Paint Colors!

Okay, we've discussed how I'm not a "safe" color person. I transplanted myself from North Carolina in 1984, and I love my tropical lifestyle. It took me a while to get used to pink houses. Now I own one. I like light and bright, which is funny because I dress like I should be following Marilyn Manson around the country, but that's okay. When you walk in my house, I want you to think "Key West."

 

I said I was picking out paint colors, and Kelly from the very fine and engaging blog Tearing Up Houses said I needed to share. So welcome to Paint Chip Talk, with your host, the Crazy Color Lady!

 

The color seen here is Blue Burst. It's in a servant's hallway between the dining room and kitchen, with the maid's bedroom (AKA the Fire Room) and bath off of it. It's prominent and very easily seen, and yes, I love the color.  No, I don't have a maid. This house was built in 1927 by Gloria Swanson as a getaway. Down the street a block or two are similarly quirky digs owned by Charlie Chaplain, and a domicile that belonged to Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Their handprints and names are drawn in the patio stairs. You can see why I put up with this house.

 Welcome to the Swatch Mania Round! Do I play it safe and go white walls with pops of outrageous color, or spin the wheel and go for broke?

 The floors are decided in a light oak throughout the house (sanding the original 80+ year old wood and refinishing). The boys have chosen a deep red with white wainscoating. The entire house will have white high gloss trim to unify the kaleidoscope.

 

We have winner for the main living room in Coastal Mist. I splashed a wall with it and loved it.

The "barely there" quality of it will pop when the woodwork and beams are all a crisp white. Oh yes, I have ceiling beams. I should just suck it up and do the nasty BEFORE thing, huh?

Here's where it gets ugly.  Carolina Parakeet and Grass Cloth?

They look like THIS on your walls. My contractor asked which shade of puke I'd settled on.

The Fire Room is going Taupe.

That second color is Marsh Fern, and it's a contender for the dining room, 

which will open onto the patio.

The downstairs bath is getting a coat of Gem Turquoise.

 

And I think this softer turquoise will be our room. Imagine it with all the 

seaglass and the navy accents.

Lastly, my little daughter's room will have an ocean theme, and we're pairing up to do a base of the darker blue with swirls of the lighter for a peaceful, underwater effect. We did her artwork a year ago (this was in full progress when the fire started), and we're ready to just get her all done.

So...whatcha think?