My New House: Color Palette

I spent this week struggling with a lot of things – one of them being paint colors. My new house has some great – but weird – light, especially in the formal living room, which happens to be the one room I’m making a BIG color commitment in (painting the walls, trim, mullions, mantel and millwork ALL the same color). I’m usually pretty damn good at paint colors, but this room had me stumped. A lot of it has to do with the current wall color, which really changes how my samples look.

Initially I thought I was going to do a green-grey, but every sample looked a bit muddy or too dark, and I have a lot of green happening in other parts of the house, so I switched it up to a blue grey color. I brought a ton of chips over, all the “light blues” went baby blue, and a lot of the greyer blues went dark grey.  My painter, Adelfia Painting, was so helpful by painting around the swatches with white primer so the colors looked truer. This was a huge help and something I advise doing to help make a solid decision.

I want to do moss green velvet sofas in here, so I wanted the blue grey to be light but not baby blue. Rich but not too dark.

Top left of mantel: BM Wales Gray, underneath that is BM Silver Mink, bottom left of that (cut off) is BM Boothbay Gray

This is what the colors above looked like painted on the existing yellow/green color- it’s CRAZY!!!!

On the previous wall color, the colors look COMPLETELY different: From top: Silver Mink, Wales Gray and Boothbay Gray.

In the end, I picked BM Wales Grey – let’s hope it turns out how I imagine and not like a little boy’s nursery! LOL.

I thought I’d round up all the wallpaper and paint colors we’re doing in the house (as of now – there are some I have not tested yet (master bathroom) and some I have not been able to decide on (Henry’s room)).

FIRST FLOOR: In addition to the “Great Light Blue Grey Paint Dilemma of 2020” we’re doing some more painting. When we bought the house it appeared the trim was all in great shape. Then, as drapes came down and furniture moved out we noticed that a lot of the crown moulding was yellowing because it’s oil paint. Sooooooo, there went my reasonable paint budget. We are now painting almost all the trim over in Ben Moore White Dove.

The foyer, stairwells, hallways, family room and playroom will all be a light neutral, Sherwin’s Natural Choice – not too warm, not too cool. For the powder room between the formal living and kitchen we’re painting all the trim F&B Green Smoke and using the dreamy Raphael paper on the walls. For the kitchen I ended up deciding that since there is not a ton of natural light in there, doing green cabinets was going to be too dark. So I chose an “english kitchen” inspiration of a light warm taupe, BM Edgecomb Gray. With the dark grey and white counters, brass hardware and zellige subway it’s going to (hopefully) look great. They should be done painting by this weekend!!!

For the mudroom right off the kitchen, I’m doing a brick floor and thought this Jasper wallpaper I’ve always loved (inspo from Heather Chadduck) would be SO good. Then in the tiny bar, which has little light and wood counters, a deep green.

The most AMAZING part of the first floor is going to be the dining room – I’m getting the grisaille mural of my DREAMS from The Mural Source – their English Parks panoramic in Fog, which is taupey- not too cool or warm. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.

SECOND FLOOR:  I will change out the stair runner, but right now I can’t afford to. Possibly a pale leopard or animal print someday. The reason I can’t afford it is because I’m splurging on another dream wallpaper for the master bedroom – Schumacher’s Chinois Palais Vinyl in Stone. Planning some green accents in here, but lots of whites, neutrals, etc. The bathroom is currently gutted, but the plan is to paint all the trim, casing and vanity BM Revere Pewter and the walls a lighter Classic Grey.

The guest room, which will be Emma’s room for now so she can be on the same floor as us until she’s a little older , is F&B’s Lulworth Blue because I get to reuse her GORGEOUS drapes and pelmets in here :) All of her current nursery items will go in here – eventually we’ll swap in the raffia bed from Serena and Lily we have from our old guest room and make it a guest bedroom. We did not do anything but paint the guest bath as we plan to someday take this whole side of the house (guest, bath, office and part of the laundry) and make it a new master suite.

The office I chose a gorgeous deep brown that has a hint of grey and it’s going to be SO cozy and amazing. Ignoring the laundry for now completely. Can’t do it all.

THIRD FLOOR:  The two kids rooms are up here, plus their shared bath, which is getting a gut reno as well. I’m planning on this Colefax star paper on the walls since kids rarely shower, so steam won’t be a big issue. Emma’s room I am definitely doing Bowood, but I have NO idea what I’m doing for Henry. I want to try to reuse his roman shades, but I don’t know what to do on the walls. The room is too dark to do what he has now, so we’ll see. He also says he wants a GIANT bed (I.e. a full or queen), so we’ll see.

I plan on posting here once a week about the progress, with my boards/schemes for each room!  We move Jan 21st so the clock is ticking! :) A big thanks to my painters, Adelphia Painting, and contractor Brookes & Hill for making this happen so fast!