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Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Perfect Paint Color

Crisis Averted
I'm now living the perfect seafoamie green life. 
Last night and this morning, I made a plea for help and many of you chimed in with suggestions and support on my dilemma of picking the perfect paint color.

After sleeping on the paint that was already up, the one I  thought was too dark but was trying to embrace, I went outside at 7am to look at it again and see if I liked it more in the morning light.

I knew I was going to change it when Harold my doctor/bachelor, across the street neighbor leaned out his bedroom upper deck and said....."Is that it?"

You might think this is pretty nosey of him. But I was standing in his yard under his window...gazing over intently at my house. He has awoken to this the last three days.

"Yes", I said

"I'll be right down", he said.

"Well", he says as he stands next to me.

Me with my hair all stuck up on one side from sleeping on it and no makeup. Normally, I'd never let myself be seen like this....but I've given up. In my neighborhood, neighbors are like family and they see you at your worst.

"Well", he says..."It's too dark. It does nothing for your house. Let's just say it does not enhance it like the nice gray I chose for mine".
Rub it in Harold.
He has discovered his inner designer. He's been watching the progress at my house all week and critiquing.

"I know, I know" I say, "I'm trying to like it because it will take too long to get another color mixed so that we have paint to paint this morning".

Harold says, "Just get straight over to the paint store. They will help a pretty girl like you and mix while you wait".

Really....did he look at me? I hadn't even brushed my teeth. And to get the paint immediately, I was going to have to go as is.

But it was a nice thing to say and spurred me into action.

So I selected another Benjamin Moore paint immediately and he was right, the guys at the paint store were super nice and got it done for me while I waited. I did brush my teeth, comb my hair and throw a little makeup on.
And that paint?

It was still not right.
Ugh.

This is when Jose, the painter said...he'd see me tomorrow. That I was to call him when I had the paint in hand. So.....I drove over to Sherwin Williams and tried again. This time I focused on the green sections, instead of the blue and or gray sections and there it was. It was like the clouds parted and a ray from heaven fell upon that paint chip. I should have known it was the perfect color by it's name.
Underseas

I quickly bought a quart and headed home. 

I painted on the front windows and it was perfection. Why couldn't I have found this color twelve paint samples ago?

Tomorrow morning Jose, the painter, will be here bright and early and so will begin the end of this ordeal.

My painters are moving to across the street when they finish here so I'll still see them. They've become like part of the family. The dogs don't even bark at them when they see them at the windows any more. Newman wags his tail. 

House will look like I planned now. See below...

I browsed tonight for other sea foam inspirations and found plenty.
source: flickr.com




source: homeatsea.com

I should have looked for color inspiration in my own house for my paint color

for as Glinda the Good Witch said, "What you are looking for was there all the time".


She and a couple of my followers pointed out that the color I was looking for was right here all along.
The paint color is in those field tiles of my fireplace!
I should have taken a field tile with me to the paint store.
Oh....well....
All's Well that Ends Well
as my Mom always says

7 comments:

Lisa ~Suburban Retreat~ said...

So happy this crisis has been averted! The colour is gorgeous.

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

Yea!! Nita!!! I'm sure you feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders!!
So glad for you!

Nita Stacy said...

Sonya -
I do feel like a weight has been lifted. The painters are outside this morning...happily painting.

Only one showed up at 7. The other called to ask if it really was the right color! He wasn't going to come unless it was for sure.

Too funny. But I don't blame him.

This is so unlike me....I normally have everything all planned out and ready to go but I didn't know they were going to start immediately and I wanted to wait to choose color for the house till the new roof was on and I could see how it was going to look.

And then the painters came the day after the roof was done. So I didn't have a chance to ponder my color choices without painters breathing down my neck. But it all worked out. Of course it's costing me more than it should have but in the long run it will be alright.

Live and learn.

Unknown said...

I love a post that can make me laugh out loud. Harold sounds like a treasure and just confirms for me that I need to move to your neighborhood. Instead of Harold I have Roger who likes to show up in the front yard in his white bvd's.
I am glad you found the perfect paint color and I am going to remember to check my interior items for color inspiration next time we pain the interior.

Traci

Kelly@TearingUpHouses said...

Great color! Very nice.

Kelly

Anonymous said...

The color is perfect. And am I the only one in love with those blue shoes?? (HollyM)

Mrs. 5C said...

I just found your blog through childfree chic and I was almost in tears over your "How I met my house" post. It was so thoughtfully worded and beautiful.
I'm so happy that you've found your ideal trim color! I know what a bear it is to pick outdoor paint colors. I painted my front door 4 shades of yellow this past spring.