Recent Comments from Rugh Design
In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions such as “Is Colonnade Gray the right choice for my Open Space?”, as well as questions about using Light French Gray on an exterior, Modern Gray in a split entry home, Accessible Beige vs Bungalow Beige and how to deal with LRV.
I am excited to bring you my answers to some of your comments found around Rugh Design! One of the unexpected benefits of starting the Color Wheel have been all the comments that the color scheme pages continue to receive. Therefore I wanted to start a blog series focused on your questions found on those color scheme pages and my general blog posts.
If you can’t find the answer you are looking for I would love to be your Color Consultant! You can hire me for an Interior or Exterior Color Consultation as well as for an eDesign.
Let’s get started!
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Colonnade Gray in Open Space
Hi Laura!
I am so glad I stumbled upon your site! I am closing on my first home and super excited, except the entry, kitchen and great room walls are baby blue…and the upstairs hallway is pea green (no offense, but YUCK!)
My front room has a good amount of natural light (south facing but 3 windows) and my kitchen/great room is an open concept with tons of windows. My cabinets are white with black quartz countertops and a white herringbone backsplash behind the oven.
I want to paint the entry/kitchen/greatroom and upstairs hallway Colonnade Gray and was hoping I could get your thoughts!
My entry furniture is cream with a calf-fur on leather rug (shades of grey, ivory and tan) and my living room is an ivory shag rug with a charcoal grey couch, we will likely have glass and white high gloss furniture.
I also have some metallic accents on some of the furniture like the gold legs of my white leather counter stools.
Thanks so much!
– Cynthia
Hi Cynthia! Colonnade Gray is a great color choice! Especially if you gravitate towards the gray tones. I consider Colonnade Gray a warm gray that can tend to lean a bit cooler than most “warm grays.” It will go perfect with your selections: white cabinets, white herringbone backsplash and black quartz countertops!
Colonnade Gray is also a perfect wall color with your charcoal gray couch and white furniture. Since you have so much natural light, be sure to test a sample out to see how it looks in your lighting and be sure you are okay with the way it looks at all times of the day: morning, noon and night. You have a beautiful scheme going and I would love to see pictures of the finished product!
Is Light French Gray Institutional?
I am in the process of painting the exterior of my house. I was planning to use Light French Gray. Yet, I am afraid it would look like a institutional building (government, school) on the cooler side. Alpaca seems a good option due to the warmer underline. Yet, my concern is that Alpaca seems a bit too light and neutral. Also, I am planning to use Extra White for the trims, gutters, etc. Any opinion or recommendation? Thank you.
– Oscaf
First of all, yes, great choice for your trim and gutters! Extra White is my go-to crisp, bright white that doesn’t have any undertones to worry about; just a true white. Alpaca and Light French Gray are possibilities for your exterior if you would like a soft color. They both do tend to be cooler with a hint of a blue undertone, so be sure that they go with your other exterior elements that you may have like stone, brick, etc.
One important thing to keep in mind for exteriors, is that colors will become more washed out in the natural light. If you would like more of a contrast, I might go a bit darker than you might think, such as the second paint color down from the lightest color on the paint swatch. Test out some colors first to see how they look in your lighting and feel free to contact me for an Exterior Color Consult if you need help narrowing down a color!
Modern Gray in a Split Entry Home
Hi Laura. I painted Modern Gray in the living room, dining room, and hallway of a split entry home. I am looking to paint the right walls of the split staircase an accent color, but having a hard time deciding on the color. Would like to pull more gray than taupe color. The house does not have great lighting. Was considering a teal, gray, or darker blue but not sure how dark to go in any of these colors. Thoughts? Thanks.
– Judy
Great question Judy! I agree that if your lighting isn’t great, going too dark will make your space feel too cave-like. I would stick to more of a medium-toned color instead. My rule of thumb for accent walls staying in the same “color family” as the overall paint color, is to find one a few shades darker on the same paint swatch. There are a few good ones on the same swatch three and four colors down from Modern Gray that are medium-toned grays/geiges that will coordinate well without getting too dark.
I tend to stay away from doing teals or brighter colors on walls that you may end up getting tired of in the future. Those colors are easy to switch out in accessories (like pillows or artwork), but harder to paint over on larger wall areas. Keep me posted on what you end up deciding, and if you need more help I would love to help through an Interior Color Consult!
Accessible Beige vs Bungalow Beige
Hi,
Debating between either SW Accessible Beige or Bungalow Beige for my condo. I do not get much natural light. My sofa and love seat are sage green and I have tan wall to wall carpet. I have wood medium brown cherry furniture. Which color would be the more warmer, soothing color? Thank you.
– Mike
Thanks for reaching out, Mike! Accessible Beige and Bungalow Beige are very similar. Both are warm greige-taupe colors, but Bungalow Beige has a bit more saturation to it. If you don’t get much natural light, I would suggest Accessible Beige.
Accessible Beige will work well with your sage green sofa/loveseat and medium cherry furniture! If you are in need of some more help I am available for an Interior Color Consult!
Dealing with LRV
Love your blog! I have Rarified Air up on multiple walls in my open space living room/dining room as a sample. I am worried the LRV is so high it almost looks day glow! Have you seen this before?
– Amanda
Thanks, Amanda! Rarified Air does have a high LRV, meaning it is considered “light” and will bounce around more light in your space. It also has a slight blue undertone which may be why it looks like day glow now that it is up on the walls.
Sounds like in your lighting, you need a color that is a bit more saturated (lower LRV) to absorb some of the natural daylight. I might also consider a color that has more warmth in it. Even if you do want to go with a gray or gray-blue, there are several out there that are considered “warm grays” that don’t feel too cold. Let me know if I can help you nail down the right color for your space through an Interior Color Consult!
Leave more Comments!
I hope to continue to post answers to questions on a regular basis. So feel free to leave your comments! Each color scheme page and each blog post has a dedicated place to leave comments.
If you are in need of color help I would love to be your Color Consultant! You can hire me for an Interior or Exterior Color Consultation as well as for an eDesign.
Follow me on social media for more color ideas and inspiration!
– Laura
I have a great room which encompasses the dining room & kitchen with a northern exposure. The floors are grey and the cabinets are a cream color. The trim & crown molding are already painted shell white and I am considering painting the walls accessible beige. I want to the room to stay as bright as possible keeping contrast with the trim.
Hi Deena,
Thanks for reaching out! I think it depends on the undertone in your gray floors. Are the cool or warm gray? If they lean warmer gray, Accessible Beige can definitely work. If the floors are more of a cool gray, you may want to consider a different color that compliments the cooler tone in the floors.
As far as brightness goes, Accessible Beige is the lightest shade on the paint swatch. If you want to go even lighter, you can cut it by 50% and still have some contrast against the trim. The contrast will be less if you lighten AB, but the room will feel brighter/lighter. Test out some paint swatches and see how they look in your lighting. My main concern is making sure you coordinate the wall color with your flooring! Let me know if I can help you find the right color through an Interior Color Consultation.
Take care,
Laura