As I mentioned in an earlier post our home is to be photographed this Spring/Summer for a national magazine. As I have also mentioned parts of our home are badly in need of updating. The wood floors have been refinished and two of the guest rooms have been repainted you can read about them here https://cindyhattersleydesign.com/2013/11/six-week-one-room-challenge-gues.html. My floors downstairs are Saltillo tiles similar to the picture below (white walls). My stairway railing is very similar to the railing in the picture on the far right lower. Our home has good bones. All of the light fixtures and railings are hand forged, as well as the door and cabinet hardware. That being said I do want to keep the integrity of the house intact. We currently have Mexican tile in all the bathrooms and the kitchen backsplash. I had searched and searched for a tile line that I thought would be appropriate without changing the character of the house. In my search, I came across the Tabarka linehttp://www.tabarkastudio.com/ . I am currently obsessed with it! If you are looking for an old world look that isn’t overdone. Look no more. The one I am planning to use (if I can afford it) is called Meditteranean 5.
The walls are thin wall plaster currently faux finished. I am really tired of them and want a fresh look. In the hallway upstairs the doors and baseboard are white dove. All of you designers and design enthusiasts out there I am in search of the perfect neutral that is a little more saturated than white dove. Please speak up and tell me your go tos! I really like the color that is in the (current railing picture) above. Colors that I am currently considering (are all over the map!!):
Benjamin Moore Spanish White Benjamin Moore Bone White Farrow and Ball Dimity
Benjamin Moore Slipper Satin Benjamin Moore Overcast Benjamin Moore Halo
Did I mention that I have a hard time picking out colors for myself…that I over think them to the point of insanity? Also, did I mention that I used to always gravitate to warm neutrals with an aversion to anything with a pink tint? That being said here are some more of my considerations. I am not going to confess which way I am leaning because I want your input. Please weigh in I am counting on you!
Hi Cindy – I'm new to your blog and am addicted!! :-)) Did you choose a paint color yet? I'm in the middle of the same dilemma. Question for you – would you recommend to only use White Dove for trim or is it a nice white for walls to brighten up a room?…..SO grateful for your input! I'm off to get paint samples as we speak!
Hi Carol
I emailed you but I am not sure you got my response. I love white dove for trim and I would not be afraid to use it as a wall color and trim for a clean look. I am considering that as well! Still haven't made a decision!
Cindy, I love this! You are the best.
xo
i LOVE the color "overcast"! it used to be the color of the outside of our house (painted brick) nd i kinda miss it-BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
That's amazing about the magazine and well deserved – your home is beautiful! And I love your redecorating plans – that tile is amazing. For paint colors, have you looked at BM Moonlight White? It may not be as saturated of a color as you are looking for but it's a very pretty color.
Congrats on the photo shoot. Looks like it will be beautiful and they made a great choice with your home. Loving all your choices and I'm sure you'll make the perfect one!
Oh my god, are you crazy asking us for our opinion? You'll without a doubt be even more confused after ask all of us. We might even be color blind!
I suffer through these decisions. SUFFER! I bought no less than 16 different colors to try out for my cabinets before I picked one. And then when I started painting I knew it was wrong. Then another. Wrong. And finally, 19 was a charm.
To be honest, I'd pick something that works with the tile (which I should have appropriately raved about right off the bat. It's gorgeous!!!) Oh, and your hair! It's got to look good with your hair. I'm using Farrow & Ball Strong White on my walls. I wanted everything to be cohesive and I picked the white that seemed closest to the tile I picked. When I started painting the walls, I thought I was going to throw up. It looked all wrong…but it dried to the perfect color. I love it.
So I won't be one of those pushy followers who tells you have to use Slipper Satin or the romance is over. You know what to do. And we can't wait to see it.
Love the new design. I have the same problem selecting for myself, but no hesitation for clients. I've got several custom colors in my house. Based on your choices, I prefer Halo as most neutral. Looking forward to the results!
Can't wait to see the photos of your home. I'm going through the same craziness while building our home in Paso. The theme is also Spanish Colonial with a side of French and Belgian. Quite a mix, I know, but I don't want to tire of it so I thought mixing it up ever so gently would work….we'll see.
I should have also mentioned that the beams in the hallway (also viewed from the entryway below) are a combination of gray stains (scraped) and I am not about to change those as the ceilings are 20 ft high! By the way my readers are the best! You guys all have such great taste!
Cindy, i am so excited about your updates. I have plaster walls as well and used Farrow & Ball's Lime White. It is a warm white with a lot of depth. It is hard to beat any of Farrow & Ball's colors on plaster walls. I am not a fan of cooler whites either. Can't wait to see everything!
I love the tile you picked for the backsplash, appropriate for your style yet classic at the same time. My go-to for trim is an old Martha Stewart Living color called Muslin (H11). The line doesn't exist any more — Kmart used to sell it about 16 years ago — but I have the formula. It is very cream and works well with the more saturated wall colors I like. Overcast is a lovely color (Look at Joan's — for the love of a house blog — guest room. She used it for the walls.) As a trim color, I think it will be a little too green. Have fun with the process.
I'm always attracted to warm whites and have used…B.M. 0C- 39…but it is a warm white. The Halo is pretty also..i would love to try B.Ms plaster of Paris…I hope Loi shows us what his clients home looks like. Congrats on the magazine photo shoot….cant wait to see it…
I like the Halo. If you are thinking of White Dove for trim, consider Behr's Swiss Coffee. I think Swiss Coffee seems like a perfect color. Now, I'm going to have to wait til you get done to see which colors you go with.
BM Carrington Beige HC-93.
Cheers! Jan at Rosemary Cottage
Navajo White is a time-tested classic.
You are right Merlyn! I will have to put that one up against the White Dove as well! I don't want a lot of contrast…just a bit!
Hi Cindy – Congratulations!! I didn't know about your upcoming photo shoot. Please keep us posted. I just used BM's Plaster of Paris. It looks really beautiful in my client's house, which gets a lot of natural light. Good luck and have fun 🙂
xo
Loi
I'm struggling with the same thing right now. I'm changing to a white paint, but want it warm. I'm going to refrain from selecting a choice because it's so hard to tell without seeing it in the rooms. I feel for you, it's hard.
I'm looking forward to seeing the results. 🙂
Sharon
OMG! I'm super excited for you Cindy!!!! Truly you and your home deserves it! It has been my biggest dream to have my home featured someday and I'm just to happy for you! Yes, a lot of prep work and decisions have to be made, but with your exquisite taste, I bet everything will end up being PERFECT as always! CHEERS!
P.S. I love the Halo most!
BM Halo, no green or pink. looks the best to me.