Olive Gray with Black Shutters

Posted on | November 4, 2011 | 11 Comments

I receive many requests for house paint colors for historic homes spotted in Marblehead. My neighbor recently painted her 1809 home a gorgeous olive gray. The color was custom but it’s really close to Hampshire Gray by Benjamin Moore. The shutters and doors are painted black with white trim.

Hampshire Gray is part of Benjamin Moore’s historical paint collection; the olive undertones are really striking, polished and sharp. Clarksville Gray which is a lighter tone is a favorite of mine too.

Remember the color you see on your computer screen varies and is not an accurate representation of the paint color. Always, always, always paint a sample swatch on your house and view in different light conditions before committing to a specific shade.

Historic New England offers paint consultations for period correct exterior or interior paint colors and treatments. Find out more about the homeowner membership and benefits on their website: historicnewengland.org. I sent in photos of my house new and old to find out what would be “period correct” for my house. Excited to hear what they come up with!

Category: historic homes, marblehead, paint colors

Choosing Interior Molding Color

Posted on | August 22, 2011 | 21 Comments

From left: Off White, Joa’s White, Clunch, and Lime White on molding.

We left off with painting the den a few months back. This room is so close to being done but I need to order more paint for the window sashes and the doors. When we were priming the molding Greg went a little to far and painted the molding in the stairwell too. I want the molding in the den to be Verte De Terre but everywhere else in the house the molding will be a cream.

So what color cream? I’ve been extremely happy with Farrow & Ball and their hues are a great fit for my old home. Back in 2009, I tested wall and molding colors for my den. At the time I thought I was going to paint my walls green and the trim cream. In the end I flipped the colors; the molding became Verte De Terre and the walls James White. Painting the walls a lighter color makes the room feel lighter and bigger. Stay tuned for more photos from my den…

I’ve been trying to decide between Clunch (#3 above) and Lime White (#4) for the molding in the rest of the house. The colors are really close. Clunch feels a little grayer and brighter while Lime White is warmer and darker. I tend to gravitate toward grey hued walls so I think Clunch will be my best bet.

I have my eye on Pink Ground for the stairwell up to the third floor. When we first moved into the house I painted the walls Phillipsburg Blue from Benjamin Moore but I’ve always felt it was too dark for the space. My house is really moody. I’m hoping choosing neutral pastels will garner an interior glow and will make the rooms feel brighter even in the middle of winter.

The blue stairs are left from when we ripped up nasty old carpet— I have plans to paint them too! I painted the walls Phillipsburg Blue walls when we first moved into the house.

Category: house renovation, paint colors

Green: Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon

Posted on | February 11, 2011 | 6 Comments

Wow has anyone else every seen this photo from Marie Antoinette’s silver room from Petit Trianon? Lauren from Fourth Floor Walk Up left the link on my green paneled molding post from last week. Gorgeous right? It has me thinking about painting my walls Green Ground or Tunsgate Green. I’ll wait till I get the ceiling up and the Verte De Terre paint on the molding before I decide. But it could be really outstanding?

Category: interiors, paint colors

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