Warm Reception

We found the right color. I was able to dig out a picture of a room from one of my previous homes. Alan matched the paint and found the right color. While the tone is still light and neutral, it is warm... just want I wanted. This was color pick #3. The picture on the left is of the mudroom. It is fully painted in the new color. The picture on the right shows the contrast between 1) the mudroom in the correct color (color #3) 2) the powder room in a darker color I selected 3) the kitchen in color #2.

Color #1 was the gray from yesterday (no longer visible). This morning I picked out two colors that I thought matched what Robin had initially picked. They were warm earth tones, tan to brown in nature. But once the went up... they looked gray also. So, I went home at lunch and pulled out the picture that got us to color #3. Alan was kind enough to stay here until I got home so that he could get my reaction to the mudroom. The moment I entered the room I knew that this was the color. We're set. The kitchen will be painted tomorrow.

If you're going to do any painting, I recommend that you purchase small sample sizes of the colors you want to test. Apply them to different walls; look at them during different times of day under different lighting. I should have done that but trusted the paint to turn out like the swatches. It didn't. So, save your self a little frustration and always put up samples. Benjamin Moore makes convenient 2 oz. samples that can aid you in finding the right color without the major expenditure of quart after quart of paint. For less than $20 you could purchase quite a few samples to test.

Two other big steps were taken at the house today:
1) The measurements for the counter tops were taken. This was being done when I got home for lunch.
2) The plumber came in and began the installation for the new in-ground sprinkler system we're installing.

Cool Reception

Anyone who knows me knows that I like things exactly the way I want them. You pick your own colors for your spreadsheet; but if it's for me... I want it the way I envision it. You pick your colors for your wardrobe; me... probably going to involve navy, blue, gray, and a few red or orange t-shirts along the way. I was disappointed to come home to find that the kitchen had been painted gray. I didn't want a cool color in the kitchen. The gray is contemporary; it's even nice for another room... but not for what I envisioned.

How'd we get here? Well, Robin picked out three distinct colors for the kitchen, all of which were in the color family I was looking for. Warm earthy tones. The swatches were on the dining room table. At some point they were moved. I thought the guys had them; they thought I had them. Once we realized they were lost we reached out to Robin again to identify the colors. I'm certain that this gray was not an option.
1) There were three colors, one for each room. This is one color that is consistent across the three.
2) I have a mental picture of the colors. This wasn't one of them.

This can be easily fixed. No harm; no foul. But I was just a little shocked to walk in and see exactly what I didn't want to see. I almost didn't make a post today. But, hey, if there is only one bad day over the course of 6 weeks that's o.k. Things happen. It's not like the wrong appliances were brought in. Paint can be fixed.

Monday #7

We began the seventh week of renovation today. The trim around the windows and doors was painted. This includes the trim in the mudroom. The rooms probably would have been painted but we lost the swatches for the wall colors. Alan reached out to Robin to get them. The kitchen, mudroom, and powder room walls should be painted this week as well.

I think that tomorrow the measurements for the counter tops will be taken.

A little Sanding, a little Painting

Today the house was filled with the sounds of sand paper and sprayers as the team finished smoothing out the drywall and began painting the room. The first surface to be painted was the ceiling. (Picture on the left taken with the fish eye lens). All of the cabinets were covered to ensure that none of them were damaged during the process. If you look the the right side of the picture you'll see two small white donut holes. For those that are wondering, those are the AC vents.