Fully Alive…Ready to Smile

November 16, 2009

The Great Paint Mix-up

I love to paint.

I do.

Really.

Just not things I’ve painted already.

Rooms that I thought were done.

I busted my a$$ and painted the main area of our new house in 15 hours (over 2 days). This included living room, dining room, kitchen and entrance. As I was applying the first coat of paint, I kept thinking, “This color looks awfully green. I don’t remember the paint chip being so green. I don’t actually WANT green. Green doesn’t match my flooring, my accent color, my cabinets, my curtains…” (I was going for more of a grey-brown color)

But I kept painting.

I finished two coats and I’d almost convinced myself that it was NOT green.

“Look, in this light it doesn’t look so green, does it?!”

DENIAL!!

Then my dad (whom I’ve always thought is somewhat color blind) comes in and says, “Oh, nice color. Kind of sage, right?”

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

Reality set in. My color was definitely green.

I went back to the place where I got my paint and talked to someone else about my dilemma. She looked at the paint I was given and told me what I already knew in my heart. It WAS wrong.

So she mixed me a new pail of paint. I took it back to the house and hesitantly and with mild foreboding, applied some on my already finished wall. It wasn’t even close to the same color. But it was the perfect color.

And I repainted. The. Whole. Room!!!

Jer tried to console me by telling me to think of it as a really good base coat, or a “practice round.” Not so much funny.

But…now it looks wonderful. Exactly the way I’d envisioned. Next time, I’ll rely on my instincts and act a bit quicker. Although I pray there isn’t another next time.

Progress update: I have the 2 bathrooms and the hallway left to paint. The closet shelving is going in tomorrow, the carpet on Wednesday. The hardwood is done in the main area, just needs to be done in the hall. The tile is started in the entrance and we still have to do tile in the bathrooms. Cabinets should be installed a few days after we move in. We are WAY ahead of schedule.

And we’re moving in 9 days.

Uncategorized | erin @ 11:30 pm
Comments (7)

7 Comments »

That’s great that you’re way ahead of schedule! Glad you ended up with the right color and I look forward to seeing your new place!

Comment by Elleah — November 17, 2009 @ 5:54 am
I swear you deserve an evening of massage after that. A night away! A day shopping! I would have said some really nasty things if that would have happened to me (and I am not in the habit of saying said things!). So glad the final color was to your liking. I can only imagine the excitement of moving so soon!

Comment by Chantelle - ThousandSquareFeet — November 17, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Wow. There is a lot going on. I’m glad you finally got the paint you wanted on there. I bet it looks great. 9 days to move – I pray for energy for you and strength. I’m sure it will all get done.

Comment by Nadine — November 17, 2009 @ 8:50 am
Holy Smokes Woman! You are productivity raised to the nth power! I get cranky trying to paint one little bathroom (it took me four days). I bow to your painting prowess!

PS- I’m glad you finally found your color.

Comment by Quirky — November 17, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
GO ERIN GO!

So happy that you ended up with your perfect colour. So sorry that you had to do such a thorough base coat first (I’m with Jer on the positive thinking).

I’m amazed that you’re ahead of schedule, and looking forward to seeing you – and the house! – when your life slows back down to normal speed soon.

Comment by Lindsay — November 20, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
oh arg!

Comment by Ruth — November 21, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
so if i had painted a room the wrong colour…i’d probably just have sat down on the ground and cried…way to go for having the strenght to get it done right! can’t wait to see it!

Comment by jenna — December 7, 2009 @ 5:50 pm