Photo courtesty of www.bhg.com
Patti wrote us over the weekend with a Decorating Question regarding her bedroom. She has forest green carpet, oak furniture, white walls and burgundy comforter and wants an updated look without having to replace the carpet.
I actually had a similar situation with dark teal carpet that came with the house we bought - I really didn’t like it, but it wasn’t in the short term budget to replace. In my case, I chose to paint the walls a warm beige color and used neutral bedding with accents of tiffany blue and deep brown. It turned out really nice and Patti, I’m thinking this approach with different accent color may work for you as well.
I searched through Better Homes and Garden’s idea area and found the photo pictured above of a bedroom that I think could be a great inspiration photo for you to use as starting point and added some suggested colors to the left (and a green one below to represent your carpet). It’s done in neutrals – with shades of white, creme and beige; accented with an orange-red in the form of pillows, accessories and artwork. I would start your project by choosing a warm neutral beige for your walls, making sure that it doesn’t fight with the finish of your oak furniture. The one in the photo above is actually a little cool.
Select multiple paint chips at your favorite paint store and tape them to your furniture. Stand back and squint. You’ll see some that will stand out like a sore thumb - get rid of those. What you are looking for is one that makes your wood appear warmer and even more beautiful against it. Once you choose a wall color, select several shades (both lighter and darker) in that family to use as reference when shopping for other neutral items such as bedding and pillows. The key to developing a success neutral color scheme is that the shades all work together. Using the “squint test” is a great way to see if they work together – if they blend, they work well together. If one sticks out – find another!
A simple way to shop for items, once you pick a paint color and other neutral shades is to staple or tape the paint chips you select to an index card and keep it in your purse. I’d also suggest matching a chip to your carpet and adding that to the index card as well so you have that to reference when shopping as well.
Once you get your neutrals in place – painted walls and bedding, it’s time to add some accessories which is what will make your room special. I’d go with an orange red and dark browns (almost black). Don’t go too red, or it will look like christmas 
You might also want to add a large area rug in the bedroom to “absorb” some of the green and a smaller one in your bathroom to pull the colors into there.
One thing to note about a neutral color scheme is that it’s details and textures that will make it really special such as in the photo above.
Here are some things I found that could work on a budget and look fabulous!
Nate Berkus has beautiful neutrals and textures (shown above) found at Linens and Things that just happen to be on sale!
And check out this Tulipere from Ballards. Fill it with fresh tulips or find some fabulous silk one’s at a craft store such as Hobby Lobby or Michael’s.
The Pillows above and art below are from zgallerie. Pillows may be a little pricey, but I like the bold stripe.
This pair of canvas prints may be the perfect touch for the walls – they are simple yet will really pull the room together.
These assorted items from Crate and Barrel Accessories are perfect for a little punch to a neutral room.
A rug like this from Ballards placed in the bathroom can pull all the colors together and provide some softness to the room. You might want to even choose to be really bold and paint the walls the organge-red color that you used to accent the attached bedroom!
Good Luck Patti! Send us Pictures when you’re done!
Amy & Jayne
