Comments on: Suzy’s Dilemma

By: Design Strategies » Suzy’s Dilemma–Solved.

Design Strategies » Suzy’s Dilemma–Solved. — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:41:39 +0000

[...] you remember Suzy’s Dilemma? She wrote to me describing the trouble she was having getting her brand new Kitchen to [...]

By: Cyndy

Cyndy — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:28:49 +0000

I can’t wait to see pictures of this! That’s a gorgeous blue/green and I think the brown will be very exciting in your family room. I just painted a room in my basement a blue that is on the dark side of medium. It definitely made the walls recede (an the room actually looks bigger now). It’s a good effect especially when there’s good lighting. Tell your husband he needs to be brave – his friends will be impressed!

By: Suzy

Suzy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:30:29 +0000

Just updating…put the green up – looks beautiful. Stopped painting to make way for the guys to put in the floors and backsplash. Almost done! Looks great – except that wallpaper has got to go. The more we look at it, the more it just ruins the look of the new kitchen. It just adds too much “busy-ness” with the backsplash. So, I guess I know what my next project is!!

By: Denise Smith

Denise Smith — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:15:33 +0000

Hi Suzy! I am so glad you went out and got samples already. For what it’s worth, your husband is normal. I run into tons of skittish men in my business. Painting the walls so he can visualize it is a good idea, just be sure to do an area where the paint will take up an entire area. You don’t want a lot of the current color throwing the color off.

I have actually used all three of the lighter browns you have chosen. I do think they could work. Not sure off the top of my head which would be best, but since you already purchased the samples, you might as well try.

Painting the hall AND the Family Room gold is also an option, but the most boring one.
Good luck and keep us posted! This is the most decorating I have ever done from a distance. It’s kind of fun…

By: Suzy

Suzy — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:57:55 +0000

So, I picked up the trim color today, and also pint samples of each of the colors you recommended – including the brown! I can’t wait to get it on the walls.
However, the ‘ol hubby is just convinced he won’t like the brown…so, if he just can’t deal with it, what could an alternative be? Put the gold in the family room and something else in the hall? Put a lighter brown in the family room? I picked up the paper samples of davenport tan, alexandria beige and whitall brown. I don’t think any of these would have the same impact as the middlebury, but would one of them still work? I have not shown them to him yet (I want to get the dark on the wall first), but he may find something like the alexandria more palatable. What do you think?

By: Suzy

Suzy — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:07:46 +0000

Thanks Rebecca for the confidence booster!! I can’t wait to go get some samples and paint it on. Darn new snow forecast – not sure if I can get there tomorrow….
And Denise, thanks for mentioning that the brown “recedes”…my Mom is convinced “dark colors make a room look smaller”…and I am not sure that is always true. The wall that has the double door also has a double window – so there is actually very little wall on that side. I will keep you posted!

By: Denise Smith

Denise Smith — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:57:06 +0000

Awwww Rebecca! You’re makin’ me blush! Thank you.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:54:06 +0000

Suzy, trust Denise. She picked a green for my kitchen and I was going to faint. But I will be darned if it isnt GORGEOUS and everyone that has seen it loves it. She also picked a brown for our bedroom (huge room with vaulted celings) and it worked great too. I have just learned to TRUST DENISE

By: Denise Smith

Denise Smith — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:05:30 +0000

I forget to tell you, Suzy, that brown on walls tends to recede. The color never looks as intense when it completely covers the walls as it does on the little swatch. Maybe this will help you convince him…

By: Suzy

Suzy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:21:26 +0000

Wow, you work fast! I love the choices! Now I need to talk my husband into trying it…he’ll be very nervous about the brown. I’ll be sure to send “after” pictures!!