It's not that I hate red. I love red! But I really wanted to make this condo feel like my own, since it still felt like my brother's place (more on that later). I'd been thinking about what color to paint it for a while, and fixated on gray. I researched the web and picked up some of those little paint cards, but it wasn't until last Thursday that I somewhat spontaneously decided to actually do it. My brother had just moved out the last of his stuff and the bedroom was basically empty, except for the bed. Plus, it was the only free weekend I have since I'm going to Korea on Friday. Luckily, my dearest and wonderfulest friend Pa offered to help me. Pa is awesome and always gets roped into doing stuff like this (she painted her sister's bathroom in the middle of the night while they were sleeping). But I'm so glad she did because she is a pro and I needed the help! Here's the after!
I was really nervous because a) I hadn't painted anything since I was about 14 and the color I picked was this hideous purple b) finding a good gray is notoriously hard. It can be too blue, green, beige, purple, industrial, office-y, depressing, etc. But once I make up my mind to do something, I do it! I went to the paint store and looked at a few paint cards. Took a break to get my haircut. Then back to another paint store to look at more samples and talk to the color consultant...and picked the paint I originally had a gut feeling about from the first store. That's kind of how I roll. Back and forth, back and forth, go with the first idea. It drives me (and my boyfriend) crazy.For you seekers of gray out there: it's Nightingale by Benjamin Moore. Ohhhh, so beautiful. It's soothing yet dramatic at the same time. It's light in the daylight, and cozy and warm at night. It has a little bit of purplish-brown hue to it, not blue at all. And it doesn't look like an office gray. I. Love. It.
I splurged on the paint and got the topline Aura brand. From my online research, Benjamin Moore is generally considered the best of the mid-price range brands: better than what you get at a box store, and as good as designer brands (FYI, Martha Stewart's new Home Depot line was not highly recommended because it is has thin coverage, but I still love her). The Aura was worth the money! It's a paint/primer, so you don't have to prime. The coverage is also really good. I only needed two coats to cover up that dark red. While we were painting I was worried it was streaky, but when it dried....magic! Beautiful gray room!
I also added some new furniture from Craigslist (deserving of a separate post). You can see the bed is also in a different position than the original picture - I didn't really want to cover up the window, but the door kept hitting the edge of the bed and now it's more centered in the room. And I found it makes a natural headboard. Plus I never open that window because it is very close to the next house. The chair next to the bed is kind of hideously upholstered (Craigslist $20) and has since been moved to the opposite corner of the room where it looks less gargantuan. Perhaps it will be a renovation project - if I can muster up the courage to tackle upholstery.
Here is the view of my new/old Ethan Allen dressers that I got for $75 (plus shipping):
They are beautiful wood, i.e. very heavy. I wiped them down with some Murphy's oil soap and then lined the drawers with scented liner paper from Bed, Bath & Weapons - nerd alert! but it's a really nice touch and hides the musty smell of old, used furniture. The Korean tapestry in the corner is covering up my electrical box. I may take a class on how to make something like that when I go to Korea next week. Crafty international!Now I have a beautiful cozy silvery bedroom with lots of storage. It looks so nice without all my actual crap in it yet, but maybe I will actually keep it neat since it is so pretty. Next phase of bedroom redesign: curtains, rug, wall art, and a chandelier! It will be quite the boudoir!
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