While redecorating and remodeling this house, I have learned a lot of lessons the hard way. One of those lessons is how important it is to buy the $3 sample can of paint before committing to a paint color.
The picture on the left is the color that we were originally going for. A nice gray with a hint of blue. The one on the right is what we actually ended up with the first time around. A baby blue that looks almost lavender. Blech!
The picture on the left is the color that we were originally going for. A nice gray with a hint of blue. The one on the right is what we actually ended up with the first time around. A baby blue that looks almost lavender. Blech!
Since we didn't do the test patches - by the time we figured out it looked baby blue, we had already purchased a bunch of non-returnable paint so we decided to put it up on the walls anyway. After a year-and-half, we hate the color even more than we did when we first painted so we have decided to go through and re-paint the entire house. The walls are pretty beat up anyway from rearranging furniture a hundred times trying to figure out the best layout.
This time we picked up samples of different colors and I painted them onto sheets of white posterboard and hung them up on the wall to see what the color really looked like instead of going by the tiny paint chip.
We have also been checking the paint swatches throughout the day and in each room to see how it looks in different light. The Flint Smoke color that we decided upon for the kitchen goes from looking gray with just a hint of blue - to blue with just a hint of gray - to dark gray with no blue: all depending on which area of the kitchen you are looking at and at different times of day. We love all of these varying shades so it ended up being perfect in the kitchen but when we put it in the living room it almost looks green.
I am hoping to have the entire main level repainted by the end of May and this time I am going to do things right! Not only am I testing the paint swatches in each room, I am also going to repaint all of the trim to fix previous mistakes and really take my time to make sure that everything is perfect instead of just "good enough". We have also chosen a flat paint finish to hide the imperfections in the walls (except for the kitchen and bathroom which are a satin paint finish because it is easier to clean).
This time we picked up samples of different colors and I painted them onto sheets of white posterboard and hung them up on the wall to see what the color really looked like instead of going by the tiny paint chip.
We have also been checking the paint swatches throughout the day and in each room to see how it looks in different light. The Flint Smoke color that we decided upon for the kitchen goes from looking gray with just a hint of blue - to blue with just a hint of gray - to dark gray with no blue: all depending on which area of the kitchen you are looking at and at different times of day. We love all of these varying shades so it ended up being perfect in the kitchen but when we put it in the living room it almost looks green.
I am hoping to have the entire main level repainted by the end of May and this time I am going to do things right! Not only am I testing the paint swatches in each room, I am also going to repaint all of the trim to fix previous mistakes and really take my time to make sure that everything is perfect instead of just "good enough". We have also chosen a flat paint finish to hide the imperfections in the walls (except for the kitchen and bathroom which are a satin paint finish because it is easier to clean).
Since we have decided that we will be putting the house on the market in the Spring of 2013 it has really motivated me to finish all of these house projects. I want to be able to enjoy a finished home for awhile instead of finishing it up just in time for someone else to enjoy it!
Speaking of finishing up projects: the kitchen makeover is almost complete! Just a few little details to complete and I should be able to show you our new kitchen in the next day or two!!!
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Speaking of finishing up projects: the kitchen makeover is almost complete! Just a few little details to complete and I should be able to show you our new kitchen in the next day or two!!!
This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Polish The Stars.
3 comments:
The posterboard was a really good idea! I like that you can keep the samples too if you want for later use, rather than just painting directly on the walls. I totally know what you mean, we made the same mistake with our bedroom. I wanted a nice, muted gray, and thought I could just "pick" any gray shade. I was wrong. We ended up with a horrible, bluish gray that was really depressing. So we had to repaint the whole room too! But I'm so glad we did, it's worth it to not feel depressed every time I walk in!
GREAT idea! It is amazing how different a color can look up once it is with your decor, your furnishing and different lighting throughout the day. Thanks for the tips!
this is helpful because we are just a few weeks to close and we plan to paint away! never done it before. i am tuning in!!!
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