Enter The Blue Door

Project Number One on the Lake Balboa Bungalow was painting the front door.

The Lake Balboa Bungalow came with a hunter green door and matching wood shingles surrounding the entry way.  The house definitely needs some new stucco and exterior paint – but it was obvious that when they went to sell the home, they gave the shingles and door a brand new coat of ugly green.

Yuck.

It’s dark, heavy, depressing and stiff.

It had to go.

Without a second thought, I knew the front door would be a blue!  A bright, happy, make-your-heart-sing blue!

Picking the blue was serious business.  I first researched blue paints online – narrowing around 50 blues,  ranging from turquoise to aquamarine, down to 10.  At the paint store, I narrowed it down further and selected three colors in sample size.  The doorway and entryway has a deep overhang so the color needed to be a little brighter – it is always going to be in the shade.

When I got home with the three test paints – I could see that one of the colors was just outside the turquoise/aquamarine line – it was more sky blue than I was looking for.  Immediately rejected but reserved for future craft projects.

Peacock or Mediterranean Blue?

The other two were tested, opinions were gathered but it was pretty unanimous which blue made the cut.  The Benjamin Moore Peacock!

The trim around the door was also painted with the dreaded green.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted the trim to match the door (as they had done with the green) or if it should be white.  The trim around the windows is painted white and in general, I prefer white trim.  White frames the colors (like black frames artwork) and allows the colors to stand out.

50 Shingles of Grey

A warm and neutral grey was chosen for the shingles.  It allows the white trim to shine and sets the foundation for the blue door to charm all who enter!

Magic!

Peony Pink of Perfection

I LOVE pink, so much I even painted a car pink once.  It was a 1969 Firebird – and technically – the color was a raspberry red.  But the color transformed that classic muscle car to a super awesome chicks car.  It said “bad ass” but “pretty”.

The Firebird is gone – but my love of pink sure isn’t.  Craig Olsen transformed my thrift store couch into a prim yet punky pink settee.  They were inspired by my favorite piece of artwork – Rites.  It’s by an artist named Guillaume Azoulay.  I admired this guy’s work while I was still in college.  I’d never seen someone who could say so much with a twist of simple line.

I always wanted to bring some of the pink that’s in the Rite’s onto my walls.  I didn’t dare at the apartment, knowing I’d have to paint over it someday.  The dining room in the Lake Balboa Bungalow was the perfect spot to go pink.  My paint colors are chosen from trial and error.  I tried to match the vivid tones in the artwork and came away with Benjamin Moore’s China Berry, only to be completely disappointed.  ­­The longer it was on the wall the more I hated it. It was too dark.  Thing 2 said it looked like it belonged in an old ladies house – ouch.

Then I did what I should have done first – cruised the internet for what professional designers are using.  Pink is more popular than you would think.  The top choices were Crushed  Berries, Razzle Dazzle, Spring Azalea and Peony.  As soon as I viewed the paint swatches at the local hardware store – I knew I would love Peony.  But I dutifully tested the samples on the wall.

Peony is everything I wanted it to be.   A strong, bright feminine color – more than Barbie could handle but less subtle than the 80’s.   This color really woke up a space that was almost hiding.  A lot of crafting and sewing happens on my dining room table.  The pink walls will be inspiring and comforting.  Next to come are Roman Shades.  I’ll have to make these myself but there are some excellent tutorials out there – my Pinterest Sewing Tutorial board has a great selection of them.

Benjamin Moore Peony Pink