Living Room Design Help
I'm working with a blank slate here, and have a vision — but I need to know if this will look crazy. My husband is very against, and I was so so sure this would look great, but now I am second guessing.
This will be a living room and dining room. There is a fireplace in the center of the room. There are two dark olive green side chairs, a neutral cream boucle couch, and mahogany dining table.
I was inspired by a beyond stunning Scalamandre wallpaper, but to do the full living room would be around $8,000 just in wallpaper — so I am going with a really close dupe. I want to do the ceiling in a shade of pink or mauve pulled from the wallpaper —
questions:
1. which shade of pink/mauve for the ceiling? lighter and pale or brighter and bolder — I think brighter could be really fun but I don't want to overwhelm the space given the wallpaper is also busy
2. where do you think the ceiling paint should begin? I think given the molding situation and strange beam situation it makes sense to actually begin the ceiling paint right above the picture rail molding
3. is painting the ceiling a terrible idea and should I just leave it white
4. I initially toyed with the idea of doing a high gloss ceiling but now am having second thoughts — thoughts on paint finish for ceiling if we do paint?
5. is this entire design plan insane and should I just scrap the whole thing
I'd like to do a murano glass chandelier either in a tronchi shape or palmette style, in a shade of pink or a combination of pink and smoke grey
Pictures include the empty room, the wallpaper sample up close and applied on a white wall, wallpaper strip applied on our living room wall and I used my iphone to "paint" the ceiling to see how it might look. Any advice appreciated!
Comments
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EXCUSE THE CAPS LOCK BUT THIS IS SO FUN! Do not scrap your plan! I'm curious what about this your husband doesn't like. Is he just hesitant because there's a lot going on? I think it's important to find compromise when designing a shared space, but also speaking from my personal experience, my husband thinks most of my ideas are whacky, and then he loves them once they're complete. So maybe this will be your situation as well? 😊
To answer your questions:
- I would do something in between. Farrow & Ball's Sulking Room Pink would look amazing with the wallpaper. It's just the right amount of punch, but still dusty enough that it's not overbearing. I wouldn't go too pale if you decide to go lighter because you want it to contrast with the neutral wall color
- I would start it above the molding at the top of your walls — so you'd get some of the color on your actual walls and then take it up to the ceiling and beams
- Painting the ceiling is never a terrible idea (unless you have popcorn ceilings 😅). It adds so much interest to a space!
- I always go flat or matte on ceilings. High gloss will reflect light, which is great in rooms with no light, but it looks like you have big windows with enough lighting
- Do not scrap if it brings you joy!!! I love it
Please keep us posted on what you decide. I'm invested!
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Thank you so much! I feel emboldened now! And so funny bc the Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink is saved in my screenshots — great minds! I think my husband is just worried there's a lot going on with the wallpaper, but similar to your situation, he usually likes when everything comes together at the end. Okay, next steps to order the rest of the wallpaper and get some sample paint colors! Thank you so much for this really really helpful feedback, I needed it! :)
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I LOVE your ideas! My eye says to go with a softer pink on your ceiling (I just painted my bathroom ceiling pink and really like it.) The wallpaper is gorgeous. I wallpapered my entry, stairwell, and upstairs hallway (all connected) in a similar bird print; that was over 20 years ago and I have never tired of it. Your idea of a Murano light fixture is perfect. Bring the paint down to the end of the wood trim where it joins the wall. Follow your bliss here. Be bold. Be happy. And please show us a picture when it's finished.
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