So we have a black bookshelf in our new house. It's pretty cool, some of you may have seen photos I've posted of it. We need to choose a paint color for this bookshelf! I've been searching for different ideas on Pinterest + Houzz but I just don't know. My initial thought was to paint it yellow! Now I am thinking keep it classic with white. Some people even commented to leave it black! I guess black kind of does grow on you after a while. But black's not really our style. No offense to anyone who likes black ;) So I need your thoughts/suggestions! What color do you think we should paint it? Seriously, paint colors are really hard for me to choose :/ I am just not a natural at making decisions like this - it's really hard for me to visualize it based off such a small color swatch. I wish I could just see something and be confident in saying, that's it! done. decision made. easy. Nope, that is not me! Anyone else like that too?
Well, we sure are glad to be back home this weekend!! Do you have any weekend plans? This weekend we are doing random stuff for the new house and possibly going to the antique market (special 5th weekend sale!) We're also visiting a friend, Melanie, since her & her family are in town this weekend! Pretty excited about it, just saying. She's a blog friend from way back in the day. Well hope you have a very nice weekend friends. See you next month! ;)
I'd go for a classic white or cream.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to be filling it with lovely books and ornaments you want them to "pop" out, to be the main attraction of the wall, I love yellow but I think it could maybe clash with some of your items? I think too much colour could look a bit busy?
Good luck on what you decide! it'll be amazing!
Catherine
xx
Yeah, I think creamy/very milky coffee kind of colour would be lovely, and would make whatever you put on the shelves stand out. Sometimes white is a bit too stark, so something a little bit softer could be nice.
ReplyDeleteMelissa
x
I like the black :) but that's just me ;)
ReplyDeleteLove the black - but painting this wall a super light almost-neutral will definitely lift the spirits! Why don't you try Benjamin Moore Misty Gray 2124-60. It's a chic gray with the slightest hint of blue.
ReplyDeleteHello Danni,
ReplyDeleteI bought some things from your Etsy shop several years ago, and have always loved loved loved the extra special paper detailing. I love your blog and am so inspired by all your beautiful work. Hope to catch you at a craft show some time.
I think white! The books and decorations you put on the shelf with fill it with lovely colors.
ReplyDeleteWhite or cream! And you can spice it up by using wonderful wall paper on the inside of the book area!
ReplyDeleteHow about a light gray? I also like the idea of yellow, like the yellow you use for links in your blog posts.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest painting them a white (the same color you'd paint your trim), then you could add a pop of color if you desire (but just in the backs of the bookshelves themselves for an accent). Something along the lines of this: http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/01/tall-dark-and-handsome/
ReplyDeleteYou could do a combination of both.. a nice white everywhere, then on the very back vertical panel of each shelf, the yellow you were hoping for!
ReplyDeleteI love the light and bright colour ideas - especially with that window right next to it. Having a brighter/white colour will end up reflecting more of that window light back into the room :)
-Tori
We had dark brown shelves pulled out & custom ones put in that are all white. It makes the room so bright & cheery. I've added a link to the before & after pics in case you're interested. http://goo.gl/L9rZB
ReplyDeleteI like the ideas being suggested for a bluish grey, or even a light mint!
ReplyDeleteI think white also. You could paint the inside of the bookshelves yellow to add some color.
ReplyDeleteI think white would look fantastic! Then you could jazz it up with some colorful accessories, but white is timeless enough that you won't feel the need to change it in a year or s. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome bookshelf! I love the ideas suggested of putting the color in on the back panels (using paper or paint) or just letting your accessories be the color.
ReplyDeleteIf you aren't into black, don't feel bad about it. It's great for contrast, but there is something so light and airy and fresh about white built-ins. I used Sherwin Williams "Creamy" on all the woodwork and built-ins in my last house and really liked it. It isn't too yellow but isn't stark white either.
One tip about color swatches--they are really too small to get a good feel for the color. If you want to spend a little money on paint samples, buy a few $5 or so each) and paint a decent sized area with the sample--like a 2x2 or 2x3 foot area (or paint mat boards in the different colors and put them against the wall). You need the bigger painted surface to be able to really see the color. I almost didn't use a certain blue for my son's room based on a small painted sample--but then my dad painted a very large section of it and with the light and everything I realized it was the perfect color.
Sorry for such a long comment, but I love choosing colors and painting (my dad is a painter), and this is what I have found helpful. :)
Oh, PS--House Beautiful magazine has a color feature every month that is really interesting.
Danni-
ReplyDeleteI think a light grey would be nice! it's neutral so it will go with anything but it's not too dark for the room :)
Very, very cool shelving unit. I vote for a light warm gray (undertones of brown)-- it will be soft, warm, and can be paired with lots of other colors. :) Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI think a Parrish blue would be gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteAre you planning on painting the rest of the room? I would take into consideration the other major colors you want in their, like large rugs, wall color and even sofa color (if its the living room) I would suggest my favorite cream hue, Swiss Coffee from Behr or ICI paint. Its a light creamy color but has brownish undertones, I used to use it in art galleries to make the art pop since its not just a stark white. Can't wait to see what you do!
ReplyDeleteYou get to see Melanie?! Whoop! Love her!
ReplyDeleteI would do white and then a yellow/mustard ombre effect on the back of each shelf. Each shelf getting progressively darker would allow for the the pop of color you love and the white to have a nice clean wall. Whatever you choose to do I'm sure it will be beautiful, the built-ins are gorgeous alone. :)
ReplyDeleteIf the shelf is made of wood you could even sand it down and varnish it if your up for the work because the colour of the wood would be neutral but still a colour
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with Crystal! Timeless white, with the yellow ombre accent on the back of the shelves to showcase your sunny personality :)
ReplyDeleteI know you say black's not your style, but I think it would be beautiful if you painted the white brick around the fireplace in a pop of color, and accented the back of each shelf with the same color, or a coordinating one to peek out from behind your books! Black really gives richness and depth to a space (interior designers advise painting all interior doors black.) So, I think adding some color to the black would be a nice compromise. :)
ReplyDeleteLooking through your blog, I think you should go with the colours in your header - they are just so you! A Martha Stewart-esque putty grey taupe (like in your navigation bar) would be wonderful for the bookshelf frame, lower cabinets, and mantel. Then I would paint the bookshelf backs in a creamy white. The contrast will keep it from looking too heavy. You could put a large painting with tones of yellows, creams, and taupes over the mantel.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to change out the stone? I think the cream brick looks nice but I would change out the red tiles on the hearth... maybe a nice monotone grey porcelain to make the fireplace feel a bit more modern. And then spraypaint the fire screen in a nice matte black to add some extra polish.
Just my two cents. Your house has great bones - it will look fantastic with a bit of refreshing.
I'm dying a little over how glorious those built ins are. I would paint it white and get some fun, whimsical, colorful artwork to hang on the paneling. Also, how great would stacks of books look sorted by color?
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion would be to do both white and yellow, since those are the colors you are considering. Instead of painting the back wall of each shelf yellow and the rest white, as many other have suggested, my thought would be to paint all of the vertical paneling yellow (maybe a lighter, pastel yellow, as opposed to a dark yellow), and then the bookshelves and the mantel a cream/white. I feel like too much white lacks character, even if you are filling the shelves with colorful things (and this bookshelf/fireplace/cabinet combo you have definitely has and needs character).
ReplyDeleteHello! A colleague of mine forwarded your post to me, suggesting I might want to give my 2 cents. I'm an architectural color consultant, so I help clients select colors every day.
ReplyDeleteThe first suggestion I have for you is to consider the context of your colors. Think about what is going in the space and the colors of those things: permanent pieces like furniture, large area rugs, treasured pieces of art, etc. Also important to think about are adjacent walls- will the rest of your room be white, or will you be painting those a color? Consider the room as a whole, including rooms that may be visible from this space.
I second reader Amber's suggestion about painting larger paint swatches on boards. Those tiny chips are too small to really see properly. They are ink on paper, not paint, so are just a jumping off point.
Here's an example: the bookshelves tie into the overall color scheme of the room: http://ow.ly/e4wGP
Good luck!
ooooooH! I would leave it black...BUT paint, put fabric or wallpaper in the back of the bookshelves. I've done this at our house and if you use a fabric with a 50/50 mix of regular old starch and water it alows you to peal it off and change it for any time you are looking for a different look. Something fun...
ReplyDeleteAs a color consultant and interior designer, I second much of what Rachel Perls says. Consider the context, for sure. Do you have a rug, sofa, artwork, etc. that are going into that space? Or is the room a blank canvas?
ReplyDeleteAlso, consider the mood that you would like to create in the space. Happy and playful? Go for clearer, brighter colors. Moody and subdued? Lean towards greys, blacks, indigos and violets. White CAN work, but can also look kind of blah if the lighting is poor.
It's important to consider your contrast levels, too. You may not love the black now because of the stark contrast to the wall color. If you paint the walls a more saturated hue, you will lessen the contrast and the black built-in will "settle" a bit more into the space. Additionally, bringing in some dark wood tones and/or black furnishings and accessories can also help the black work better in the room.
Bottom line - colors are relative to what they are surrounded by. Select a color that makes sense to the space's function and the other elements that will play a prominent role in the room's decor.
I would definitely go for a soft white! It will make that room look even bigger plus you will never get tired of it. If you paint it anything bright there is a chance you will hate staring at it in a couple years. White would look FANTASTIC! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteaqua! See here for inspiration
ReplyDeletehttp://www.houseofturquoise.com/
I'd go for cream or white but I also think that a soft teal might be pretty too. Although, you may get tired of the teal. I always like my furniture to be neutral and then add color to it with accessories. I'm in love with this space though. This would be something I'd love to have in my dream home!
ReplyDeletePicking a color from a tiny swatch is hard. Would it be worth a try to use Photoshop to change the color of the bookshelf and see which one you love the most? I don't know... I usually leave paint color decisions to other people, ha. Have fun making your new house into a home, Danni! Also, thanks for the reminder that September is almost over! Ah! Yay. :)
ReplyDeleteLight Grey, I think it is a little untraditional, fun, it will lighten the area up, and you can accessorize anything on it.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I love the black so our aesthetics might be a little different, but here's a suggestion: http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/01/tall-dark-and-handsome/
ReplyDeleteYoung House Love did their built-ins in a beautiful peacock blue with white trim - I think if you did the interiors a color that you love (even yellow) and left the trim white or cream, it'll give you something classic AND fun.
I'd paint the shelves some sort of white/ off white, but leave the surround/ mantel of the fireplace black :)
ReplyDeleteOh, how awesome! I like the black but after a while it would probably feel dark and heavy. This website (http://design-seeds.com) has beautiful color boards with lots of mixes and matches that maybe you wouldn't think to put together. It's a super cool site and might help you pick a color! xoxo
ReplyDeletemaybe a pale shade of blue then cover your books with different shades of yellow or white... so exciting!!!
ReplyDeleteI would paint the main structure a nice neutral shade like white, and then the wall in each opening a color (light blue, light yellow, light green). I saw something like that on pinterest and it was gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the blog where it was pinned from. http://justagirlblog.com/billy-bookcases-diy/
Also, I love your blog and I love Jesus. :)
I'm in the 'keep the black' group, but totally understand you wanting to lighten it up. What if you did crisp white over most of it, but kept the backs black? Colorful books and accessories will still pop!
ReplyDeleteI'd go white with some pops of colour????
ReplyDeletewhite! the items you put in it will give it color. or a warm yellow or cool blue. but not green (because then your plants will not pop!).
ReplyDeleteooOo. or maybe a light grey! i'm super in to grey now! it can be industrial looking, but not as cold.
excited to see how it turns out! whatever you decide, i know it will be lovely! :)
I agr with many on this comment reel. If you are going to fill it with photos and books I would go for white, cream or off white. So they books and photos sand out more.
ReplyDeleteIt does look fantastic though, my husband I would love something like this with a fire.
I always think about holiday decorating because I LOVE to decorate for the holidays. This is always a big factor when I choose paint colors. We've been in 3 different homes and I like to call my walls my canvas :) But, thinking about your holiday decor will affect how you choose paints. I always say stick with neutrals and use the bright and bold colors in the pieces you can change out easily - like decor and fabrics. This, however, coming from a girl who has a bright, lime green entry way :) But hey, lime green goes with every holiday I decorate for :) Good luck choosing! LOVE the built ins!!!
ReplyDeletewhite! you then have endless color options that are easy to change with your shelf decor
ReplyDeletePaint it white and then you can add pops of color with knick knacks and stuff!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read all the other comments but I think since you are not sure anyway, you should first start with the furniture and "things" you will plan on putting into this room. Maybe you have a white couch already and putting a white couch in a room with a huge white wall unit might be too much. Or maybe you have a pillow that you are obsessed with that is chartreuse and you want to draw more attention to it, paint the shelves that color as well.
ReplyDeleteIf you still like the idea of using yellow in some way (I'm a huge fan; my bedroom is yellow), You could always paint the whole thing crisp white then paint the back wall of the shelves themselves a sunny yellow so that it can peep through your books and knick-knacks. :)
ReplyDeletea nice mellow olive green would be lovely
ReplyDeleteI would paint it a bright cheerful white. I've seen a few others suggest it, and I like the idea of painting the backs of the bookcases a vivid yellow. That would really pop without being way.too.much.yellow.
ReplyDeleteI've also seen some bookcases that have been lined with interesting wall paper. That might be fun! Maybe a chevron pattern with white and yellow?
what about white (because on the right side of the picture is a white door, so it would match with that one if it´s the same white) and then you could try to set some courses with another color. maybe the front "lines" of the bookshelves, the door knobs etc. could be in yellow or any color that you already have in your furniture.
ReplyDeleteI say white!! W/ all the color in books and decor on the mantel..it would be to much w/ a color.
ReplyDeleteWhite or antique white. You can always accessorize it with yellow mustard and gold accessories. On top of the fireplace, you can make a collection of vintage etched mirrors, or even antique hand mirrors. I can almost see it!
ReplyDeleteHave fun decorating your house! I sent you an email a couple of weeks ago.
I love grey. It's a good in between if you find the right shade. Another thought is to go white and use an accent color for the back of the shelves (that would make what you put on the shelves pop). Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteWhite! Such beautiful shelves. The beauty of white is that you can add/take away color in so many ways, especially on a book shelf. As well, you won't have to repaint the shelf when you tire of the colour you paint it - ie. yellow. This comes from someone who used to have a yellow house....which I loved for about 5 years. Now it's white :-)
ReplyDeleteI love it!!!! In the past, I've made very bold choices with paint colors. For example, my custom cabinets in my office are a green tea color and my hall is purple. Since then, I've regretted those decisions. I really wish that I went with white (or cream).... everywhere! I would definitely suggest you paint the cabinet white. You will love it forever, it will never go out of style, and you can always accessorize with bold and beautiful colors. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://shannonhearts.blogspot.com/
white really opens up a room. and it makes the whole room like fresh and clean. you could always do a soft yellow on the backdrop of the bookshelves. that way there's a little color but its not too overwhelming, ya know?
ReplyDeleteI'm always a big fan of white, however, I also think you could get away with another neutral that's not black or white. Grey. A cooler lighter shade would look nice and still let books take center stage, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely go classic white! You can then always add color with books and decorations and change it all again. :) Good luck! Paint colors are hard for me too.
ReplyDeleteI think white would be stunning! White always seems to bring the character out in shelving such as yours. A grey would be neat too. I think yellow sounds awesome in theory, but it might be a bit much so something so large. You could always bring the photo into Photoshop and get a visual with the replace color tool:)
ReplyDeletewhat about painting it white and painting the back of it yellow?
ReplyDeleteHi Danni,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was choosing colours for my living room I used this website to help visualise (because I too struggle with that!) it definitely helped me.
http://www.dulux.com.au/colour/mycolour
Just upload your pictures and see the effect using a lighter colour, or even a bold colour would have on the room.
Happy painting! :)
I'd LOVE to see this in a bright mustard yellow. Would be so swanky. And purple polka dotted chairs with round backs.
ReplyDeleteSomething out there and loud. Great site.
connect with his heart
i love white!! or mustard or grey would be soo you! :)
ReplyDeletexo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
I'm so excited to see more of your new home! It looks so charming. If these pretty shelves were mine, I would be tempted to paint them white, then add a splash of color (yellow!) on the inside of the shelves. Whatever you decide to do, I know it will look great.
ReplyDeleteyou need a neutral color. cream or white. I think true white might be too much, if it were me I'd go with cream or off-white.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of the shelves and walls should be some form of white. BUT! I think you should paint the fireplace and it's mantle some form of yellow to make that really stand out!
ReplyDeleteI say go with white! Like you said, it's classic and it would be so fun adding pops of color to the bookshelves!
ReplyDeleteWhite :)
ReplyDeleteoh! i love picking paint colors!
ReplyDeleteI'd go for white or cream as the main color, and fill in the back wall of the shelves with a pop of color like yellow, OR a pattern!
It'd bring a little depth to the wall, rather than it being a big solid mass of shelf and fireplace :)