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Are you tackling a tricky room layout? Struggling to find the perfect color palette? Wondering how to blend your style with your space? Our in-house interior design expert, Jaclyn Bohn, is here to help!
Through renovating, furnishing, and decorating two of her own houses, Jaclyn has been able to utilize what she’s learned from her experiences to help others not only settle into their homes, but love spending time in them as well.
Submit your design questions here, and let us guide you toward your dream space.
Paint Like a Pro: Color Ideas for Indoors and Out
Our in-house design expert Jaclyn Bohn answers readers’ top design questions to help them transform their spaces.
I have an 100-year-old house with dark woodwork throughout out with cream and light brown painted walls. I need a change! Any suggestions? – Bob, West Allis, WI
Hi, Bob! I love that your house is 100 years old, and I would love to help you figure out to refresh the space while still leaning into the dark woodwork throughout. I love a crisp white wall, especially against dark wood. Try Chantilly Lace or Simply White by Benjamin Moore. The combination of these two tones with the use of greenery throughout a home can make it feel so bright and relaxing, despite the dark wood. If you are interested in using color in some of the rooms, I would go with a muted sage green, like Sagebrush, Thornton Sage, or Nob Hill Sage, all by Benjamin Moore. You can also try a muted blue, like Manor Blue, Smoke, or French Tolle by Benjamin Moore to compliment the wood, to provide a calming vibe. The muted versions of these colors will help keep the space feeling light and bright.
We have a 1935 Tudor-style home in an historic preservation area. We are finally replacing the original windows in front and side and want to paint the trim and sides/back of home them to reflect a bit of color. Our door is Black Fox (but gets direct sun and fades a bit). The brick is dark red and sides/back gold (hate it) and batten and trim are cream. Suggestions? – Paula, TN
Hi, Paula! I would love to know more about how it is living in a historic preservation area! That sounds so interesting, but I’m sure it can present a challenge when making home renovation choices. A few changes in the colors throughout the exterior can go a long way, while still maintaining the style of your home and regulations within the area. For the door, a dark forest green, like Enchanted Forest, Regent Green, or Tarrytown Green (Benjamin Moore) would blend in wonderfully with a Tudor-style home. This color can likely tolerate direct sunlight more than a shade of dark black, while still maintaining that darker look. Assuming the brick is staying dark red, I’d probably go with a creamy lighter color like Fieldstone (Benjamin Moore), which is an organic neutral with an earthy green undertone, or London Fog (Benjamin Moore) which has soft gray undertones. For the battan and trim, I’d go with either a deep charcoal, like Kendall Charcoal or Charcoal Slate (Benjamin Moore), to give some contrast against the siding color.
Jaclyn, have a very small downstairs bathroom. I’m replacing the shower with grey walls and matte black outline, grab bar, door frame. What can I do with the walls, cabinet, and mirror to blend in? – Larry, Schaumburg, Il
Hi, Larry! Considering the size of the space, I think the main goal is to give it a cohesive feel throughout. For the walls, I would go with a creamy white like Simply White or Cloud White (Benjamin Moore). For the cabinet, I would recommend a dark gray, which will contrast nicely against the walls and blend in well with the grey shower walls and black accents. For the mirror, I would go a very simple rectangle or oval shaped black framed mirror, like this one, this one or this one.
I painted cabinets gray a few years ago, and we have white walls with grey tones. I want to replace old flush mount dome lights in gold and gold and brown ceiling fans. Need help deciding what is practical but stylish and easy to maintain. – Tina, Lima, OH
Thank you for submitting your question, Tina! Lighting is always a tough one, but it makes a huge difference. Therefore, it’s worth investing the time and money into it, so I’m happy you wrote in to ask for help. When I think of a grey/white color scheme, I always lean to black accents. I love the simplicity of a matte black ceiling fan like this one, if you don’t need a light in it, or this one if you do. For flush mounts, I would say either all black or black and glass, but all black would be easiest to maintain/clean, like this, this, or this.
