Picking Paint Colors
Posted on 10. Mar, 2009 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in House, Inspirations
Picking paint colors is the most exciting part of home renovation, especially when your home renovation has taken a room through many stages of craziness.
The act of applying the first coat of colorful paint to a completely white-walled house is like a young couple seeing each other for the first time on prom night.
All the work has been done: he asked her to prom. She said yes. He’s rented the tux, shaved, and gelled his hair. She’s chosen her dress and had her nails done. Now, at this moment, he’s pinning the corsage to her dress and they’re smiling at each other. This is what that first coat of colorful paint means to me.
First, there’s the initial invitation. He sees her. She’s a little unkempt, but he has a vision. She’ll look fabulous in a backless dress.
After she says yes, he ignores her for a little while just to make sure he has the upper-hand.
Eventually, she heads to the dress-shop and stands naked in front of the mirror.
She puts on a crinoline and a slip.
There are so many dresses to choose from…
She settles on a design and the seamstress gets to work.
She tentatively tries on the dress. At first, she feels a little silly and over-done.
But soon enough she warms up to her reflection in the mirror. “This is the real me,” she thinks.
And on prom night, he drives to her house to pick her up. She looks beautiful and they’re both smiling.
Picking paint colors and applying that first coat of paint makes me giddy. This room was one of the three bedrooms, and it will be our office when it’s complete.
Andy Collier
Mar 11th, 2009
Yay! Laine is picking paint colors for us today!
Andy Collier
Mar 11th, 2009
BTW, CIL has a great 0 VOC paint for $27/gallon at Home Depot in case you wanted to go the route of natural paints.
Gary Gray
Mar 11th, 2009
Hi L-J
Nice logical development of the project’s chain of events.
Love the prom dress and the prom theme. It lends life to the project.
I liked the color that miss office chose for her prom dress.
Cam makes a great seamstress!
Smiles :o)
Gary
John Quimby
Mar 11th, 2009
I love how you share your pictures!
Freda
Mar 11th, 2009
Your wonderful pictures tell the whole story but the commentary is icing on the cake. Love it!!
warren
Mar 11th, 2009
What a nice way to paint the picture of your work…but I have one problem with it…he gelled his hair? Sorry…no…maybe if you said, “he buffed his bald head” or something, I would get it!
Just kidding…it was a great way of describing your work…and it looks marvelous!
Sayantanee from India
Mar 12th, 2009
Beautiful colour……… beautiful home….. And yes once done we must have a room by room tour….! See the thing is once i start to request, I get really good at it!
Naomi
Mar 12th, 2009
I love this colour! Great choice!
Michelle
Mar 12th, 2009
This is wonderful and makes me a tiny bit jealous, lol. Our renovations went full tilt for a while but then they started to dwindle and the thought of everything that needs tending makes me want to go on a mad frenzy but I’m not the one doing the work so I practice the fine art of “shut up” and let things unfold as they will.
Last summer we got a much loved and appreciate screened room but we really needed our shed torn down and rebuilt. This year he’s talking about building fences and not certain if there’ll be time for a shed. sigh…. Id hope what’s left of our half torn down shed can withstand another winter.
Inasmuch as my man is very capable and a perfectionist to boot, he’s also living with debilitating pain which interferes with his sleep. In light of his suffering, I accept what is and am immensely grateful for what does get done. Our renos happens in big chunks followed by a long time lapse. I’d love to be his little helper but he won’t let me. He says I chatter far too much and ask too many questions. Tis true, tis true.
tipper
Mar 14th, 2009
Neat correlation!
mom Marjorie
Mar 15th, 2009
Oh Laura-Jane, this is a fabulous analogy! And congratulatiojns with your great progress in this room!! By the way, I’m doubtly lucky to remember how cute and lively you looked in your high school prom pink dazzle, and how calmly sedate Cam seemed as you cavorted around him on our front lawn for the photo shoot by Peter Leclerc. Do you have any of these high school grad photos with you on PEI ? Or do I have all of them here? If you have some, I request a sequel to this day’s blog, showing you and Cam on prom night, looking analagous to your “newly dressed” room!
Vicki
Mar 20th, 2009
I agree with Marjorie. It would be great to see the follow up. Laura-Jane & Cam @ Prom!! Good job on the painting. I see you are still smiling Cam!!!
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Mar 20th, 2009
@Andy – Exciting to be at that stage. Even more so for you two/three because you guys started from the ground up.
@Gary – And he really does! He’s a good sewer in the real sense of the word. In the past, he’s hemmed things for me while I watched TV. We don’t have normal gender roles. :)
@John – It’s a challenge, I tell you. :)
@Freda – Thanks, Freda!
@Warren – I take it all back. :P
@Sayantanee – Well, we are getting closer to a room-by-room tour as we have finally decided to buy a little (cheap) video camera. We were inspired by our friend Gary, who recently bought a Flip video thingy.
@Naomi – Thanks! We like it too. It’s kind of a bluey-grey. I like it a lot. I had to convince Cameron that it was a good idea. It took a while, but he warmed up to the idea eventually.
@Michelle – But don’t you think chatterers make things so much more fun?? I think they do, anyway. That’s terrible about his pain. I can’t imagine undertaking much at all with any pain, so it sounds like he’s doing as much as he can, and good for you for staying unnaggy but chattery at the same time. It’s a perfect combination. :)
@Tipper – Lol, I hope it makes sense. But you guys seemed to get it, so that makes me happy. :)
@Mom – Yes, I should share a photo. I’m sure I have some, but I look so…young…and plump…and blonde!
@Vicki – OK, OK, I’ll try to dig one up. (Maybe.)
Charlene
Apr 25th, 2009
I sit here wearing a warm smile. Your story reminded me of many ‘prom nights’ and all the beautiful ‘prom dresses’ my home wears, though hers are of a lovely mix of paint and wallpaper. You are a wonderfully descriptive writer, Laura-Jane. I thank you for presenting your experiences here, for the world to enjoy!
Matt @ Kent
Oct 6th, 2009
I am just wondering if I am the seamstress you are refering to???
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Oct 6th, 2009
Matt – Lol, yes!!!!!!!
Matt @ Kent
Oct 6th, 2009
So this is what the pictures were for. Will be looking for all my royalty cheques!
Great job with the house and with the website and with the article in the Guardian! Came in to work today and somebody had left the article on my desk. Congrats Cam & Laura.
loman bell
Dec 3rd, 2009
nice colors been there done and doing that still need gyprocking also
it’s still a joy to see the finished job
sweet 15 dresses
Nov 28th, 2010
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