Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

My husband and I are redoing our kitchen. I am not sure what color to paint the walls of the kitchen and dining room, as they are connected. We have dark green counter top, and we just put up a terra cotta back splash with dark green grout. Our floor is a darker, green ceramic tile with some lighter green, and the grout is a terra cotta color. Any suggestions?

Wendy from PA

Answers:

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Behr has some lovely shades in the terra cotta spectrum... some lighter and some darker than your backsplash. I just bought guava jam for my bathroom (01/06/2008)

By Marty Dick

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

How about something in the peach/coral/apricot family? Sage green might be good also. (01/06/2008)

By joan pecsek

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

As an artist (hand painted wall murals & custom painted tiles for installation) color is my specialty. I often give my clients advice on color. As it happens, Dark Green has always been the color I, myself have always preferred to decorate with. I consider it one of the "Neutrals" because green is in practically everything, especially in nature.

---> In your adjoining room, I'd use either a lighter Terra-cotta as your main wall color with a bit of dark green used in some accent pieces for "pop"... Or, I'd reverse it, by using a Lighter color of green (like sage) on the walls with Tera-cotta as an accent color... But either way, take the dark colors you already have in your kitchen & Lighten one or both of these up. As a third option you could paint the walls a Mustard, or a sunny-Tan or Golden-Beige color (as this would be the color between the 2 on the color wheel = Terra (orange), Golden (yellow), Green.)
*IMPORTAINT: When I'm saying to use "lighter Colors", That does NOT mean pastel... I'm talking about a color about mid-way on the paint store's color samples... So, not dark, but not to pastel either...

---> If you do use mostly lighter colors in your adjoining room, be sure to use (as accent pieces) several darker pieces that match Exactly the kitchen colors (Dark Green or Terra cotta) & be sure to scatter them evenly around the room in 3 or more places. For example, a Vase, a picture frame & cushions or covers for the chairs, a table runner or a dark green plant in a corner with an "up" light, etc.

---> Christopher Lowell always recommends, If you have an adjoining room, (that you can see into, from the other room) make sure to use at least one of the colors from the adjoining room! This way, the 2 rooms will naturally tie in together. He recomends "Flipping" the colors... Say you have Plum as your main color & Sage as your accent in room "A"... in room "B", he recomends using Sage at the main color & Plum as the accent color.... But, you can also go with the same colors, but lighten up one, or both... Or ad a third color, as long as you include some of the colors of the room next to it.

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* You failed to mention WHAT color of dark green was used in you counter tops, Hunter or Olive.... In other words: Is it a "Bluish" Dark Green, or a "Yellowish" dark Green? But either way, the above color advice I gave you will work.

* As for your white appliances: Just in case you're ever ready for a change, I've seen Stainless Steel, chalk board, copper (& other veneers) on the "Fine Living" channel's show "I want that!"... You cut the veneer with a box knife, peel off the backing & *Presto* you have a new color of appliances. This veneer can be used on all kinds of things, not just appliances

* I don't know if you can use this veneer on appliances that heat up, like ovens?

http://www.fineliving.com/fine/i_want_that/article/0,3147,FINE_28076_5110188,00.html
http://alsacorp.com/laminates.htm

* Write me here on ThriftyFun if you have any more questions. (01/06/2008)

By Cyinda

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Here are some pictures, hope this helps (01/07/2008)

By Wendy

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Here is another one (01/07/2008)

By Wendy

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Believe it or not, a very soft tan gold tone would go well. (I don't mean like the color gold of jewelery) Or you may try a VERY light color of wine, it sounds like the colors in your kitchen are of Italian or Tuscan decorating.

(01/07/2008)

By Kay

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Wow, you've received some very good advice. I concur that a lighter shade of the terra cotta would be the right shade for the kitchen. Please keep it light. I also am working with light terra cotta in the drapes I've purchased for my living and dining rooms. Shade of orange are popular right now and I'd take advantage of that if I were you.

The artist who wrote to you gave excellent advice.

Best of luck. (01/07/2008)

By Carol in PA

Paint Advise for Dark Green Countertop and Terra Cotta Backsplash

Thanks for all of the suggestions, what about this. Our kitchen is set up weird so there is not a alot of wall to paint I thought about doing a lighter peach throughout the kitchen not a pastel but a light peach and then for the dinning room which opens up from the kitchen I thought about doing a two tone with a chair rail splitting the two colors, this would be a light peach on top and then a sage green on the bottom , would that look right or is that too many colors? let me know what you all think . Thanks again for all the advice. It has been very helpful. (01/07/2008)

By Wendy