What colors to paint this room?

Val Mohney
by Val Mohney
This is our first guest bedroom. I wish I had taken pix before Chad taped and mudded it. He did a great job. Wow. Anyway, as a photographer you'd think I would have better ideas about paint color.
What would you recommend for colors? The building was built in 1900. The wall to the right is the original old school (then Grange) wall. There is the original rail (wainscoting?) halfway up the wall that goes throughout the building. I know we want to have the rail, window frames, trim and crown moulding all stand out.
Open to suggestions and combinations. Thank you!
Guest Bedroom
  9 answers
  • Z Z on Sep 24, 2014
    I'd recommend picking the bedding first and find a color from that.
  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Sep 24, 2014
    Think I'd be using drop cloths to protect the floors which look in very good condition while you're working on the room.
  • Maria S Maria S on Sep 24, 2014
    Take a look at Sherwin Williams 'Sea Salt' (in satin!!! EZ to clean!). It's a great neutral color and sometimes plays as blue and other times a green. It's a gray green/blue but super neutral and feels very clean and airy. You could even paint the wall to the right (it looks like it has a board & batten feel) S-W Pure White (in Semi-Gloss) as well as all the other trim. Then just use some simple quilts found on sites like One Kings Main or Joss & Main. They periodically have great closeouts on high end bedding. You could do some creamy gold sheets with a white/off-white quilt on the top. Then get a fuzzy soft fur-like blanket for the end of the bed. Talk about an inviting guest room!!!! Good Luck @Val Mohney
  • Carole Carole on Sep 24, 2014
    Go neutrals. The room is rather narrow and if you put strong colours on the wall it could make the room feel rather claustrophobic. Neutrals will allow you more colour choice with your bed linen and knick knacks to dress the room. I would also keep the trim and rail etc neutral like the walls rather than have them stand out. This will help the room look bigger. Do please protect those lovely floors while you work on this room. Too easy to scratch and damage them or drip paint on them. Good luck and hope you post when the room is done and dressed for guests. Neutrals in the room will also be better for guests to get a good nights sleep in that room as anything too bright or busy does not aid sleep.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 24, 2014
    I would paint 3 sides and the top part of the original wall a pretty dove gray...which is actually very neutral and will take just about any color bedding.
  • Val Mohney Val Mohney on Sep 26, 2014
    I love the ideas! And that sea salt paint...I got a lot out of playing with the SW color visualizer. I thought it might help to share one of the bedspreads...they are all sort of the same...antique'ish.
  • Pamela Golden Pamela Golden on Jan 07, 2015
    Gray walls are in the thing right now, however, for a guest room I don't think it would work. Sherwin Williams has a lovely green shade, Softened Green. I think that walls would be beautiful and really pop with white woodwork.
  • Dannielle Dannielle on May 24, 2020

    light and cozy color

  • Dee Dee on Jan 15, 2021

    I would go with Sherwin Williams Sea Salt or light sage green in eggshell.. Green is a soothing color for a bedroom. I always use pure white for trim. Or find a quilt or comforter set that you absolutely love, and pick a color from the bedding for the walls.