Thursday, June 25, 2009

the perfect shade of a little blue egg ...

For some time I have wanted to paint my guest room a soft, soft shade of robin's egg blue. I have found several accessories to place in the room once it is painted. I even found a bed coverlet that will look great. The problem? Finding the right shade of blue.
I bought a sample that I just knew would be it. Wrong. Way, too aqua. How could that be? It looked absolutely perfect in the jar! Then, I remembered seeing a picture of a Martha Stewart color: sea spray blue. So off I went to Lowe's for another sample. After looking through all the chips, I ended up with two samples: sea spray blue and apothecary jar. One of these had to be it. Wrong again - well maybe not really wrong. Either would probably work fine, but it's not what I saw in my head. So I mixed equal parts of both samples and tried that. Too gray. Probably the color of some egg, just not the one I see when I close my eyes.


By this time the bedroom walls looked like an aqua patchwork quilt! My poor husband is afraid he will have to look at a minty toothpaste color or seafoam green. I keep reassuring him it will be fine. I usually can just pick out a paint chip and that is it. I have a reputation to uphold here and it's on the line. Plus, I have guests coming in a few weeks and I would like the paint to be dry when they arrive!

So, I went in search of items that were the perfect shade. Off I went - again - to the paint store with an assortment of "samples" for them to put in that little machine that tells you what the "perfect" color really is. If they could just capture the color of a vintage spool of silky thread that is in my workroom or the antique collar I used in this collage!


Not possible to cram either the thread or the collage into that little machine. So we used a scrap of wrapping paper. It still seemed a little intense so the "formula" was halved in intensity. I took a deep breath and with my head in my hands said, "Mix it." It is hard to be so picky. I should know. I've been this way for as long as I can remember.

The sample smear on the can lid looked like we had "it". I could hardly wait to get home and brush some over areas with the previous samples. well, I'm still not 100% sure, but I decided that it is just paint. If I get done and I don't like it - there is always more paint. Right? I'll report back after I paint on Sunday. - M. PS Think positive for me and say a little prayer to the paint gods - okay? Thanks.

8 comments:

Sammy Girl said...

Miss Martha! If you were not so particular about color, your projects probably wouldn't be so utterly divine and perfect! Have a super Friday and talk to you soon!
Hugs!
Betty :)

Barbara Jean said...

Oh Martha,
I so understand, Being a color person is a curse sometimes. What we see in our minds eye, and what comes out of the can never quite seem to be the same.

I usually find that after all my hemming and hawing and indecisiveness, several of the colors would have been fine in the long run. Especially when all the decor, (which will probably be several various shades of what you like) are up and the room is complete.

Anxious to see how it turns out.

Blessings,
Barbara Jean

Auntie Joy said...

Oh yeah its just paint, but what a hassle putting it where it goes.... The easy part is picking it out.. Just messing with you! I'm sure it will be a fantastic experience, much like when I paint! The real truth is whatever the cost it is worth it! Once it is all put together, you wonder what the big deal was!
Good luck, best wishes, have fun!
JOY!

Charmingdesigns said...

After you put it on...and it still isn't quite what you want...you might want to try glazing a bit of antiqueing on it with damp rags. I have a feeling that it is the "flat" look of one color that you don't like,I'm just think'n you would like it to be an "aged" color. You might want to get a board and paint it when you paint the room, then you can play with the board 'till you get what you want.

Journal Swag said...

I SO understand. I've been looking for the perfect shade of the same color for our bathroom! The closest I've come is Tracey's robin's egg blue (Tracey of "A Cottage Industry"). She has her recipe for the paint in her blog archives. It's just a little too gray for me, but I do adore it. We painted the master bedroom mocha and I love it, but I'm still in search of the "not quite aqua, not quite white, not quite green" color of which I believe you speak! Good luck, hope you've "got it" this time!

Sheila

Jessrose21 said...

Good luck with your quest! Please let us know what the perfect solution is because it's so hard to find that robin's egg blue you're talking about. I've tried looking in the Behr line because their paint goes on so well, but their colors are very limited. Anyway, I feel your pain!

Cottage Panache said...

Martha, I just found your lovely blog! What a talented and creative lady you are. I love the creams but I am a lover of color also!
Thanks for sharing...Maureen

Libby Buttons said...

OO0000h! Do post a photo when you get the room done in that perfect shade. I imagine you'll a perfectly fantastic job of painting and decorating your boudoir !
smiles
Darlie
aka "LiBBy BuTTons"

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