Looking for paint color suggestions

Laurie Brennan
by Laurie Brennan
I just did an accent wall in my dining room using a metallic plaster treatment (Lusterstone) in a color called "Charred Olive". The plaster is trowelled on to give variations of light/dark and shiny/matte..It almost looks like a metallic suede. In the evening light it looks like a very dark olive, however in full daylight it appears much more gold. I have only used the treatment for one wall and looking for suggestions for the remainder of the space. It is a combination living room/dining room. My current wall color is gold, and although it doesn't clash there may be a better color option.
This is the finish in evening light
This photo shows the finish in full daylight along with my existing wall color
Another view in full daylight
  13 answers
  • Jean Blakeley-Cook Jean Blakeley-Cook on Feb 01, 2015
    personally, I would go with a very light color, such as an off white/antique white to create more contrast between the olive/gold and the other walls.
    • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 01, 2015
      @Jean Blakeley-Cook Thanks for your input Jean. I had thought of an antique/warm white to contrast with the finish. I am just a little hesitant to go that light as I have a toddler, an 80 year old and several pets in the home. I do think it would look beautiful though.
  • Country Design Home Country Design Home on Feb 01, 2015
    Very cool technique, Laurie! I have never seen that before and it does give the wall a whole new dimension. I am thinking that you need to stay away from gold and green so that your focus wall stands out. It looks to me as if you have some black furniture in there, so how about a very soft gray (with green undertones) that will enhance that wall. From the photos, it appears that there is quite a bit of gray in the wall as well. The lighter you paint the other walls, the more your metallic wall will stand out. This color, Storm Cloud Gray http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/stormcloudgrayby Benjamin Moore, is a soft gray with green undertones that might work, or perhaps something in that family but a little bit lighter like Moonshine if you want something a little lighter. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/stormcloudgray
    • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 01, 2015
      @Sue@CountryDesignHome Great suggestions Sue...I think I am leaning toward a soft shade similar to those you mentioned. The wall is very hard to photograph..I would say it is a deep bronze with olive tones and shades of metallic antique gold. Yes my furniture is dark expresso and my baseboards are black.
  • Wanda.ll Wanda.ll on Feb 01, 2015
    I would go with a shade of grey or a beige grey too.
  • Kat1171551 Kat1171551 on Feb 01, 2015
    I like Peacock teal colors and shades. This would bring in some interest. Depends on the style of furnishings you live with. Art Deco, French Country, industrial....?
    • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 01, 2015
      @Katherineadams I love that colour palette as well Katherine. I will be doing my bedroom in the same Lusterstone finish for an accent wall in a deep peacock shade and am very excited about that! I have also just finished a bathroom in our house in Tiffany Blue, charcoal and silver. I think my husband will divorce me if he starts to feel like he is living in the "house of turquoise" so I want to keep this room a little more masculine. I may however try some small pops of teal. I have noticed a trend of warm and cool blues/greens being used together quite often lately, just not sure I want to go as permanent as wall colour for the trend. Thanks for your great suggestions.
  • Chrissie Antonio Chrissie Antonio on Feb 01, 2015
    You may think I am crazy but, there are some reds out there that rock with the color gold you have! They have a hint of Violet . One is at Ace Hardware & it is called Red Energy. I have done this one with that gold you have & it is so pretty,
    • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 01, 2015
      @Chrissie Antonio I couldn't find the particular red you were talking about Chrissie, but I have seen this colour paired with a bordeaux type shade and it looked stunning!
  • Lori Lori on Feb 01, 2015
    I'm thinking, pick the lightest colour out of the metalic wall and go a shade lighter in the same family. That wall is going to stand out no matter what you do so I don't think you need contrast or it might be jarring.
    • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 01, 2015
      @Lori I agree Lori..I have seen this finish paired often with white and to me it is too much of a stark contrast...I believe it needs something warmer.
  • Chrissie Antonio Chrissie Antonio on Feb 01, 2015
    Laurie, yea it is an older color I got years ago while working at ace. If you just go to the paint counter & tell them the name of the color , they can look it up on the computer & find it for ya. I used to work in the paint dept. It was a great job for me. My living room was a different color every year! LOL.... I love to paint & am thinking of painting my room if I sign another lease where I am. I think I will go for a pink or peach color.
  • STLsportsLady STLsportsLady on Feb 01, 2015
    I would go with a lite silver gray.
  • Rose Rose on Feb 01, 2015
    I would go with a light color but stay away from any green even if its light in color. You worked hard on that wall so let it shine.
  • ..I was also thinking a ' warm ' grey , as Sue mentioned.... so as not to be too stark. Not a DARK grey, a warm grey...there are many hues and undertones in paint colors, so I would suggest get small samples of each color you wish to use....paint them on the same wall, but not right next to one another...see how each looks in all kinds of light .
  • Debbie Debbie on Feb 01, 2015
    A grey or beige to pick up those tones. Your wall is stunning.
  • PattyV PattyV on Feb 01, 2015
    I believe your wall will stand out on its own. My suggestion would be to make a smooth transition from one wall to another. Therefore I would pick the lighest color on your textured wall which could be an olive color (hard to tell from picture). Maybe paint some of the initial color onto some wood as a sample and bring to your paint store. I really think it would be more appealing to the eye and would compliment the wall rather than showcase it.
  • Laurie Brennan Laurie Brennan on Feb 02, 2015
    Thank you all for your great advice. I did a sample board and took it to the paint store and chose the lightest shade in my plaster finish as the wall colour for the rest of the room (as several of you suggested) and a warm white for trim.