Wednesday, August 6, 2008

choosing paint

I LOVE PAINT! and I love to choose paint colors! It is cheap and the most instant gratification you can get. So as I embark on choosing a color for our only white walled room in the house, I thought I would show you my process for being happy in the end.
  • I NEVER match a paint color to something in the room. I tried it once and it came out too matchy-matchy for me. I ended up repainting the room within a few years.
  • I use my gut, then my head. Like in this room...it has always had a sort of beachy feel to it. When I saw aqua walls in Mamma Mia, I knew that it was what I needed to take my room to a new level.
  • When I go to a paint store I grab 3-4 of the same color swatches. So I may have 7 different cards, but 3 of each of them.
  • I tape up the color cards on all different walls of the room. Hence the reason I need 3-4 of the same card.
    Seeing the colors in the room, at all different lighting, on all different walls is important! Something that looked aqua in the store may look baby blue in the room.
    When the color swatches are up I immediately use scissors to cut down ones I know are not right. But I only cut the color off, another color on the same card may be perfect. Taking down the "no-goes" helps alleviate confusion.

With all of these choices one card, on all three walls, has stood out to me. I am weird, paint colors (and fabric for that matter) gives me butterflies in my tummy. That is how I know it is the right color! Please excuse my green clock, it will not go with any of these colors!

So which one did I choose? You will have to wait and find out. But I can tell you...it is not the bluest ones!


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very cool! I love aqua, too! Hubby and i are actually painting today, too...but we are in the PINK color family :0) My friend is coming tomorrow to be "artistic" with me, so we need to get the pink on the walls...off we go!

Jan said...

That is such a great idea Jen. I love the way you think. Can't wait to see the end results of your choice.

I love that picture of your daughter. I want to do that with Mattie.

Pearl Maple said...

Great suggestions for selecting paint. We creative types can be so picky over just the right hue and tone.

Thanks for sharing.

ROSE VINE COTTAGE said...

Decisions, Decisions!! LOL. I've been known to buy on impulse, a whole gallon no less, then hate it. I could open my own paint store with my supply of paint! Good luck, your process looks like it might work a little better than mine! Can't wait to see it finished.
Hugs~Kelly

Liz R. said...

i'm so glad you're doing one of those colors! i'm going to live vicariously through you!

Chris Kauffman said...

Oh I can not wait to see this I love this color as well, the hard part is always the choosing , I usually try big squares or entire walls just to see and live with it for a while, color is so effective after all, this is exciting for this aqua lover.
Chris

Cheryl said...

I can't wait to see what color you do! I always love your choices!!

Unknown said...

CAN"T WAIT!!