Paint

Choosing a paint color for your home is really hard. I love the green we have in our house but after some thought have decided that to have my entire interior paint green would be a little over kill. I decided with some suggestions from the hubby that a pretty tan would be nice.

My main problem with tans and browns is that they can be really dark and feel dingy. I need a tan that is light and bright because I have a ton of area to cover. This tan will be my hallway downstairs and this entire area of upstairs, the stair case and all the odd angles that I hate about my house. The paint now is the original 1989 color that the builders painted on the walls. It is an off white color and with years of boys in the house is now dingy, finger printed and I have even cleaned some of it down to the drywall. Eventually (in 20 years or so) we are going to replace the stair rail. The wood splinters your hand if you grab the first 4 inches or so at the bottom. We are also adding thick white base boards to the whole house (eventually) as well as a white frame around all of the windows. Why am I telling you this? Well, it needs to look good with lots of white accents.

the great expanse

As you know I hate to pay full price for anything. I went down to a local fancy paint store and found colors I liked. I took my 25 samples home and hung the paper chips on the wall. I eliminated them a few at a time based on the light in the room and time of day. I got it down to 4 colors that I liked and headed to Lowes. Lowes can match ANY color. They had the Benjamin Moore colors I liked in their computer and were able to match the sample perfectly. Lowes also sells sample containers for $2. For $2 you get 8 oz and can try a large area of paint and see if you truly love it on your walls and not a 1 1/2 piece of paper. So why did I not just buy from the first store? A gallon of paint at Lowes is $18 to $22 while a the fancy store it is $30 to $40 for the same thing. If I am going to have to buy as much paint as I think I am my trick could save over $100. 

Here are the 4 paints being considered. I tried to a picture of the samples on my wall but camera and light make it really hard to see the true color so here they are in someone else's house. 

Number 1 Manchester tan- Warms up the walls and replaces white. slight green undertone 

 You will find this color used all over in the pottery barn catalog.

Manchester tan

Number 2 Hush. a neutral tan

Number 3 - Bleeker beige Falls in between beige and taupe .  Most popular wall colours found in newly built houses and show homes along with Greenbrier Beige. Sophisticated with a slight gray undertone. 

added an extra picture because I want to live here. Isn't this house pretty?

Number 4 - Shaker beige This color is part of the Historic Color collection from Benjamin Moore most popular palette.   

I think I have a favorite. What about you? I love to hear from you guys!