# Help picking a color for my basement.



## silverxxx

First of the basics. I am male and have no clue about colors and space etc.. I have done all the renovation work myself (except the electrical), and have learned a lot. 
I am now on to the painting. The feedback I have gotten from the 2 colors I have mentioned to people (burnt orange or yellow) have not been good. So I am asking for your help. I have posted a few pic of my basement so you understand the space. Everyone I talk to say to paint the basement a netural color but I do not like Tope or Off White.



I am installing a wet bar in that corner.









The duct work is being moved this weekend inside the laundry room.


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## yummy mummy

Taupe and off white.........boring...........

Of the colours that you mentioned, I really like the yellow colour. Mind you not a canary yellow or very bright yellow, but a nice mellow yellow would be great for a basement area. 

I brightens up the space. I have my whole first floor painted Benjamin Moore Summer Harvest, and it looks really nice, in my opinion.

It looks great against white trim.

Your basement look great.


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## n0c7

yummy mummy said:


> Taupe and off white.........boring...........
> 
> Of the colours that you mentioned, I really like the yellow colour. Mind you not a canary yellow or very bright yellow, but a nice mellow yellow would be great for a basement area.
> 
> I brightens up the space. I have my whole first floor painted Benjamin Moore Summer Harvest, and it looks really nice, in my opinion.
> 
> It looks great against white trim.
> 
> Your basement look great.


I'm at the same stages as the poster and I'm considering a yellow color. Do you have a picture for us - maybe you'll inspire us both. :thumbup:


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## Jay123

Definitely don't feel like you have to use boring colors (white, off white). Here are some examples of projects we've done (basements). Choose whatever colors make you feel good:yes:.

J


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## Jay123

Now, would I necessarily choose these colors...maybe not, but I'm not the one living with them, our clients are...and whatever makes them happy:thumbsup:.

J


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## Jay123

One thing I noticed on the picture of your stairs is that it looks like you've opened the stairwell wall a _little_ too far going up.:whistling2:

If you'll notice on a couple of the pictures with stairs that I posted, we opened up the wall only so far, to allow for the handrail to kill into the wall at the top part of the stairwell wall opening.

With what you've shown, you will have to kill the handrail into the ceiling at the upper end, plus you're still going to have open space beyond where the handrail kills into the ceiling...you don't want that :no: (and it's against code).

If it was _my_ project, I would just frame (close) the opening far enough down the stairs to where the handrail will kill into _the wall_ and not the ceiling.

Just wanted to give you a heads up.

J


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## Jay123

Hopefully this will clarify a little.

J


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## silverxxx

Jay123

The pic of your work are great. I must say, you do very nice work!! 

Thanks for the heads up on the stairs. This is my first big project so I really didn't think about where I would kill the rail into. I was thinking of putting a post at the bottom and then mounting the rail to the wall as you walk down the stairs. 
Here is a pic looking down the stairs so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about.



It would just be a single railing without the balusters. Is that an options I can use? Im sure its not a good idea to have no balusters but will is pass inspection?

The only reason I opened it up so much is because it was closed up before and I wanted to make it feel more open. Here is a before pic before I started to reno.


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## Jay123

Thanks. You've definitely made a big improvement. Regarding the stairs, I agree on opening it up as far as possible, you just have to have enough wall to kill the handrail into.

J


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## yummy mummy

Here are some pictures of my living room and dining room with the yellow colour.

I am not sure if the true colour shows up.


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## yummy mummy

Very nice work J123!


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## silverxxx

Well I though I would give a little update on the paint color I decide to go with. After about a week of going back and forth with either a yellow or orange....I went with Poppy Glow Orange. It turned out a lot better than I thought. Now I need to install the new 6 pannel doors, tile the bar and put some carpet in.


http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=205&i=dsc00292rl3.jpg


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## Allison1888

I personally love desert tan, a Benjamin Moore color. I've used it in two houses and still love it. It has yellow/tan/cream tones and would add warmth to the basement. You also can do some walls in a contrasting color or a shade lighter than the desert tan, which is rich cream. Don't be afraid to use some color -- you'll love it.


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## saintbb

Hey Jay123....can you tell me what the name of that colour in your billiards room and the burnt red in the bathroom is? what kind of paint it is too please. They both look great.


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## Jay123

The bath and billiard area were in a project we did 2-3 years ago...and to boot the homeowner did their own paint (and a great job!). iirc they both had a sandy texture as well.

I had my painter do the prep & priming and the homeowner and her sister did the painting...I have to admit I was a little scared after putting all that work into the project and having the h/o do the final painting, but it came out fantastic.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. You might be able to print the pics out and take them to a paint store, such as sherwin williams, porter, etc. (I'd skip the big box stores)...and they should be able to point you in the right direction.


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## saintbb

I'll give that a try...thanks for your quick reply.


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## nelsonned

Nice work and pix J123.
I really like the wall colour in the excersice room and Im also curious about what the floor material might be.


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## Jay123

Thanks, the flooring is a Johnsonite 3/8" rubber floor:

http://www.johnsonite.com/FlooringP...laySportsMultiFunction/tabid/521/Default.aspx

We've used it in a few basement exercise rooms over the years, lots of color/speckle options.


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## Dana11

You did a wonderful job with Orange. It is looking so hip and bright. Love it !

Dana


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## Tsal

Prior to painting, I would choose furniture and flooring. Paint can be chosen to be complementary of the furnishings. If you go ahead and choose yellow.... and then find a couch and chair for the basement that doesn't go with yellow... then you'll find yourself painting again.....I'd prime the walls and leave them until you are sure of your furnishings.


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## KlintP

The bright orange looks great. I'm glad you kept the ceiling white - that helps make the space feel bigger and the ceiling higher.

Good Job :thumbsup:


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