Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

To painting them, choosing two colors?
Like lighter on a certain side and darker on other?

Did I make sense?

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

You made sense!

I remember seeing on DIY network one of the designers saying that you paint the darker color on the bottom and the lighter on the top. This way, it draws your eyes upward and the room appears larger. Our builder did the same thing when he painted our DR.

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

i was gonna say the same thing... we have a chair rail in our bedroom... we did two color greens- we did the lighter color on top, darker on the bottom (pics in my album)... i just think it looks nicer that way.

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

we did it the opposite way and it looks great

Velvety Merlot on top and Taupe on the bottom. The chair rail is Pure White

Do a search for pics of my dining room....I dont have any on this computer

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

Thats my dilemma.
I am doing a pale pink and a navajo white for my DD's room but I want the pink to be more noticeable therefore putting it on top. I just
didnt want to do it and it looks all wrong, ya know?

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

There is no rule per se.

Like Scott we did the opposite in two rooms. Tan colors on the bottome and a green or red on top.

I would rather have the furniture color the tan color and not the primary color.

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

We did it in our dining room. But we used one color which was the darker color on the bottom and we had the store add 50% white to it to make it lighter for the top part. I don't think there is any "way" to do it. I think if you are going to do it two different color I would do the darker color on top since your furniture is going to cover most of the lower part.

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

We painted out chair rails whit before they went on the walls. Made it alot easier. We used 2 shades of sage greens. Lighter on top and darker on bottom. This was for our basement. I luv the way it looks!

Re: Chair rails-Is there a rule or method..

I was watching one of the home shows yesterday and the painted a dining room like that...... they used the darker color on top....... I really think it's a matter of personal preference..... I'm sure it would look great either way