I am hard-of-coloring

[gwywnnydd]

Not exactly color-blind, just completely uneducated. If it's not Forest/Hunter green or black, I have no idea what goes with it...

So, let's say, in theory, I need to think up window treatments for a room painted Dark Olive (roughly #556B2F, but a bit darker), with white trim. It currently looks like the inside of a footlocker, which makes me sad. What colors would complement/ counter the base?

Comments

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

dark sand, Gold, dark burnt orange (not quite brown, but like a warm chestnut color.

Oddly enough, that is similar to the color scheme of this office. Our walls are sand, and our floors are more of a sage, but the Jr. Boss has a rug with Dark Olive in it.

[eva00.livejournal.com]

A terra-cotta might go well, too. OUr living room came painted a terra-cotta color with white trim, and we've discovered olive goes very well with it.

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

terra-cotta would be lovely!

[digital-geisha.livejournal.com]

this for the new house?

you know i am always willing to help i DO work at a design office you know. i could bring over some sample books you could look at. Let me know :)

[mothball-07.livejournal.com]

This will help with theory: http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html

I agree with the other poster - warm neutrals are your best bet. Given the footlocker comment, I'd probably go with large light sand or cream curtains, possibly much larger than the windows to reduce the olive. Think floor-length even, depending on the layout of the room.

You may want to paint the trim cream to go with the warmer colours - or you may cover enough that it doesn't matter.

DOes this mean you have a new place?!

[gwywnnydd.livejournal.com]

Don't have it yet. The rental agent is waffling about the cat. If it weren't for the cat, we'd have it.

But, in case we get it, it's freshly painted (dark olive. I just don't get dark walls + light trim. I much prefer the other way round), and doesn't currently have curtains/ drapes. I offered (while trying to give the guy reason to get over his concerns about the cat) that we could install window treatments, that would stay when we moved. I wanted something to change the sense that both mntjay and myself got that we were in the army...

[mothball-07.livejournal.com]

dark walls almost certainly equal some past renter painting gawdawful bright/dark shades.

Takes many coats to block out darks - took two of GOOD primer and another two of paint for my teal-accents. G'luck. Consider large tapestries on the walls too - find interesting "accent rugs" from Costco or whatever and frame them in to lighten the walls.