What color should I paint my room?

September 12, 2015 10:54 AM

I'm not *great* at colors but I want to paint my room. Photos of current room here: I'd like to coordinate around the color of the turquoise dresser and the color of the chalkboard paint square. What color should I paint my walls? The more specificity the better (aka "match this exact shade" vs "paint it yellow") because I'm really not great at colors, but all suggestions welcome.

Possibly relevant details:
-The brown square on the wall is chalkboard paint that I don't want to paint over.
-I'm aiming for more of a masculine than a feminine aesthetic
-I get some natural light, but not a ton

I'm currently thinking like a pale blue or maybe a soft grey.

posted by c'mon sea legs to Home & Garden (18 answers total)

What about Sherwin Williams Mink or Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray?
posted by LittleMy at 11:02 AM on September 12, 2015

I think it depends on whether you plan to do other decorating or only painting. I've the most success choosing wall colour from a patterned textile in the room. All I can see is the dresser runner, and it looks like most of the colours in there are too dark considering the dark bed covering and dresser. If you're planning to hang patterned curtains and/or use throw pillows, I would suggest bringing fabric swatches to the paint store and having them colour match. If not, then the grey you have selected or something a little more greige (in keeping with your chalkboard) would be good.

Whatever you choose, paint large test patches on at least two walls (the light will really affect how the colour reads in your room).
posted by Frenchy67 at 11:08 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

I would do a very, very pale blue. Ideally with a little bit of green in it, but not all the way to a seafoam. Ice blue could also work, but I worry that it won't coordinate between your hot greenish blue dresser and your cool navy linens.

I'd keep your trim bright white.
posted by Sara C. at 11:10 AM on September 12, 2015 [2 favorites]

I would use the same color as the chalkboard paint. Darker brown or lighter for your bedding. After that, try to mix in olives or non-navy blues. A silverish theme with gold highlights could also work. Keep the moldings white for now, perhaps adding a white molding frame around the chalkboard.
posted by rhizome at 12:33 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

I lived in an apartment once that was painted a soft, cool gray instead of white on all the walls. It was a subtle color but the effect was extremely calming. If you're already leaning towards a gray I'd run with that.
posted by phunniemee at 12:59 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

That pale grey you linked is excellent. Almost all of the walls are pale to deep grey and there is just nothing more serene than soft grey walls, especially matte/unshiny. Just so great for a bedroom. It also does look great with turquoise and with brown as well.

You can always paint the chalkboard area over in black, too. Also, I think brown and turq look amazing with teal. Like, dark Philadelphia Eagles teal. I find it masculine and very rich.
posted by the webmistress at 1:04 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

If "calming" is not your thing and you love a riot of colors, sunflower yellow would be great. A loud yellow with a hint of orange in it, nothing lemony.
posted by Omnomnom at 1:09 PM on September 12, 2015

Almost all of the walls are pale to deep grey

^ Ooops that should say Almost all of the walls in my house.
posted by the webmistress at 1:10 PM on September 12, 2015

Practicality says you should paint it Crest blue or Colgate white. Makes minor repairs a breeze. Ref.: Rice U., Will Rice old dorm '88-'91.

Otherwise, Paint It Black. Not saying you should go Goth as a very Goth thing -- but flat black makes a fantastic high-contrast backdrop for stick-on glow-in-the dark stars and brightly-colored pop-art crap.

Or, you could paint it Bejamin Behr Valspar Dunn-Edwards Pratt Dutch Glidden Sherwin Tall Soy Latte Corporate Tool. You know, if you want.
posted by sourcequench at 3:13 PM on September 12, 2015

#ffef00 or #0047ab.

Canary yellow or cobalt.
posted by Splunge at 3:33 PM on September 12, 2015

Never, ever, ever paint a room anything in the tan to beige to mediocre yellow family. It always looks like trash, and usually it looks dirty and sad. There are a ton of off-whites that are blue-based or green-based and they do nice things as the light changes, but perhaps you'd like something more bold.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 4:30 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

Eggplant. Definitely eggplant.
posted by Edna Million at 5:12 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

Both are nice on the screen, and I like those colours in general, but 2nd Frenchy67 that there's no way to tell until you see them under your normal lighting conditions. If you're going to keep your blinds shut and aren't getting other lighting, slightly more saturated colours grounded in neutral tones (like this blue or this grey) might take away the dingy and depressing vibe that very pale colours can take on in dim light.

(But would definitely get more lighting/lamps, and would avoid using the overhead light. It's not great for the environment, but incandescent bulbs, if you can find them, give off a warm, mellow, inviting glow. Most of the energy efficient ones I've tried make everything look really sad and prison-y.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:47 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

Ok, going to be a rebel here, but for a second - just a minute! - would you consider going really bold? The dresser is a bold color, what if you matched its boldness with something like this, this or this?
posted by Toddles at 8:12 PM on September 12, 2015

I painted a downstairs room in Behr Silver Screen and loved it-- it's a pale silvery gray. My bedroom is painted in Behr Sea Cap-- very pale green sort of on the mint/aqua border-- and I like it a lot, too. Both rooms get a lot of light and have hardwood floors and trim. My living room is Martha Stewart Aegean Blue and if I had it to do over again I might go a shade or two lighter-- it doesn't get as much light-- but I still like it.
posted by nonasuch at 9:43 AM on September 13, 2015

Benjamin Moore Stonington Grey. It's a classic for a reason and will go well with your turquoise. BM Abalone is also a gorgeous, very very pale grey that would go nicely with your decor.
posted by barnone at 10:40 AM on September 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl. It's a lovely light gray that I think might have a slight SLIGHT greeny-blue undertone so it shifts with the light. We painted our living room this color and I haven't regretted it for a second. It's really nice.
posted by meggan at 11:45 AM on September 13, 2015

I like to use a palette site for inspiration before beginning a painting project. Especially since you're keying off of your existing turquoise and brown, palette sites can help you find combinations that just look right together, because a color pro has done the hard work already.

Since the turquoise is the stronger color, I found what looks like a similar shade and searched for coordinating palettes here.

Of course, no way to tell how close the turquoise I chose is to the actual -- screen translation is imperfect, and all that. But it gives you a wide range of options to react to, to help you figure out what you like.

I would go from there to paint chips, and make sure to live with a test swatch on your wall for a week or so, to see the color in varying light and help you feel comfortable with your choice.
posted by nadise at 12:10 PM on September 13, 2015