Comments : 53

You will likely be hearing a lot from me about paint and wallpaper over the coming months (possibly stretching into years) so consider this a forewarning! We are just beginning and its a long, tricky and treacherous road but when you get it just right, its unbelievably rewarding too! So there will likely be many many “chapters” in my paint and wallpaper diaries to come.?



I will NEVER forget our first apartment, after just getting married ?and how I wanted it to have a country french feel (this was at the height of the shabby chic craze) ?and I was adamant about going for a soft blushy pink. Instead what I got was the perspective of living inside a ?bottle of Pepto Bismol, and?having to stare at that hideous shade of pink all day long. I had gone to work leaving the gallons of newly bought paint for the painter to use and came home to a monstrosity of pink overload. You are probably right now thinking, “well didn’t you think to do a test patch”? The honest answer to that is no, I thought at my ripe old age of?22, I knew it all…yes thought I possessed that sixth sense that can choose a paint color with the flick of a finger. Clearly I was wrong. Way wrong. Words cannot describe my reaction when I excitedly returned home from work…I was aghast, nearly fainted at the shocking almost neon pink that greeted me. Needless to say I had the painters back first thing the next morning to do “damage control”. Though I did spend the previous night in a fitful restless sleep trying to convince myself it had a certain charm, it was “a look”. Yea, as much charm as a bottle of Pepto Bismol. No thank you!



?Thankfully I have come a long long way since then. Learning that in fact colored walls are not really my thing (Perhaps that experience?traumatized me for life). I am much more of a neutral kind of gal and softly colored walls in earthy tones is much more my speed. I have had a lot of people email me about paint colors and several wanting to know the wallpaper name and manufacturers I posted on my Thursday house updates post.?So first I will give you that information and then moving onto what I have learned and am in fact still learning about paint and some “sure thing” colors.



?? ?REAR POWDER ROOM PAPER- Scalamandre’s Parapluie color Ivory, pewter on pearl gold.?It looks like its a brighter yellow than it is,its actually quite soft which makes it so pretty.

MASTER BEDROOM WALLPAPER ?Stark’s Tracy Andrew, Grand?Siecle in buff
(I photographed it upside down- just realized this)

Moving onto paint…………
BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE A soft creamy white which is a favorite amongst many decorators, magazines, HGTV and countless other design gurus.

FARROW AND BALL POINTING (For the record this is their best selling color) Very warm and creamy.

NAVAJO WHITE BY BENJAMIN MOORE. Another all time best selling white, but for good reason. ?I have used this many times and its a great color, very neutral and really considerd to be a “safe white” when in doubt!

FARROW AND BALL ELEPHANTS BREATH This is a neat color, I would say it has a putty like effect to it. I saw it first at a designers showcase and took note because it was really pretty.

FARROW AND BALL These are four colors I love, soft earthy putty tones. From clockwise on the left, they are ?String, Stony ground, Chemise and Satin slipper.
A GRAY GREEN. If I get the nerve up to go with a little color, perhaps in a guest room or bathroom, and I want to go the green route..these two gray greens are really pretty, they are quite and subdued but give a hint of color. The top is Narragansett Green and the bottom is Stonington Gray.
A SOFT BLUE GRAY. Love this color, Farrow and Ball Parma Gray

A MOSSY GREEN. If I was to get bold and go green I would want a beautiful muted mossy green. Something old world looking. This Benjamin Moore color, Aganthus (even the name is old world) is gorgeous…check it out in the room below.
A TUSCAN SUNSET.I have always loved rooms that look like they are part of a sunset, those that take on a gorgeous warm apricot colored glow. Its bold and brazen and I am not sure I would do it but if I were to take the plunge, one color that’s a proven winner is Benjamin Moore’s Soft marigold. Proof is this splendid bathroom right out of Tuscany!
WHITES AND OFF WHITES. We all need them, have them and want them. Who doesn’t love the perfect creamy white wall..not too stark but not too yellow. Benjamin Moore seems to have that covered with a few best selling “whites”. You think all whites are the same until you start looking, then you never look at white the same way ever again! Some of the tried and true favorites are the best selling colors below. They are practically fool proof!
1.Ivory white. 2. White Dove 3. Decorators white 4.Atrium white 5. Acadia white 6. Elephant tusk
I think Benjamin Moore’s best selling white of all time is one we all know well…Linen white
Another very popular BM white is White Dove
Only when you see all these whites together do you realize how many variations and undertones there are in this color. So its wise to pick up a pint, do a “test patch” and see how it plays out in your room with your light. It can look like a totally different animal from one room to another!
So lets now overwhelm our senses..enough paint talk for today. What are your tips on choosing paint color? Do you have a favorite? Any disaster stories of your own? I would imagine we have all had one or two! Hope you have an enchanted Friday…..

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I love love love your master selections. This is the kind of decor I would choose myself. Just simply beautiful, Tina. You should have a “virtual open house” when you get moved in and decorated. I wish I were closer to you so I could come over & swoon. xx’s

Excellent homework- and good timing
as I am just choosing paints for
2 bedrooms and my dining room. I love
that Aganthus color, just gorgeous.
And you arent’ kidding with how different
whites can look, when you look at them
all together, wow it really makes me want
to think twice about the whites I am choosing.
Enjoyed your pink story thats very funny and
we have all had disasters like that, trust me!

Tina, Both those wall papers are excellent. The Tuscan Bathroom colour is my current colour in my main bedroom. It is gorgeous as the light changes and I would so encourage you to use it in at least one room. It’s glowy, warm and a bit bold but just look at how amazing it looks with those cream drapes and floors. Gorgeous.

Love some of the other colours you have above as well and looking forward to next chapter.

Veronica
http://www.tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com

I am searching for a creamy white..what is your suggestion? When I put some on the walls they seem to have a ‘green’ undertone. Any thoughts?
Thanks!

We think choosing paint colors is one of the hardest aspects of decorating. We love all of your choices. You picked some of our favorites. Testing the color in your area is always the way to go. We used the same paint color in several rooms and got a different look in several of the rooms because of the lighting.

This is an absolutely wonderful post! Thank you for generously sharing it with us. I will be saving this post for my files for sure. I love to use color in rooms I’m not living in all of the time, like a guest room. I’ve realized that I’m much more of a neutral girl. I also love to change things up, which is easier to do with a neutral backdrop. Love your wallpaper choices!

Hello Tina:
We are so pleased to see Farrow and Ball paints represented so well here. We think that they are without equal amongst English paint companies for the depth of colour in their paints and for the wonderful chalky finish.

In Hungary water based paints are unknown and so we had all the paint shipped from England for our apartment. Our painters had never seen anything like it before and loved using it. We chose Farrow and Ball’s Lime White…..everywhere. It has just the kind of ‘dirty white’ finish we were looking for in order for the finish to not look entirely new.

Have you seen the Farrow and Ball wallpapers?

Adore your wallpaper choices!!!

Navajo White and Acadia White rule in my home. Lighting is so key in selecting paint colors (and wallpaper, too). What worked in my old home didn’t neccessarily work here.

Love those classic paint colors though. Surely there is a white for everyone!
xoxo Elizabeth

I had to smile about your experience at 22 – I was just the opposite – every wall was painted Linen White. I had no guts to commit to colors. Now, at the ripe old age of 40+, my rooms are Old Denim Blue, Grass Green and Ladybud Red and it’s time for a change… Love your picks for wallpaper as I’m a huge fan of Scalamandre! Keep the inspiration coming, Tina!
xxoo

Oh Tina, what a dilemma! I would not know what color to choose because all these are wonderful. I am partial to gray and white,but my kitchen is a Tuscan/Provençal ocre but now I am tempted to paint it white and paint the natural wood GRAY! Your new home is going to be a real castle; I took a tour of it again last night to study the details….MAGNFICENT! Anita

Wow Tina, great information about paints! Those who don’t paint or design really are not familiar with the many paint variations, quality, etc! I am a painter! Though I am no expert, one realizes painting is an art, a technique, and should be placed in the hands of professionals (and I am no professional, but am conscientious about my work). Also, I can completely relate to the “young wife” design dilemma! LOL! Love all your choices that you are contemplating!

As usual a great post Tina! I cannot wait to see the wallpaper installed, and I love all the paint choices. We don’t have farrow and ball or pratt and lambert in Nashville and both are great paint lines. We have weird southern ones like farrel calhoun and Porter.

I love the Farrow and Ball colours and think the quality is great. The colours seem to really suit our cool English light. I have recently used Hardwick white and strong white in my sons study area. It was a bit out of my comfort zone as I’m a real neutral girl but I’m very pleased that I took the plunge. I am very much enjoying the journey that you are taking with your new home. Thank you for letting us accompany you.
ZoeB

Tina, thank you so much for responding to my comment so quickly..you are awesome for sharing! I was considering a green for the main powder room and will be using all Benjamin Moore paints..Aganthus would be perfect! I also think soft Marigold would go nicely with the Pierre Deux Pavillon wallaper for the dining room. I also came across a similar looking wallpaper that you will be using in your powder room, it is in the Norwall Chateau 2 book..pg.47..yellow, grey & cream,, cherubs, scrolls and birds..very pretty! Your house is my dream home..I have a beautiful Georgian but would love to build a French Chateau. I still love & use tuscan colors, not ready to go completely neutral yet. However, I will be using a lot of warm neutrals throughout the main floor. Thank you so much for sharing the paint colors! Can you please tell me your favorite trim color? I am considering white dove for all trim & woodwork, fireplaces, etc..but I think I need a white that has a little bit more of a warmer undertone..any suggestions would be so appreciated!! thank you Tina!

I have used Elephant Tusk in the past and will be using it in my new home as well..LOVE it!! it is the Perfect Neutral!

Tina,

First thing is always true about paint and when it’s wrong the instant you open the can and see the full force of the color you know it’s not the one.

Second without testing it and letting it dry and looking at it often all during a day as the light changes it’s hard to convince yourself that it will work out.

Third…I learned in color theory that most men are color-blind so with male clients on paint selections I steer them to lighter shades of the color they are selecting. Let the furniture, art, and lighting dictate the strength in the room instead of the walls. Otherwise it feels like a cave.

I love all the shades you’ve shared here they are “me” in my home environment I also love soft yellow, lavender, all shades of ivory, soft whites, off whites, and of course black (which contains all colors) and navy blue, grays, taupe, soft browns…etc.

This was really fun and I so enjoy how thoughtful you are to share the requests of your followers inquiry about your selections. I love love love research and part of knowing people, reading their reactions, and hearing them describe their color experiences is a generous thing and …you my blog friend do that so well.

Have a beautiful weekend Tina!

Bette

I have done several houses in our married life. One of my very favorites (where I thought I would live forever-duh..what was I thinking?;>) was an old historic house. I used 72 GALLONS…YES!! 72 GALLONS of white trim paint on the woodwork/paneling in the house- It was BM Dove White. I loved it then…I love it now. It is the white trim paint I always go back too because it is warm without looking yellowish. Love it. Good luck..it’s a big job picking out paint, wallpaper and everything else! xo Diana

I don’t have an extensive amount of home renovation experience, but I do know that lighting can make a IMMENSE difference. Before you decide what color to use, try it on a piece of wall under the kind of light you intend to use in the room. Other than that, I love all of your selections, especially the Elephant’s Breath by Farrow and Ball!

tacosandfreecandy.blogspot.com

I love, love the first wallpaper (with peonies!)! And the mossy green paint!

Best wishes, Tina, for a lovely weekend
and greetings from the Périgord,
Karin

Tina, I had a very similar experience… only mine was “yield sign” yellow instead of “pepto-bismol” pink! Just out of college and poor, my roommate and I decided to paint our dining room a pale yellow called “grapefruit.” We just about died when we got it on the walls, and hoped it would mellow after awhile. It didn’t, but we were too broke to change it.

Love the colors in your post. Wish you would have done this post a few days ago, as I just bought a creamy white for my guestroom. I’m trying a technique of painting one color and brushing a watered down version of a darker color over it. I’m sure it will be a disaster, but at least it won’t be yellow 🙂 Wish me luck!

Wow I must be in the heavy minority! I usually go to the paint store and look at swatches. Then one will jump out at me and I will get a gallon of it and slap it on the walls. Right now I have a caramel color in my living/dining room, mid tone green in my kitchen/family room and like a denim grey blue in the master bedroom.

I let my kids pick their room colors. My sons room has been baby blue, electric green, neon orange and now a more toned down primary blue. My daughters room has been lavender and then she picked pink and has no interest in changing it.

The problem is that I get very A.D.D. and get bored with the colors after a while and always end up repainting. My furniture is all neutral. My living room has been dark red/gold and grey/dark red. My kitchen has been gold and another time yellow. My family room has been hardcore khaki (it’s a very dark room we desperately wanted to lighten it up – think of the Khakis you see a Best Buy employee wear lol). My bedroom has been green. My entry has seen dark red/white and dark blue/tan. The only two rooms I haven’t touched are the computer/play room – I have no idea what i want to do in there after 8 years! And the upstairs bathroom that I can’t afford to remodel (pink toilet, pink sink, pink tub – i hate pink) and i can’t find anything that would complement it. I also have been delaying it because it has pink and white striped wallpaper, which as anyone knows is downright a PITA to remove.

Ha, that Pepto Bismol story cracks me up–sounds like something I’d do! I have no color mishap stories, but am sure I will once I have a place of my own! I’m a huge fan of wallpaper as well!

Hi Tina, love your wallpapers and fabrics! Love the paint colors, too, except for one. Our builder put Decorators White all over our house, and I hated it soooo much. I’ve never been bothered by white until that one! I just hate it and wanted to let people know that it’s really more gray than white. Cloud white is sooooo much prettier!
Stacy

When we did a big renovation 2 years ago, I found choosing paint colours to be the hardest of all the decisions I had to make. I used to have sleepless nights about it! I wish I had known you back then! Once again, a lovely post, with so much thought and effort put into it. Have a lovely weekend. x Sharon

So great to have your experienced tips handy when I get to choose paint colors for our future home in the US! I’ll be sure to refer back to this post for great advice! Thanks Tina! 🙂

Thanks, Tina. I can really use this information as I will be painting soon. I, also, like neutrals letting the artwork and furnishings be the centerpiece. Your selections are beautiful. I can hardly wait until you put it all together.

Hi Tina~ I am going to copy some of the paint colors you talked about here. I love beautiful paint colors and the warmer the better. You gave me some great ones!
Have a lovely weekend!
xo~
Karen

I absolutely love your color and pattern choices for your master bedroom they’re gorgeous! As for disasters, my dining room! I thought I was painting it a soft stone/putty color and I was almost done when a girlfriend came over and said “I like the purple undertone”…huh? I didn’t notice it because I was so busy painting and both the husband and I aren’t happy with it but that’s all about to change…can you say test patch? Lovely post and I can’t wait to see your finished rooms.

Oh yes I have had a few paint disasters!
I thought I was going with a pale gold
and instead got a bright orange, which
in my brightly sunlit room looked like it
was on fire! It lasted a day:-)
Now I too favor neutrals, creamy tones
not too white. I love your choices and
the bedroom and bathroom papers are
exquisite. Will keep this post handy as I
am helping my son paint his apt. and we
can both use some “guidance”. Great post!

loving your choices! the texture from your wall paper and the paint choices are spot on! i’m a huge fan bm paints too! hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

Thank you for this post!! We are in the process of renovating a bedroom and bathroom in our house. You have laid out a wonderful palette for me to consider. The wall paper colors are great too.

Tina dear,

Your comments on my post today confirm for me that my writing goals are being slowly met; I want to touch hearts, I want to make people think, cry, laugh and INSPIRE THEM TO BE CREATIVE. You are such a dear and yes, making headers is so much fun. I am a teacher you know, and I love the innocence in a child’s eyes, so when I saw those darling girls, I just had to mix them into the magic of MINT CHIPS AND CHOCOLATE and a misty blue table cloth! How is your building going? I showed my husband your home….MY GOODNESS WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!! WEEEEEEEEEE! What fun. I love my little castle and I can only image the fun YOU are going to have in that manor. Blessings to you for an ENCHANTING evening! Anita

Your in the fun (even though it’s overwhelming at times) part of it all now aren’t you!! Cloud white has always been my favorite white and was used in our previous home. At 24C, we wanted to go a bit ‘creamier’ as you said and chose, after hundreds of tests samples…Monterey White from B.M’s Historic line. We’re so happy with it.
I left replied to your wonderful comment but just incase…our knobs are by Hafele, Antique Black.
Best with everything…your choices so far are absolutely gorgeous!!
xo J~

Hi! Now you make me want to paint my whole house! I simply love those creamy white colors. I can’t think of anything more beautiful!!! And the wallpapers you have chosen is so perfect! Can’t wait to see the result! Good luck with everything and have a lovely Sunday!!!

Kristin xo’s

That heavenly yellow wallpaper teamed with the marble tiles is inspired – what a stunning combination. And of course those beautiful muted greys for your bedroom, just lovely. So enjoying your progress posts on the house, honestly, it makes mine look like I’m renovating a matchbox! Love your choice of taps/tiles etc. Can’t wait for the big reveal!

In my last house, I had many rooms painted in darker colors…french blue, olive green, latte, and one pale blue. In my current house, aside from one room, it’s all off-white and I love the change! It’s clean and at night has a soft glow. I would like to wallpaper one bathroom, though. Anyway, I love the paper above!

great post! i need to bookmark this one! I love your selections so far too! As for whites I love BM paint. Most of our walls are bone white which is a perfect white because it is not too creamy nor too grayish. Most of our home has gray trim but in the rooms where it is white we used BM Acadia white, which looks more white than cream on our trim. I also love white dove! so fun. Aren’t you utterly overwhelmed by all your choices??!!! I know I would be. Fun and stressful at the same time! 🙂 good luck!!

xo,
Tessa

Thank you for another informative website. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I am just now working on, and I have been on the look out for such information. ecckbdeegkkbgbcd

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