Buying a resale in Florida, how do I make it bright, airy, and warm?
by
Penny Hughes
+26
The home we are buying is currently very dark. I want to put up wainscoting, going up about 5 feet, on the dining room, great room and hallway walls, painting it white. The color above the wainscoting is going to be either gray or blue. We are taking out the carpet and putting wood laminate in the great room and 20 by 20 tile in the kitchen, breakfast nook and laundry room. I'm trying to decide between this pewter color or the dark gray for the sectional couch. My husbands recliner is dark gray. Here are some pictures of the home,with the current owners belonging.
Entry want to add waincoting,a bench and hooks to the wall. Wood laminate throughout this space.paint the door??
Kitchen cabinets to be stained darker,or painted white or gray. New counters,not sure what yet. Any ideas??Have ordered stainless appliances. New white 20 by 20 tile on floor. Color on walls??
I will be putting a white entrainment center on this wall ,with the sectional floating in the room.
The dining room will have the waincoting and maybe slightly darker paint color?
This door leads out to the pool,see how dark?? I really want it bright!
This is the sectional which color?? It's just the two of us,but I do have 3 wonderful grandchildren. M afraid the dark gray will be to dark?
Breakfast nook?
26 answers
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My suggestion is to decide what color flooring before you do anything else.If you chose gray it my appear dark. You mentioned you wanted to lighten up the place. Try soothing colors.Pinterest and house has many inspirations for color.
Janet Pizaro
on Aug 13, 2015
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Well my suggestion is the first thing that needs to be done is to remove all of your heavy, dark window treatments...take everything down except blinds where you have them & step back to see the rooms in much more natural light before you decide what colors and tones to put in these rooms...also sliding glass doors do not need anything on top & should be left bare to maximize view to the yard or patio & bring in light. I would look at Houzz and Pinterest for lots of terrific, modern ideas to brighten up your space! Good Luck!
Jan Loehr
on Aug 13, 2015
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Thank you for your ideas :) all of the window treatments are going with the current owners so will be there when I moved in, thank goodness !lol
Penny Hughes
on Aug 13, 2015
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I wouldnt do wainscoat any higher than table i think it will make the room look shorter. I would go pewter/silver color on couch. I would paint cab dk grey...i did this with ss app and white and i lov it
Moxie
on Aug 13, 2015
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The basic rule of thumb for wainscoting generally is 1/3 or 2/3 up the wall. 1/2 way up makes the room shorter. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20304701-5,00.html If you are planning on painting a darker colour on the wall, I would do the 2/3 wainscoting in a light shade like white. I agree with @Moxie on the couch and cabinet colours...you could go grey on the wall above the wainscotting, but then the white ceiling will make the grey wall look like a stripe. Removing those curtains as others have said will make a huge difference.
B. Enne
on Aug 13, 2015
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Here's my 2 cents...For all the colors I chose light to very light colors because it will make the rooms seem bigger. . For the BLUE colors... https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532621093403889757/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/473511348291131545/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/180707003774669475/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/262405115764601420/ For GREY colors...You might want to check these out... https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532621093406456445/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/504262489501571346/ For the WHITE...For doors, trim and windows. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532621093406456454/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532621093406456444/ You can change the window treatments to sheers to give you privacy until you figure out what you want to do that is more permanent. Hope this helps.
Kayo Frazier
on Aug 13, 2015
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Pick your countertop first. You'll see colors in that which you can pull out to get the right wall paint color. As for the cabinets, whether painting or staining, once you pick the countertop, picking what to do for those also will be easier.
CK
on Aug 13, 2015
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Thank you for your advice,I didn't know about the measurement for waincoting. And trust me all of the window treatments will be new :)
Penny Hughes
on Aug 13, 2015
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I would use laminate flooring throughout. This makes the home look larger. They have some wonderful light driftwood colors. I would go with a slipcover sofa in white. I have 4 grandchildren and a dog and cat. They wash wonderfully . Don't be afraid. I life at the beach but bought and/or painted my furniture black adding some buffalo check, curtains and pillows. This neutral pallet allows me to add any color accent I feel like that month.
Liz Weiss
on Aug 14, 2015
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We live in Central Florida and bought a house with carpet on a concrete slab. We worked with a contractor and I asked for wood laminate flooring to replace the carpet. He said the wood laminate would buckle on the slab. We went with a glue down (wood look) vinyl. It comes in strips just like wood laminate. I love this flooring. You wash it with water. We have had No problems at all in four years. Our neighbor put in a wood laminate floor and had to take it out when it buckled. Our contractor also installed ceiling can lights for a brighter interior for us. Yours in art, Pamela
Sweet Pea Studio
on Aug 14, 2015
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I would go as light as possible with the paint. Add splashes of color with rugs, curtains, pillows and other accessories. Painting the cabinets white or light grey would freshen up the kitchen big time. Good luck!
Lu Ann Schoner Higgins
on Aug 14, 2015
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I would keep everything light, whites and or light grays. There is a new flooring product that is vinyl that looks like wide wood planks called Karndean Country Oak, that would look good throughout your rooms.
Terry
on Aug 14, 2015
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We put in our house recently and love the finish, and a bonus it's waterproof. We had water damage in May and had to replace our tile and carpet in kitchen, dining and living rooms. The product is so easy to clean and matches most all colors. Good luck with your project. (we did get the glue down product)
Terry
on Aug 14, 2015
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keep the color of the walls pale gray or white to make it light without being busy. It will seem more airy that way.
Me
on Aug 14, 2015
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You could safely go with the darker sofa against the white wainscoting, then add lighter, colorful throw pillows. You need some contrast and texture for interest, otherwise it could end up looking too bland.
Colette Johnston
on Aug 14, 2015
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How about white, light gray with a hint of green. Accent color, coral would be beautiful.
861650
on Aug 14, 2015
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As Terry said, keep all the colors in furniture, floors, walls light. I would take laminate flooring instead of carpet any time. Make sure you buy quality; the cheaper ones are not waterproof, unlike what the salesperson might tell you.
Liliana Wells
on Aug 14, 2015
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@Penny Hughes just removing those awful curtains is going to lighten up room,wainscoting would look awesome and and lighter or darker on your furniture would have to be offset by the colors of your walls and coral sound like a florida home to me xx
Chris aka monkey
on Aug 14, 2015
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Light paint in all rooms, light colored laminate floor and be happy those curtains/drapes are going with the previous owner. Not sure I would do wainscoating but if it is chair height it might be okay...painted white of course, with a light colored paint above
Pat
on Aug 14, 2015
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You have a lot of choices to make! My first reaction was that I would paint your kitchen cabinets white. That would brighten the kitchen area and tie in with the white entertainment center you mentioned. I would lighten up the house with the paint colors. I tend to be very neutral and add color in small places, like chair cushions or pillows and accessories. I love light, bright, airy homes! One of my latest hints from a blogger was to look at your house to see where you could add windows or french doors...something most of us wouldn't consider. One thing my Florida friends suggest is keeping the home to your taste; be careful to not over-do the "Florida" look. good luck!
Gretchen Mercer
on Aug 14, 2015
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What a beautiful home! You might want to just live there a few weeks or months, to see how the light plays throughout the day. That would help you evaluate where you want the lighter and darker colors and pieces. The dark drapes and valances are eating up a lot of light. Changes there could help, possibly no valances - just lighter panels (especially if combined with shades). If you're normally a valance gal, hanging your panels closer to the ceiling could be a great substitute. If you're keeping the counter tops light and the floor will be white, a mid-tone cabinet color could work. All dark cabinets may add too the problem. If you feel everything is too dark, you may want to stay with mostly lighter hues and colors, and bring the darker (brighter) tones in with your accents. Again, a very nice place. Hope you post the After pictures :)
Cheryl @ Artzzle
on Aug 14, 2015
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Get any magazine that features coastal living,check out the photos for ideas.You won't see much dark at all but great ideas.
Barbara C
on Aug 15, 2015
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go with light and bright
Pamela Langone
on Aug 17, 2015
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Get rid of anything dark and depressing,such as drapes dark furniture,cabinets, carpet, any thing that drags you down.Bright,light,sunny,beachy colors even if you are not at the beach.
Barbara C
on Aug 18, 2015
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What updates have you done so far, Penny? It would be fun to see them :)
Cheryl @ Artzzle
on Sep 24, 2015
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Well it has been a journey so far,but it's been worth it. We are waiting for the counters to be redone in the kitchen and bathrooms,so there is still more to do,but so far we ripped out all of the carpets and vinyl,putting wood laminet in the livingroom and my craft room. The same tile thru the baths and kitchen. Tomorrow the carpet comes for the bedrooms,my husband insisted we get carpet! We primmed all the walls twice and then 2 coats of paint! But here are some pictures,so far.. Thanks for asking 😀
Penny Hughes
on Sep 24, 2015
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