Paint Colors

Despite the fact that we haven’t been homeowners for long, we’ve already run the gamut of paint colors.  When it came time to choose a color palate for our home, I threw caution to the wind.  After living in dull apartments for so long, I was determined to be bold in our paint choices.

Unfortunately, in trying to step outside of my comfort zone, I strayed from my true self and quickly realized that the rainbow of colors made our house feel chopped up.  It was too stimulating and too hard to decorate.  It was not me.  The good news is that paint is not permanent, and while I was determined to live with the colors for at least one year, we experienced somewhat of a catastrophe in the middle of working on our house last summer.  (More details on that later—it’s quite the story.)  While it was devastating at the time, it provided another opportunity to paint—guilt free!

Below is a list of all our current colors, along with one other color that we really liked from our kitchen cabinets the first time around.  And it’s completely okay to laugh at this list, since the color Oat Bran is listed five times—and it’s a neutral, so some of you probably don’t even consider it a color.  But we do!  We love the calm that neutrals have brought to our home.  I’ve also included a few other paint colors that we like, because the truth is that we won’t remember their names or where we found them when it’s crunch time if they’re not written down.  My goal is to add colors to this list anytime something strikes my fancy.  I’ve found that taking the time to look at pictures of what others have done is very helpful in deciding if you’ll like it in your own home.  For those looking to paint soon, find some inspiration at this site.

Overall, I think it’s a good idea for homeowners to keep a list of rooms and their paint colors, that way, if a paint can is lost or the label becomes unreadable, you still have a resource and you’re not digging through cans in the garage.  It can be difficult to remember which shade of white you used on your trim!  Plus it might be fun to see the different colors that have graced your home over time.  By the way, our very first colors aren’t listed here—I kind of want to forget about them.  We’re starting fresh with the palate that revived our home.



Paint Colors

Living room

• Oat Bran, by Valspar, semi-gloss, colored matched at Sherwin Williams in Super Paint

Dining room

• Oat Bran, by Valspar, semi-gloss, colored matched at Sherwin Williams in Super Paint

Kitchen Walls

• Bone Folder, by Martha Stewart, color matched at Sherwin Williams in Duration

Kitchen Cabinets

• First paint color: Dried Thyme, by Benjamin Moore, semi-gloss, color matched at Sherwin Williams in Pro Classic


• Second paint color: Ocean Floor, by Martha Stewart, semi-gloss, mixed at Home Depot in Martha Stewart

Master bedroom

• Oat Bran, by Valspar, semi-gloss, color matched at Home Depot in Behr Premium Plus

Back bedroom

• Northern Pear Tree, a Lowe’s brand, semi-gloss, color matched at Sherwin Williams in Super Paint

Bathroom

• Oat Bran, by Valspar, semi-gloss, colored matched at Sherwin Williams in Duration

Stairwell

• Oat Bran, by Valspar, semi-gloss, colored matched at Sherwin Williams in Super Paint

Ceiling

• Pure White, by Sherwin Williams, flat, mixed at Sherwin Williams in Classic 99

Trim

• Pure White, by Sherwin Williams, gloss, mixed at Sherwin Williams in Pro Classic

Wood floor

• Natural, by Varathane Wood Stain, bought at KWAL

Other Paint Colors We Like

• Rice Grain, by Sherwin Williams—inspiration found at The Lettered Cottage


• Natural Choice, by Sherwin Williams—inspiration found at The Lettered Cottage

What’s your go-to color?

P.S. Sherwin Williams in Colorado Springs is having a 40% off paints and stains sale April 8-10^th!  Check your local store for promos!