Question: I love your blog and I have a decorating question that’s not quite ‘eco-related’, but I’d love your opinion. I’m moving into a very small apartment and want to repaint the walls. The carpets are a medium gray color. What do you recommend for the walls that would help to ‘open up’ the space? Most of my furniture is oak and fabrics are browns. What color do you recommend for the walls that would make the gray and browns more alive?

Clarice –Brattleboro, VT

CJ: Here’s my answer. Without really seeing the space and just going on what you’ve told me, I’d go with a color (like the one shown at left which is Benjamin Moore’s Sea Breeze) that is a light blue or green, with an airy feeling that will definitely make the browns and the oranges (in your oak furniture and fabrics) pop. It will also blend nicely with the medium gray which, lucky for you, is a neutral color anyway. Benjamin Moore offers a low VOC (volatile organic compound), paint line, called Aura that is earth friendly and goes on the wall beautifully. The colors are fabulous (!) and the bonus is that your local paint store (that carries Ben Moore) can match any color to the Aura line. That way there will be no icky smells, safe for you and the environment. Have fun painting and let me know how it turns out.

Got a color or design question? Just ‘Ask Cheryl.’