Sometimes Paint It White
Peach in high gloss, taupe in different shades and sheens, beige with too many red undertones, and SO much lilac. These were the colors of 724. Overwhelmed, overstimulated, and confused about what color belonged where I painted the whole house white. Neither too warm nor too cool, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. This color is a classic white that is fresh and sophisticated. My favorite characteristic of this color is its ability to reflect what's around it—what’s outside the window. White walls generate a sense of calm, balance, and harmony, and I LOVE a beautiful white room.
Without actually living in my house, I didn't know that the south-facing sunlight ignites the dining room and creates a magical bay window that glows warm and bright. This is where all of my plants thrive and the space I gravitate to most with my morning coffee. Only upon living there for a year did I realize that the perfect shade of green is what I wanted.
Until you know the house and all of its quirks—in all of its seasons, even for the sharpest and most experienced of eyes, it's hard to pick the perfect paint.
A flowering magnolia tree that sits outside a living room window encourages the decision to paint the walls a shade of pink like Farrow & Ball Pink Ground, even if that moment might only be for a short time once a year; this is what defines the room.
Or a gorgeous Japanese maple tree in September inspires you to paint the walls a shade of aubergine like Farrow & Ball Brinjal.
Beautiful skies outside the back door might provoke you to pull the blue in and choose a serene blue-green like Farrow & Ball Pigeon—or the 100-year-old pine tree loaded with pinecones outside your TV room welcomes a lovely shade of brown like Farrow & Ball London Clay.
Perhaps you feel more connected to the snow-capped pine tree in February so
white walls painted Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace it is.
You dream of a dark and moody powder room so you choose a color like Farrow & Ball Studio Green. It looks black but you feel that it isn’t, making it mysterious.
Or you are like me and want your bedroom to feel like an early 19th-century undergarment, so you paint it a beautiful rich blush color like Farrow & Ball Peignoir.
What’s outside the window is key when picking the right shade of paint because what’s inside and outside work best when they are in harmony. More importantly, figuring out what you want and how you want a space to feel takes time.
Maybe you want a room to envelop you and feel like a big hug; a deep rich blue color like Farrow & Ball Hague Blue might be the right choice.
Or you want a calm room that bounces light around, so a warm white like Benjamin Moore Simply White is just right.
The paint NEVER looks as it does on the swatch. Often, it's not even close. Sample and sit with it, and the answer will effortlessly emerge.
A color observed somewhere else may not translate the same in your home but will offer insight into what you want, so pay attention to what you like, as it will set you straight on your design path.
In the end, this is all part of the process. I am sharing all of the paint colors in my house below.
Love,
Jaclyn
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
Farrow & Ball Vert De Terre
Farrow & Ball Hague Blue
Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
Farrow & Ball Studio Green
Farrow & Ball Amonite
Farrow & Ball Peignoir
Sherwin-Williams Black Magic- exterior
Sherwin-Williams Alabster- exterior
All of my Farrow & Ball colors are copied by Benjamin Moore except the green dining room paint Vert De Terre
