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The perfect brown - is there one?

3K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  yummy mummy 
#1 ·
I painted a bedroom in my house what I though was the loveliest chocolate color (from the card it looked good) - only to find once we refinished floors with a cherry stain and the light that came in thru the windows (double windows on two walls north and east facing) that my perfect brown has a greenish greyish undertone. (I swear it almost looks like a dark olive drab green at times!)

Now I understand the trial and error thing but my husband is not wanting to repaint (this room being about the 5th time) so if I do this again I have to get it right this time.

Anyone have any color suggestions thru Sherwin Williams for a rich brown color without grey / green undertones? (I have already had the drapes made with the color combo of brown and light sky blue so I have to stick to something in that line!) Or maybe someone could give me a direction to go with this color choice - something that will go well with the cherry floor and the drapes!)
 
#3 ·
I did my sons room in Ralph Lauren Burlap - wonderful color, but I was trying for another color other than a tan. I know that the floors are really staring me in the face with no furniture in there - but the wall color that I was not crazy about to begin with is hideous to me at this point!

I will look at some other "tannish" colors though - I know that Ralph Lauren sells small bags of paint for experimenting - maybe Sherwin WIlliams does too!

Thanks for the advice! Will look in that direction.
 
#4 ·
There is such a color as "perfect brown", don't know who carries it though.

Get an experienced color person at sherwin williams to listen to you about the greenish tone. He should be able to help you tune into the undertones at the store. Depending on what shade of brown, you will see green, red or yellow undertones. It will be perfectly reasonable for you to ask about a brown with less green and more red.

Also, look at the exterior browns. Not all shades of brown are available for interior painting. Some browns can only be achieved using chemicals suitable for outdoors, but aren't really "dangerous" for interior painting. You will need to ventilate.

Hope this helps.
 
#8 ·
Don't look at the color samples is you living room or other convenient place.

Take them to the room you will be in and put them on the wall you will be covering and make sure other materials and colors are adjacent.

After all that, look at them with daylight coming in and also with artificial light. After that, then change the lighting (pink, cold light, warm light, CF, etc.) to get an idea of what could happen. Color is not absolute - it is a relative thing!

If it does not work after all that, you better repaint.
 
#9 ·
So I went to Sherwin Williams this weekend and got a couple of browns and a pretty blue that blended with the fabrics - after painting patches on the wall - I discovered that I liked them all. Solution - I striped one wall with all 3 colors (accent wall) - looked at them several times during the day (and at night) to see the effect light played on my choices. I must say - with sore gluts and all - I am very proud of my handiwork. If I knew how to load pics on this thing I would show all of you who have been so helpful!

From showing me the sites that let you interact with color to explaining the various lighting that I would have to look at - all of it has helped me make what I think is a good choice. Now - any volunteers to help me paint the other 3 walls? (HAHA)

THANKS FOR THE HELP!
 
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