Dream Decorating {the 2nd floor}

Below, you see my top three floor stain choices. Actually, stain is the wrong word. We are simply oiling the floor. From what I understand, (because of VOC rules) the chemical make-up of wood floor stain has changed drastically in the last few years. Each of the wood flooring specialists I spoke to said that the finishes just are not what they used to be. BTW: we picked the wood sample on the left, it’s got a bit more barnwood-natural feeling than the other choices.I will get more details on the actual application we’ve selected as time goes on, but the oil we’re using (from what I understand) is a more earth friendly, durable choice than the stains currently available on the market. This post is not so much about the wood floor, but more so about how that flooring choice has informed my paint scheme for the upper level of the house.Our master bathroom is the only full-bath in the house. The shower is made of army green and black subway tile. Despite what you might think, I really like it! The floor in the bathroom is wood. The bathroom is actually the space that helped me make the decision to go with the lighter, more natural wood tone on the floors. You can barely see the difference in the photo, but the bathroom is currently painted a bone white color – look between my paint sample and the tile – it’s a subtle change, I know. We’re going to paint the walls Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore. It’s hard to tell in the photo above, but the gray plays off the the grout color perfectly.
The guest bedroom is teensy-tiny! It’s all of 9×10, if that. The redeeming fact is that the room has soaring, double height ceilings. The guest room sits on the Northwest corner of the house and gets golden afternoon light. The space just sings “paint me yellow!” – so that is what we’re doing. I selected Antiquity by Benjamin Moore. I plan to paint the entire room (including the ceiling!) this beautiful butter color.I really thought I wanted a dark bedroom. I selected an army green, a brownish-taupe, and a charcoal color for samples. I thought each looked good with the flooring we selected. But somehow, I shy away from committing to any of them. I can’t decide if it’s the texture in the plaster which is making me think we should select a more natural, light and creamy color – or what? I still have my thinking cap on as a result…

What do you think?

Posted by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo / The Country House and Uncategorized

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17 Responses to “Dream Decorating {the 2nd floor}”

  1. michelle on 12 Jul 2010 at 10:07 am

    well since you asked ;) i think the charcoal and the olive both look gorgeous with your flooring

  2. ABCDDesigns on 12 Jul 2010 at 10:13 am

    Michelle, I am leaning towards the charcoal -it seems to look best in “real life” outside of that, the taupe picks up on the wood nicely too – the olive was my third choice, as the color is just slightly ‘off’ from the wood.

    Thanks for your input – looks like maybe charcoal it is?!?!

  3. Will on 12 Jul 2010 at 10:48 am

    I adore that charcoal hue! So chic.

    Those yellows are yummy, too :)

  4. Nyla on 12 Jul 2010 at 11:08 am

    Charcoal! So current yet classic. A dramatic neutral that will go with anything :)

  5. L.Duncan@home23duncanboys on 12 Jul 2010 at 11:49 am

    I’m here to chime in! I LOVE the charcoal! I think the texture will be fine especially if you use a sheen like eggshell. The taupe will look nice too. I almost used taupe, but decided on a deep dark chocolate brown. I swear, at night, a dark color makes you feel like you’re wrapped in a blanket at night! And when the light shines in the room in the morning, the richness of the color is so pretty!

    Anywho, I think you’re off to a great start!

    I love the yellowish hue too in the room! Can’t wait to see more!

  6. Susan on 12 Jul 2010 at 12:10 pm

    The charcoal looks beautiful with that wood! ;)

  7. Caitlin @ Sacramento Street on 12 Jul 2010 at 12:22 pm

    I think the charcoal would look amazing. It’s so much fun see the who process.

    Btw, I’m in love with the yellow you picked. It’s going to look beautiful and I’m sure your guests are going to love it.

  8. Belly on 12 Jul 2010 at 12:30 pm

    I like the charcoal the best, but if you’re hesitating, maybe you need a more “lively” color, and maybe it doesn’t have to match the floors perfectly- have you thought of dark blues or greens? BTW I really like the color you chose for the guest bedroom- it’s quite similar to the colors I have in all the “public” spaces (dining room, living room and corridor).

  9. Camberley on 12 Jul 2010 at 1:18 pm

    I’m leaning towards charcoal too. It reminds me of the dark blue paint color I used in my living room (which is my favorite paint color in the house). There is so much you can do with it dark hues.

    I can’t wait to see what color you go with…

    -C

  10. Jennifer on 12 Jul 2010 at 1:29 pm

    Can’t go wrong with Benjamin Moore’s Racoon Hollow.

  11. ABC Dragoo on 12 Jul 2010 at 1:35 pm

    @jennifer, I don’t know Racoon Hollow – is it in the Aura book? I don’t think it is in Classics — let me know and I will take a peek!

    @camberley – been missing you – it’s fun to see you chime in again! Dark blue, eh? Now that is a thought, considering the oushaks we own… Eeeeeesh! Decisions!

  12. Melissa on 12 Jul 2010 at 1:54 pm

    I’m drawn to the Kendall Charcoal, personally. :-)

  13. ABCDDesigns on 12 Jul 2010 at 2:22 pm

    @Melissa Thanks for putting your 2 cents in too!

    I think I am going to buy a mini-pot of graphite, + van buren brown.. Once I have another color or two up on the wall I am sure a favorite will step up to the forefront!

    xoabcd

  14. Cyra DuQuella on 12 Jul 2010 at 3:08 pm

    I vote for the charcoal. It really highlights the dark colors in the floor and has such richness. The other 2 colors are just too nondescript.

  15. Staci Edwards on 12 Jul 2010 at 7:17 pm

    I vote the charcoal for these three options. Although I agree with experimenting with lighter options. There is just something about a light coloured plaster wall… Look forward to seeing what you end up with! :)

  16. ABCDDesigns on 12 Jul 2010 at 8:42 pm

    @Staci_Edwards

    THAT is what it is, isn’t it? It’s because it is plaster that it doesn’t look ‘right’ painted dark to me?

    AhHa! Thank you.
    xxabcd

  17. Cyd on 13 Jul 2010 at 8:35 am

    Maggie tweeted about this and I do, in fact, have lots of favorite Benjamin Moore colors. We used Stonington Gray HC-170 in our master bedroom and Edgecomb Gray HC-173 for our living room and main hallways, stairs, etc. If you want a real pale nearly white but still color shade, I love Wickham Gray HC-171 (a real pale cool gray), Paper White 1590 (a real real pale cool gray) and Lancaster Whitewash HC-174 (a real pale warm gray.) Because I love cool colors and neutrals, elsewhere in the house we’re using or have used Beach Glass 1564, Quiet Moments 1563, and Silver Marlin 2139-50.

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