Totally NOT dog related

[bigdoglover]

So I've decided to paint the room that my son and stepson sleep in when they are here. It also serves as a guest room on rare occasions. Currently, its a dessert sand color, with "moon" colored carpet. One bed (they are both twin size) has burgundy sheets/comforter, and the other is deep blue.

Background on my taste and my house:

We are "straight line" people.....plaid furniture, mission style wood furniture, simple layout, etc. We like the Americana/primitive type look, although we got rid of the antiques long ago. My kitchen has white cabinets, light blue walls, and red accents (cabinet knobs, appliances, etc) and is more in the Americana style.

Here was my thought:

Put up a chair rail around the room....then paint the bottom half of the wall with wide stripes of deep blue, and the other stripes of one shade lighter (going for subtle stripes). I was thinking of making the chair rail burgundy, and making the top half "country white" with very thin burgundy stripes.

Here is my issue:

I am by no means a crafty person, nor do I have any type of decorating sense. So I'm calling out to all of you that do and asking for your input. The room is about 12'x13'...not very big. But I want it to be versitile, and cozy, as well as fit in with our taste. Greg (my husband) is a bit skeptical.

Any thoughts?

[britishbandit]

I think what you have in mind would be great! It's a small room, so the striping idea is much better than a solid colour if you want a dark blue. The room would look tiny if it was solid. The rail colour would be nice too, but would stay away from striping the top white half of the wall with stripes as well. I think that would be a bit much. A nice plain white top will be a good contrast with the burgandy rail and striped lower half. You could spice it up a bit on top with some pictures, maybe some small wall shelves with ornaments on them?
Well there's my limited imput...LOL. Hope it was usefull. Oh, I've done the sponge dabbing as well on walls, and it actually looked pretty nice, there's another thought if you change your mind on the stripes.

[Carrie]

I think it sounds great! The only other thing (but more pricey) would be light colored pine panelling on the bottom half, below the chair rail. And a vinyl (washable) wall paper on top....perhaps a light background with the colors you like in it....but not too much color or it can make the room seem too closed in. I love real pine tongue and groove and it won't tend to get dirty. But, more pricey.

I still think your color ideas and the whole thing sounds pretty...love wainscotting or chair rail and love wide (up and down) molding along the bottom of the wall.

[GSD]

I vote for bright red or pink shag carpet from floor to ceiling and a disco ball in the center, anything added after that couldn't be wrong.

[ewarp]

I think stripes top and bottom might be too busy- also, were you planning on doing a patriotic theme? red white and blue!

[bigdoglover]

Thanx everyone, and sorry it took so long to get back to you. I've been gone for a bit!

I may eliminate the stripes on top, even though they will only be about 1/8 inch wide.

I laughed out loud at GSD's idea.....maybe some animal print to go with that carpet???? RFLOL

[Novel]

GSD,you're on a roll today bud!

Blue sounds good BDL, I was thinking a deep forest green before I read you were thinking blue, but the striping sounds great like BB said it will really open the room up.

Have fun!!
You could always use GSD's idea, and then Greg would have no reason to be skeptical. He'd know you were crazy then!!

[bigdoglover]

LOL....the master bedroom is deep green, so I wanted to do something different. It will double as a guest room as well, so something universal that ties in with the house