We are doing a super major remodel in our manufactured home to accommodate DH's wheelchair. Our walls have a vinyl "wall paper". We are using "Gripper" as a primer and I want to brighten the walls due to lack of sunlight, especially in the kitchen. The living area and kitchen are connected and I want to carry a nice color throughout but the new shades really do not reflect "me". I'm not a blue person and the rustics just aren't all that great looking to me. The bathroom are done, as is our study. Our DD's room has paint selected. Our bedroom is another area of mystery - poor lighting, cramped quarters. I'm greens, reds, yellows,with a bit of gold sparkle. Yep, Christmas. Any suggestions?

Yarncrazy102: I think if you went with various golds, creams and browns and then did a red accent color with lots of fabrics and lamp lighting it would be beautiful.

I have a kitchen/living room combo that I'm having a difficult time 'accessorating'. We have black appliances, covered our sofa and loveseat in denim, and our walls are 'dusty apricot'. The colors I'd like to add are pink (not too flashy, though) and pale yellow. Any suggestions for above the cabinets, artwork, etc.?

Valspar used to make a wonderful coating for slate walks. I haven't been able to find it anymore, and wondered if it goes by another name.

Valspar used to make a wonderful coating for slate walks. I haven't been able to find it anymore, and wondered if it goes by another name.

We have a living room carpet that is a medium light North Woods Green( color of a blue spruce green) deep wine leather sofa and matching chair, multi color( blue greens, rose, wine, beige floral rocker and light rose easy chair. We are going to paint, have a large wall open stairway going to lower level,what do you suggest we paint the large wall and living room so it all blends and is a striking appearance. Our kitchen is open, vaulted ceiling, that is seen from the living room, would like to do a burgundy(lighter shade) or something to blend with the living room color, I am very tired of off white and need color in my life. Any suggestions? Thank you! Carolyn

Carolyn, there is a great color called Cocoa Rose - was either Laura Ahsley or Ralph Lauren, but any Home Depot, Lowe's can find the color for you. It goes great with Burgundy, Blue, Gold, any neutral color and it so rich and classy. Ck it out.

I have a country-look condo with antiques. I'm planning to paint the walls a soft gold/yellow. With golden oak laminate floors what type and color of area rugs would you recommend?
Thank you in advance for your help.

Susan Everett

Hi Yarncrazy 102:

I’m the color consultant referenced in the piece above and wanted to offer another suggestion in addition to Barbara’s (which I also loved). Try a warm off-white in the kitchen to make things bright and fresh. Use the highest sheen possible like a semi-gloss to give it a kick and really reflect any of the light that’s available. For the adjoining living room maybe try a warm, light, neutral green. And for the mystery bedroom - you have little natural lighting and you like red so…go bold! Try one wall (like the one where the headboard is) in a true, deep red with the other walls in a mid-range neutral green. Then sparkle up the room with gold accents.

Hi Carolyn,

Again, I’m the color consultant referenced above and wanted to provide a few ideas. To give your home a big dramatic element, I suggest painting your open stairway wall in a color that would correspond with the burgundy sofa and chair. Try a rich color like a garnet red. Paint it in a satin finish so light will reflect off the deep hue. For the living room, try a neutral taupe or mocha that will bring both the furnishings and rug together. And for the kitchen with the vaulted ceiling, try going lighter to give the sense of expansion with a light, warm green color.

Ann McGuire

I read in a recent magazine that Iris Blue is the 'new' color for 2008 however you don't feature it... am I wrong? I loved blue in our previous home and would like to use it again.

I have a couch and chair covered in Toile red for the great room. What color rug should I use ? I have been shying away from the persians due to the busy design????

I saw on the "Today Show" a paint that you can have sprayed over your appliances to have them look stainless steel. Do you know where I can find this paint?

The stainless steel paint is not a spray. Go to www.liquidstainlesssteel.com. I was interested in it too!

To yarncrazy 102: We are in the midst of painting every room in the house. We also have a connected kitchen/living room. For that area we did a goldy mustard yellow color on the wall which I absolutely love. We also painted the kitchen cabinets red which looks amazing especially next to the gold on the wall. We had dark wood trim which we painted pure white (even around the windows-basically every piece of woodwork in the house is now or soon will be white). It really brightened up the entire house. I highly recommend it if your woodwork is dark, too. The master bedroom is our next project which I intend to do in a very light brown along with painting all the wood white. What about a pale yellow in your bedroom with white accents? Also you mention gold sparkle. I saw at Lowe's packets of sparkle that you actually just mix right into your paint color. They have the swatches so you can see how it will look. I still may do that somewhere in the house. Good luck with the remodel & feel free to use any of our ideas.

Just wondering I have dusty rose carpet in my living room, the walls are kind of ragged wheeled in pink. I'm wanting to do a change what colors can I use to paint this room?

My walls in the living room are light blue. The rugs on a brownish with some speckles of red. I would like to buy a leather sofa and recliner in burgundy. Do you think this would match?

I need advice : We have a wine color leather in LR, what color would go with white kitchen cabinets nearby and oak floor.?

I have Burgundy and Gold Sofa what color should I paint my walls?

To give your home a big dramatic element, I suggest painting your open stairway wall in a color that would correspond with the burgundy sofa and chair. Try a rich color like a garnet red. Paint it in a satin finish so light will reflect off the deep hue. For the living room, try a neutral taupe or mocha that will bring both the furnishings and rug together.