My house looks a little like a paint testing laboratory right now. I currently have 10 sample-sized paint jars on my kitchen counter with rinsed brushes drying around my sink. My walls upstairs and downstairs host numerous strokes of paint—adjacent to fireplace stone, near upholstery, opposite windows and alongside windows. I have been viewing the paint swatches throughout the day and with electric lighting and, unfortunately, am becoming more confused. The color I was positive would adorn the walls of our stairwell, leading into our finished basement and extending to the basement living area, is pulling way too much pink in the light of day. I was striving for a light cocoa mauve—more cocoa with a hint of mauve, not pink with a hint of cocoa.
When this issue reaches you, my family and I will be celebrating two years in our house. I hadn’t found immediate inspiration for paint colors when we moved in and welcomed the idea of living in the house for a while, so I could “feel” the right colors before painting. I would not have chosen the colors the builder painted, but I like them. In fact, the Urbane Bronze on either side of our main-floor fireplace has inspired me to not only introduce more browns and greens, but also to be bold. I’ve already painted my office a deep peacock shade, and it is gorgeous! Our ranch-style house features floor-to-ceiling windows on both levels and receives significant sun throughout the day, so it certainly can handle bold, dark colors. However, this stairwell color conundrum is making me think I need to call in backup to help me capture my vision.
It reminds me of our “Modernist House” story. Homeowner Seth Rumsey travels to Japan frequently for work and is fond of certain Japanese design elements. “I find efficiency of space and geometric decoration very beautiful and calming,” Rumsey explains in the article.
Wanting to bring these guiding principles to a remodel of his Durham, N.C., home, Rumsey hired architect Ellen Cassilly, FAIA, LEED AP, principal at Ellen Cassilly Architects. Although the original vision was beyond budget, Cassilly was able to achieve Rumsey’s requirements with precise design solutions while welcoming Rumsey’s creativity with color and tile choices.
Meanwhile, if any of you know of a lovely light-cocoa-with-a-hint-of-mauve shade for my stair-well/basement, please share it with me. I’m willing to purchase a few more paint samples in the hunt for the perfect color!
