Paint!

One of the things I really loved about this house was all of the beautiful woodwork. From the trim around the windows to the baseboards to the doors, it was all gorgeous. The problem for me was, you couldn't see any of it. This was because everything, and I mean everything was painted beige -- ceilings, walls, doors, and trim. It all blended together. There was no POP.

So I knew the trim and the ceilings needed to be white.

But what about the walls?

Back when The Nate Berkus Show was on T.V. (and I mean, who doesn't like to look at Nate Berkus?) he would very often use gray as a wall color, calling it a "great neutral color." I had never seen it used before and I really liked it. Fast forward a couple of years, throw in some Pinterest ideas, and I knew I wanted gray.

I had no idea what I was getting into. Gray is hard. It absorbs everything around it, so it can look purple on one wall, green on another, or brown at night. I cannot tell you how many paint chips I brought back to the house. I looked like a crazy woman, holding them up against different walls in different light, against my furniture, against white paper, even under the light at Chick-fil-a.

The one I liked the best ended up being the first one I ever picked up. Isn't that the way it usually goes? It's called "Graphite" from Restoration Hardware. However, I ended up having it color-matched at Sherwin-Williams, and when the first roller touched the wall, it was instant love. It's a really good gray; it looks consistently the same from room to room, from day to night. It doesn't matter what color the furniture or drapes are, the paint stays true.

Take a look:

Don't you just love how the white pops against the gray? So, if you're looking for a good, neutral gray, let me save you a little leg work by suggesting Graphite from Restoration Hardware. If you've used gray paint, how did it turn out?

Introductions

Hello! I'm so glad you came by. When I was growing up with my four siblings, our house seemed like Grand Central Station at times. There were always people coming and going, friends popping in, dogs to walk, chickens to feed, and even an iguana or two. Amid all that hustle and bustle, my mom was always in the middle of it all, wallpapering the living room, crocheting edges on pillowcases, and adding to her collection of Delft Blue pieces. I must have inherited a bit of that from her, because my mind is ALWAYS racing with clever (and-not-so-clever) ideas for my own house!

After five years of renting, my husband and I finally bit the bullet and bought ourselves a house last month. There was a lot to love about this house (the third we've owned) but there was also a lot that needed some love. As my good friend, Jen, would say, "It has good bones."

Indeed!

So I hope you'll check back often for all of the clever (and not-so-clever) things we do along the way. Tell your friends, because this is going to be fun!