Windsor Terrace Reno

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January 9, 2008

The power of paint (part 1)

Its really amazing that after all the time, money and effort spent on renovating, the simple act adding paint really has so much of an impact. The color on the walls make the whole house seem more like a home than a war zone.
LadderCaution
Nearly all the painting is finished so at least the anxiety of choosing colors is behind me. Some of the choices were good ones and I love them, some of them I'm not quite so enamored with and one (which is upstairs and Ill mention in part 2 of this post) has to be repainted because its so awful.

Here is a look at the parlor floor which has our living room, a little middle room that I'm told should be called the "music room", a joint kitchen and dining space, a bathroom and the hallway. Since its all pretty much open to each other, I tried to keep a consistent color scheme without doing the same colors in every room. I did decide to keep the trim (cream) and the ceilings (china white) in the entire house the same color for consistency.

Parlor HallSilverFoxLivingRoom
The hallway got a color called "Abalone" which is a light grey. Living Room/Music room got one shade darker called "Silver Fox' which is a warm gray that changes with the time of day. Sometimes it looks quite grey and sometimes it looks a little brown and sometimes it looks a little purple. I absolutely love how these turned out and I'm so happy I didn't go with beige.

DiningRoom/KitchenDSC_0321.JPG
The kitchen/dining area essentially got a cream on cream treatment. Its a little on the boring side. Okay, a lot on the boring side. I don't really love it for that reason. But knowing that a lot of other finishes (cabinets, appliances, countertops, dining room table, chairs, stools, backsplash tiles) are going into the room convinced me to go safe. I'm hoping I'll like it more when the kitchen is completed. If not, I can always add an accent color to the far wall. But for a shot of color that no one will see, the inside of the closets are painted a bright teal blue called "waterfall".

ParlorBathroom
The bathroom is looking very dark because the lights aren't installed but the color on the walls is a pale gray green called "Owl Grey". Its a nice compliment to all the white and marble.

Picking colors is really difficult. Are these the most perfect colors? Probably not. That said, I'm really pleased with how it all worked out on this floor. I think its contemporary without being too modern and highlights some of the nice features of the molding.

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Comments

looks great -- nice job!

Posted by: z at January 9, 2008 10:19 AM

I am truly envious that you were able to pull off a full renovation all at once. It looks great and I am sure you will have many happy memories in your new home. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 4:29 PM

Very nice job...Who did the paint work? How efficient were they? Any negatives about them? What kind of rate? How much notice did you have to give them before they started working? I'm researching for some paint work i'll need to have done around mid-Feb. Thanks.

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 5:12 PM

Great job! We share exactly your philosophy on using pale tints (but ones that do contain some color) on walls, then going with cream on painted woodwork and bright white on the ceiling. Love your choices--and might even borrow a couple of them..... thanks!

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 5:38 PM

I think the 'abalone' is delicious--I would've been too chicken to try it, fearing it would look dismal. (Also 'cause we've made horrible mistakes, like "warming up" our entry hallway with a shade I named "Shrimp Bisque Bordello.") Can't wait to see the one you hated.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at January 9, 2008 5:41 PM

gorgeous! you have a great eye...looks so soothing and clean.

Posted by: CGmodern at January 9, 2008 5:54 PM

Excellent. Your right on when you say a coat of paint makes a massive difference.

Posted by: 10thStreetReno at January 9, 2008 6:42 PM

Thanks everyone. Picking the colors was such a tough choice for me so I can't tell you how relieved I am to be happy with these.

Guest@538: The painting was part of the larger contract I have to do most of the other work. I don't remember how much the painting cost of the total nut but it probably wouldn't be comprable in terms of the price of hiring dedicated painters. This is the first time Ive ever had someone else paint for me (usually do it myself) so I don't know how painters charge specifically.

Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at January 9, 2008 8:40 PM

All of this progress is very exciting and gives the rest of us hope that one day there will be momentum. Great colors too.

Posted by: HomeSweetstuy at January 9, 2008 10:16 PM

I love the colors, but I love the cream on cream too! I have spaces very similar to yours with (muted) colors on the walls -- and I love them. BUT, the bands of colors emphasize the rooms width, I think. Whereas that cream on cream really highlights the height. Kinda like horizontal stripes make you look fat and solids make you look tall.

I love my walls but I'm sometimes tempted to do tone on tone and get that TALL feeling in these talls rooms!

Posted by: guest at January 10, 2008 6:17 AM

Mrs. L -- kudos, everything looks great. your entries makes my day. btw, is the bathroom shown on 1/9 entry the original pepto pink bathroom?

Posted by: guest at January 10, 2008 11:51 AM

I am thouroughly enjoying your pictures of this overhaul. I'm English and am starting work in Feb' renovating a 5000 sq ft agricultural building circa 1900 into a family home and offices and I'm really enjoying keeping up with your posts. My finacee is American and I spend a lot of time there so my next project is likely to be a residence in Brooklyn for us. You're giving me plenty of interesting ideas! Good luck finishing it off!

Posted by: johnrose at January 11, 2008 7:52 AM

i have to say the dining kitchen area is amazing... looking good mrs l

Posted by: guest at January 11, 2008 10:43 PM

Thanks for this blog. Nicely turned out. I'm curious about the while tiles you used in the bathroom. We're looking at subways tiles but I wanted something with a bit more interest than plain white. What are and where did you source yours?

Posted by: tennentr at January 12, 2008 3:56 PM

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