Did I ever mention how passionately I hate the paint color in my house?� When we moved in, I had picked out a bolder color (gold) but was immediately intimidated by the chorus of horror I received from family and friends.� I settled on a beige, and I knew the second it went up that I would count down the days until I could paint it again.� It’s drab, lifeless, and dull.� The reason I haven’t painted it is simple:� I can’t find a color I love.
On top of it all, we keep buying houses with poor natural light.� Great when you live near the desert and have high cooling bills, not so great when you are trying to take pictures of your home (and now you know why I rarely post pictures.)� I thought that since my house was so dark, I had to stick with the lighter paint colors I don’t love.� Wrong!� Now I know why I am so disgruntled with my living room color (aside from the fact it’s Knit Knot Beige).� I’ve been picking light colors thinking it would brighten the space, when the opposite is true!
At least that is what Maria Killam of Colour Me Happy is telling me in this fascinating post on paint color selection.� This explains why my cave of a kitchen came to life when I painted it almost black a couple of weeks ago.� Oh yes, I did.� It was during the Red Sharpie of Death incident, so it was all very appropriate.
I feel like someone just dropped a fan deck of paint chips in my lap.� Now I just need to decide on a color…
p.s.� Special thanks to reader Nichole and Annie of Bossy Color Blog.� Nichole referred me to Annie in the comments of this post, and Annie turned around and left a link to Colour Me Happy, which is how I found the post on painting dark rooms.
Well Colour ME happy … I love that site! Thanks for sharing …
You are very welcome! I’m going to check out Maria’s post now.
Ditto – my pleasure! And thanks for the link to bossy color blog! Glad you like Colour Me Happy – Maria is a real pro.
I teach in a tiny portable classroom. I was moved here from a beautiful large classroom with two full walls of windows. When I moved I insisted that the portable be painted (I knew I would not survive the industrial wall paper that was in there). My portable has a twin, which was not painted until this past summer, and for the first three years I taught in this room students and parents never stopped commenting on how much more cozy and friendly and beautiful my room was than the other portable, which was identical except for the paint. The other room felt gloomy and dingy and small. People never believed that the two rooms were exactly the same size.
I have three light green walls – sort of new grass color, a yellow-y green – and one bright green wall (gecko green, I believe, was the official name of the color). It makes the room seem larger and brighter, actually, to have the smallest wall painted a darker color. I chose the two colors off the same chip card so that the tones would be the same.
(The twin portable, by the way, is now two wonderful shades of blue, and is a much happier place.)
oooooohh, can we see the kitchen??
I still haven’t painted my house in the colors I think about (oranges and yellows) because I am too worried about the final product! You have good advice here, thanx. We have an article on my site http://www.networx.com about the most popular paint colors of 2009 (exterior). Here’s the link http://www.networx.com/article/most-popular-exterior-paint-colors-of-2009- maybe it can inspire you for an indoor color idea!
Anna–You sure can! I was waiting until it was done, but I can’t decide what to put over the stove. I’m going to post the pictures here, and maybe someone reading will have a suggestion. I know what I would like, I just don’t know if I can find it. I’m just waiting for two vintage post cards of Buenos Aires to arrive (ebay). Once I get those up, I will take pictures. :)
Annie–no problem! Thank you for taking the time to stop by, comment, and leave a link. I check out every link (in the comments or in the profile) of every person that stops by. It’s how I have found most of my favorite blogs, websites, etc.
The fact that I knew what Knit Knot beige was scares me, but that’s an entirely different post altogether.
Wasn’t it Susannah that also wanted a gold room? I say go for it. Gold is warm and would look fabulous.
I’m feeling disjointed today. Can you tell?
I was wondering who would be the poor sole to catch the Knit Knot reference. It’s a sad day, Kendra. A sad day, indeed.
Learning so much here! When I get a moment this color phobe is going to be checking in with some linkys:)
Hey, I just found this post! Thanks so much for the mention! I would love to exchange links with you if you are interested!