Fireplace Mantle need help with color and technique

Staticman2

Hi, I am brandy spankin new to this site, My wife and I just purchased a home and we are in the process of picking colors etc for it, I need some ideas and or advice on how to paint the fireplace mantle Currently the walls are yellow and the mantle on the fireplace is white (very ugly looking) with white trim. ceiling is white.

Our furniture is a chocolate brown with brown/Maroon/gold throw pillows and we have an area rug that will be going down with the same colors in it (there is black in the area rug as well), drapes are brown and a creamy white/light beige color alternating, the floors are a chestnut brown but on the light side of the shade hardwood and we plan on painting the walls either a dark gold or maroon and I was thinking about trying to match the shade of white/beige on the curtains for the trim, we are thinking of painting the mantle a glossy black but in any of your opinions how do you think that scheme would look? we thought of a very deep dark brown glossy paint for the mantle but it doesn't seem right to me.

Facts: 1) The walls will be either Maroon or dark gold (leaning towards maroon)

2) furniture, area rug and curtains are what they are.

3) any opinions on how this combo would look? any suggestions? and specific paint or technique we should be using to paint the mantle?

any and all suggestions and opinions will be read and appreciated. Thanks!

Jeeper1970

That's a lot of darkness. I'd use the gold color on the walls, and I like the brown on the fireplace vs. the black. Not sure I like a gloss finish, maybe a semi-gloss. Cream vs. beige trim? I'd probably have to see them to decide that, either would probably look good. Whatever sheen you use on the mantle, use for the trim as well.

If you do the walls in gold, you could do one wall in maroon as an accent.

Regardless of how you decide to do it, I like the color combination, post up a pic when your done!

nana23

I understand what you are saying about the white and how drab it appears. My house is a Victorian built in 1883. We have added alot of color since buying it 11 years ago. Everything was white and just icky!

Here is a photo of what I did to my fireplace (the room is different now but you get the idea).

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What I chose to do was take the color of the Bombay chest you see in front of the window to Sherwin Williams and they matched it exactly!! I took a drawer to them and they were able to match the paint color. The living room is a caremel color with lighter goldish trim work. Although it looks dark in this picture the room is very comfortable with lots of lights from windows. The ceiling is very detailed wood work. I don't know the term for it but people gasp when they look up the ceiling. It is really pretty but dark. My point is even though I painted dark colors it all worked. Pick colors from items in the room that YOU like. To me that is the key sometimes.

Staticman2

Thanks for the replies! nana, looking at your pic gave me the idea to do a color that is called "Spiced gingerbread" on the walls and we went with something called "Bittersweet chocolate" which is just a deep brown on the mantle and trim. around the room and we left white accents (window frames chocolate and the middle part of the windows are an off white, same with the bay window and parts of the front door) and we thought it was going to be too dark but it came out great! unfortunately my wife dropped our dig cam and now it only takes blurry pictures or else I would post a pic or 2 up, as soon as we get the camera squared away I will pop a few up here.

Thanks!

nana23

Hey Staticman2, Glad the visual worked for you! Please post when you get the cam fixed. Love to see everyone's pics. I'll have some to post soon of my kitchen remodel! Whew what a job!!! Arguing with granite peeps now to get the install done sooner than they would like. LOL Your colors sounds great and I can't wait to see what it looks like. Best part is that you are happy with it! KUDOS