Monday, March 21, 2011

Just Beachy


We have been away, and while we were gone the paint for Mr. Blandings's study arrived.


The mornings at the beach were cool, the water calm.  It was a banner year for dolphins.  The promise of dolphin sightings could make me do nearly anything.  If you could promise me a monthly dolphin sighting in exchange for balancing my checkbook, I would vary nary a penny.



Along with gallons of Calke Green (top), an almost-armful of samples arrived as I ponder the fate of walls and ceilings and doors.


Light Blue, Parma Gray, Dix Blue, Borrowed Light and Skylight, sit, able and well-bodied soldiers battling for attention with a pile of bills and mail.


Even on my screen, these colors don't resemble the hues in the cans.


But later today I will begin to swatch and swipe and stand and consider.


All the while thinking of the beach, much as I was thinking of paint as I considered the colors of the water and sky in Florida.

All color images courtesy of Farrow & Ball; the actual paint I paid for myself.  
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15 comments:

  1. DavidMarch 21, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    On my monitor here at work the last one is a really wonderful blue-green. I hope it makes the cut for use somewhere.

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  2. Mrs. BlandingsMarch 21, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    David - that seems right - everything looks gray on my screen.

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  3. pve designMarch 21, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    I rather like the color as a reminder or some sort of sophisticated souvenir. So much better than another thing to dust around.
    I am loving the gray shades.
    pve

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  4. The Peak of ChicMarch 21, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    What finish are you thinking of using??

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  5. Diane StewartMarch 21, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    I've drooled over F & B paint colors for years, but haven't tried them. I'm very interested to know what you think of them; the color, quality, and ease of application. Basically, are they worth it? I'm a local paint color consultant, www.colorsenseconsulting.com, and am looking forward to hearing about your experience.

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  6. ThomasMarch 21, 2011 at 3:33 PM

    My favorite F&B color? Elephant's Breath- one of those "non-color" colors only they seem to be able to do so beautifully

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  7. Mrs. BlandingsMarch 21, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    Diane - I promise to report back. Thomas - adding it to the list.

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  8. KateMarch 21, 2011 at 5:07 PM

    People still balance their check book?

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  9. Mrs. BlandingsMarch 21, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    Well. Kate. I assume. I mean, I never have, but I thought other people did. Did they stop? Excellent. Now I am the norm.

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  10. DianneMarch 21, 2011 at 8:17 PM

    Not a yellow in sight. Is this the new you? xoxo

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  11. Mrs. BlandingsMarch 21, 2011 at 8:45 PM

    Dianne - perhaps. This house doesn't seem to want yellow. Time for a change.

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  12. NicoleMarch 23, 2011 at 7:55 AM

    I was sitting in a restaurant yesterday thinking how gorgeous the walls looked- some great shadow-y blue/grey/almost misty lavendar in spots color and (since I had just been on a recon mission and had my farrow and ball paint chart in my bag) I was shocked to see that it was skylight! It looks so blue on the card that I didn't think it would be so atmospheric on the walls. I immediately started thinking of places that I could use it, and I think that you need to give it a try on your walls to see what it does. I'm in love!

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  13. bommMarch 26, 2011 at 1:11 PM

    A designer recommended Light Blue for my LR, which I would otherwise never have even looked at, and I can't tell you how much I love it. It is never a color that I think of as "light blue," but varies between bluish green, greenish blue, and greenish grey as the light fades. My painter disliked working with it, because so thick that it goes on slowly. But I love the complexity of the color, which makes it more an atmospheric backdrop than a color statement in its own right. My guess is that any of the colors you ordered would be beautiful!

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  14. Caitlin KellyApril 3, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    F & B paint is delicious...I have Gervase Yellow on my (NW facing) NYC-suburban living room walls and in the foyer. It's a great color, like all of theirs, not aggressive but not dull.

    The texture of F & B is like creme fraiche. We love it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. kmackMay 4, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    i love pale powder in an east facing room. Very subtle, almost grayish green.

    ReplyDelete

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