The first time, we went to the new ARE retail store in GA, which had been written up in the Atlanta paper. We had written ARE for a catalog before we went, and I had dug a bed which, we thought, would hold 6 roses. When we got to ARE, they of course did not have every single thing in stock. So some of my favorites were missing, and I was fretting over possible replacements and wondering whether we should wait for next season. But my wife said, let's just take six of the ones they have; they'll all be beautiful. So we left with SEVEN. ("Scarlet Moss" was just too cute.) Anyway, it's been like that ever since. I fret. For weeks. My wife eventually delivers an ultimatum: ok, today you will place the order. And I usually get about 20% more roses than I have space for, which for this group is rather restrained and suggests I am not a true rosomaniac. My current criteria in order: healthiness/suitability for my area, fragrance, size/habit, bloom form (in order: semi-double, single, double), color, .... I also like variety in everything: class/species, fragrances, habit, color. My preference for fragrance has led me to have quite a few white and near white roses (Alba semi-plena, Blanc Double de Coubert, Darlow's Enigma, Secret Garden Musk Climber; and New Dawn, Spice, Marie Pavie). Mike

I haven't used those colors, but I will give you this tip. Don't let the sales people talk you into Emerald. Don't get me wrong its nice paint, but I am using both ProMar200 ZeroVOC (which I get for $30 LESS a gallon than heavily discounted Emerald) and in my opinion its just as good a paint. DO spend the money on the ProClassic. Trim paint. That stuff is amazing.

do you have any windows in the laundry room? daylight and how it changes really affects color. the nomadic desert in your room might be the best choice- i would just paint a large enough swatch on poster board/s or something and check it throughout the day and at night. i just painted our new laundry room with white cabinets accessible beige which is a very neutral color-- probably reads more gray but looks nice with antique white molding and deepish tan walls in adjoining room, and would look great with quietude... i thought i wanted macadamia or basket beige in my area, but they both seemed decidely greenish, row house tan and townhall tan seemed blah in that space- i wanted something alittle crisper, so i have narrowed it down to stonebriar or dromedary camel... both of which i thought were more yellow than i wanted, but for my space i think they're the best... that's my most recent experience with SW tans!

Annie-I have not looked at tower tan, at least I don't remember looking at it. When you say "similar body" are you saying something as strong and lively? I will say my Quietude is very blue and brighter than the chip. I love it, but the chip looks more muted than my walls. Tibbrex- I really am not crazy about my trim color, but it's what a "paint expert" picked when I built my home 3 years ago. It's a pretty cream in some light and a drab cream in other light. It's more of a chalk color. It shouldn't be this hard for me to pick a color for a laundry room! Lol