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1:04 pm
October 31, 2010
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I'm looking for your decorating ideas and input.
I am currently in a 1947 built house that has yellow wall tiles (with black accent tiles) on the kitchen wall. Judging by her photos, the kitchen is similar to Suzanne's new one in size. To the side of the kitchen, not separated by any doorways, is a "dinette" as my mom used to call it. It is just enough space to hold a small kitchen table.Â
So…on the kitchen side is the yellow tile;Â on the "dinette" side there is no tile; cupboards are medium oak.
I want to paint the "dinette" side of the kitchen but I prefer more muted colors. Although I wouldn't have chosen the yellow tiles, I am going to leave them there.Â
Anyone have any great ideas – or photos – on what color paint to use on the adjoining dinette area to tie in with the yellow tiles but tone things down a little for a warmer, more homey feel?Â
1:11 pm
November 9, 2010
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Ok like what color of yellow are we talking about? Lemons?
If it is a really bright yellow with the black, I think you could accent it with red, just a little or you could paint the cabinets, white…wait are you wanting to paint the cabinets or just the walls?
1:15 pm
October 31, 2010
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I'd say the yellow is "lemon-like". Another way to describe it is "sunshine yellow".Â
Only painting the walls then using other accents in chair upholstry, items on the walls, etc.
1:18 pm
November 9, 2010
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I am not sure then…with the med oak color to the cabinets that might throw it off…you could go for a completly retro look with the chairs and table….still thinking…what is your style?? Like with the rest of the house?
1:23 pm
October 31, 2010
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I like the colors and look that Suzanne has done in her house if that helps any. As I said, the yellow tile definitely would not have been my choice! I LOVE muted colors rather than bright, primary-type colors. (I think of "muted" as colors that have a lot of black added to their base if that makes sense.) So…I'm looking for something to work with the yellow that can kind-of tone things down and create a warmer, more muted effect.
2:14 pm
November 9, 2010
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The only thing I can think of right now would be a dark red, like a burnt red…or a gray. but the grey would make it cooler not warmer…brick red is what I am thinking…sorry not much help.
2:36 pm
February 10, 2009
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Honestly, I have two strategies for things like this. One is to look at nature. A flower garden can have many colors mixed in and still be pleasing, so get some garden catalogs together and start cutting out pictures and taping them up against whatever you're trying to match/contrast/compliment. Mother nature gets colors right! Gardens always work after all!
Another is to go to a fabric store, get some swatches that MATCH yellow in the blocks (since that seems to be your problem color), then take them around the store and set them along side other fabrics of various colors you think you like. Step back, look and consider the way colors look next to each other. A good paint store or paint department can match colors in a fabric swatch, or you could maybe find a paint chip that's close… either way really.
Also, when you get close to deciding, go get some quarts mixed of the colors you are considering, and don't be afraid to ACTUALLY paint some of the walls around the room with a good chunk of the colors you think you may like. If you really can't bring yourself to do that on the actual wall (which is best), you can get some poster board and paint THAT with the colors you are considering and stick those on the wall. Looking at the paint after it dries, in the light in your house in the morning and afternoon with and without lights on and evening with your lights on.Â
Last but not least, what works for me is looking at quilt sites and various quilt blocks. The color combinations can be surprising, but still be wonderful. Hope these ideas help at least a little. Anything specific colorwise I might say would only be my color choices, you need to find what YOU like! 
 Â
2:48 pm
December 28, 2008
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I had one of those yellow and black tiled kitchens, so can appreciate the "problem." I went with it, for a while, and had white cabinets and appliances with yellow walls. There really was not much wall, but the kitchen was on a north facing wall, with a single, small window, so it brightened things up a lot. The yellow wall was really more like accent than wall – more white cabinets than yellow wall.
The adjacent dinette area ended up a lobster bisque (coral, sort of) color with white trim. It was nearly impossible to see the yellow and the bisque color at the same time, so they did not fight with each other.
If you are going to see them together, I like the bricky red idea. A LOT! With the black tile, warm wood, the yellow, and perhaps some carefully placed blue it could easily become a very warm, Provence kind of space. Perhaps a great rooster plate, or wonderful piece of toile fabric would be an inspiration for the "right" colors?Â
They don't have to be primary colors. Something slightly toned down/warmed up from the primaries would soften sufficiently?
I haven't mentioned green here because I don't like green. But, you could do several shades of green. Maybe with at least one of them toward the yellow end of green??
Have to wonder – one of my bathrooms in that same house had the aqua fixtures with black and white tile. Now THAT was fun!
3:12 pm
May 7, 2011
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I have done the color testing. Glidden has a "paintable tester"  (I got mine at Home Depot) it comes in eggshell finish only. They come in a 7.75 oz size and cost less than a quart of paint. If I remember correctly there is another paint company that makes a tester that maybe even smaller than this.
When we purchase our home 20 years ago we got to pick the color of our tile and flooring. We went with what I believe is called bisque (kind of a tannish) color for our backsplash tile. Since I have a lot of greens and blues in the other part of the house I thought maybe a yellow in the kitchen. Everything I tried made the tile look pink. The kitchen is going to have a makeover in the near future. The backsplash & countertop is going to be white tile.
3:13 pm
October 31, 2010
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I have to give a revision on the color.Â
I just got home from work and I would describe the yellow as a "light lemon yellow"…not as intense as lemon but not as light as a pastel. I was looking at on-line paint chips so that I could post something similar but can't seem to find anything close. Maybe I'll have to take a photo and post it. Photos are kind-of hard to get color correct, however, depending on your monitor too!
3:19 pm
October 31, 2010
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Lots of great ideas. I especially like looking at the garden catalog and nature idea. The dark reds would work well as well as the greens. I'm going to take a look at my D. Landreth Seed Co. catalog as I LOVE the colors in there!
5:08 pm
December 28, 2008
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Yep – understand the difficulty in describing that yellow! More than butter yellow, but not really as bright as lemon yellow. Sort of between those two. I used to describe it as a bright butter yellow, but light lemon is just as good.Â
A bit brighter than the middle of this:
Sort of: 
Less than: 
Maybe this one? 
Or not.
6:51 pm
February 10, 2009
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OK, I couldn't resist! Not sure people who aren't registered on Pinterest will be able to see this, but it gives a whole now outlook about yellow!
http://pinterest.com/trueme/y-…..ve-yellow/
8:08 pm
December 29, 2011
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I think a brick-y red could be fantastic, but you could also look at some more muted oranges. Now I know just the thought of "orange" may sound scary, but depending on the yellow (if it's more a pure yellow or more a green-yellow) a coral-like orange or even an orange tending towards gold might work with the yellow- and would be a lot more towards the pastel end of things than the brick red. A muted (very light) orange also might tie in better with the oak. Then if you wanted strong accent pieces (like Provencial pottery and such) you could use them at your whim.Â
With oak cabinets in a past kitchen, I tried a nice strong dark red, and I ended up painting the cabinets a white because I hated the oak and red so much together!Â
I think the ideas of looking at flower gardens and Pinterest are brilliant…. I'd also look at some pictures of Mediterranean hill towns- in Italy or Greece or something- they usually have just stunning pastels mixed all over that completely work together, and the "orange"Â (really more coral, but NOT pink) I'm thinking of is something more from that palette.Â
If you wanted to totally contrast, I think you could also go with a nice blue- blue is the complementary color to yellow after all…. I personally love Ben Moore James River Gray as a very muted but rich blue (I think it's a historic color- anyone can mix it as a cheaper gallon of paint than BM too) but if your yellow is too bright that probably won't work together. If you did go with a completely different color such as the blue though (if there's an obvious place to stop and start the paint colors in other words) you could tie the yellow back in with accents.Â
Sorry if I'm throwing too many things out there- I'm an architect in the real world (when I'm not a SAHM) so I love thinking about things like this! 
 Hope we'll get to see pictures when you get done! Good luck!
8:17 pm
January 9, 2011
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I love yellow! I have lived in my house 20 years and the exterior is yellow, my kitchen used to be yellow, my dining room is now mustard and our bedroom is yellow and white striped wallpaper. I have yet to tire of yellow…
    Red is a great accent but what about the browns? Dark chocolate is modern. Tans and sand are nuetrals that work great with brighter colours. I think Buckeye girls suggestions are great, too. Have fun!
9:59 pm
October 31, 2010
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Such great input! I want to take you all home w/me and have you help me figure it out!Â
Buckeye – Just looked at all the yellow on the pinterest link. I especially like the awesome yellow refrigerator! I confess that I haven't had time to really use pinterest so I'm not sure how it all works yet!
Decisions, decisions…
This afternoon I was looking at some greens and that kind-of golden orange, Mountainkat. It's amazing how good they really do look together in swatches. I wish I was better at visualizing how they'll look on whole walls!
11:08 pm
February 10, 2009
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I thought this was kinda interesting LM!
http://design-seeds.com/indexï…..tle-cactus
Â
I like that particular palette but you go to the top of the page and click on the Palette Search button, then adjust the sliders to the correct color and see what happens. VERY cool!!! (or warm!)
11:59 pm
February 22, 2010
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BuckeyeG… thanks for the link! I love playing with color.
7:27 am
October 31, 2010
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Great link, bg!  was looking at some color web sites but this one is way better! Can't wait until I get home from work to play w/it a little this afternoon.
9:13 am
February 10, 2009
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I think what I like best about it is it gives some context to the various colors with the pictures next to it. Your point about it not really being easy to imagine how things would work in a room is very true. This gives some reference to exactly how the colors would combine.
If you click on one of the colors to the far right where it says "see similar colors" it changes which color becomes the focus of the whole arrangement.Â
I think I really love this site, and it was a total accident that I stumbled on it! Luck is good!
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