Alright, the walls are washed, and now I really need to decide what colour I want on the walls. Here’s the catch…did you notice all that awful yellow oak (apologies to those who love it)? All the baseboards, window trim, and even the ceiling moulding in the dining room are yellow oak.
Flashback–the 80’s want their yellow oak back. Please keep it there.
So, let the research commence.
The first blog I read recommended beige and guys, I just can’t. At least not any true brown-beige. The blog continues to show some colours they would recommend that, while beige, look more grey, which I can get on board with. They also recommend a blue paint, or something with a purple or green undertone. I think my favourite recommendation from the blog was the colour “Salamander” by Benjamin Moore, which is a dark, almost black-green colour. This leads me to think that maybe I want a statement wall? This blog was a great first step in seeing what I liked paired with yellow oak. There were parts that I skipped over when reading, like the discussion on whether yellow oak will come back into style (barf), and other parts that were really interesting, like the colour theory of why certain colours will go better with the oak than others. When I’m seeking the answer to a question like, “What paint colours will go with yellow oak,” I don’t want to read about someone’s whole life story and why green is their favourite colour–which is why I struggle with reading blogs at times. If I were reading a blog solely for enjoyment, I think I would feel differently.
I also tried listening to a podcast called “How to Decorate,” episode 32: How To Choose The Right Paint with Sandie Mazzi. I wasn’t really sure how I would like listening to a podcast about paint colours when I couldn’t actually see what they were talking about, but it was actually great! They talked about things like establishing the mood, how I want to feel in the space and considering the items I already have and need to keep.
Sandi Mazzi, thankfully, also told me what I wanted to hear–go bold in the dining room! I’d really like to do an accent wall, so I was happy to hear this was the space to do it in. Sandie Mazzi also hit the nail on the head when she discussed how having a vision in your head and then actually being able to find that colour and have it look that way on your wall is an epic battle.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to this podcast. I don’t know that I necessarily learned anything new from it, but I was given some assurances on the direction I wanted to take in my dining room.
This week, I also played around on the Sherwin Williams website:
- Top 50 colours
- Top Interior Paint (holy dina…who knew there were so many different types of interior paint)
- I also needed to look up “holy dina” because I typed it out and then thought, “that’s a really weird thing to say. Where does that even come from?” So, you’re welcome…Urban Dictionary: Holy Dina
- Colour By Room –> Dining Room Colours
!!Opinion Time!!
Also, if you’re wondering how I casually slipped this poll into my blog, here are the steps!
- First, I watched “How to Add a Poll in WordPress“
- I learned that I needed to check out the Plugins tab. Click it.
- Scroll down, and you will see an option for “Poll” and “activate.” Do this.
- TS Poll should show up on your side tab. Click Add New.
- From there, you can pick your theme, and change the question and answers.
- To get your poll into your blog, click the tab that says “Shortcode” on TS Poll. Copy the link for WordPress.
- Paste the link into your blog. This will just look like weird code, but don’t worry, the poll will show up like normal!
Hope this helps!
Hi!
Thanks for the instructions on creating a poll in your blog! Super helpful, and I’ll definitely come back to this when I’m making my own!
I definitely understand your gripe with the wall color. My parent’s walls are this really ugly beige-purple color, and quite in need of… someone’s loving paintbrush.
I went to Germany this summer, and the thing that stood out most to me about the interior design was how much more beautifully organized and modern all of the bathrooms were in the houses I stayed in. I thought about this while reading your blog – I wonder what you’d think of different countries’ interior design norms! Maybe that could be something to look into!
Bernice
Thanks for your input, Bernice! I’ve travelled a bit, and I too look for ways to incorporate the designs I love from other countries. I usually try to bring home authentic artwork from each place I travel.
Love this!
As someone who is unable to paint in the space I am currently in, I am living vicariously through you right now.
Also, love the idea of going bold with it. Dining rooms can occasionally feel like forgotten spaces, and I think having a focal point would really draw your attention through the room rather than it feeling stagnant.
I love this blog on interior design! I think it’s so neat that your using your home redecorating journey. I am a person that can read about different finishes or different paint color choices so I enjoyed reading what you have so far.