Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

zoeq1000

Oct 16, 2005, 9:49 AM

Post #1 of 12 (3401 views)

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To paint colors or leave it white

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Hi, I'm still refurbishing my 300 year old house in Queretaro to become a B&B soon. We are getting to the point of painting walls. Our architect wants to leave it white and put some hand-painted flowers around, chair-rail like. And we do have nice architectural features like 15' high ceilings and large, colonial-style windows. So, tell me, would you rather see a lot of color or simply enjoy the room as it once was. Thanks for your help, all. This is one heck of a big job.

Marta R

Oct 16, 2005, 10:18 AM

Post #2 of 12 (3390 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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If one of your selling points is the age of the house, and walls were white back then, I'd certainly try to bring it reasonably close to "as it once was." Were painted flowers common to the period? If so, it would make a nice touch to mention it in your ads for the B&B.

Marta

Rolly / Moderator

Oct 16, 2005, 10:21 AM

Post #3 of 12 (3389 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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I belong to the Christopher Lowell school of No White Walls. Please, some color. At the very least, a light cream rather than (ugh) white. You can still have the flowers.

Rolly Pirate

Gringal

Oct 16, 2005, 3:05 PM

Post #4 of 12 (3343 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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I vote for soft color or near-white. Some decor I've seen would keep me awake at night. Boing, boing. Flowers are fine if it's a small border. I never wanted anything on that order before moving here, but my taste has been overcome by the avalanche of decoration. I'm even getting used to the little flowerlets marching around my bathroom tiles. Good luck on your brave project.

jennifer rose

Oct 16, 2005, 5:08 PM

Post #5 of 12 (3312 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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Leave the walls white. And skip the stencilled flowers. Everyone seems to have gone overboard with thsoe stencils, and they're just so last year. Unless, of course, they were an integral part of the house's original decor.

zoeq1000

Oct 16, 2005, 6:16 PM

Post #6 of 12 (3297 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] To paint colors or leave it white

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Yep, I think cream is classier. And I do believe floral chair-rails were done then, at least my architect seems to think so. What about some outlining in a contrasting color? I'm no decorator but I've watch a lot of House and Garden thinking I could do a lot better than that! So now, here's my chance. I can tell you that white looks really good with the chocolate brown on the beams. I asked to paint between the beams and 2 architects said the beams would "disappear." I don't believe it. I like that brick color because there really are bricks in the ceiling. However, the more I see the white, the better I feel about it.

I want all your feedback on the website which will be done by next weekend. quintazoe.com I am so excited about this project. We've remodeled a house before but not to share it with others. And I've never in my life had a huge house, let alone a 300 year old one. It was part of the Alcocer house which was divided up for the children, I've been told. My neighbor had my continuing arches. I am contemplating a lot of cooking and cooking classes, too. It's going to be fun. And the thing I love the most is that labor is so cheap compared to the states where even having a cleaning lady once a week is over $240 a month. Maybe more now.

maw7815

Oct 17, 2005, 7:54 AM

Post #7 of 12 (3264 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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I love color- I was thrilled to see all the beautiful Mexican colors in the B&B we stayed in while in Ajijic. Our bedroom was painted sunflower yellow and a bright coral- I loved it. The house we bought while down there has all white walls- we will be moving down next Spring and we will be painting every wall! I love the colors in talavera tiles and will be doing cobalt blue and yellow for my kitchen. I see the majority on this thread prefer white but I think as a B&B your guests will like to see the beautiful Mexican color combinations- I know I did!
PS- I like the colors of the walls behind your picture.
Mary Ann Waite

zoeq1000

Oct 17, 2005, 8:25 PM

Post #8 of 12 (3225 views)

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Re: [maw7815] To paint colors or leave it white

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Personally, I love color. I stayed at a B&B in Mexico that was all color and a very simple house. I stayed there longer than anywhere else until the barking dog next door did us in. Luckily we have a very quiet neighborhood especially at night now.

But with my house, it is almost elegant in an old Mexican, old Spanish way. The architecture is beautiful and the walls are refurbished completely. I just don't think I can put bright color on them. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful - two different fountains, murals in the bathrooms, Talavera tile, cantera door frames and great doors that are new but look incredibly old. Ok, Ok, some of this is still in my imagination, but the structure part is already there and the plans move forward daily. I think bright or deep color covers up things that perhaps you wouldn't want seen otherwise.

Today they started putting in a roseton window - like a 4-leaf clover made of cantera, about 1 foot thick. We couldn't believe the size of it! It is in the new dining room that looks out upon a fountain. The window itself will be stained glass. The stuff of my dreams. It is an exciting project but I'm not sure I would want to live through this much excitement again. Any house stories out there?

abq

Oct 18, 2005, 7:55 AM

Post #9 of 12 (3205 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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Would you mind sharing who is doing your stained glass? Where are you finding your doors?

zoeq1000

Oct 18, 2005, 9:11 AM

Post #10 of 12 (3197 views)

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Re: [abq] To paint colors or leave it white

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The stained glass is being done here in Queretaro. I can't put my hands on the exact name at the moment, but it is on Zaragosa on the south side of the street very near the huge fountain at the end of the arcos. The doors are being hand-made by a local carpenter, don't know who he is. He works with our architect. I think the stained glass is about $500 for a meter and down.

Esteban

Oct 18, 2005, 11:53 AM

Post #11 of 12 (3181 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] To paint colors or leave it white

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White is a subjective color. I doubt you'll find densitometrically correct white. So off white is reality and I'm sure that's what your architect is talking about. Soft whites are my choice as opposed to the bluer colder whites.

As to color, people seem to overdo the color thing down here when remodelling. If you have the "touch", the "eye", some color can be used sparingly and look good. Furnishings and artwork are accentuated when the walls are "white".

Our place was just painted by the owners. Luckily, their son is an artist and has the touch for color. It's now painted all white with blue trim on the windows. The place sort of looks like what you'd see on the coast of Greece.

Judy in Ags

Oct 19, 2005, 4:57 PM

Post #12 of 12 (3140 views)

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Re: [Rolly] To paint colors or leave it white

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I'm with Rolly. I couldn't bear to live in a house with white walls. All off-white, if you must, but to me color (not gaudy) is even better. I have a lot of color (mostly subdued except some burgandy in my kitchen and two red walls in the bedroom) in our house and everyone who comes comments about liking the colors.