I love the story in the May issue of Martha Stewart Living on decorating with color. The selected 18 colors and dubbed them "super-neutrals" and then decorated five rooms with them. The palettes are a combination of contrast and tone-on-tone. I tend to use more tone-on-tone, so it's nice to be reminded that contrast can be very beautiful too, and doesn't have to mean black and white, or a similarly stark combination (the yellow and blue below is one example).
Here are the paint colors:
1. Buoyant Blue, No. 6483, Sherwin-Williams.
2. Dragonfly, No. AF-510, Benjamin Moore.
3. Gray Horse, No. 2140-50, Benjamin Moore.
4. Blue Fir, No. MSL124, Martha Stewart Living Paint.
5. Cooking Apple Green, No. 32, Farrow & Ball.
6. Titanium, No. 2141-60, Benjamin Moore.
7. Punch, No. MSL014, Martha Stewart Living Paint.
8. Stonington Gray, No. HC-170, Benjamin Moore.
9. Babouche, No. 223HC-170, Farrow & Ball.
10. Heath, No. MSL212, Martha Stewart Living Paint.
11. Natural Twine, No. MSL217, Martha Stewart Living Paint.
12. Lancaster Blue, No. UL34, Ralph Lauren Paint.
13. Makaha, No. 19-32, Pratt & Lambert.
You can get a printable version of the paint palette here.
Speaking of paint, Benjamin Moore retailers in the Southeast are offering free color samples. Great for a testing out a color or a small project (say, a couple of picture frames). Visit benjaminmoore.com to download your coupon and get a complete list of participating dealers.
I love the soft colors of the rooms. Thanks for sharing the colors with us. Carla
ReplyDeleteI became obsessed with this article. Love all the colors.
ReplyDeleteThis is really helpful because Adam and I are going this weekend to look at paint colors for several rooms in his (soon to be our!) house. I'm pretty intimidated, but don't tell him I said that... I'm trying to act all confident like I know what I'm talking about so that I get the final say! ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, this is a really helpful way to incorporate lots of colors but still be "neutral."
ReplyDeleteGreat article post...I was just thinking yesterday about how I needed help with using complimentary contrasting colors in a "non confrontational" way =)
ReplyDeleteLOVE LOVE LOVE number 2! Like, seriously I am going to have to write the number down, find a place that sells it and paint something with it....
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! Thanks a million for sharing. I just love all those colors!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to go get a copy, because I'm definitely a tone on tone girl. Thanks for sharing the info!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I ran across your blog (from Blue Hydrangea). I read this MSL article in a waiting room yesterday, but don't have a subscription. I was just wishing I logged some of the colors in my iPhone when I ran across your post. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteohhhhh that makes me what to get that magazine. love those colors!! thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI love this. I haven't seen the newest issue yet.
ReplyDeleteI am so obsessed with the idea of painting my mom's old desk a shade of greenish-blue—kinda like the window valance in your second example (#4). If a piece of wood furniture has been finished with stain, do I need to sand it before painting or is there a primer I can use?
ReplyDeleteJen -- you will definitely want to sand to take some of the finish off. As for primer, just shop the primer aisle for a formula to use over varnish. We like Kilz.
ReplyDeletei LOVE that coral mirror above the bathroom sink.
ReplyDeleteCool post, we just painted our master bathroom, so I guess it's "Painting time" in blogland. Feel free to check out our painting project on my blog... *Amy
ReplyDeleteI was wondering whether I should get this issue or not... and now I think I will!
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