gray paint....why do you torture me?

Our living room got a facelift this summer - new couch, new rug, reupholstered the wingback chair, and decided to repaint the walls, since the peachy-beige color was driving me nuts. We decided on gray for the walls - classic and sophisticated - something to compliment the gray couch. Little did I know, gray is a mean old cuss. Mind you, I chose the paint colors for the whole house by eyeballing a swatch on the wall and had no problems. This time I played it safe and put samples on the wall first. Thank god because after 17 paint samples (17, people!!!) - no dice. Love 'em on the swatch, loathe 'em on the wall.

Our living room is bright and gets lots of southwestern light, which apparently turns everything an early 90's hydrangea blue. Barf.

Here's the cast of hopefuls, all colored matched in Olympic low-VOC paint samples...

Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl
Horizon
Titanium
Moonshine
Revere Pewter
Coastal Fog
Edgecomb Gray
Harbor Gray
Horizon Gray
Nimbus

Olympic
Plantation Moss
Quill
Gray Ghost

Valspar
Frappe
Oatlands Subtle Taupe

Behr
Dolphin Fin

They're all gorgeous, right? Not in the glare of our bright living room. Ttoo dark, too light, too purple, too turquoise or too blah.

On the verge of defeat, willing to live with the patchwork of yuck on our walls, I went back one more time and came home with a winner - Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore.


I've always loved it on the swatch but didn't buy a sample for this project because it seemed so blue. Not so blue on the walls apparently. Go figure. It goes to show you can never trust the swatch. Now we gotta paint this room before our holiday party - cover up the bazillion gray swatches.

More pictures to come.....

new favorite fashion blog

at times, I'm still the 14 year-old who isn't quite sure what style suits me. I lean towards the classic chic, but really, really am drawn (maybe in part in a fight against aging) to the rocker chick, slightly hipster, slightly bohemian, basically bad ass "look". and, I just found a blog that sort of allows me to better navigate that draw: tomboy style. you too should check it out.

sneak peek: crafty christmas gifts

thanks to lotta jansdotter

I want a home full of farmhouse linen.

(lookslikewhite)

 (habitusliving)

(madebymuku) 

 (restoration hardware)

(remodelista) 

 (ambiancecocon)

(heatherbullard) 

(dreamywhites)

DIY Christmas Decorations

I know, I know....you still have a belly ache from Halloween candy....how could I possibly be thinking of Christmas already? Because the holiday rules and I love it! This year, we're forgoing our usual crazy travels to Illinois and staying here in the Bay State. Plus we're having a holiday party, so I want to deck the house out in style!

Two projects are on my list....

1. Making a table runner using the tutorial by Pleasant Home

pleasant home

2. And making this felt leaf garland using the tutorial by The Old Painted Cottage

the old painted cottage

Wish me luck....I might need it. I love doing projects like this but I'm not very good at them. :)