PrincessMommy Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 so I made a decorating blunder and now I'm trying to find a replacement. This week we painted our orange/rust colored family room a sunny yellow. Several months ago I found some window treatments I thought would look perfect with the yellow. I've been holding on to them ever since. I put them up and they don't go well. They are too big and busy for the room. I plan to put some paintings from my dh's grandfather and it's going to be a big fat busy clash. So I'm looking for something plain and simple, but I don't want beige since I worry it will clash with the yellow. The trim is still beige right now. I'm waiting till spring to paint that white because I have the plastic insulation on the windows. I'm thinking of these drapes in either mineral or gray. I'm open to other suggestions. https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/wayfair-basics-solid-blackout-grommet-single-curtain-panel-w002529435.html?piid[0]=864438861&piid[1]=864438910 What says the hive? Here's photos of the current room. I've included one with the paintings I will use, I just haven't put them up yet. The blank wall is where the TV will go- I just wanted you to see the color more clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 it looks like a 'warmer" yellow - and I would suggest making sure whatever you choose has a warmer undertone. those "mineral" curtains look to have a cool undertone - and they would still clash. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Also, if you aren’t going to use full length curtains, pick a shade that is light and close to the wall color. The above photographed curtains really bisect the room. The yellow also pulls out all of the yellows in all of the different wood tones you have in the room. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I’d go with a green from the painting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 21, 2019 Author Share Posted December 21, 2019 3 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: Also, if you aren’t going to use full length curtains, pick a shade that is light and close to the wall color. The above photographed curtains really bisect the room. The yellow also pulls out all of the yellows in all of the different wood tones you have in the room. I don't want to use full length because of the baseboard heat. I wonder if barley would work better per Gardenmom's suggestions for warm tones. I don't want a color that is too dark... but I really dislike beige. What about these in Mocha? https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/wayfair-basics-solid-room-darkening-grommet-curtain-panel-w002130089.html?piid=2128620702 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrips Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I’d go with a warm white. Simple, classic and pretty 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 That yellow is pretty intense and demanding a lot of attention. I would go with a warm white and seriously consider getting the guards for the heaters so you could go full length or custom hemming them to just above the heater. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I would back up and reconsider the yellow. To my eye it overwhelms and dims two of the three paintings, and if they are the focus in the decor, that’s not good. I’d switch the walls to a much paler yellow, maybe even a cream (ie yellowed white). Then I’d get sheer chiffon ish Victorian curtains for the windows and put black out shades under them to block the outside light when necessary. The curtains you’re looking at look too modern to me with the furniture—they are almost stark in their design, what with the design of the rod holds. They belong in a minimalist room with mid-century or Danish modern furniture and bright abstract paintings. Whereas while lace curtains would be too fussy and old-fashioned, chiffons would be more timeless and just a big more casual, and would enhance and bring together the furniture and the paintings nicely. Or, if you want a more casual look, canvas duck curtains would be fine—tab ones are getting a little dated but I think they would work in that room. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Fwiw, I would also give some more thought to the yellow itself. Right now it is fighting with your flooring pretty hard too. I would either go to a lighter buttery yellow (rather than the intense lemon) or I would go deeper into mustardy colors where the yellow is toned down by browns. Given the paintings you show, I think a mustardy yellow that is soft might be a better choice since you have rusty colors on the mattes of the paintings. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 46 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said: I don't want to use full length because of the baseboard heat. I wonder if barley would work better per Gardenmom's suggestions for warm tones. I don't want a color that is too dark... but I really dislike beige. What about these in Mocha? https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/wayfair-basics-solid-room-darkening-grommet-curtain-panel-w002130089.html?piid=2128620702 it's not the color - it's the undertone color. you can have warm white, and cool white. you can have warm red, and cool red, warm yellow, and cool yellow. it's undertones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Yeah, I love yellow and have lots of yellow in my house. My whole great room/main area is yellow. But it's a softer shade (yours is super intense), and it's a very light filled space. You're fighting the light, covering with those curtains, and it's just not working. I'd do some kind of sponge finish over the walls to tone it down or change the color entirely. The curtains are lovely, but they're a lot with the tv. Like you really can't tell what to look at. It looks like you have a sunroom to the side. Could you move them to a different room that needs to be freshened? I think, as you say, some kind of calm drapes and neutral colors would fit the heavier furniture and dark tv viewing you have planned for the space. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: I would go deeper into mustardy colors where the yellow is toned down by browns. Yes, there might be a way to sponge something darker over and tone it down. Or just say wow that was a great attempt and go to a warmer, more neutral color. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Just as an example, what about Downing Slate? Might work with your curtains even, dunno. https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family#/section/historic/color/2819 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 21, 2019 Author Share Posted December 21, 2019 I really don't want to repaint, but I do like the idea of sponging... esp with a lighter yellow. I just worry it will create more busyness and I'm trying to get away from that. The yellow isn't as bold as the photos show. It's just so hard to capture that yellow in a photo. It's more muted. This is another angle with one of the paintings already up. I think once I get more neutral curtains and the paintings up, it won't be such a contrast. The plan is for the carpet to come out - soonish. Probably something very pale or white or more LVT. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I would choose white curtains or skip using curtains altogether and just use white plantation blinds on the windows. I think the goals is to avoid drawing attention to the windows themselves and let the focus of attention be on the artwork, and white would work best for that. It also would make the room. I don't like how short curtains make the walls look choppy, so if you really are committed to using curtains, I would either do floor length or something like a valance or scarf style that only goes across the top of the windows. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Please don’t sponge your walls. You are needing to go more neutral and calmer and not adding more attention to the walls. Is the rest of your house kind of colonial? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I think Carol’s thoughts about modern furniture in a room with very traditional paintings (and love your loom!) might be spot on....and another element of the lack of cohesion between room elements. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I think the problem is the curtains and sofa don't work together. Spread the blue blanket currently stashed under the table over the sofa. Does the room look more cohesive? If yes, look for a blue slipcover. You could also try the blanket as a curtain. If it looks good, weave yourself some curtains. Otherwise, a Toile pattern or a looser pattern (like the one on the pillow under the window) in blue or green could work if you also added some decorative elements including that color. How do you feel about brown? The color of the threads on your loom and the inner mat of the flower painting look good against the yellow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I’m a weirdo and would skip the curtains altogether, opting for blinds instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 (edited) I think your yellow looks happy. If you FEEL good surrounded with that color, then it's probably right for you. I think you have enough solids with the wall and couch, and enough 'prints' with the photos. Maybe a white curtain with understated yellow stripes? If you DIY you can mix the paint to match your walls. This tutorial is for horizontal stripes. I'm partial to vertical, but with that curtain length, horizontal might be better. https://www.viewalongtheway.com/2011/09/a-striped-curtain-tutorial/ Or maybe you can find a curtain with a softer print; maybe with yellow accents, so it doesn't compete so much?. ETA: I like your yellow and I like your curtains. I see where you were going. Was it something like this? It might never look right with the curtains short and closed. What if you put white panels in the middle of your blue and pushed them out to the side? Edited December 21, 2019 by KungFuPanda 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I want to add—I actually think that the blue print looks great with the yellow, but would be much better if the curtains were long, like drapes, and is wonderful with the old dark wooden antiques. That’s a pretty classic Eastern US look. It’s just that the paintings don’t go with it, and neither would a modern drape. I like the idea of white plantation shutters—those wide louvers would be very nice in that room and would pivot to go with the antiques and the more modern furniture. And if the paintings actually do look fine with the yellow, then the shutters would work. If you did the white chiffon curtains you would need to have long ones, and that seems to be impossible, so I guess I would go with the shutters. I tried to picture honey colored wooden plantation shutters, and I think they would be too rustic for the antiques. But white or cream would be really nice. Or deep green. Deep enough to almost be a neutral. It would compliment the paintings and the furniture, both, and since the yellow is so light it would not darken the room too much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 (edited) 15 hours ago, KungFuPanda said: I think your yellow looks happy. If you FEEL good surrounded with that color, then it's probably right for you. I think you have enough solids with the wall and couch, and enough 'prints' with the photos. Maybe a white curtain with understated yellow stripes? If you DIY you can mix the paint to match your walls. This tutorial is for horizontal stripes. I'm partial to vertical, but with that curtain length, horizontal might be better. https://www.viewalongtheway.com/2011/09/a-striped-curtain-tutorial/ Or maybe you can find a curtain with a softer print; maybe with yellow accents, so it doesn't compete so much?. ETA: I like your yellow and I like your curtains. I see where you were going. Was it something like this? It might never look right with the curtains short and closed. What if you put white panels in the middle of your blue and pushed them out to the side? yes, I like the yellow. The former color was just a dreary orangy rust color. With big dark wooden colored blinds you can see in one of the photos (others are still up but behind the curtains) and then the yellowish trim that is still there. When we painted the yellow this week I swear the room gained a foot in size! LOL. But, putting those curtains up closed it in again. I think part of the problem is that the 3 windows are all together like that, it's like they take up the whole wall space. I'm going to go with white semi-sheer and add white blinds this spring when I take the plastic off the windows. I found some curtains that go almost to the top of the baseboards. That is a good tip too.. Thanks! Edited December 22, 2019 by PrincessMommy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjand6more Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 I have a similar yellow in our music room. I love it. I have white trim and white curtains. Looks awesome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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