IfIOnly Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 In the many years we've rented, I've never painted a room except to touch up existing paint. BUT, my boys have a room (the master bedroom and bath because it the biggest and there's four of them) that is so dark and depressing. It really bothers me. The property management said we could paint, as long as we paint it back to the original before we move. So, the color we pick needs to be light enough to not be a bear to paint over in the future. Right now the color of the room is ivory, but it's flat paint and doesn't reflect well. The window is also east facing with a tree in front, so there's not a lot sunlight getting in. I'm also hoping a color will help warm and brighten it up too. Ideas? I'd like to get this done before the cold weather sets in, and in our area, leaves are already starting to turn colors and I wore socks for the first time in a while yesterday. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I painted my son's room blue when he was young, and yellow when he was about 11. When we moved to a rental for a few months he had a yellow room. He is turning 20 tomorrow and told me a couple of days ago that he really misses his yellow room. I asked which one, the home or the rental. He said, "The yellow." :0) It was a soft butter yellow with a little bit of glow in it. I don't know how they got the glow... We have yellow on our walls in the lower level of our beach house and it is a pretty color but completely ... flat. I don't like it as well as the yellow of my son's former room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Another option is wall"papering" with fabric. You roll starch onto the walls, apply fabric, roll more starch to wet the fabric so it really sticks and you're done. It stays put but comes off very easily and the starch is easily washed off both the walls and the fabric. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I painted my son's room blue when he was young, and yellow when he was about 11. When we moved to a rental for a few months he had a yellow room. He is turning 20 tomorrow and told me a couple of days ago that he really misses his yellow room. I asked which one, the home or the rental. He said, "The yellow." :0) It was a soft butter yellow with a little bit of glow in it. I don't know how they got the glow... We have yellow on our walls in the lower level of our beach house and it is a pretty color but completely ... flat. I don't like it as well as the yellow of my son's former room. You can get that glow by using a glaze over the color, or mixing some glaze into whatever color you are painting with. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 If ivory isn't light enough to brighten up the room, I'd be hard pressed to say what color might except a golden-y butter yellow as mentioned upthread. Other than that, I'd probably look to better/creative lighting. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 My boys like the yellow they saw at model homes. However we are not up to painting so we just use a cheap ikea floor lamp with warm lighting instead. When they use the room for reading in winter, it was easy to swap out the warm light lightbulb for a cool/daylight lightbulb. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 We painted my youngest sons room Behr Expedition Khaki. It's a nice, warm yellow. Here's a living room done in it. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chi-house-tour-jessica-and-ale-47068 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 DS's room was green on one wall and blue on another. I brought home paint chips and matched the sky outside his window and the green on the leaves of the tree (fresh soft green color). The colors worked wonderful in his room to pull in the outside colors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Benjamin Moore - Marblehead Gold or Stuart Gold. Pinterest is a great way to see various rooms, lighting, etc., with a paint color - just search for the color. And to see other suggestions - for example if I put in Behr Expedition I get to see the paint color as well as what others paired it with for ideas. :) Look for a gold, honey, or brown toned yellow for warmth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 while looking at colors -you also want to look at the reflectivity of the paint chip of the specific color. e.g. some whites reflect - and some just absorb the light with a 'grayish' cast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Do they already have bedding? Are you getting anything new? Sometimes starting with a fabric can help with picking a color. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 We used Behr's Disney color Bibbidi Bobbidi Blue in our basement family room, paired with white trim. The white color base helps brighten the room. You could use any variety of colors to complement it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I have a light stone/cream color on my ds' walls and they're bright. I think the ivory on the walls should be fine and that darkening them might not get the effect you intend. Do you have bright curtains? A cheery rug? Matching bedding? Good lighting? I made my curtains out of denim, and there are Pooh vinyl clings all over the walls. Target and Hobby Lobby have great vinyl things you can stick on the walls. Target will have geometrics, things with color, trees, sayings. You can even buy online a HUGE vinyl thing meant to cover a wall. Is there anything they're particularly into that you could run with, like sports or hunting? Lots of boys have camo rooms, hehe. Walmart has camo sheets for $10 right now. I used two sets and sewed them together to make a duvet cover. So for $10-20 a boy you could have matching bedding that would look nice with the walls. Or go with the really strong navy blue sheets, which would look crisp against your ivory walls, and then Earth and Moon Wall Mural (I don't know, just found that randomly when I searched Target.com) and go for a Star Trek theme. That would be cool. And with the new bedding and a whole wall mural it would STILL be less than the cost of painting twice. Search vinyl wall art. They have tons of stuff. That way you won't have to repaint later. I've painted a lot of rooms in my house, just because I like to paint and change things, and it's a pain in the butt, costs more than you anticipate (rollers, brushes, trays, good paint), and doesn't always turn out like you think. In a rental like that, with a really neutral color, I'd just pop it with something like vinyl clings, new curtains, punchy bedding, and a rug. Put dark things on the bottom of the room visually and the eye will work it's way up. It will make the room seem bigger. Use repetition of shape, color, pattern so the eye doesn't bounce so much. You could also post a picture of the room and let people give you more specific advice. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 We painted my son's room a cream color, in satin finish, but we painted one wall a bright blue, also satin finish. It's really pretty, and it's bright without being overwhelming. The little bit of color was just what it needed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 If a room looks dark painted in ivory, I do not think paint will do much. Instead, try some fun floor lamps. Connect them to the same surge protector which is controlled by the light switch. Also, try trimming any hedges or trees blocking light through windows. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Light blue is nice. One of mine has bright orange. That's crazy, but he likes it. I don't recommend orange though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I love Hawthorne Yellow--it's warm, cheery, and not tooooo in your face. I think it's a Ben Moore color, but Home Depot had no problem fixing me a can of Behr that color. Light! Lots and Lots of light. Lamps and brighter bulbs. Cheerful fabric for curtains and bedding. Have you read The Nesting Place? Or her blog? She done a lot of decorating in rentals. Very encouraging to read. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Btw, if you don't want to use lamps, you can string christmas lights using Command hooks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I love Hawthorne Yellow--it's warm, cheery, and not tooooo in your face. I think it's a Ben Moore color, but Home Depot had no problem fixing me a can of Behr that color. Light! Lots and Lots of light. Lamps and brighter bulbs. Cheerful fabric for curtains and bedding. Have you read The Nesting Place? Or her blog? She done a lot of decorating in rentals. Very encouraging to read. :) LOL!!! You must be my color sister. Hawthorne Yellow (very LEMONADE yellow) in my laundry room in BEHR paint, lol. (Always Benjamin Moore colors, always Behr formulation, lol. It is my official rule after painting EVERY room in our new house in the past year at least once.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (Always Benjamin Moore colors, always Behr formulation, lol. It is my official rule after painting EVERY room in our new house....) I do this, too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Light blue is nice. One of mine has bright orange. That's crazy, but he likes it. I don't recommend orange though! I love bright orange. :laugh: If I owned our home, I'd have granny smith green, warm yellow, burnt orange, sky blue, and cotton candy pink rooms. :) That's probably why such a drab, depressing room is bothering me enough to actually paint a rental. I love all the suggestions. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Regarding lights: I have two bright kids' floor lamps in there, each with 5 bulbs. http://www.walmart.com/ip/YOURZONE-PL1058-Your-Zone-5-light-Floor-Lamp/21674362 Christmas light would be nice too. Their could use some warm and cheery things in there though like a rug and curtains. Thanks for the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 My dd has that exact light and it is just enough to read under when she's in her big circle chair. Of course her walls are GREY with big purple velvet curtains. Very hip and teen. :D Have you tried changing the bulbs to florescents to see if you can get more light in the same wattage? If there's an overhead fixture, you could try it there too. I'm always antsy about kids and these new toxic bulbs. :( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I love bright orange. :laugh: If I owned our home, I'd have granny smith green, warm yellow, burnt orange, sky blue, and cotton candy pink rooms. :) That's probably why such a drab, depressing room is bothering me enough to actually paint a rental. I love all the suggestions. Thank you! That apple green would look great with the ivory! If you even picked two of those, like brown and apple green, and then used pops of orange, it would be really cute and warm it up and look good with the ivory walls. Camo looks good with green and brown too. :D Here's a link to that sheet set I was telling you about. Comes in lots of great colors, washes well. $10 a set. Mainstays Microfiber Sheet Set - Walmart.com In a couple weeks the rugs will go on clearance from back to school. That would be a good time to buy. You can pick up a nice 5X7 at a great price that way. I got my dd one for her floor for like $10 last year. And not that you asked, but I really like curtains from Target. For the money, you can't do better. They're fashionable, come in great colors, and reasonably well made. I sew my own curtains, but when I'm not in the mood, I go to Target. You might be able to find something hip that would make the whole room come together. Paint with fabric. :) Maybe these? http://www.target.com/p/mudhut-xavier-window-panel-blue-55x84/-/A-14480519#prodSlot=large_3_5 Or http://www.target.com/p/charlie-window-panel-55-x84/-/A-14796388#prodSlot=large_2_6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 My dd has that exact light and it is just enough to read under when she's in her big circle chair. Of course her walls are GREY with big purple velvet curtains. Very hip and teen. :D Have you tried changing the bulbs to florescents to see if you can get more light in the same wattage? If there's an overhead fixture, you could try it there too. I'm always antsy about kids and these new toxic bulbs. :( Sounds like a super cute room! There's no overhead lighting in the room and several others in the house, which is weird. The lamps have fluorescent light bulbs in them and give off a lot of light, which is great because they do lots of reading in there especially at night. I'm super paranoid about mercury toxicity though. I actually have a lamp tied to each bunk bed, because they're not that stable, and I don't want them to fall and the light bulbs to break. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I just added a link to the previous post for some curtains sorta like what I made my ds. Have you looked at LED rope lighting? It's fun. You can buy it at Home Depot. The outdoor stuff is stupid bright. My dh just bought some to replace the rope lighting we had under the cabinets that ds broke when he was crawling. This new stuff is WOW bright. Yeah, we lived in an apartment once with switched outlets instead of an overhead fixture. Dunno. You can string lights around the undersides of bunkbeds... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I'd pick a lighter, almost white ivory in a satin finish (we like Behr Fragrant Jasmine). It should be a bit brighter, it will be easy to clean, and your landlords might like it enough for you to not need to re-paint when you move (and if you do need to re-paint with a flat ivory, one coat should be sufficient.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThursdayNext Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I like warm sunny yellows, that are not too loud. I've used Belgian Waffle and Stable Hay (Behrs). For the record, I've also had an apple green kitchen, and envy a friend's burnt orange bathroom. Also, more lighting would help. I know this is not green, and I am wasteful, but I love incandescent light. Fluorescent bulbs give such a harsh grayish light. It feels cold and industrial and makes things look dingy. The warm glow of an incandescent is such a different feel. LED bulbs are a little better than fluorescent, as far as light quality. My husband has no idea what I am talking about here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Look at the color temp of the newer fluorescent bulbs. They've changed. It should say on the package. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I love bright orange. :laugh: If I owned our home, I'd have granny smith green, warm yellow, burnt orange, sky blue, and cotton candy pink rooms. :) That's probably why such a drab, depressing room is bothering me enough to actually paint a rental. I love all the suggestions. Thank you! Funny, I've been picturing Granny Smith green since I first read this thread but figured it would be hard to paint over. Maybe you should go for it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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