THREE SIMPLE IDEAS FOR PAINT AND WALLPAPER SELECTION

October Mist

Choosing paint colors and wallpaper can be intimidating. It’s also something many people need or want to do. Accordingly, there’s A LOT of content on the topic  Today we’re aiming to not be redundant by sharing our favorite colors, opinions on the Color of the Year (BM’s is October Mist), etc. but rather to share 3 simple principles that we follow when helping clients select paint colors and wallpaper for their home. 

Principle 1: Keep Your Home Feeling Clean

There is enough clutter in your life, and the color of your walls should not add to that. Aim for a wall color that pulls some tones from the furnishings in your life. For example, if your design leans warm tones, pick a warmer white. If your design leans cool tones, choose a white with cooler blue undertones.  If you’re not choosing white, the same concept applies. Mixing warm and cool with walls and design can create a subtle dissonance that subconsciously makes a space feel less cohesive. 

Principle 2: Create Cozy Spaces

A well-functioning home is one that caters to your physical and emotional needs. Having a cozy space is key to satisfying needs for quiet, reflection, intimate gatherings, etc.  One favorite way to create a cozy space? Paint or wallpaper walls AND ceiling a moody, dark color. Yes, it’s a big change, but that’s the point; it should feel different from the rest of the house since it serves a different function.  

Principle 3: Think About Balance

When considering which spaces to paint light and dark, think about balance and the floorplan itself.  Consider a room downstairs on the east side to create your cozy space. Upstairs on the west, select a bedroom for wallpaper. Keep a main space crisp white and do the adjacent powder room with a pop of color. Closets or builtins are also key spots for an unexpected accent, and scattering these around the home creates a space that feels interesting and balanced.  The same concept works when considering textured wallpaper. And frankly, the same concept applies across areas of fashion and food too - balance is key to making the layered style or flavors all work together.  

Want more content on paint colors? Here are some links we love: 

All Sorts Of, on white paint

Mastering the Basics of Paint, from Kathleen Walsh Interiors

Dark Exterior Paint, by Chris Loves Julia

Mistakes Made in My Home & Work

Nesting has become a full-on hobby/obsession at this point in my life and I always love figuring out how to make my home feel homier and be more functional. Importantly, my style evolves and our functional needs change often. One great example of this is just before the pandemic, we re-did a home office/gym. The new built-in desk was so beautiful for the one week we had it before lockdown.  After the world went virtual, we learned that two people cannot be on Zooms in the same room, and a Peloton and bathroom make for a terrible professional background. Anyways, with all the tips and tricks we share, I thought it would be fun to do some bloopers. Here, we’re sharing some personal mistakes that I would advise against. In some cases, I was able to pivot and solve. In others, I wasn’t and I live with the mistake until I can’t anymore. Here you go:

BATHROOM TOWELS

I’ve been inspired by all the Boll and Branch brand ambassadors on Instagram touting about how soft their towels, robes, and bathmats are, so I went for it and purchased some for each of our bathrooms. I couldn’t decide between “pale pewter” and “sand” (no longer offered), so I purchased both and loosely earmarked “sand” for the kids’ rooms. Bad call. The colors are so ridiculously similar that you definitely can’t tell the difference when you are angrily folding laundry or pulling anything from a linen closet. Accordingly, the towel colors always get mixed and it’s frankly just off enough to look wrong and irritating. My advice: either get VERY different colors for different bathrooms or just pick one. 

SLINGBACK CHAIRS

Citizenry Throw

I love a pretty sling-back chair, especially those involving leather and wood. These instantly bring to mind images of me reading by a fire with a cozy blanket (like this one, just released from The Citizenry). Well, earlier this year I purchased the Anthropologie Sydney Chair and it was just so awful. The leather was completely stiff, the back was oddly long and my head didn’t reach the tempting fluffy pillow, and the arms were not functional with those charming little finials. Thank you, Anthro, for having a 5-star return policy. It seems other people may have been disappointed as well since the chair is no longer offered.  Next time: sit in the chair, or at least find out how soft the leather actually is to make your cozy fireside dream a reality.

PAINTERS

There are paint companies and there are individual painters that may work with a paint company and work with you in their off-hours. I’ve worked with both and am now a clear fan of the former. Going with an individual is generally cheaper but, in my experience, it comes with less predictable hours, timeline and cost. There is rarely a contract, and I honestly am unsure about insurance logistics because it’s rarely offered up by the individual. This used to work for me.  Now, after painting an entire home inside and out it does not. I am a huge fan of The Company; it comes with a premium but the thoroughness of every part of the project, from from color selection to prep work to paint can disposal and troubleshooting issues (like damaged gutters, trim questions, etc.) is 100% worth it. Plus, the team shows up every day, on time, and focuses on the work until the project is done, and the resulting top-quality job and peace of mind is a win. 

CONTRACTOR vs ART INSTALLER

Hiring a contractor or handyman/woman instead of a proper art installer. This is one I am slipping in here NOT because I have made the mistake, but because I have witnessed it being made. It’s a bad idea 98% of the time. These people are incredibly skilled and they CAN put a hole in the wall, but if the artwork requires 2 holes, adjustment of hardware on the artwork, particular spacing that works optimally with the design or ANY unforeseeable task beyond just putting a hole in the wall - they are not a good option.  Art installers know how to properly drill into your wallpaper, drill into your new wood paneling, drill into your new artwork ONCE so that it is done right.  This is not a place to save a few bucks and if anyone needs an art installer, we are happy to share names. 

WINDOW TREATMENTS

This is a mysterious area to me largely because I have burned through so many vendors that have been awful or gone bankrupt for being awful on a larger scale. I won’t name names but let’s just say I am in the market for someone who is trained in the art of the callback. Anyways. Beyond vendor issues, one key mistake I have made is to not ask 100 questions about the details of my order, leaving vendors to make assumptions and me to get a product I did not want.  For example, I love a sheer linen drape any day of the week. One vendor assumed that I do not and lined my sheer linen drapes such that they are not sheer anymore. I should have known to look at this detail on the order sheet, but to be fair, I was a novice and didn’t scrutinize the handwritten order sheet. GET DETAILS IN WRITING, TYPED. Understand everything from lead time to fabric, hardware, length, installer details, and more. For this one, I’m debating slicing out the lining myself or getting a seamstress to do it, but in the meantime, the drapes are just there, reminding me of my issue every time I see them. 

So there you have it, and clearly, there are more! We’ve all made mistakes and learned from them, and that’s one reason why our home evolves. Hopefully, this helps you give yourself a little grace and we all learn together.