As I am writing this, I am waiting for my Tall Guy Painter to come and remove my kitchen and family room cupboard doors and drawer fronts. I decided a couple of months ago that it was time for a refresh paint job. With this decision comes a number of decisions, the first one being how the job would get done. After repainting my master bathroom this winter, including all my built-ins, I decided the task of the kitchen and family room was going to get the extra attention of the experts!
After making the decision to go ahead with the project, comes the dreaded paint colour decision. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE picking paint colours! I love perusing Pinterest and home decor magazines looking for that colour that catches my eye. For me, it’s a bit of a process. Here is my Pinterest Board for this project…..
It seems I’m always looking at paint colours. If I see something that catches my eye in a magazine, I clip out the photo. I’m always excited to read about the latest “colour of the year” that the design world comes up with based on trends they are seeing. And I can be found looking at paint chips in my local hardware store……yes, I’m that person.
When considering the colour of my cabinetry this time around, I perused photos of kitchens that appealed to me. A trendy colour was not going to be a good choice for me in this situation. This is a large job, so I wanted a timeless colour. Also, considering we would be selling our empty-nest home, I needed to pick something that would appeal to more people. When I found something I liked, I would search the site or the magazine’s resource section to see if the colour was listed. Then I would search for more photos of kitchens that used the same colour. One colour will look different in each application. Which leads to my next step……
Getting a hold of the paint chip is really important. You need to compare that chip to other chips and see the subtle differences in the colour. This is how I narrowed down the choice to two or three options. Too many choices can be overwhelming, so I recommend to keep the number down.
After much consideration, I thought I had made a decision. I had time, so I thought I would paint my mudroom storage cubes in the new colour. It needed to be painted, and my mudroom is also included in this project. I moved the storage piece around my kitchen, near the window, beside the island (which happens to be stained and will remain that way) and obviously in the mudroom. I liked the colour, but something was holding me back. A trip back to the paint store, and another sample pot in hand, I painted on my cupboards. Two colours, side by side, on three separate doors. The second sample was the winner in my mind, and seeing it on the surface made the decision easy.
Now I don’t necessarily go to this much trouble for every painting job. But sometimes it is worth the extra time. And ask for friends opinions, if you dare! In the end it’s you that needs to live with the colour. Go with your gut. I posted one of these photos on social media, and the clear response was for the colour that didn’t win. It may have been partly the colour name -Moonshine, but lighting and photos aren’t always true to life.
Recap of steps to picking the right colour….
- Get inspired…..magazines or internet resources for your dream space
- Assemble your photos to compare
- Get paint chips and carefully compare them
- Paint a test patch…. in the long run it really does save time
- Consider the colour in various lighting conditions
- Ask friends for suggestions….if you dare.
- Go with your gut
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Last fall my husband cut down an old fir tree next to our driveway. It was getting too big, and was starting to look unhealthy, so it had to come down. This birds nest fell out of the tree, and I stored it in the garage all winter, knowing I would find a use for it!
Nesting Nut 