Today, I’m sharing my paint colors–it’s the thing I’m most often asked about.
For years, I didn’t share my paint colors, not because I didn’t want them ‘out there’ or feared they’d be copied, but for the opposite reason.
My fear was that knowing my colors wouldn’t truly be helpful to anyone. That it might hurt more than help.
I decided that I could share my colors responsibly. 
That you understand that just because a color looks like it could work for you from a photo, doesn’t mean it will. No one is going to buy 5 gallons of paint in a custom color just because they saw it on Instagram.
If you’re curious whether or not a color will work for you, my advice is to get a sample pot of paint, paint it on some poster-board and pin it up all around the room in question. Look at it in every light to see if you love it.
And, it’s my job to tell you that there is an ideal order to making decorating decisions in every room of your house, and choosing the paint color is step 4 out of 5. Yep, there is an Order of Decor!
If you’ve ever painted your walls and hated it, it’s probably because you are making your decorating decisions in the wrong order. No worries, I can help!
Today, I’m sharing my paint colors and including images of the color in each room, in different lighting, so you can get a true sense of how it changes.
We’ll start with the bedroom. I painted this the first year we moved here and up until this morning I thought it was the color Comfort Grey. But, when I went searching for the paint can, I couldn’t find it. So, I used a sample of Comfort Grey I had, painted it with my finger behind the mirror and it’s too light. This color is actually Oyster Bay–the SAME color in the laundry room below. I’m shook!
This room gets northern and eastern light and has a huge tree on the north side that reflects green at certain times of the day.
The laundry room is also the world’s most perfect color to me: Oyster Bay. This is enamel, so it’s a bit glossier. It looks MUCH more green than in our bedroom. This room has one large south facing window that reflects our backyard.
I also thought this room was Oyster Bay until I found the paint can. I went a tad darker–it feels like a moodier OB, if you will. I love it. It’s one of my personal neutrals.
Completely out of my comfort zone, this room changes color every 90 seconds, with every cloud, lamp and pillow you bring in. The color I want is the bottom right, but it has a mind of its own. Walls, trim, ceiling are all the same color, but the trim is a higher sheen, whatever the painters thought was best.
20 years ago my sister painted a room in her house Sea Salt (the lightest color on this page of the Sherwin Williams color wheel). I loved it and painted a room the same color. Ever since, I’ve loved using the blue/greens on this particular strip. I knew I liked one color, so going darker or lighter just made sense.
In this house we have the 3rd, 4th and 6th colors on the strip.
The trim (in most of the rooms) and the kitchen cabinets are the same trim color I used in my last house.
I went darker on the trim and built-ins in the front room.
And the white walls everywhere are Extra White.
Want more information on the Order of Decor? Click here to learn more.
All my paint is from Sherwin Williams because they are down the street from my house, my painters use them, and they always get it right. Not sponsored but I sure wish they would!