What colors will work in a space with limited natural light?

Question

We have a "great room" where our living room, dining area, and kitchen are essentially in one long room ending in the kitchen and lots of honey-colored cabinets. Our living room and dining furniture is very dark brown leather and wood. The way our house is positioned this room gets limited natural light so I'd like to choose colors to maximize what light we have and compliment the furniture. I'm considering painting the cabinets cream or white to lighten up the kitchen. I tend to gravitate to warm colors but am open to suggestions.Help!

Update:

Another thing to consider is that we'd like to use the kitchen to put our "contrast" color and do the rest of the room a complimentary, lighter color for the light issue.

? · Accepted Answer

I really don't think you need to paint the warm honey cabinets but if you think so, use the warmer cream color.  White can be too stark and make it look colder. Maybe you can antique them to give a warmer feel.

You should use warm colors on your walls and it is great that you already gravitate towards them.  In low lit rooms yellows, reds, and oranges work better because a dark room feels cold and they are also good energizing colors for kitchens and dining rooms.

I think Benjamin Moore's Antique White is peachy so that could work with your browns if you want to go light.  A rich neutral medium shade of tan or taupe would also work. 

You'll need to look at your wood to see what color is casting off.  It could be golden, orangy or reddish.  Take that as a cue.
Your room sounds large enough to carry a medium shade of any of the color families mentioned and will make it warmer and cozier.  I would make your end wall, opposite the kitchen,(maybe there is a fireplace there) the accent wall.  By doing so it will square off the length.

If you want your cabinets to fade into the walls choose something blending.  A contrasting color will highlight them. You could transition between your kitchen and living space by using the same paint only a couple of shades lighter so as not to have a real definite breaking point.

Bring in your color with an area rug, textured baskets, pillows, organic pieces and some of your artwork.  Then, top off with some greenery.  You probably already have some of these necessary pieces to pull your color from.

Jill J · Answer

I like your idea of painting the cupboards cream or white...just remember they show dirt very easily.  As far as the walls go, I think a very light sage green would really show off your furnishings, and I've seen dark brown leather against that color and it looks really good together.  Take home some color swatches from Lowe's or another paint store and put them up on your wall and see which you like best.

D-Man · Answer

Let me see if I can give you some decorating ideas. 

First with respect to color, go to http://www.coloradofauxpainting.com/fauxpaintingcolor.html and scroll to the bottom of the page. There you will find links to the color-viewers of every major paint supplier. Once you click on them, you will get access to mock rooms where you can change the colors on the walls until you find something you like.

As for design and interior decoration, read the tips the effects of painting lighter or darker colors at http://www.coloradofauxpainting.com and for general interior decorating tips read the top of the page at http://www.coloradofauxpainting.com/fauxpaintingcolor.html 

Finally, if you want a truly unique look for your space, try some faux finish painting techniques like the ones found at http://www.coloradofauxpainting.com/fauxpainting.html 
 
Best of luck.

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What colors will work in a space with limited natural light?

3 Answers