funcolors, thanks so much for your advice and your kind words. Just last night, my husband asked me was I going to start every conversation I have with "Katrina." He was teasing, of course. I think we're coping pretty well, but a former neighbor said it will all come back when we move into our new house, (far away from any water this time and with high elevation) because it will remind us all over again of everything we lost. I just try not to think about it and know that there are many people worse off than us, with bigger struggles.

Sorry for the rambling....one last question, since you really know your paint. How do the SW colors "Napery" or "Compatible Cream" compare to "Blonde?" They look so similar, but a little lighter?

Look forward to your response. Thank you!

Love my "Blonde" - used it throughout the house, and used "Mannered Gold" in the small foyer and bathrooms. Looks great and flatters everything - the cabinetry, the brick, etc. Thanks again, funcolors.

We considered painting our great room 'Blonde', but I'm not a yellow person at all, and decided that was too much space to have to repaint if I absolutely hated it. We went with 'Kilim Beige' which turned out to be too light, so we've ended up painting over it anyway with 'Nomadic Desert'. I should have tried the 'Blonde'! lol!!

lonestarlady - I know how you feel. All these decisions drive me crazy. I've moved on from paint selection, to second-guessing my granite choices (and making multiple trips in this horrible heat to look through rows and rows of slabs.) I'm beginning to see why people hire interior decorators!!!

LSL...I think we all go crazy...I was set to only have 3-4 colors in my house so it wouldn't look like a crazy quilt...I'm not even halfway done painting our next house and here's what I have...
BM Monroe Bisque
BM Carrington Beige
BM Wedgwewood Grey
BM Jamesboro Gold
SW Basket Beige
SW Blonde....

So you see I have some blonde in there! :) I do like the color, but on the walls it comes off as a strong color...I think for the whole house I would stick to a color that was 1/2 of Blonde...you can actually ask them to create a paint for you that is 1/2 or 1/4 blonde...I did that for Jamesboro Gold and it was a really nice color...so since you know you already like blonde, maybe try a quart of 1/2 blonde and put it on the walls...against the blonde...
My son's walls I put the blonde in all have sloped ceilings so the wall is not that high...but it still comes off as being a dark color...for hallways and areas that don't get alot of sunshine, it may look too dark. Good luck! And show the pics!
Tara

I was afraid after they painted the initial coat of "Blonde" that it might be too dark, but, in our case, fortunately, I was wrong. We have 11 foot ceilings and lots of windows in the main areas, so maybe that is why it doesn't look too dark for us. Very flattering color.

On the decorating forum I believe 4 out of 5 posters have blonde and the other 2 colors next to it on the strip, in their homes. If you want to see tons of photo's with blonde, do a hop, skip and jump over there. OT, I know what you mean about the heat. I'm in Kenner and it's been 99 degrees for 2 days and not suppose to let up next week. My lawn is turning brown. Time for some intervention tomorrow.LOL

I just wanted to wish you luck, wodka, and suggest you take a look at the Home Dec Gallery. You'll see Blonde in this Gallery post. More blonde as well as many more neutrals along that line in the Favorite Yellows & Golds thread. Can't imagine what you must be going through, but heartfelt wishes for peace and contentment from here on out ;)

Moonshadow, what kind words to wake up to this morning. Thank you so much. It has been a struggle for a lot of us and continues to be as the two-year anniversary of Katrina nears. We are fortunate to be building a house, even though costs to build and rebuild are a lot higher than they were 6 years ago when we built our last house (the one that blew away.) Also, we had insurance and are waiting to get through all the red tape of an SBA loan, which we'll be paying on until we die, most likely. But it is nice to have something to look forward to again, and we count our blessings, because there are many people who are having a much worse time in getting back on their feet.

Now, re: "Blonde." Thanks for referring the posts and thread. My last house was painted SW's "Crewel Tan" which resembled "Blonde." I just love how it blends in with so many colors. We have about 6 -9 more weeks before we move in, so maybe I'll be able to post some pictures then. In the meantime, let's pray that the hurricanes miss us all this year.

I love SW's Blonde and am thinking about using it in my kitchen and dining. I am doing a lot of colors throughout my home (SW Quietude in Master, SW Tea Chest in Master Bath, bright blues and lavenders in the kids roomes, etc.) so I am wanting a good neutral beige for my living room. The living room butts up to 2 walls on which the Blonde will appear. Does anyone have any ideas on a beige that will look good with the Blonde? The Blonde itself is pretty neutral, so I'm a little worried about putting the 2 colors side by side. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I have a light warm beige in our living room and just finished painting our L'd dining area with the SW Blonde. I absolutely love it! It is so warm and inviting! There is a small amount of Dover White molding between areas but in general looks awesome. Give it a try!