Question: I recently purchased a two-level, one-bedroom condo. The living area downstairs has a white marble fireplace with veins of black running through it.

There is a large bay window in the room with northwest exposure. The floor is new wood, very light in color. The walls are white, the crown molding is white and there is a molding around the room one-third of the way up the walls.

I'd like to paint before moving in but I'm not sure of the color to use. The room is only 14 by 16 so I'm thinking something light. My bookcases, entertainment center and coffee table are light in color, sort of a honey pine color. I do have a black wine table, a black mirror and black wrought iron legs on the coffee table and handles of the entertainment center that I think can be tied into the fireplace.

My plan was to paint the top portion of the walls only. What color would be nice? I'm partial to Tuscan oranges, browns, golds, etc. How about the sofa?

Darius Jenkins, Washington, D.C.

 

Answer: Knowing what you'll take with you is the first step in choosing colors. Now is an ideal time to weed out what you love from what you've been merely putting up with over the years. It's better to live without something you don't like in the new house than to have it there "temporarily," which somehow winds up turning into years.

Honey and black seem to be the primary and secondary colors in the furniture you'll take.

Plan on making the upper portion of the walls a tonal color rather than a sharply contrasting color. This will create a sense of balance between the top and bottom portions. If the upper part of the walls were painted a strong contrasting color, the room would seem cut in two and the effect would be jarring.

When selecting fabrics for the large furniture and window treatments, look for a soft beige and a stronger caramel color to accentuate it.

Most major paint companies offer Navajo white. It's a wonderful color that takes on different tones depending on the light in the room. In daylight it's a soft, creamy beige. At night, with incandescent light, it becomes deeper in tone; warm and rich. White trim makes everything "snap" and shows the architectural lines of the room's detailing beautifully. With Navajo white walls, decorating is easy because almost every other color looks better for being near it.

Now that the walls are creamy beige with white accents, selecting a color for your largest piece of furniture, the sofa, should be fairly easy. Because the sofa takes up so much "eye" space, consider a color that will blend well with the walls rather than stand out, such as a caramel color. A sofa in this deep, warm, rich beige tone is easy to decorate with. To make a dynamic statement and because black is the secondary color found in the other furniture, consider bringing black onto your sofa with throw pillows.

Be generous with how many pillows you add and use more than one type of fabric for them. Mixing up the fabrics and trims creates an interesting appearance.

For window treatments, I would use another version of the caramel color and use black as a trim detail. Choose Roman shades, drapes or whatever style you prefer. But regardless of the treatment, incorporate black as an accent color to tie the room together and make it look as if it was designed with a master plan.

To complete the decorating scheme, consider accessories in shiny brass to warm up the room and add a touch of sparkle.

With this color plan, you will have created a comfortable space that will also be an inviting room for your guests enjoy.

 

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