What color should I paint the paneling?
by
Julie Husa
+3
What’s the best way to pick colors to paint rooms?
i just tiled my hallway & have wood paneling (bottom half of walls) & white walls on top. It doesn’t look right but I have no idea what color to paint it.
I agree that it doesn't look right. I would say because the area is too chopped up into too many parts, with too many different and competing colors. Also, the two largest darkest areas are presently broken up by the white light color baseboard.
Solution: paint the upper walls, doors and and the paneling the same light color. As the color tones of the new flooring appear to me to be in the 'cool' tones, as opposed to the 'warm tones', choose a light neutral color that is also in the 'cool' range.
If your budget permits, then replace either the hall light fixtures, or the bulbs in the fixtures, with LED lightbulbs which will give you a cleaner, more clear light, as opposed to the old time conventional incandescent bulbs which give off a yellowy hue.
I personally like the look of white-painted paneling...it’s amazing to me how it seems to update the look of a room as well as making it look lighter and brighter. Just my own opinion, of course!!
You'd be better off using light colors in this area since it is a small space and doesn't seem like there is a lot of natural light. You can load your picture into a color app (like Sherwin Williams-- I forget the name of the program) and get an idea of how various colors will look in the space.
If you have children/grandchildren, this could also be a decent option for chalkboard paint (multiple color options), or you could do a dry-erase paint (more expensive).
Try a lighter brown or earthtone color. Go to your local bldg supply stores or maybe Sherwin Williams & get all the paint samples you need for colors you like or may want to use.
After you have decided on 1 or 2, get some paint samples of your choices & try them on the wainscot to see what works & you like best. Then, get your paint & go for it.
The paneling is a wainscoting, which should be white along with the molding at the top and around the doors. I would leave the ceiling white and paint the upper walls either a light gray or griege (in the family of beige with a gray undertone). I would either paint your doors in white or the light gray. You could also attach some molding to the face of your doors to update them.
I would paint it white to match and blend in.