Going from dark and moody to a light and bright space with paint!
cozy basement family room
is a perfect example of how I like to color drench a space in a dark paint
color.
my office to match
the dark green bookcases
I built. Cozy and deep colors are comforting to me.
But lately I’ve been drawn to lightening up some spaces too!
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And next on my list was our dining room!
Our builder called this a “morning” room, because it’s so open to the kitchen
and family room space. It gets beautiful natural light with all of the
windows.
walls:
our
tall fireplace in the family room
nearby. I liked the idea of continuing that color into this space.
But for the past year or so it’s felt heavy to me, and I’ve been
looking into lighter paint colors to brighten up the room.
I was looking for a lighter neutral color, but something with warmth to it.
I considered some green colors for a bit:
But I already have plenty of green accents throughout our main level.
Instead, I kept going back to this “warm and welcoming” paint palette I
picked up at Sherwin-Williams:
After months of considering the different colors, I finally made a decision
and went with Pachyderm by SW.
I had it mixed in a satin finish and got started painting over the dark
blue. Colby observed from the ladder, as always:
When I paint a room I go in this order:
-
Clean any dust and dirt off trim and/or baseboards, even if you are
going to tape them off. You’ll want a clean surface for the painter’s
tape to stick to. -
Use nail filler and/or caulk to fill any holes in the wall or gaps along
trim. -
If you’re not going to cut in (paint along trim and ceiling without
tape), use your painter’s tape to tape everything off.
FrogTape
is my absolute favorite painter’s tape! -
I cut in with a brush first, along the ceiling and trim. I like to do
that first because I can cover any brush marks with the roller
later. -
By the time you’re done cutting in or painting around the trim, you can
start rolling the flat surfaces with your paint roller. I use
these 3/8 inch nap rollers
for flat (no texture) walls.
DIY picture frame molding
years ago, the dark wall color must have hidden a lot of gaps and holes! I
had a lot to fill in after painting my first coat:
Filling those holes and gaps makes a HUGE difference! So much better.
It took me about five hours over two days, but the difference was immediate!
It felt SO much brighter and SO MUCH more open when we walked into this
space!:
The color is so lovely and warm, especially at night. It’s so
soothing.
This Pachyderm paint color would be lovely in bedrooms or bathrooms.
It looks great against the brass accents in this room as well. I was a
little worried the light console table would blend in too much, but it
turned out to be a beautiful combo:
And I just love how the lighter neutral color looks with the crisp white
trim and cabinets!
For DAYS it was shocking when we walked in here, the difference was huge.
The lighter color really did open up the space:
It also gives me more options for accent colors. The change was perfect for
the summer, but will look beautiful against the deep, warm colors of the
fall and holidays.
to add a little more character to the front of
the built in window seat:
Stay tuned for that update!
This room literally feels like a breath of fresh air now:
Do you prefer rich, darker walls or lighter and brighter rooms? I love both!
What a difference a couple of coats of paint will do to a space!
