Going Gray

Gray is a hard paint color to get right. If you go too warm, you get into the green tones, but if you go too cold you'll be singing Elvis Prestley's Jailhouse Rock and wishing you could break free from cinder-brick walls. Or if you're me, you'll be singing Jailhouse rock (badly) while re-painting the cement-toned walls. I always gravitate towards pictures of rooms that have cool tones of grays on the walls-but in most of the rooms I like, the cool shade is balanced by warmer tones of wood.

Like always, I start with a little bit of inspiration. This is the shot I shared the other day that started this whole round of insanity:

Image from Room and Board found here

So here is where I did things backwards (naturally). I started looking for paint colors first. The first rule of decorating is to always (always) pick the paint color last.  But I am impatient and want to get on with it. Using the inspiration shot above I started looking for various paint samples in tones that worked in the light-filled living room. As I mentioned before,  I have a big window upstairs, so it can handle the darker color.  So I hauled out my paint swatch book and, like any smart painter, I went to Home Depot and purchased two test pots of color.  I painted two swatches on the wall and watched them throughout the day. Benjamin Moore's Gray Husky was the winner.  Interesting note-when searching on the Benjamin Moore site, Gray Husky is no longer listed/available as a color. 

Image found here

The next day, I went back to Home Depot and had them color-match the paint in a gallon of Behr paint. I lugged the gallon home. But then... something happened. 

The more I stared at the paint swatch on the wall, the more I saw green coming through. It could be the slightly green-tinted color that is currently on the wall, I rationalized.  But it niggled at me. So back to Home Depot I went and I grabbed three more sample pots of gray colors. This time, I made sure all of them were cool grays, instead of the warm gray that is Gray Husky. I brought them home and slapped them up on the wall. Sure enough, Gray Husky looked more green than the other grays. 

Colors are: Benjamin Moore Gray Husky, Benjamin Moore Silver Chain,
Behr Porpoise, Behr Gentle Rain and Behr Silver Screen. 

Once I had the other grays up on the wall, Gray Husky definitely looked more sage-green than gray. My favorite of the lot was Behr's Porpoise (third color down), but at certain times of the day, it seems more cement-y than I'd like. So I'm waffling. 

So during this entire paint-swatch indecisiveness, I was looking at my curtains. If my walls went gray, the curtains definitely needed switched up. Now, a little back story here--I purchased these curtains back in March, and wasn't 100% sure I liked them. They seemed... tropical. (Once again, apologizes for the poor picture... gotta get a new camera..but hey, it actually looks like I already have gray walls in this picture! which. I don't.) 

I knew if I kept these curtains I would have to purchase two extra panels to make them span the entire curtain rod when closed. But I wasn't overly in love with them, so I never made the additional purchase. But I also did not want to go back to the dark blue curtains, so I left them up. Now, alas, it is too late to return them. Fickleness is costly. 

So there I was, looking for new curtains. Cue inspiration shot. Gray walls and dark gray curtains. I liked.  So I browsed online, and this time, I was a little more picky. I knew I wanted: 

1. Dark Gray
2. Lined
3. Width had to be at least 53" (which is oh-so-hard-to find in pre-made panels!)

Cue Ballard Designs. Their Essential Panel hit all three notes. In addition, I had a 15% off coupon to use. Oh lucky day! So I caved and purchased them in Trilby Basketweave Charcoal.

  

So then, I started thinking that I should not decide on the paint color until I get the curtains. For all I know, none of the gray paints will match the curtains and then I'll be back at square one. 

Speaking of square one--I'm oh-so-tempted to paint ONE wall in the Gray Husky. You know. Just to be sure. 

PTO--hhh

I am very excited. I have this week off from work (Personal Time Off) since Peyton's school ended (oh my gosh! How did my baby graduate from first grade already?!) and she has one week delay before her summer daycare starts.

She is talking about major swimming pool time and craft projects and I am thinking of the various projects I've been itching to get done. Here are some things I am considering.

1.)  I need to purge, clean and organize my linen closet and bedroom closet. (You know, so I can go shopping and make room for more clothes..I mean, so I can get organized, of course.)  I am thinking both would look lovely painted in this color. The color is Benjamin Moore's Caribbean Cool 661. 

                           

(Because really, it'd be insane if I don't paint SOMETHING when I'm not at work...) 

2.)  One of the projects that I picked up some supplies for was to create a wooden starburst mirror as initially seen on the Home Depot blog for the Style Challenge. Cassie from Hi, Sugarplum had crated a sunburst mirror and it looked fabulous. Fabulous as in-I-need-to-have-this-right-now-fabulous. Check it out here.

Image from Hi, Sugarplum 

Then, I was reading another blog, 7th House on the Left, and Ashley created a differently styled starburst mirror (read: more labor-intensive and a little more expensive). I liked Ashley's take as it was more star-like, and more similar to the starburst mirror I have at home (slowly but surely trying to amass a collection).  Check it out here. 

Image from 7thHouseontheLeft

Both gals used theirs for outdoor art, but I don't really have a good location for outdoor art (the only patch of open wall that might work on the deck has cable wires running smack down the middle). So instead, I am thinking of spray painting it gold or doing some gold-leafing and use it indoors. 

3.) Painting the upstairs Living room Gray. I think I'm taking the plunge to the gray side.  I mentioned before upstairs gets a ton of light, so I think it can handle a deeper color. Plus, gray will contrast nicely with the white trim and doors. And of course, it will bring me one step closer to "modern." I'm inspired by this image from Room and Board: 

Image from Room & Board here

Speaking of... Room and Board-ohmigosh! Where have they been all my life?! This styling is RIGHT up my alley..some retro-y vintage pieces offset with lots of leather, modern furniture and walnut woods... be still my heart. This is the image I am most drawn to and I am thinking it will do quite nicely in my lower media room:

Image from Room & Board here

The gray, the walnut, the pop of yellow.... But I digress.

4.) Last, but not least, the deck. If the weather plays nice (it hasn't been-in fact the weather man is calling for rain and storms all week... how like a man..) I would like to power wash and stain/weatherproof my deck. John and Sherry from Young House Love had a great post sharing how they did this with their deck and it couldn't have come at a better time. Check the post out here!

So those are my top contenders for projects to do between playing with my girl while I am on PTO. 

Anyone else out there enjoying extra time off with the Memorial day weekend?  

Headed to the Lake!

We are headed to the lake today for Memorial Day. Fingers crossed that the weather (which is predicting 30-50% chance of storms all day) plays nice. 

Peyton's prayer last night included a plea for"nice boating weather so we are not in the cabin playing boring games all day." Is it bad to laugh when your child sends up a serious request to God? 

My baby shoots-she scores!!

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a black thumb when it comes to plants. Overwater, underwater, forget the plant exists for months at a time and then act surprised when it's a skinny bedraggled stalk... 

Yeah. I have a love affair with plants. I am not so sure that my love is reciprocated.  But lately, fiddle leaf fig trees have been all over the design world and I had to have one. (No, Alma, there's no figs on these trees...) 

I emailed my garden center a few months ago and they had one in stock.  It was badly sun-damaged, and I honestly wasn't sure the tree wouldn't take one look at me and just rattle it's last breath right there on the spot...but I gave it a shot. 

So this baby came home with momma. 

Amid dire predictions from friends and family and doubtful looks at the sun-damaged leaves, I persisted. And just yesterday I noticed my baby is growing. There are 3 new fig leaves sprouting up!!! 

I'm like a proud momma-- I didn't kill this one!!! 

Here she is in all her glory... You can see she's lost a lot of leaves and there are still a couple damaged leaves bravely hanging in there... But this one, she's a fighter. And she's already won my heart. 

And wow, these are like the worst iPhone pictures ever. I have got to get me a new camera. Any recommendations? 

One piece at a time..

It's the small steps that make it seem like something is actually happening and there IS progress in this small slice of my world... 

My deck now has a table. 

Progress. I knew going into this relationship that it would require some effort to look pretty and inviting. Kind of like putting in mascara in the morning- it's the finishing touches that glam it up. Like the mascara I forget to put on 98% of the time, this table without cushions is not so inviting. 

It has them...all eight of them.  I just have to haul them in and out from the garage and It's. So. Far. 

It's hard to see, but the door with the wonky blinds leads to the garage. And there's a flight of steps to the garage. 

Yeah, call me lazy. 

So I knew I needed a deck box. So I looked everywhere (and by everywhere,I mean Target) and I didn't  see any that I really liked. They are plastic. And brown. And brown plastic offends me. 

Parents to the rescue! So my folks were shopping the other night and they saw a deck box, 120 gallons worth of storage, doubles as a bench and only $90. They sent me a picture:

Costco. Go figure. Yes, it's brown. And plastic. But it's a really dark "wood look" brown. So I will try not to be offended. (And I will try to stay 5 feet away from this can of black emergency spray paint that just happens to be within the vicinity.) 

So my Papi set it up for me tonight. Here she lies. 

I immediately started nesting. 

Sadly enough, not all of the cushions fit. I was able to squish in all but ONE. 

I may need to visit Costco for a mini version... But huge sigh of bliss... Now I don't have to walk those 10 steps further to the garage...

Splash of Color

Today I am making brownies and painting my back door. With the weather being a little persnickety today, I couldn't get working on cleaning and staining the deck like I'd hoped. So I am mostly indoors today. 

But first- inspiration: 

At this point I am thinking my deck color scheme is still teal and green. (Though I did get intrigued with some dark purple pots I saw the other day... I could do teal and purple...) In any case, I know teal is the main accent color! Pretty sure, anyway. 

Enter the new planter I picked up yesterday. The teal adds a nice bright pop of color to my deck and has me thinking there really needs to be more color out there. But alas, with 60% chance of storms this afternoon my eye wandered to my back door. 

This is the view I started with: 

The interior door has never been painted. It is an ugly faded off white door with a strong yellow tint to it. It is not rocking my boat. 

And this is a progress shot. Best of all- it's free! I am using the leftover paint from my front door-so it makes for a quick and easy splash of color. 

At some point I would like to replace the outside storm door with a full glass pane French door so I can see more of the color. But that comes later. Deck first, people!

Anyone else painting doors while waiting to gouge themselves on decadent tasting brownies?

Suitcases for Peyton

Went shopping today- on the agenda was looking for some teal planters and flowers for my deck. While driving, my mom and I spied a secondhand antique/consignment type store, and we immediately detoured.

These came home with me. 

Talk about adding character to a home. I fell in love with the camel leather and old style suitcases and immediately had visions of Peyton tidily cleaning up her toys every evening into these handsomely, über-cool storage bins. (How's that for justifying a self-centered purpose?! I want them so I say they are for Peyton... Yes, that is how I roll.) 

When I brought them in and told Peyton they were for her toys, the girl immediately grabbed some toys from her room and started loading them up. 

She laid claim to them in 5 seconds flat. "Mom, I need to put my computer in MY laptop carrier." (Apparently the girl thinks the small suitcase resembles my laptop bag.) 

I'm calling this a win-win. I get to gaze lovingly at somebody's old luggage set and bask in my intelligence of hiding Peyton's mess of toys while she thinks its a super cool laptop case and gets a kick out of picking up toys. Ah, bliss. 

Anyone else finding old suitcases and hauling them home and using their kids as an excuse to do so?