Ready to Give Up

Susan Kenneally
by Susan Kenneally
I cannot find a paint color- not beige, tan- to use in my "very little light" hallway. This is my skate looking floor. I've tried grey but it looks blue.
I put the wood up and painted it white to brighten the space up. What now?
  22 answers
  • Carla Miller Hills Carla Miller Hills on Sep 25, 2015
    Have you thought about a silver grey or a light charcoal. Or your could go with a pale rust. Or go with something that goes with the rest of your house. A gold or pretty much anything will go with a slate floor. Best of luck!
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 26, 2015
    If perhaps you have a piece of the tiling left you can take it with you to pull a color out of the tile. That always works for me.
  • Joanie Joanie on Sep 26, 2015
    A neutral sage green always works for a warm cozy effect.I think the white is what is throwing you off. Try painting the wainscoting a warmer white. Closer to the yellow, green side of the wheel. It is fighting with all the yellow tones of the wood work. I hope you find your answer here and don't give up.
  • Delanie Delanie on Sep 26, 2015
    Have you thought about a chocolate-y color? Would that be too dark for the space? Or maybe a "gold"? I'm talking about something like "Safari Tan" by Ralph Lauren, which is more gold than tan, or "Tobacco Road" by ummmm either Sherwin Williams or Duron, I can't remember which. I agree with Joanie that your wainscoting could be a little warmer white, at least from my view. Your slate is beautiful, as is your woodwork. You could also go dark grey. It depends on how much light you have coming in. Don't give up! Bring a piece of your slate, like Janet suggested, as have the paint store mix you a custom color. I've done that when I couldn't find a color I liked. It would also help if you brought either a piece of your wood trim and wainscoting or a good pic of it. Good luck! I know you will find just the right color....it will just click!
  • Elketrevilyan Elketrevilyan on Sep 26, 2015
    I thought of something dark and dramatic. But the doors are to country. I would not have two tone in a small area. American antique white!
  • Z Z on Sep 26, 2015
    I'd head to the paint store with the first picture on your phone and grab as many paint chips as you think might possibly even come close to matching one of the colors in the tile. With the lighting difference between home and store it's impossible to tell for sure, which is why I always grab ones that even somewhat close. If you have an extra tile as Janet mentioned, that would be even better to bring with you.
  • Joan Joan on Sep 26, 2015
    I agree with Becky, but if it's a dark area, maybe you don't want such dark walls. Get some paint chips in different tints of white and see what that does. If the wood panels are clear white, you can get plenty of contrast with another very light color, and brighten up the space.
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Sep 26, 2015
    I agree with Joanie that the white is throwing everything off. The white is too crisp with your wood door trim and slate floor. I also agree with the others about picking several shades of each color to bring home to try. For a low light hallway, I would opt for lighter colors over dark. I also like the idea of a sage green. I would choose a very light sage for the top and about 2-3 shades darker for the bottom. You could also do this with a warm cream or 'greige' like Sherwin Williams' Pediment. Also, there is no rule that says you have to paint the two halves of your walls a different color. You can paint both parts the same color and let the texture of the two be the difference. If you find a color you like, you can use it for one part of the wall and then have the paint store light or darken that shade to give you a different tone without having to choose a different color.
  • Kris bunch Kris bunch on Sep 27, 2015
    Your doors in the hallway are beautiful. I think some shade with a gold tone would go well with your doors and blend with the slate floor. Gray is popular now, but doe not look nice with everything. Check out Monroe bisque at Benjamin's Moore. It is a soft neutral gold and you can ask anybody to color match to save money.
  • Tracy Tracy on Sep 27, 2015
    This same tile is in a bathroom at work and the walls are a beige/yellow. Very pretty.
  • Kea Interiors Kea Interiors on Sep 27, 2015
    Have you considered a more warm color? Try Benjamin Moore Georgian Brick that would be gorgeous against your wood...if you want a gray colored paint...choose one that does not have a blue undertone
  • Susan Kenneally Susan Kenneally on Sep 28, 2015
    My wainscoting is creamy and my floor looks nothing like this with the lights off. I have no natural light there either. I think I change colors all over my house too much! Good idea to take a tile to the store. Thanks!
  • Wanda sinnema Wanda sinnema on Sep 28, 2015
    part pf the problem may be your lightening... different bulbs cast different lighting colors.. what looks great in the store lightening ( cool hue) may look totally different in your hall. depending if you use LED, old fashioned incandescent, or fluorscen bulbst..Once you find a color, you can always have them mix it 1/2 or 1/4 of tint.. and go back to darken it with the other 1/4 or 1/2..You can ask them also if you find several you like for the colors in it.. if they look toooo blue,, avoid one with lots of blue in the tint go to more of the putty shades. I would take a tile as suggested.. Since your wainscoating is creamy that leads you to a warmer shade rather than a cooler shade.. I had the exact problem with tan,, everything looked peach when it went on..
  • Susan Kenneally Susan Kenneally on Sep 28, 2015
    Thanks Wanda
  • JannG JannG on Oct 02, 2015
    Absolutely yes take a tile sample to the store but instead of paint chips, I'd pick up a few paint samples and foam boards. Paint the larger foam boards, stand them against the wall and look at them for a few days. Be sure to stand them away from each other so they can't influence the impact of each other. Paint chips are just too small to give a true impression of what you'll end up with. Paint samples and foam boards are an inexpensive time saver. If none of the paint samples is quite right, take your tile and the foam board you like best back to the store and choose a few more colors around whats on the foam board. For me, second time around has always hit the best.
  • Jonnie Hammon Jonnie Hammon on Oct 04, 2015
    Have you used a good bonding primer on it, before painting? What's behind the paint, can affect the color. The lighting changes the color as well. Talk to your paint store manager. He will probably have some more suggestions.
  • Robin Robin on Oct 05, 2015
    While I cannot help, I share your pain! I had a similar problem in my hall searching for the right gold color. Three years and over 15 tries I finally mixed my own from various tries. Good luck and just keep at it, one day you will find it.
    • Susan Kenneally Susan Kenneally on Oct 05, 2015
      Thanks Robin. I've done the mixing trick several times. These ceilings are over 10 ft and I'm just exhausted from trying to find one that makes me feel good!
  • JannG JannG on Oct 06, 2015
    Susan, you might try having Home Depot or Lowes do a color match on the biggest grey area that you can find on the sample tile you take into the store just to see what their match says and which chips come closest. I'd be curious to see which color family that would put you in. From there you'd have a better idea of your complimentary colors. You might be surprised where you end up.
  • Casey Casey on Oct 07, 2015
    My mother had a similar problem in her home and had a color custom created. It is essentially one gallon of white semi-gloss paint with roughly 5 drops black in it, it comes out as a VERY VERY light grey color. It has made a huge difference in opening up her hallway and has actually become a house hold favorite. It does pick up the colors around it but not so much that it would darken the hallway.
  • Susan Kenneally Susan Kenneally on Oct 07, 2015
    Will find a good tile and try it
  • Barbara Brehm Barbara Brehm on Oct 12, 2015
    Some colors go with everything. Like sky blue, Pale sunshine. and pale leaf green. Nature.
  • Susan Kenneally Susan Kenneally on Oct 13, 2015
    Barbra- I think my problem is I repaint every 2 years and have used every color I like already! I think grey is probably bad because of its lifeless base but I'm hooked on grey right now. This area is off kitchen which is a lively green and an adjoining step area is another color. Thanks- still looking