When I help clients with colour who have had white walls for 20-40 years (okay a long time), it’s generally very hard for me to get them past a ‘barely there’ shade. This was what happened when I arrived at John & Rita’s home here in North Vancouver this summer. I had chosen their exterior colours a few years ago and as a past client, they received my (fabulous and free) newsletter.
One day, Rita called me to choose new colours for the house and new fabric for their sofa. Now I really wish I had a before picture (just imagine the walls in white). We went through a bunch of very pale shades because every time I pulled out a darker one, both Rita & John insisted it was too dark. But I kept holding up Delaware Putty (BM CC-230) in between the light ones because I knew it was going to be fabulous with the new fabric we had chosen for their sofa. Plus it really set off all their artwork.
Rita went to Dublin for a month to visit her sisters and John arranged for all the painting as well as surprised his wife by installing the TV above the mantle and behind their existing artwork – so amazing! I should have taken a picture of the huge rocks he had to pull out of the wall before he could even build the niche.
When I arrived with toss cushions I had made for their sofa and chairs (we re-covered the sofa as well), Rita said “Maria I so wish I had trusted you with this colour and did the whole house in it, I love it so much!!” They were so happy it totally made my day! And she’s going to have the painter back so she can have it in the master bedroom too!
She brought me a Christmas ornament from Dublin (love it!) and a little bookmark calendar with the colourful Doors of Dublin. She says in Dublin all the houses are the same, but they paint the doors fabulous colours!
Had the colour in their living room remained very pale, it would not have felt as rich and warm as it now does because it works so perfectly with the undertones in their furniture and artwork (a yellow beige on the slightly green side). I had never seen John smile as much as he did on this visit, I'm convinced he knows the secret; A happy wife is a happy life!
Do you dare to go darker?
If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person decorating and colour.
Related posts:
A Light Colour will Never come to Life in a Dark Room
Interior Design may look easy, it’s Not!
What’s your Colour Personality?
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