Dining Room

There is something about picking just the right paint color for a room that makes any hobby interior decorator feel like a million bucks.

I wonder if anyone else laughs when the first color they pick turns out to be a lot more blue then grey. Not that, that is what happened to me. I'm asking for a friend. Ok, I did it I admit it. My 1st pick failed and I ran back to find a different one.

I don't know if there is one color that is the most difficult to get a true color in almost any light or situation, but I am betting grey is a close second. I don't like the bluish undertones of some shades of grey, they don't work well with my decor or color scheme. They come across to prissy. If that makes sense, which it sounds funny when you're talking about color. You can take a brief look back at the cream color that used to be on the walls. 

Don't let it fool you, the white balance in my camera or phone always washed it out to look better. In real life it's getting close to a soft butter color and that doesn't work for me anymore.

One coat in and I knew my 2nd choice was right. Thank goodness, because I don't want to find out what drywall looks like with 1,000 coats of paint on it.

I got a really good tip from the associate at Lowes about how to pick the colors which I actually had forgotten in my 1st trip. Which is clearly why I picked a bluish grey instead of a neutral grey that has more neutral tone to it.

She said to follow the entire line across from right to left, when you're looking at the paint chips. It will tell you the road traveled on the color and how it got there. If the row starts or ends with blue then you'll get that kind of hue or undertone at various times of the day, depending on what type of light the room is getting. You know she was right. I got it right the 2nd time. 

I read articles about how to pick the right paint color and designers always say find your inspiration first and then buy your furniture pieces second and paint third. But no where have I seen that tip in quite a while. You can take your artwork or fabric swatch in to get a color match but what happens if they use a yellow undertone and you hate that color? So I figured if I needed reminding then maybe I would remember that tip if I wrote it down here. 😉

I am on the lookout for a new rug, but I am in no rush. The cream one works for now.

I have plans to take the chandelier out in the kitchen and put it in here. I think it will really signify the rustic and refined look I love.

The kitchen has been undergoing some minor changes too. Greg is on vacation and I enlisted his muscle to add an above the stove microwave and then we will be doing a backsplash as well.

Which I have been wanting for years! We have moved or lifted one or two upper cabinets due to function. But I will go more into that in my next post.

I hope you've enjoyed a look at the new dining room color and come back to see the changes I am designing in the kitchen. We're going to be doing the backsplash today so if all goes well I should be able to share pictures in a couple of days.