This little (Lack of) light of mine...

Not only is my Barbie Condo petite, it is a bit on the rather dark side. You see, as far as windows go, I have only a small kitchen window ( That is what small kitchens have, you know....) at the front side of my place and a six foot wide sliding glass door at the other end, in my eensy weensy living room. Beyond the sliding door in the living room is a small patio which  has a balcony hanging over it, casting shade. While this will be oh-so-nice  if  when things warm up this summer, but it does make my lil' living room.... dim. (I had every single light on in my downstairs to take these pictures.)

Now, I am all about mood lighting and candlelight in the evenings, but notsomuch in the mornings through mid day, and especially not in spring and summer time. (edited here to add: Oh! My gosh!  LOL! Thanks to those of you who spotted Moose's...um...derriere in the left hand mirror and let me know...I don't think I will tell Moose...he would simply die if he knew his patootie was showing like that!)
Anyway.

I've been toying with the idea of lightening things up by getting rid of the black pieces of furniture in my living and dining areas, wondering if this might create a lighter, brighter look in my space, so... I am thinking of painting this hutch a weathered white. Think that might do the trick, or will it simply change my look to more of a feminine, foofy look?
I am also debating on whether or not to paint my dining set white as well. (I got the idea here. Doesn't this picture inspire you madly to decorate a dining room?! It does me!)

The challenge here is that  my farm table is all white (no wood-stained top) and I have my old hall table in this area as a buffet server, and it is all cream, so I am wondering if that might be too match-y match-y, or boring, or...well, I am just not sure. Actually, I am not even 100% sure I want to keep this table. I am considering selling it and replacing the round for a small rectangular farm table I already have in my workroom office, which could mimic the look in that photo above that I like so much.....

*sigh*

So many decisions. If, in the end, I feel I made a mistake by painting these pieces, I will be spending time re-painting things back, and that doesn't sound too fun to me....I'm dying to know...What do you think?

Comments

[Miss Char]

Tracey, I sure feel you pain. My back porch which is 12 deep keeps me from any southern exposure and therefore Im in the dark all the time too. I have a table in the basement that is just about to get a coat of something white or cream to try and help, the kitchen cupboards are gonna get it too! Cant wait to see what you do, hopefully it will motivate me to get started.

[Maria (Magia Mia)]

Go peruse Miss Mustard Seeds site, http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com . That is all the furniture-painting inspiration you will need! Just click on her hand-painted furniture category. Youll definitely wanna sit back with a cuppa, cuz theres lots to look at. Ciao Bella!

[Joanne B.]

Cant wait to see what YOU decide, because I have the same dilemma here! Years ago my husband built a gorgeous tv cabinet/wall unit which we stained in an ebony finish. It looks great, but I am getting tired of the dark, dark, dark that has since creeped into our south fla home. (What was I thinking? darkish sofa, dark granite in the kitchen- ugh!) I am calling it my dark period... Cant wait to see you do it, to show my husband and maybe have his blessings on repainting his wall unit to lighten things up a bit! I say go for it!I havent seen you do anything that didnt look fabulous and just like you intended!

[Joanne B.]

oh! forgot to ask! Was that Mooses less-than-better end in the reflection in the gold mirror to the left of the hutch? too too funny! Gotta love a dog in the house!

[yellowroses]

Good Morning!Since your post last week on your crunch for time with your new job etc. maybe a temporary fix would be to lighten up the dark piece with different, lighter things on the shelves. You could remove the dark flowers on the top and the books and replace with lighter items and maybe for the summer anyway ...... fewer things.I love Moose in the mirror. At first I thought it was a picture, a very hysterical picture that would look great in a bathroom. Made me smile this morning..........Nicki

[Barb in CA]

I suggest you leave the hutch color as is (grounds that end of the room), take a few things out of the hutch to open it up and use light colored frames, some white plates/vases, and cover the books in a light colored paper. Maybe the green plant on top could be replaced with white pots filled with white roses or daisies. Im sure that whatever you decide will look super!

[Anonymous]

I agree with Barb. I dont know but I personally am tired of the painted white-washed look. Nothing is prettier to me than a gorgeous piece of wood furniture with all the lovely grain showing. I like the dark piece. What about a nice small lamp on it? JanPS: I love that dog!!!

[Anonymous]

How about hiding some rope lights on top of the hutch in and around the greenery for a tiny bit more light?

[Liz M]

The black hutch is striking and beautiful. Like Barb said above, it anchors the room.

[Beth]

Im in agreement, I like the hutch dark and think that changing out the accessories would make a difference for the season. As for the dining room table dilemma, I think thatd be a fun place to take chances :) Looking forward to seeing what you do- you always have lovely ideas!

[Mary S]

There is too much brown in the room, which is warm and cozy in winter. I agree with changing the swag across the top of the hutch and lighter objects/more color & less objects for summer in the shelves. A summer slipcover for the sofa or summer print pillows on it would brighten it. Remove the suitcase next to the sofa for summer too and find something lighter in its place. It is a gorgeous room - I especially love the mirrors. Have you tried the flameless candles on the shelves. I would lean towards lightening all the other accessories before painting that hutch. I love cottage style and that hutch would be pretty in a cream with all the objects in it now also. What a big job to paint that though. :-)

[Anonymous]

I agree Id leave the hutch painted the way it is. For a different lighter look Id just empty the shelves and put things like a few large shells here and there....leave it simple for the summer. One suggestion I would make is pull the blinds on the patio door all the way open and drape very light cotton sheer drapes to either side. At night you can close the blinds for privacy. I find even open they really hold back the light. Rather than paint everything I think you can just edit things for the summer and youll get the look you want.Let us know how it goes!Best,Kathy

[Christine]

Put the paint brush away. I agree with Liz M., the hutch is beautiful.Id hate to see it another color.OK, maybe pick the brush up and paint the inside of the shelves a lighter color.But what ever you do, be sure to show us!

[Anonymous]

Another suggestion for lightening the shelves would be to cover cardboard or foam core cut tofit the back of each shelf wall, with alight colored fabric. That would eliminate a lotof the darkness, set off what you place on the shelves and be an easy alternative to the more permanent painting. Look forward to seeing whatyou come up with. Marie

[Anonymous]

What about silver as an accent to the white? A little silver leaf thats been highly polished would help reflect the light. I like the idea of lightening up with white, but not bright white...not that you ever would. LOL

[Anonymous]

I dont know what your set up is exactly, but can the hutch be moved to the dining room? Sometimes furniture placement can make the room appear darker. While Im not a huge fan of lining the walls with sofas and chairs, in small spaces its sometimes necessary to put that largest piece against the longest wall so the sight line to the window isnt compromised.

[Christine]

I have a piece thats almost identical to yours, but mine came with the shelves and interior back and sides painted an off-white, kind of worn looking. It never seems overly heavy as a result and I live in a really tiny Barbie rental! Good Luck, itll be fun to see what evolves.

[Anonymous]

Im not sure...my husband and I always joke that the decorating shows always recommend the opposite of what is there...light to dark or dark to light...but if it needs a change, something like this chalk paint might be the way to go:http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/05/chalk-painted-mirror/

[Andrea Buford]

I love that black piece and would hate to see it go. I think it grounds your room, which is also important. A light... a lamp.... something in that (from my point of view) right-hand corner might help. My rooms are dark, too. I own more lamps than any sane person should!

[Angela (Cottage Magpie)]

I love that black piece, I always remember being so envious when Id see it in the pictures at your old home. BUT, you know, it is SO DARK here. I love it here, but its definitely dark. (My husband jokes we might as well live in Norway!). So weve definitely found that painting everything we can possibly get our hands on a light color helps A LOT. It doesnt have to be white, it could be blue or green or yellow or anything. But I dont think white would be boring or foofy, I think that all of the gorgeous things you style it with (as you do so very, very well) are going to be what makes the room cozy and textural, and so you can control how foofy it is with those things, and itll NEVER be boring because your decor is NEVER boring! Youre way too talented for that!In fact, strike everything I said. Whatever you decide is going to be gorgeous!Best,~Angela~

[Anonymous]

Ive given this much thought (ocd? lol) and I think that if you feel you need a change and brightening up......then do it! I can see the hutch in white or cream or even a soft pink or green! Whatever tickles your fancy. It would be very cottage! Very English-rose cottage! I think it would really be beautiful and after all, its only paint. If you hate it, or get tired of it, switch it back!

[Anonymous]

contdIf you did the hutch in white, with those walls, it would look very much like the fireplace at 41 Taylor which was stunning. That whole place screamed light and bright. I really WANT you to paint it white, now! HA!