Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Quandary

In my last post I showed you a few photos of our living room, including this one of a pair of wooden chairs that sit across from my new sofa. They were looking pretty shabby when I purchased them so I had every intention of painting them. But after scrubbing them real good and plopping them down, I actually like the look of the plain wood. Then again, almost every piece of furniture in the room is dark wood. The sofa, desk and chair, piano, shelves, top of coffee table, buffet, dining table and chairs- even the laminate floors are dark! So the way they are now, they're just lost among all that dark wood. So as much as I like the wood look of these chairs, I'm still leaning towards painting them. In fact, tonight I went to Home Depot and had some paint mixed up. It's called Moonlit Pool by Behr and I think it would look fabulous on those babies. Something of a risk, I know, but that's what I want. This room needs some color! I think they'd also look stunning in a dove or charcoal gray, Heirloom White (like the base of my coffee table, as per Lora's suggestion), or even black (though I don't have a stitch of black furniture in my whole house). I would bring this color in elsewhere, too, like in sofa pillows and artwork, so the chairs wouldn't be the only dark teal items in the room. And what about that side table?? I somehow managed to overlook the fact that the chairs sit right next to another painted piece of furniture- one that is already a shade of blue that might not get along real well with this new Moonlit Pool character. So I need some help. What should I do about those chairs?



  • A) Take a risk, give the room a punch of color and paint them in that lovely shade of teal, and replace the side table (not a bad thing- you know how much I love changing out furniture).

  • B) Take less of a risk and paint them gray so that they're not quite so bold but still painted; keep or replace the side table.

  • C)Paint them a safe, subdued, neutral color (like ivory) that will allow them to completely blend in with the room (and possibly the background...); keep the side table.

  • D) Don't paint them at all and embrace their warm, dark-woodedness; keep the side table.

  • E) Some other brilliant idea that one of you comes up with!


Help me, please! Leave your vote in the comments, I'm begging you!

13 comments:

Amy Bahnmiller said...

I think that they would be better suited painted grey. The blue color that's so pretty wouldn't have justice done on those chairs, however a pillow that color rested in the chairs once painted grey would be fantastic. Pop of white details on those pillows... I think the blue paint would be fabulous on a more sturdy piece of furniture like a nightstand or desk... (lack of better ideas for larger items)

Janie said...

Go with your gut...I'm voting A. I think the teal with pop with the table and rug. It's only paint and it can be redone if you just hate it.

Janie
www.romanticdomestic.blogspot.com

Amy Bahnmiller said...

keep the table though, I love it - perhaps paint that thing the blue color as there is more wood to showcase that gorgeous color, and paint the chairs grey (distress)

Jake & Lisa Danes said...

I say either A or Amy's second comment.

Sue said...

I think they would tie the room together painted white but leaving the seats natural like the table.

Prairie Mama said...

Ooooo I'm diggin the teal. I love teal and even purchased a teal area rug last year that I just love. I agree with Janie, go with your gut! You can always change it later if you don't like it.

So glad you purchased the stools. I went and purchased 4 more the day I linked them to you because they were such a good deal.

Anonymous said...

when you are confused like this my only advice is to wait and just forget about them for awhile, then the answer will come to you very easily, your furniture will talk to you and will tell you what they want (lol) seriously, please wait. and although everyone had great ideas, the ideas should come from you!

Anonymous said...

oh, try going to a material store and/or even getting a couple of towels in the paint colors you are thinking about and drape them over the chairs for a couple of days to see from your minds eye how they might look after being painted!

Anonymous said...

p.s. they do look pretty just the way they are if you decide not to paint ! :)

Tawna said...

I think the wood is fabulous against the painted side table. I think the power lies in the coffee table. Paint that thing a shade of yellow that you love...the chairs feel right, and I love your sofa. Golds, blues (especially gray ones) natural wood, and shades of white are beautiful combination. It the coffee table is a jolt of color, it will give the room some excitement! Thanks for letting me comment!

Tawna (Joni Hansen's little sister)

Rachel Fisher said...

I think you should keep the end table...and make the chairs darker, richer brown and then really distress them...have fun!!!

Anonymous said...

I say go with your instinct..The first one..If ya don't like how they turn out you can always sand,re-stain and do them a darker wood color..Can't wait to see what you decide..

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