“We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in the sand”
Have you ever tried to pick a paint color? How about an off white or antique white shade. Let me tell you, the struggle is real. This week I have felt like a squirrel trying to cross the street lol. I am currently on shade #3 in my master bathroom. Mike may be selling me to the highest bidder soon (or the only bidder) …..reading this out loud to Mike he chimes in “very soon” lol.
My design style and decor has always leaned towards french country. I love the details, the muted tones, the wood, the curtains etc. I recently switched to a boho, european chic style. The switch came with a new home in Florida. Our last home on Cape Cod, Massachusetts was a classic quintessential Cape Codder. We added white bead board, wood trim, creamy white paint and it was stunning. Coming back to central Florida, I was ready for a change. We had just traveled to Italy, so the european farmhouse was fresh on my mind. Why I went boho bonanza is beyond me, but I did. I loved it….momentarily.
I have to say, I do love the moody, dark master bedroom wall color. It’s a slate grey and provides for excellent sleeping in, on a Sunday am in Florida. The sun is so bright, this dark paint allows the room to stay warm and dim. From there I had gone with a very deep green in our master bathroom. I loved it at first, but it never felt like me. So that’s where we started, changing the bathroom color. A few migraines later, 2 gallons of paint, followed by 2 pints…yup! We finally got Smart! If you purchase a pint of Benjamin Moore, they will credit you back the $6.99 if you end up purchasing the gallon of that color! Perfect, because I found my color.
I have lost many hours of sleep over the past week. I have searched instagram and pinterest for just that perfect shade of “off white”. I’ve searched profiles of designers that I love, yet still questioned “their professional opinions”. It’s so hard, you see a color and it looks NOTHING like the little swatch or the dab of paint on a paint can. What colors were in the contention:
- Creamy White
- Ballet White
- Linen White
- Simply White
- Swiss Coffee
These above colors are all Benjamin Moore. They are all hand selected after hours of deliberation, actually purchased and applied to walls and a few glasses of wine later. Honestly, I think naming your 2nd child is an easier task than picking the perfect “off white” paint. Mike “We will be naming him Benjamin” lol. They are either too beige, too yellow or pull a grey hue. Nothing I wanted. I knew what I wanted, but finding it was the problem. Then you think you find the perfect color, and the light changes in your living room or entry way….nope. Too yellow. Too beige all over again. So when I say I think I found the perfect color, I can’t wait to share photos of the spaces we are repainting.
Ok, basically the entire house lol. When we purchased this home in Florida 11/2019, it had been bank owned, but completely renovated. New paint, new carpet, new AC, new roof. The paint was new, clean and totally fine….just much too beige for me. So this new color is brighter, calmer, cooler and so warm and inviting. It is actually practically perfect in every way!
She said “I believe in pink. I believe laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” Audrey Hepburn
As Mike stood up on the ladder today, adding molding to our entryway (pictures to follow) I came to my conclusion of my design style. It’s my finale answer and I’m sticking to it! What I LOVE about Italy is the timeless design. If you go into an Italian villa, home or more specifically a true farmhouse kitchen ~ the elements never go out of style. The muted tones, the wood, cement, black accents and finishes. All earthy, sustainable products and finishes that will never grow old on your eyes. They are soothing, elegant, yet worn. Beautiful yet aged. I’m in love with all of that. If I can’t be in Italy always, I can always feel the peace, serenity, calmness of Italy (in my home here)…in sunny Florida.
The Ballet White from Benjamin Moore is everything. It looks stunning on my walls. It’s warm and muted. It’s timeless and elegant. I found my color! If you are on instagram and haven’t followed ~ seeking lavender lane, I found her page and she had posted this color in her dining room and this specific moulding as well. Her home is beautiful and elegant.
Figure out who you are. Then do it on purpose ~ Dolly Parton.
My plan for our entryway is a warm and inviting entry. I removed our wall gallery of random photos of the kids and signs etc. I love the family photos of course, however it seemed so busy. I will somehow incorporate the family pictures back into my space, but the wall gallery was not speaking to me anymore. Bye bye! We will switch out the pendant light and repurpose my shell pendant light from World Market. I love it. It’s gorgeous and I think the light will bounce so pretty off of the new paint color. I will add a favorite jute runner and my antique train station bench. It’s already looking so beautiful, the color is perfect and the space is coming together. It has only taken us almost over a year 1/2. But, in that time we did do that crazy thing and purchased a home in Italy. Something I am still in shocked with, in love with and now bringing Italy back home.
Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad AND a soul that never loses FAITH in God.
I’ve included some of my favorite photos from Italy. Notice the color scheme. Muted, creams, aged plaster, worn yellows and light sand colors. So subtle, so beautiful and so timeless. This was my inspiration and I’m loving my decision so far! Stay tuned for the full before and after pictures. On a side note, Mike used very affordable: 1 X 2 X 8′ pine strips. At Loews for $3.65 we needed 7 pieces because our ceilings are 12′. It gives a beautiful elegant focal point at our entryway. It’s all about those little details that bring out something beautiful in a common space. Add in the right runner rug, a side table and accessories and you have completely transformed a space for minimal effort and money!
Buona Notte friends! Wishing I was sipping a glass of limoncello outside in our little Italian village. A special thank you. to my design assistant, Teddy Biron! Not that you were much of a help, but you provided some humor and It allowed Mike to remain on the ladder painting lol. See you soon.
All we can do is witness. To speak LOVE and TRUTH and power and beauty into people’s lives ~ Blessed is she.