One challenging thing about being at home so much these days, is that my eye catches every little thing I want to change about our home, which sends my brain into a panic wondering WHEN I’ll have time to change it. This is all futile since paint colors never stopped a pandemic and I have two kids at home and a full-time job, which demand 190% of my attention each day.
Until last Thursday when Mike drove the kids to his brother’s house to help him pack for their big move. And suddenly I had a whole day open to do with what I pleased.
I worked of course, then painted my old dining room now new tv room.
Here’s why no one should be painting in a pandemic. It’s the same reason that most people should not be cutting their hair in a pandemic: the decision is unfairly weighted to feel much more important than it actually is. Picking a paint color (or bangs style) feels like life or death. It feels like it’s up to me to create the perfectly styled room, or else the world will face an even grimmer demise.
And then there’s my local mom and pop paint store, with is maskless employees and the rows of paint swatches, all begging for the chance to be the star of the show.
When I’d finally selected a color, Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin, I had only painted a few swipes when I instantly knew it was all wrong. It was too blue, too bold, too much for my neutral loving self. I’d chosen it instead of a more decidedly sage color in hopes of balancing out my green kitchen cabinets.
I had hoped to channel something like this:
Or this:
But instead, I was left with this:
Not bad, per se, but not exactly green enough for what I was going for. So, being me, I pulled out a $9 gallon of off-tint green paint, plopped some into the $54 gallon of Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin, and hoped for the best. I mixed and tested swatches until I ended up with this:
It’s still wet here, and my plaster walls show every little bump, but I *think* I like it.
I inevitably have a moment (okay, a mini-meltdown) after painting a room wherein I hem and haw, then despair, then recover until I reach the “I’ll just try it out” phase. So that’s where I am now.
Here’s what I have in mind for the space:
I would likely pull the buffet from my front room for use in the middle room, and replace it with the green buffet that currently holds our t.v.
A note about the couch: It is not my ideal style whatsoever, but we pulled it from the curb earlier this year and it is insanely comfortable and washable, which, when you have two small kids is a very good thing. Eventually it will be replaced, but, all in good time. Plus, you know I love a good “dumpster dive”!
The curtains are from Ikea, but I have an idea to stamp a damask pattern in a light sage green onto them to provide the subtlest bit of interest.
I’d like to either install my own board and batten or have it installed by our contractor soon. I’m hoping having a white/cream base on the wall will make the wall color feel a little less intense. I go back and forth between wanting more traditional molding style and wanting to keep it simple like the board and batten on the upper part of this inspiration room:
I’ve also always wanted to paint a mural on the upper half that’s reminiscent of these handpainted wallpapers by Gracie.
My inspiration board veers much more traditional than cottage or farmhouse, so I’m not quite sure how to marry it with the kitchen which has a simpler, more farmhouse feel. A Gracie wallpaper / mural would likely take it over the edge to a much more traditional look.
An additional consideration is my dear husband, whose style is straight mid-century. Luckily, he’s okay with me making all of the design decisions, and someday, I hope to repay him by creating the basement mid-century man cave of his dreams.
Despite my paint selection induced anxiety, last Thursday was an introvert’s dream. A full day to ponder, play, and create. And for that, I’m grateful. xo