Warming Up My Country Style Sitting Room with New Paint
Fluffy flakes of snow are gently falling down as I write this. My house feels warm and cozy inside. After packing away Christmas, we painted my country style sitting room this week in Lace Handkerchief by Benjamin Moore. I was craving something different for this small space.
Hopefully you can tell the paint color is warmer shade than the previous white walls. Just enough of a change to add a little depth to the space.
Today is Cozy Living Saturday (the first Saturday of the month) when I join a few of my friends. We each share what makes our home or lives cozy during the month. You’ll find links to their inspiration at the end of this post. For me, the new paint color in my sitting room is helping me feel warm fuzzies during the month of January.
I went round and round about choosing a paint color. Or maybe wallpaper would be the right choice. I thought about leaving the walls light and painting the trim a darker color. But in the end, I didn’t think contrasting trim would help the eye flow from room to room.
The upstairs hallway is painted in Lace Handkerchief and I really love the color. However, I thought it might be too light and initially chose Glacial Till, also by Benjamin Moore. After brushing a few squares of color in the room, I realized Glacial Till would be too dark.
Both of these colors look gray on screen but they’re more of a tan when you get them on the wall.
In addition to the new paint color allowing the eye to flow from one room to the next, it also needed to work with my mantel and interior door color, which is Wrought Iron – also by Benjamin Moore.
The wall space inside the mantel was previously painted a dark gray, but I switched it to Lace Handkerchief for a more cohesive look.
My upper dining room wall is painted Downtown by Benjamin Moore and Lace Handkerchief is listed as one of its complementary colors. You can see how great these two earthy colors look together from one room into the next.
And look at my dieffenbachia in the corner! That plant only had three leaves when I bought it and it almost died last year. Something was chewing the leaves. I took it outside for the summer and it flourished. Now I just need to keep it healthy through the winter.
My hoya is still looking good. They’re a little more temperamental than other plants, but they sure are pretty. I love the acacia wood bowl that cradles it.
A staghorn fern in an artisan pot joins a little green vase and small ceramic house that lights up at night. Plants help to bring nature inside during winter. The little white house is from my Christmas decor. It’s generic enough to be used throughout the year.
I’m happy with the new paint color in my country style sitting room. It’s a subtle change but it does feel warmer and cozier now. And I feel like it brings out the color a bit more in the pastoral painting.
Dexter is watching the snow falling outside. It’s supposed to continue for the rest of the day.
Don’t forget to visit my friends below to see how they stay cozy during the month of January!
Vinyet Etc. / Creative Cain Cabin / Hymns and Verses
A Stroll Thru Life / Duke Manor Farm / Town and Country Living
Lace Handkerchief looks wonderful. I’ll have to consider that color for a bedroom, now office, we plan to do this winter. Your sitting room looks so inviting with your lovely plants too. Happy New Year!
Thanks Christine! During Christmas I had to move a lot of those plants to my bedroom to make room for holiday decorations. It’s nice to have them back in their proper place. 🙂
Can you tell me where you found your feather pictures?? Love feathers!
Hi Charlotte! I found the feather prints at Antique Farmhouse. They rotate their stock so I don’t know when/if they’ll have these back in stock. If you sign up for their enewsletter, they email what’s new.
https://www.antiquefarmhouse.com/
Where did you find your rattan chair? Looks perfect in the room. I have a thing for chairs. Thanks.
Hi Dee!
I found them when they were on sale on Wayfair. They’re not on sale now but you can always check back when they have a sale again.
https://rstyle.me/+lAU-VDXZE4UDy22ubW7t1Q
Wow, you really are energetic, painting a room and taking Christmas down all at the same time. I love the new color. I am partial to shades of beige so this is a favorite color of mine. Your room looks stunning, great change.
Thanks Marty. I’m tiring of white and craving warmer colors which is weird for me. I tend to lean toward cooler colors.
I spent a week at the Savannah College of Art and Design in ’98 and noticed that most all of their buildings’ interiors were painted a mid tone gray…grays are wonderful for making artwork stand out…if you have great art, go for it !
Hi Patricia! I remember seeing that when I was in Savannah many years ago. I envied the people who went there. Gorgeous town!
Your black chimney piece looks stunning against the newly coloured wall. I remember you were having doubts about it, even considering tearing it out! I trust you are happier with it now.
Hi Alexandra! You have a good memory. I think this is the happiest I’ve been with the mantel since moving it to the sitting room. I feel like it finally fits now. LOL.
LOVE the new colour Jennifer!
Thanks Kristi! It only took me a couple years to figure out what to do with this room! LOL.
What a darling shot of Dexter! And the new paint looks great too. Nothing like a fresh coat of paint to start the new year. I’m getting ready to put up some wallpaper in my living room and can hardly wait. Waiting on the sizing to come in before I start.
Hi Suzie! I’m jealous that you’re wallpapering. I’ve always loved wallpaper and do plan to add it to my downstairs bathroom this year. You’re going to love your “new” living room! If you think of it and have the time, I’d love to see a photo when it’s done!
The new paint color looks great. It all flows well. Dexter is sweet. My 2 sweet pups don’t love the cold but when it is dry and over 30 we try to get out and walk. They have yellow rain coats and black winter coats which help but I’m glad and sad they are getting older as they don’t wish to play in the cold as they once did.
I moved my angle hair fern to our shower for the extra humidity it requires. Our house is dry during the winter months. We do need a humidifier. Your plants warm your space. Still a huge fan of your animal art!
Talking to my husband about the fountain. Fingers crossed that maybe he’ll jump on board this spring.
Hi Lori! I’ll bet your pups look adorable in their coats! I remember putting plants in the shower. I should do that with some of my tropicals this year if they start looking a little ragged. You won’t regret the fountain if you decide to get it. We installed my daughter’s fountain in about 3 hours and she just loves it!
I can see that I’m not the only one loving the new color. It’s a warm but spacious look. Yay!!!
Your room is beautiful and it did make a change. I love how it added to your mantel and picture.
I absolutely love your rug. Can you please tell me where you purchased it. I love how it looks with all the new paint colors too
Jennifer, I think the new wall color is perfect and it looks beautiful with the area rug. I love the look of wallpaper too but always hate the decision of picking it when it’s time to take it down, paint is much easier to change. Everything about this space is just cozy as can be!
Hi Jennifer,
your new “warm” wall color is great. I think your painting is indeed complimented by it. I love warm colors but I am noticing a introduction of some cool tones enhances both.
I also look forward to the pics of your yard with the pond. Always enjoyable!
Wishing you a wonderful 2021…
Choosing a paint color is so tricky! But, I love the shade you chose. It truly does warm up the space!
Painting my bedroom with lace handkerchief. Should the ceiling be painted the same color or dove white
Hi Bee! Lace handkerchief is a wonderful color, so is Dove White. I think either way you go with the ceiling will be pretty. Really, you can’t go wrong. It’s easier to paint the ceiling the same color of the walls though. Enjoy your “new” bedroom!
It feels so warm and cozy! Your plants look so gorgeous too, that hoya is beautiful, I find those very tricky!
Looks amazing! What’s the blue-grey color on the front door that can be seen in the first picture?