Choosing Paint

1.16.2008



Do you enjoy picking out paint colors? In theory, this is a task that I should enjoy. However. I'm not choosing paints for me, but for our home's potential future owners. I'm attempting to do what they call home staging. A foreign concept to you? You're lucky. Basically, it's presenting your house in a way that allows potential buyers to see themselves living there. What does that mean? It means: no clutter, tasteful decorations, no personal photographs, cozy little reading nooks, a dining table set for a party, the smell of freshly baked cookies, and neutral paint. It's the last bit that has had me hung up for quite some time. After multiple trips to several places for paint chips, I spent a good couple of weeks running from room to room, trying to chase the lighting around the house to get an idea of what the paint would look like at different times of the day. A color that looks fantastic at 10am might look dreary and horrible at 5pm. I brought home a few quarts of paint, and ended up with: baby poo yellow, and corn husk green.

Yep.

I knew the colors weren't right the moment the paint mixer took the lids off the cans. And of course, when I held the paint chips up to the paint on the wall, it was a perfect match.

Take two.

Forget aiming for something that has any hint of warmth. Let's go for something with gray undertones. I mulled and I pondered. I tried out 397 combinations of paints at the online Behr and Valspar paint simulators. And came up with this color scheme:



This process has taught me a few things about picking out paint colors, especially neutrals:

1. Put some amount of trust in the names of the paints. "Corn Husk Green" will actually appear to be corn husk green when it is on your wall. At the very least, the paint title will give you an idea about what the undertones are. Even if it appears white on the chip, "Frosty Sky" will definitely have a blue tint. Of course, when the name is something like "Party Streamer" (Martha Stewart, MS010, Valspar), you're on your own.

2. When using online paint simulators, try the paints in lots of rooms. Find the online room that makes most paint colors look horrible (usually it's some aspect of the lighting) and then find paint that looks good in that room.

3. Paints with historical names (see above pic) tend to have those gray undertones that are so desirable when staging your home.

4. Do not trust the lighting in the paint department at your local hardware store. I cannot stress this enough. I recommend taking the paint chips you've selected outside before making any rash decisions that the paint you chose at home suddenly looks "fleshy" or "too green" once at the store. At the very least, find that little light box in the paint department that is supposed to simulate natural light.

5. Finally, don't spend as much time deliberating about paint as I did. No shade of beige can possibly be that important. Consider defaulting to the experts' favorite neutrals, like these.

I'll be sure to post pictures once I've painted a room or two. So feel free to dismiss the above advice until I have definitive proof that those beigey beiges I selected aren't cleverly disguised shades of things that you would never, ever want to find on your walls.

Don't think that paint has kept me from doing a bit of sewing, however. In between trips to the paint store, I designed a new little something:



It was so fun, I just had to make a stack of them, which will soon find their way into my shop



Happy Wednesday!

Kim

P.S. Oh, and anyone who comments on this or any of my blog posts from now through this weekend will qualify to win a FREE new little thingamagig, like those pictured above. Can you tell what it is?? I'll put all the names in a hat Sunday evening and announce the winner on Monday.

28 comments:

  1. LOL-Kim, I could nto resist when I saw your post at HC because I LOVE RETRO MAMA stuff and ahd to check out your blog, mama.
    Blessings,
    Kristena of Dreamseeds

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  2. Ok here's my new comment. lol.

    The items look like cute little pillows... but my pillows don't "stack" so nicely, so I don't know. :)

    Andrea of Home with Andrea (HC)

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  3. *I* think I know what it is... but my luck I'd guess and come out feeling like one of those paint chips from the hardware store!

    I have to say, though - WHY have I never see your blog before?!?! It's fantabulous, and I hope it's okay if I link to you from my own blog. :)

    Meg of One Mad Giraffe!

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  4. Hm....I'm going to guess sachets? Or maybe tissue covers (but that's the wrong shape...)--okay last guess: pincushions! (but then why the seam?) Oh I give up. :o) Beautifully designed blog, though--and I love the frost photo--lovely, lovely.

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  5. Heh, maybe they're paint-chip totes? ;) Very cute whatever they may be!

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  6. I like that idea, paint chip totes... I could've used one of those. I was lugging around quite a collection! Great guesses - I'd love to hear what else you think they are!

    Thanks for the compliments everyone! And link away, Meg!

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  7. My guess is that they are little cosies for those mini tissue packs that my grandma always made me carry around. If I had a cosy, I probably wouldn't have minded so much.

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  8. LOL at the paint chip tote comment. I agree that paint shopping is way too difficult!

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  9. As some of you have already guessed, my new little doohickey is a tissue holder! You guys are great guessers! Next time I think I'll try to make it a little more tricky....

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  10. I thought it was mama-pad holders!

    Nice blog, Kim!

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  11. Good luck on picking paint colors!
    Im not sure what the new items are.
    Hugs

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  12. I think they are tissue covers. I love how the top overlaps.

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  13. Ok i want one. Those are awesome looking!

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  14. Even before I knew what they were I thought they were cute! I love your shop- your choice of colors is great!

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  15. I thought they were refillable beanbags! I love the colors!

    Leng
    who love using your crochet hook roll and hairband!

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  16. Wow what are those pillow thingies. Hope your painting goes well. Have a happy weekedn!
    kate

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  17. Can't wait to see what it is!!! :D

    ~joline

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  18. My first thought was mama pads, my second thought is reusable grocery bag.

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  19. It looks like a tissue holder, but maybe its just me. :)

    Kayla-This and That Knits(HC)

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  20. no idea what it is, but they're so cute, I want one! :) Loved the paint selection tips. It's all quite timely as we're looking to paint the kitchen and new baby's nursery in the next week or so!

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  21. I am completely curious after your HC post. I NEED to know what the heck these are!

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  22. I need to know what these are! They look so cute all stacked.

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  23. Hi Kim - I LOVE everything! I'm so glad to see you stocked again - I absolutley love all of my stuff from you. I definitely need one of the wristlet and coin purse sets!

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  24. *sniff, sniff* I could really use one of those tissue holders after a long walk thru hail. Nice time to ask for a walk, Ramie *eye roll*

    --Erika/RamieBaby Designs

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  25. Choosing paint colors is always a challenge. :) Hope it sells fast for you!

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  26. Bless you, Kim! Totally cute and very Retro Mama!

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  27. Is it too late to enter? I've actually been thinking about tissue holders lately, so it's really cool to see that you're making them. Your headbands are terrific!

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  28. Thank you!

    I think I'll do the drawing in the morning, so I'll take entries until then (we'll say, 9am EST) :)

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