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October 10, 2008Mighty Mom’s Silly Slimmers
October 13, 2008
Sometimes finding happiness takes a lot of hard work. This week at “Mommy Monsters,” I reflect on a quote Julie posted at “Happy Catholic” by Jim Elliot, the first husband of evangelical icon Elisabeth Elliot, on what it takes for a couple to be happy. To wit, the wife focuses on the 80% of her husband that she likes, rather than the 20% she wants to change.
Last week, I took the same approach to my house. Inspired by my dear friends Katy and Todd, who “borrowed” my grandmother’s buffet and painted it a lovely shade of white (and replaced the wooden shelves with glass ones, and installed interior lighting), I went to the store and purchased eight quarts of paint (they told me a quart was the smallest unit I could buy). Then I started painting, to see what color would work.
Kermit green. No good. Too dark.
Peaceful leaf. Lighter, but still reminds me of lime Jell-O. Next.
Chopped chive. Nope. Too yellow.
Finally … after painting it all over with gray primer, Eureka! Limonata!
I now have two of my dining room walls painted … including the one where the refurbished buffet now rests, beautifully appointed with my favorite china and crystal serving dishes. They sparkle. They shine. They glisten.
They give me a rush of pleasure every time I look in their direction. Turns out … happiness is one corner of the world where beauty and order reign supreme. Who’d have thought?
Next week … the kitchen. I’ll keep you posted.
Oh … I almost forgot. If you’re as hopeless as I am when it comes to envisioning the right color/intensity/complementary in your corner of the world, I discovered this AMAZING free program, courtesy of Valspar paint. Pick a room, pick a palate … or let them pick it for you. To get started, just click here!
0 Comments
really the best way if you can’t imagine a whole room in a paint color by the chips is to do what you did. buy a quart and paint. Use the entire quart on one area…make it as big an area as you can cover well. Because some colors look right for a little bit but are too much when on an entire wall. They suggest (whoever they are) that you then leave the wall painted (once you narrow your choices down) for several days to make sure it doesn’t grate on you over time. THEN invest in enough for your room. 🙂
Of course I’m crazy enough to buy 3 gallons of whatever looks good at the time and let it grow on me. teeheehee.
I have a room in each color. sky blue, violet, grass green, butter yellow. 🙂 when I think about repainting the walls (we’ve been here 6 years now) I always end up with the same colors….only in different rooms!!
another sound peice of advice is to paint your home colors that you like to wear. If you feel like you look good in greens and creams then look to those colors for your starting pallatte.
By the way I love your pic. To me, solid walls and white trim (in your case the china hutch) is just about as pretty as it gets…..unfortunately my hubby HATES painted wood. He wants it all stained 😛 age old debate…I want a Victorian Mansion…he wants a log cabin that doesn’t have a dish washer. eeee gads!
I know too well the struggle to get the right shade! The colors look so different on those little cards and under the store lights.
Your little corner of the world is beautiful. Well done.
Thanks for the link.