-facing regular windows, so it's fairly bright though not super-bright.

Thanks! (I'd get professional help if daycare weren't taking all my money!)

Weird but our house has exactly these colors and the rest are neutral. The house was painted that way when we bought. We get many compliments on the paint, especially on the blue, which we have in the kitchen.

Very pretty colors. I like the neutral muted tones for my own home but think your color choices will look great.

I have a similar blue. It looks fabulous and I get a lot of compliments on it.

I love jewel tones too-- my LR is a deep shade of red. I do think it looks dated (we did it in the early part of the last decade) but who cares?? When we sell, we'll paint it a nice taupe. But for now, we're keeping it.

I think grey looks so depressing and will seem super-dated in a few years (a la avocado appliances) so I would stick with what you like.

Anonymous wrote:I agree you should do what you like.

I think the colours are fine- it's the orange/cranberry/forest green/purple that looks 'wth were you thinking'

I love orange!

I think yes, that look is a little dated. But I like the dining room.