Agony of 1 Paint Color for Whole House is Over. The Winner is...

12 years ago

BM's Gray Owl, but mixed by SW since that is the brand we are allowed to use.

Had a great talk with one of GW's own color experts yesterday. She really led me to this color.

I explained I thought we were going to go with SW Gray Matters. But I was a little afraid that the blue undertones I saw in some rooms might really overpower the whole space and make me feel as if my house was painted blue. And as always, the voice of reason reminded me that putting a color like that on all 4 walls would be making the hint even more blue.

I told her that the look of the white drywall mud spread on the drywall was really uplifting! My dh asked me if I was sure we didn't want to paint white. And guess what? This is exactly what the expert wanted to suggest to me. So, as she instructed, I looked at the off white colors in the 50's on the paint deck. I narrowed it down to Intense White and Gray Owl. I only picked up the sample of Intense White. The white trim will be whiter than the walls. But at the last hour before taking the sample boards to the house, I ran out and had a sample jar of the Gray Owl made up, just in case.

L-O-V-E

I am thrilled with this color. I'm meeting with the painter tomorrow. I'm showing him the color. And I've asked him if I have to use the paint trim color that was spec'd in my contract (in case the builder has a vat of it somewhere). He said I could pick any color, he didn't care. So, I will do that SW High Reflectance White. It is really a very bright white.

I also asked him if he could paint the inside of my front door semi gloss black. He hesitated and said "ok". Do you know how badly I wanted to say "And all the doors too?". That can be done later if I choose to do so.

While I'm talking about the front door, it's nothing spectacular. 36" door with sidelights that go 1/2 way down. Similar to my old house. In the old house, the door only was painted black, the sidelights were treated as trim and painted white. I think that is what we are doing this time too. Unless you have photos to sway me the other way. My old :*( front door: (not a great photo, but you get the idea)

And for the record, if any of my kids ask what color is the house, it is not Gray Owl--it's Off White. They weren't crazy about the gray before. And it really doesn't look too gray. But that's the last think I need, is the name of the color to have the word Gray in it!

Bee

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Comments (17)

ttodd
12 years ago
It is a very pretty shade of grey!
loribee
12 years ago
Just checked it out...very pretty!!
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redbazel
12 years ago
I love your choice ! I've been thinking of it myself for a room yet undecided. I love this kitchen painted in
Gray Owl...

Red

Here is a link that might be useful: for the love of a house kitchen
hermajesty
12 years ago
Oh I really like it Bee. That would be an easy neutral to live with and gorgeous in your kitchen with your white cabs and stunning super white counters. I see it's also one of Candice Olson "picks" so I'm thinking it's a winner!
User
12 years ago
Love that Gray Owl color! the white trim looks beautiful against it in that kitchen Red linked to! And it is the PERFECT backdrop for black doors.

We painted our sidelights black so the whole thing would look like a single unit, and it has had the effect of making the entrance look wider and more welcoming:
juliekcmo
12 years ago
Love that you have decided, and I know what you mean about the color names. If any of you remember my pink and lavender bathroom, I have gone with pigeon gray. What a terrible name, but it is the perfect color.
ratherbesewing
12 years ago
Red posted a picture of Gray Owl used in a kitchen. Is that the SAME color as Bee's entry? On my monitor, Bee's appears much darker. Is it me?
beekeeperswife
Original Author
12 years ago
ratherbesewing...that is my OLD house. I only turned in my color choice today for the new house.

That's my old front door. The wall color is way out of whack--the picture was too dark, so I edited it so you could see the door regarding all black with the sidelights or not. The old foyer was painted Baltic Gray, looked nothing like the color in that photo.
beekeeperswife
Original Author
12 years ago
Redbazel-thanks for that link. Isn't it fun to see a color you have picked used in real life? Love seeing those photos!

The painter was very impressed with the color choices and said "This is going to look real nice".
cat_mom
12 years ago
Having seen pics of your old house, I am sure this one will look lovely!

My opinion re: your front door, would be to paint the sidelights black as well. As kswl suggested, it will make the entrance look larger and as a very welcoming, cohesive "unit."
dvarnell
11 years ago
Just picked gray owl for my master bedroom and it's up and I love it! Looks great with my gray/white/pale green ensuite bathroom which is painted SW's Silver Strand.
judithn
11 years ago
Have you ever thought of adding trim to the drywall above your entry? You could also trim out the drywall around the door entering into that living room. If you added a sort of boxed out area above the doors they'd have more presence and be better proportioned. We did that in our house, also a new build, and boy what a difference it makes. You could keep it simple with a couple picture frame moldings painted white to "fake" extend the trim or go very ornate with fluted sidepieces. It really helps to add interest to a two story foyer.
beekeeperswife
Original Author
11 years ago
judithn--is that for me? That photo above is my old house...long gone by now. Waiting to get into the new one now.

But, I like the idea for the new house front door. Do you have a photo?

bee
caminnc
11 years ago
And just you wait until you see her new house judithn. It will make you heart go pitter-patter!!!
susanlynn2012
11 years ago
Bee, I just looked up BM Gray Owl in my Color Preview Paint Deck and I LOVE it! It is warm and not too dark or too light with the BM number 2137-60 in case anyone wants to look it up. That color will look wonderful in your kitchen with your white cabinets and your Super White Counters!
amysrq
11 years ago
Any photos yet? Just wondering if I've missed them...hardly here anymore. :(
Arapaho-Rd
11 years ago
Good for you, Bee, I can only imagine your relief now that the choice has been made. I think one color for the whole house becomes your neutral backdrop and opens up so many possibilities for decorating ideas.

Agony of 1 Paint Color for Whole House is Over. The Winner is...

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