The final decision in our basement rec room refresh came down to the white walls. I considered just about every direction. Shiitake, Peppercorn, Loggia, Porpoise and Tricorn Black—all by Sherwin-Williams—were serious contenders. I bought samples, looked at mock ups and asked for opinions, including Jeff’s.
The darker colors looked beautiful and moody in the mock ups. I could picture them in the room. Jeff, however, liked the walls white. Since we both use this space, I decided to see what I could change without opening another can of paint.
First came the lighting. I bought amber LED vintage-style bulbs for the lamps, and we switched the recessed lights to a warmer setting. That softened the white walls and reduced the pink cast I had been seeing in the rug. It helped, but the room needed something more.
A suggestion to add artwork to the large white wall gave me my next idea. I looked at pieces that cost far more than I wanted to spend, then tried the discount stores. At Ollie’s, I found a 40-by-40-inch large abstract canvas for $20.
From across the room, I can almost see a train crossing a bridge, with smoke trailing behind. Of course, it’s abstract, so you may see something entirely different. For fun, I named it Brume sur les Rails—”Mist Over the Tracks”. Its gold, dark and light tones tie into the room, and its size gives that wall the presence it was missing.
I also moved the metal artwork over the chair and paired it with a vintage framed map I already owned. Pieces that had felt a little lost on their own suddenly looked like they belonged together.
Now, I genuinely enjoy spending time down here. The custom blackened bronze wall is still the star of the room, and the warmer lighting and artwork make the white walls feel intentional. So the remaining walls are staying white—for now.
The lesson I am taking from this refresh is simple: sometimes the answer isn’t another paint color. Sometimes it’s changing the light and finding the right piece for the space.
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