Farmhouse Update: On Painting Our Fireplace (Again)

During the last yr, I’ve made round 45,263 design selections. Not all of them had been “right” and whereas many weren’t “improper” per se, they could not have been the only option. I’ve come to appreciate there’s a large distinction between a “design mistake” and a “design remorse”. The previous is one thing that’s “improper” and you actually attempt to repair or come to phrases with not ever fixing, and the latter is extra nebulous and painful (the place one thing might simply be higher). I’m writing a full publish about it for the lounge (the place a few large design regrets dwell) however at present’s publish additionally incorporates a really fixable design remorse. The hearth in the principle bed room was designed and constructed to imitate the unique one in the lounge. We put in the identical brick after which painted it.

The Inspiration

Max Humphrey designed my buddy’s seashore home front room with a dark-painted fire and we cherished it. Typically it seems to be darkish blue, typically nearer to charcoal but it surely’s simply so fairly. And it’s my private and powerful opinion that TVs and gasoline fireplaces (the black containers) look higher on darker fireplaces. So earlier than we left for all of July we tried to decide on the precise colour that gave it this vibe.

We selected Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams, felt assured, then went on our journey. Carried out!

Seeing these images of me holding up a swatch even now I need to shout, “Hey previous Emily! That colour is way lighter than the inspiration shot!”. However that’s what that girl selected and now this girl has to dwell with it (or change).

The Present Paint Shade: Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams

So we get again and seems it’s loads lighter than I needed. We had been all like, “Wait, that isn’t Smoky Blue. Then, certain sufficient, we held up the swatch and it matched completely. HAHAHA. It’s SUCH a very good colour (so good that we determined to place it on our stairs, which we did and LOVE) however it’s lighter than we had needed in right here. Then we had been advised that the masons weren’t completed with the hearth – that the underside wasn’t grouted (as you’ll be able to see) and there have been like 4-5 lacking bricks on the aspect, so the painters (or us) would have needed to paint extra anyway.

This isn’t the one paint colour I used to be “stunned” by once I bought again and I made the choice that I’d dwell with nearly all of them – to make sure that no matter we do select to try this we take our time and do it proper (and btw, now we have a lot leftover white base paint that we will take it in and simply have it tinted so we aren’t ordering new paint or losing the paint now we have). And naturally the longer we dwell with it the extra we prefer it – it’s only a actually actually good blue…

Hearth Different Paint Colours I’m Considering About…

So I requested my workforce to photoshop on all another colours to see and boy is it useful. The left is Evening Watch by Sherwin-Williams and the precise is Cascades by Sherwin-Williams. I undoubtedly like how the one on the precise nonetheless has some blue undertones. We didn’t need a pure black, simply an nearly black.

However simply in case, I needed to see what it will appear like if we did a lighter colour like Pearl Grey, and as predicted it simply doesn’t look nearly as good. Not solely does it not floor that wall sufficient, however I’ve discovered that gasoline fireplaces and TV simply come out an excessive amount of on a lightweight fire.

Now we aren’t deciding on the brand new colour at present as a result of I’m not safe on the design of this room but. Here’s what is up within the air:

1. We’ll get the brand new mattress in a number of weeks, and it’s a tone however having or not it’s right here in individual will assist loads.
2. We’re utilizing our previous front room rug, which I nonetheless love however may be very stained. I’m going to attempt to get it cleaned and if it’s nonetheless kinda dangerous (which may be very doable) then I’m interested by having it minimize down into smaller rugs to layer over the youngsters’ wall-to-wall carpet (after being cleaned). But when we get a brand new rug in right here it is going to undoubtedly assist dictate the hearth colour.
3. I’m interested by portray the partitions in right here a lightweight tone – simply one thing to heat them up (I miss the wooden trim across the home windows and ceiling A LOT, TBH).
4. Artwork, equipment, one other layer of curtains? I’m loving how easy this room is TBH, however I can admit that it’s additionally kinda boring proper now.
5. I nearly at all times like to decide on paint colours final, however as you realize when you’re renovating they need them earlier than you progress in as they normally paint earlier than end electrical and plumbing fixtures go in (understandably) so thus the regrets occur. For us, we had been selecting them in opposition to tarped-up areas and synthetic lights (and even left a number of rooms solely primed as a result of we felt so insecure). So to repair or work out how one can dwell with these regrets I’m taking extra time and ensuring that the opposite components are dialed in earlier than finalizing the paint colour. A HUGE due to our companion on this Sherwin-Williams for understanding the challenges of renovations and being affected person with me.

In order that’s the place we’re presently at. Want us luck! xx

If you’re curious, listed here are the remainder of the room sources:
Wooden flooring: Oregon White Oak by Zena Flooring
Home windows: White oak, Aspen Casement by Sierra Pacific Home windows
Hearth: Slimline 7X with Tranquil Greige Refractory Brick by Warmth & Glo
Present Hearth Shade: Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams
Skylights: Skylights with Room Darkening Shades by Velux Skylight

*Photographs by Kaitlin Inexperienced

The publish Farmhouse Replace: On Portray Our Hearth (Once more) appeared first on Emily Henderson.