When we moved
here last summer, we were thrilled with how new the place felt.
Granted, it was built in the ‘90s, but that was practically yesterday compared to the 1967 house we’d just left. (Which also felt new in 1996 compared to our previous house from 1926.)
Granted, it was built in the ‘90s, but that was practically yesterday compared to the 1967 house we’d just left. (Which also felt new in 1996 compared to our previous house from 1926.)
The
windowsills weren’t scratched from the previous owner’s dog, the family room
wasn’t all knotty pine, and not one window pane had a crack.
What we did
acquire in exchange, though, was a strangely red bathroom sink, kitchen cupboards
that echo the 1956 “flesh” crayon color, and the Red Room.
To be fair,
the Red Room was intended as a dining room and was probably hot stuff in 1998,
but it just wasn’t working for my plans to use the room as a den – or anything
else.
We ordered
the paint, called our painter friend Ray, and we were off to the races. Above the chair rail would be Silvery Moon, on the bottom, Winter Solstice – muted, quiet greys. Or so I thought. After the
bottom had been painted, I thought it looked a tad blue, but okay – maybe once
the top was started the colors would ring a bit more true. Nope. Bluer still.
As Ray
painted, I spent the day in and out of the room.
I put the color swatch from the
store against the wall. Exact match. I looked at the swatch separately – grey.
I looked at the wall – blue.
I brought
grey objects in and held them against the walls: objects grey, walls blue.
I dropped the
shades and turned on the lights. Blue.
I stood back.
Blue. I stood closely. Blue.
I tried to be
a good sport, I told myself once the furniture is in. . . . .
Watching all
this, sweet, patient Ray finally said, “Marty, go pick out another color. I’ll repaint it for
you tomorrow.”
The
new color for the top is on the right – there may be hope.
I’ll save the
red sink and flesh cupboards for another day.
Maybe next year.
It was blue. It's grey now.
ReplyDeleteI actually like the red sink. Give it a chance. I have never seen one like it. I might actually pick that color if I were putting in a new one.
ReplyDeleteCabinets can be painted or painted with new doors. I did that one time. Worked our great.
Colors and painting are so hard to do. I had my very large living area painted twice after we built this house. It was supposed to be a peachy yellow, but was a lemon yellow. Now I have that golden yellow I wanted.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were looking for this house one of the ones we were shown had a RED kitchen. Walls, floors, bench tops. Even the fridge. Which put us right off.
Oh my goodness! That paint is just as blue as can be. We picked out a Colonial White for one of the bathrooms here when the cabin was built, and it turned out blue. Hope this time you get the grey you want.
ReplyDeleteSometimes colors don't seem to be what you bought. Must be the way the light comes into the room.
ReplyDeleteI love that red bathroom sink and quite like the blue wall too, but like you said, it isn't grey. I hope you get the colour sorted satisfactorily.
ReplyDeleteThe new version certainly looks more restful and den-appropriate (talking about the original, not so much a grey or blue).
ReplyDeleteDefinitely blue! Your new color makes the lower one seem much more gray. Funny how different paint can look on a wall than on a swatch.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, the red sink isn't TERRIBLE. I'm not sure I'd have put it in new, but I think if I bought a place that included it, I'd live with it. But that's just me. :)
Yes, it's growing on me.
Deletewell, it looks nice blue but then I like blue. I like gray too. color is tricky. it took me three samples of color to pick the 'white' for my studio and more than that to finally settle on the yellow it had been before the flood.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter asked if I'd done samples on the wall beforehand.
DeleteUmmm, no. Annoying when your daughter wins in the common sense department.
What do your guts tell you to do about the red sink?
ReplyDeleteYes, it was blue. -Jenn
I'm keeping the red sink. When I start lighting scented candles with $100 bills, maybe I'll think about switching it out.
DeleteI like your red sink! Now you have a grey...it looks good:)
ReplyDelete