I'm painting my bedroom walls "Apple Red" and I need some help!?

[Gail H]

My walls are old, and it's not really in my budget to get new ones put up. I thought of a faux finish. BUT, I have no idea what to put with the red. I don't really want a bunch of different colors in there. I don't have a clue what color to use with it. I don't even know if I should sponge it, or rag it.....UGGGG!!

I'm a new homeowner and the previous owners did everything really badly, so I have lots of work to do.


Oh my! I need help!
and just to add, my boyfriend has decided we should do some white crown molding at the top set off the red a bit. I love red; so I'm not scared of too much.

I'm just nervous to sponge or rag. I was almost thinking of a gold-ish color.

Also, my walls are this horrendous beige color right now, and I'm tired of it!

[LauraS]

I would definitely recommend going to your local Home Depot to check for classes. Most stores offer weekly classes/seminars for free because they encourage sales. They occasionally have a class on faux finishing and paint techniques. You can also learn a lot just from reading home improvement books. One of my favorite things to do is relax in Barnes and Noble with a stack of books to plan my next big project (while my husband is at home with the kids, of course!)

Since red is a warm tone, shades of gold and beige give a room a romantic feel. Use dramatic decorative elements and rich fabrics, and be creative. You'd be amazed at how much you can find on clearance (check endcaps) at places like Target and Wal-Mart. I'd also highly recommend Color Place paint (sold at Wal-Mart) and buying paint supplies there. It's a little known secret, but you will be amazed at how much money you can save. I actually prefer it over Behr and other high-end brands... We painted every room in our house with Color Place, which says a lot because my husband manages the paint department at our local Home Depot! lol

Good luck with your project, and don't be discouraged by a low budget!

[mab5096]

I think in the long run you will be much happier with gold walls and red accents. Choose two gold paint colors that are close in shade from the same strip of colors for a soft, subtle damask look. Don't pick a very light and a very dark. Experiment on a piece of wood or the inside of a closet with sponging and ragging. Once you decide the technique you like most, try it on the wall. Remember it's only paint and can be repainted quickly and cheaply.

[Lisa]

Great color choice! I just painted my spare room red. The most important thing to do first is to primer the was a grey color. This will keep your Apple red rich in color and not pinkish.

White crown moulding will give it a timeless look. You might even try a chocolate brown trim around the top and the bottom. It's a little more warm that a harsh black .

[Chrissey]

What about painting a accent wall; the wall your bed is on the apple red. Red on all the walls may be too much; especially if your room isn't that big. You could sponge or rag that one wall. The other walls you could paint the walls a light grey or a light cream. The contrast will go well. If you decide to paint all the walls red, I would still accent one wall. Good Luck!

[Shelly R]

What you can do is paint one wall apple red - make it an accent wall. The rest of the wall(s) paint them a neutral color like a soft beige or even a soft grey which looks great with red. This way you can use a bold color without the entire room looking tacky.

And you can pick up the color red with various accents in the room (i.e. throw pillows, candles, etc).

Hope this helps!