Adventures in color: Snohomish home has walls that wow

When Steve and Becky Ostrem were getting ready to paint their living room, the largest room in their rural Snohomish home, they did what most people do.

They hit the hardware store for paint swatches.

Instead of finding colors that struck a chord, they argued: He wanted a chocolate brown and a neutral, safe creamy white. She wanted something gold and, maybe, something burgundy, to pull in the colors of the living room accent pillows.

“It just wasn't doing it,” Steve Ostrem, 58, said of their methods.

“We kind of had different ideas,” said Becky Ostrem, 52.

Though the room was typically bathed in western and southern light, Steve Ostrem worried dark hues would look depressing.

“I was freaked out about it being too dark,” he said.

The Ostrems needed a second opinion, a mediator.

That's when they brought in Kelly DuByne, a Lake Stevens interior designer who specializes in color.

Using their living room wall as a backdrop, DuByne displayed a variety of 8½-by-11 paint samples from Devine Color, a Portland-based paint line popular with designers.

The Ostrems took turns taking down samples they didn't love.

Eventually, with help from DuByne, they settled on a surprising, four-color combination:

Devine Cocoa, a light brown, covers the lower half of the wall below the trim.

Walrus, an understated burgundy, covers the space above the trim.

Persian, a subdued latte brown, covers the ceiling.

Grizzly, an old-world gray, covers the room's extensive trim, all original to the 1918 home.

The Ostrems, who would have never settled on such diverse and adventurous colors on their own, are delighted with their new living room look.

“Kelly challenged me to look outside the box,” Steve Ostrem said. “By God, I wasn't going to give in. She won me over.”

Becky Ostrem went out of her comfort zone, too, especially when they decided to go for gray trim, which seemed like heresy for a home in the gray Northwest.

She was shocked that the richness of her much-darker walls caused the light from the windows to shine.

Suddenly she was noticing scenes in the distance that would normally have faded or blended in with their light walls.

“Changing the room has brought the outside in,” she said. “To me, it looks like the outdoors is a painting that has been framed.”

Steve Ostrem, meanwhile, is excited to enjoy the warmth of their somewhat Victorian color scheme during the holidays.

“I think the Christmas tree will look great in here with these dark walls,” he said.

Becky Ostrem said DuByne has an uncanny knack for color.

She also helped them choose colors for their master bedroom, dining room, office, hallway and upstairs bathroom.

“This is just her gift, and you can really tell,” Becky Ostrem said.

DuByne believes color is powerful for setting a tone and creating a sense of well-being.

“Color has become a huge part of my business,” said DuByne, who often teaches and takes classes on color. “I'm very passionate about it.”

The Ostrems have become infatuated with the power of color during the nearly 20 years they have been remodeling their old farmhouse.

That includes yellow in their kitchen, earthy tones in their downstairs bathroom and laundry room, and a rosy-pink-red called Devine Haze in their dining room.

To Becky Ostrem, it looks especially warm and inviting in the evening when she comes home.

“It's amazing,” she said. “I love looking at the room at night from outside.”

Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.



Paint tips

Painting is a relatively inexpensive way to create a dramatic change, especially if you do the work yourself. Here are some tips:

Good paint: Interior designer Kelly DuByne of Lake Stevens recommends avoiding low-end paints. Colors in cheap paint aren't always consistent, and you made need more coats to cover, she said. DuByne recommends using midrange paint. She often uses Devine Color paints, which cost about $40 a can.

Different lights: Look at paint swatches on your wall in morning, midday and evening light. Paint colors that look splendid in the light of day can change dramatically under lamp and ceiling lighting.

Be brave with color: Northwest residents often fear deeper colors will create depressing rooms. Bright white rooms, however, can often look more cold and gray than those painted in warmer, often darker shades such as yellow, orange and red, which can add excitement and energy.

Try yellow in north-facing rooms, which are typically the most deprived of light.

Use red in the dining room to inspire lively conversation and healthy appetites.

Jewel tones of blue, green and purple should be used in rooms where you want to be enveloped in color and comfort, such as a bedroom, powder room, den or cozy living room, DuByne said.



What does it cost?

Depending on your budget, it might be worth the cost to hire professionals to help with painting and color consulting.

Here's the breakdown of what the Ostrems paid for the work on their 300-square-foot living room, which has extensive trim and high ceilings. They used two wall colors, one trim color and another color on the ceiling. Paint, regularly about $40 a can, was sold at a discount to the designer.

Color consultation: $130 (two hours at $65 per hour)

Labor (painting, interior designer services): $1,350

Supplies (painters tape, brushes, tarps): $120

Paint: $365 (10 gallons by Devine Color)

Sales tax: $157

Total: $2,122

Resources

Distinctive Interior Designs, Kelly DuByne, Lake Stevens; 425-238-3678; www.distinctiveinteriordesigns.net.

DuByne will teach a class, “Color! Color! Color!,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 10 at the Marysville Library, 6120 Grove St. Register by calling 360-363-8400 or see www.marysvillewa.gov. Class is $20. See the Home & Garden Calendar weekly for more class listings.

Kory Hauff, painter, Snohomish; 425-343-9771; www.jkpropertyservices.org

Miller Paint, 18021 Alderwood Mall Parkway, Lynnwood; 425-248-4950; www.millerpaint.com

Miller Paint is the manufacturer of Devine Color paints. Learn more about Devine Color at www.devinecolor.com.