by Kathy H

Created on: September 17, 2008   Last Updated: September 21, 2008

These days the den has evolved into more than just a room designated for the man. Dens have become multi-purpose rooms in some households, where both the male and female members of the family can retreat. Although there are dens that are still used as studies and trophy rooms, many of the dens of today are also used as a second family room, craft room or even a computer or hobby room. So when selecting a color to paint the den, you must first decide what you are mainly going to use the den for.

Many people just throw things together, using whatever they have on hand to accesorize this room making it an eclectic style, while others create an exact theme or precise style when designing their den. You can paint your walls to highlight one or more of your prized posessions or even the fabric in your sofa. This depends upon whether you have created a formal or informal den.

A formal one should be accented with natural colored woodwork and all wooden accent pieces and trim should match it.

Paint the woodwork of your informal den either white or a complimentary shade to the wall color. This gives the illusion of a larger room.

Paint your formal or informal den a light to medium shade of a color that you like. Greens and blues are good choices as these colors have a calming effect on most people and are also soothing to the eyes. A den is a room where you are supposed to either study, or relax and chill out. If you are using the den as a computer or reading room, green walls offer an area to gaze at every so often to relieve eye strain.

Neutral toned walls are sort of noncommital. They basically go well with most any decor and fade into the background allowing the style of the room to be noticed instead of the color of the paint on the walls.

Lighter toned neutrals such as beiges, creams and wheats accent the woodwork and any other wooden pieces in the room well. They lighten up the walls which enables any natural or artificial lighting to reflect off of them creating the illusion of a more brightly lit room. The lighter shades of olive green, apricot and even muted dusty pinks can give the room a welcoming warm glow.

Pastel colors and lighter neutral tones are appropriate for a den being used as a hobby or craft room, as you need a well lit area to work on projects. A more brightly colored room may even motivate you to complete them. White or a lighter shade of natural woodwork also gives those pastel walls a more cheerful appearance.

A den used as a t.v. room could also

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