My Strangest Decorating Adventure So Far

If you've ever painted a room, you've probably been disappointed a time or two, because the little paint chip looked fine in the store but different on your wall. And, you know the impossibility of matching a color in an inspiration picture. Those things have happened to me, too. A lot. But in all my years of decorating, I've never been in a situation--or a room--where paint looked different in every part of the space.

True, the iPhone's pictures seemed veiled and dim, but they also revealed the mysterious light problem in the master bath.

The curtains and one mirror were removed, and that helped (couldn't lift the heavy, round mirrors). So I painted SW's Macadamia next to the tub, where the tile is beige 

and muted.

Because of the rusty, orange tiles on the floor and the smaller bits in the tile surround, I was afraid that Macadamia would turn pink. But it didn't. Macadamia looked like a perfect match. 

I painted a swatch next to the vanity, and a bit of Thatch Brown on the mirror's frame:

I also painted Thatch Brown on a wooden panel, so I could move it around the room (I was thinking Thatch could be used as a glaze on the cabinets, or even as a base color).

Then I painted swatches on other walls.

Macadamia began to turn slightly gray.

Bandwidth was the first to notice.

I backed up and took a picture from the master bedroom, trying to get a wider view.

Okay, not bad from a distance.

This is the master, by the way--the walls are deep beige.

In the bathroom, Bandwidth held up the Thatch Brown sample to see how the cabinets would look if they were painted that color.

The poor quality photos make everything look gauzy. But in person, something felt off to Bandy. If he noticed, it had to be bad.

Most bothersome was the junction where Macadamia 

met the shower area. I don't believe that paint has to MATCH exactly, just as long as it looks well overall. But I had a little extra time for a change, and I looked at other paint chips. When I got into the deeper, redder beiges, colors that worked with the orange-rust tile, I knew the paint colors would be trouble.
Pink trouble.

The iPhone makes it look better.

Do you see where two color combos going on--

the soft, beige tiles and the orange-streaked things?

Across the room, the paint was turning grayer and grayer.

Macadamia is a pretty color, and I wasn't ready to give up.

The problem was the busy patterns!
I spread a white curtain over the granite counter.

 Much better! Calmer.

From a distance, I'm liking Macadamia, but the yellow walls could be bringing out the warm tones in the tile. Or maybe not.

What do you think? 

I took several pictures before the light faded.

To complicate matters, some parts of the tile floor are more neutral.

I should mention that Thatch Brown looks much lighter on the wooden panel. It's very, very dark on the wall:



The walls on RH's inspiration picture are a warmer beige, with some red pigment (probably). But I must work with the elements in my room, so I've got to be flexible.

What's your honest opinion?

I am really wanting the Restoration Hardware look for this bath, and while I know my room won't be a copy, the project is  starting to look out of reach. 

Source: Restoration Hardware

I can't remove the tiles. But the counters and cabinets can be removed. The layout of the bathroom is a bit strange, as Quintessential Magpie noticed. It's just not symmetrical, and I need symmetry. 

Paint Colors I've Tried and Eliminated:
SW Creamy
SW Moderate White
BM Palladian Blue
SW Caviar

Would you mind answering a few questions?

1. What do you think about Macadamia? 

2. Any suggestions?

3. Would you leave the cabinets alone?

4. Would you glaze them with Thatch Brown?

5.. Paint the vanity Thatch Brown?

6. Think about getting new granite?

7. Think about removing the cabinets and buying the RH vanity?

8. Rework the present vanity to have 2 sinks and rework the vanity on the opposite wall--add an armoire
9. Paint and accessorize: art, white orchid, a slipcovered chair, etc.

(I'll use a sample board before I attempt any monumental and irreversible paint job, of course).

Thank you so much for looking through these grainy, blurry photos, and bless you for brainstorming with me.  

A Metamorphosis Monday Contribution.

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