Renovation Diary: Finding the Right Accent Colors

 Choosing a backsplash is not recommended for the faint-hearted soul.

Last week, I'd brought two tile samples to the house.

 

At the store, the tile and granite looked compatible.

 

 

But the fading light wasn't flattering at Rattlebridge. 

 

I'd just about decided to paint the backsplash and choose the tile later--much later.

I painted a few sample boards and brought them to a construction meeting.

Because the kitchen was flooded with light, I tested the

tile samples one last time.

 

Sunlight was a game changer.

So, instead of painting the backsplash, I'm going with tile (after I get estimates).

But I'm going to add painted beadboard to the backs of the cabinets--the perfect

backdrop for Ironstone and white pottery.

 

I love the color contrast in a piece from Ballard Designs. My cabinets would be
the opposite--light exterior, darker interior.

 

I pulled out my sample boards and set them in the cabinets. Horizon Gray is a gray-green that brings out mossy tones in the granite. But the granite is horizontal and won't be all that visible. The paint seemed wonderfully complex, changing from gray to gray-green and back again.

Rockport Gray seemed a little dark, but it worked

with the brown/beige tones in the granite.I'm trying to imagine white Ironstone in the glass cabinets and a darker beadboard background.

 

 

Just for fun, I tried a sample of BM Prescott Green. 

The cabinet doors will be installed tomorrow,
and I'll see how the painted beadboard looks
behind the glass. I'll try to remember to bring a few white dishes, too.

 

BM Gray Owl (far right) was too light. 

 

I'm returning to the paint store tomorrow for more sample pots.

I've already tried BM Cashmere Gray (too blue).

 

I like the ceramic tile. It isn't stark white, won't fight the pattern in the granite, and, best of all, it's made in Tennessee. I'm pretty sure that the tile can be cut into 3 x 6 subways.

 

I like the marble, too. It is shot through with warm streaks, but

they probably won't show up from a distance.

 

I will have stuff on the counters, such as our hardworking espresso machine and other

items. I can definitely see a topiary next to the window.

I'm returning to the Ben Moore store tomorrow to get more samples.

My GC is cutting beadboard to fit the cabinets (only the ones with glass).

He gave me a few slabs so I can paint them.I'm going to try several colors, tinkering with the formulas, if necessary.

 

So far, I've found BM Sandy Hook Gray is a lighter version of Rockport.

Galveston Gray will probably be too dark. And I've already nixed Gray Owl (though Bandy

liked it for his room). Ballet White and Winds Breath may work if the formulas are darkened.

 

Choosing paint is a daunting task. It's difficult to select a color from memory or photograph. You have to be in the room. Finding the right color comes down to sunlight, luck, and a room's unique magic.

 

Hope everyone is staying warm and stress-free during the mad holiday dash.

Thank you for visiting Rattlebridge!

 



Social Bookmarking

Another Difficult Color Choice: Vote for Exterior Shutters.

The shutter company is waiting for me to choose a color.

I've tried and tried.

They sent several samples, but nothing worked with my front

door color, SW Urbane Bronze. A gray-green was hopeful,

but it would mean repainting the door.

 

I tried BM's Stratton Blue, and it was so awful, I

didn't take a picture. So, blue was taken off the table.

I also tried BM's Gettysburg Gray, which was beautiful, but

a bit blue-gray, and I'd have to repaint the front door.

Not a biggie, but I love Urbane Bronze with the color of the bricks,

SW's Tennessee Limestone, a muted, creamy gray.

 

For the shutter color, I decided to play it safe and stick with SW's Urbane palette and tried

Intellectual Gray (lighter) and Anonymous (darker).

 

Well. This should be a slam dunk, right?

 

I'd collected a few inspiration photos from Pinterest.

 

source

 



source

Here's Dr. Will's inspiration photo, mainly for

the front porch re-do.

source

 

I like muted colors, myself.

source

After I saw this photo in Veranda (and on Pinterest--see below), I

began a campaign for white shutters,but it didn't work.

"It's a little pale, honey," Will said.

"Ewww," Bandy said.

 

I think it's gorgeous.

Of course, the house in Veranda has a lovely slate roof and the bricks are much lighter than mine.

The doors are white, too. I dearly love it.


source

Another beautiful tone-on-tone house.

Traditional Exterior by Woodbridge Architect Huestis Tucker Architects, LLC

 

My heart sped up when I saw a Georgian make-over at Southern Living.

Here's the before picture. 

source

 

 And the after.



 source

 

The bricks were whitewashed, and trim colors were chosen to highlight

the slate roof. Pratt and Lambert's "Artichoke" was used as

an accent for the shutters beside the front door. The shutter colors are Pratt and Lambert's Lambswool.

 

"Lambswool" is calm and pretty against the limewashed bricks.

 

source 

 

Long ago, I'd gotten bids for limewashing, and it was way more

expensive than painting. I don't regret the decision to paint.

 

However, choosing a shutter color has been a kicker. We're getting

operable shutters, and if the color is wrong, I'm stuck. It's not

like repainting a room -- or ordering a bathroom vanity.

 

The company, Timberlane, will paint the shutters. They're part of the

Endurian line and won't need to be repainted in my lifetime.

So whatever color I pick will stay.

 

 

"Anonymous" is on SW's Shoji White/Urbane Bronze color strip.

But it really doesn't work with my bricks.

 

 

The lighter color will be too anemic for most, but

the darker color just doesn't thrill me.

 

So far, I've only gone through several dozen paint pots. And I
haven't found the Goldilocks Zone.


In sunlight:

Sunlight:

And in shade:


 

What's your vote?

 

A. The darker, SW Anonymous

B. The lighter, SW Intellectual Gray

C. Try crisp white

D. Keep the SW Anonymous and paint  your door white/cream (trim color)

E. Ditch the Shoji strip and start over.

 

Finding the Perfect Gray: Walls and Interior Doors

 I hope you aren't tired of my paint and powder room adventures.

Before you run away, wait! The saga has almost reached a happy ending! (Though another saga has begun.)

I've posted about the powder room HERE and HERE (scroll to the bottom).

 

Originally, it was a tad colorless.

Bandwidth painted a large swatch of SW Urbane Bronze.

You can catch up on that adventure HERE.

It was pretty. But the room is tiny, and threatened to become a black hole. So, Bandy painted a swatch of SW Intellectual Gray.

It looked perfect.

The mirror came down, and the walls were painted.

I was surprised when Intellectual Gray turned muddy gold in photographs. In person it was a dark, dark gray.

Shocking, isn't it? 

I knew about the brown tones in the Shoji White paint strip. But still! Nevertheless, I decided to go a shade lighter: Amazing Gray. But it looked totally white.

Using RIBBET (it's a free photo tool that replaced Flickr's Picnic), I lightened the walls. But I lightened them too much.

More frantic tinkering.

 I took a wild leap of faith and painted the room Amazing Gray.

Here is an unedited photo:

And another.



In this small, poorly lit space, the Amazing Gray was darker, but not too dark. I was relieved! My powder room paint saga has ended, thank goodness. The trim works, so it won't need repainting.

However, another issue surfaced. Last week, Will walked into the foyer and squinted. "Is the room STAYING this white?" he asked. Then he sighed in a "no likey" way. :-)

I'd been thinking the same thing,

but I'd only told my mother. She'd promised not to tell.

Art and furnishings will make a difference in the foyer (and everywhere else). But will it be enough to remove the white-on-white chill?

I have been going back and forth about painting the interior doors a dark gray/lighter gray, so I suggested that we paint Urbane Bronze on this door.

Will said he thought it would be too dark, but we'll try it anyway.

Then we'll compare it to the Intellectual Gray on another door:

We have a few options.

Light gray trim.

Contemporary Living Room design by New York Interior Designer valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc

Charcoal-gray trim:  

Traditional Porch design by Charleston Interior Designer Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

And, of course, there's always classic black.

Hall design

Traditional Entry design by Boston Architect Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, Inc.

Have you painted interior doors?

Are you thinking about it?