Volley


"I think we should paint it glossy.  And the crown moldings."

"The crown moldings green?"

"Yep."

"I want it flat with white crown molding."

Simmering silence ensues.

"Why don't I start by painting it flat, no crowns, and see how it goes?"

Paint ordered; paint applied.

"I like it."

"I really think it needs to be glossy.  And the crowns painted."

Imagine verbal scuffle. Later the same day:

"You painted the crown molding."

"Well.  Not all of it.  Just a little to show you that it really does look better."

Conjure images of a tense Sunday afternoon.  Without nearly enough time to heal:

"So what do you think about glossy?"

"Do.  Whatever.  You.  Want."

If you think this little bit of passive aggression would have held me off, you're wrong.  I immediately emailed a p.o. to Farrow & Ball for the Calke Green Full Gloss.  It arrived a week later with twin friends (Borrowed Light for the living room ceiling) and I painted the study again.  In a day.  So, basically, Mr. Blandings left for work in the morning with a matte office and returned home to a glossy office.  Glowing, gleaming, goosebumpy gorgeousness, truly.  He walked in to set his briefcase down and I could hear him pause.  I braced myself.

"You painted my office."

"I did."

"I thought only the crown moldings were going to be glossy."

"No."

Pause

"You said I should do whatever I wanted."

Pause.

"I love it."

In return for his generous approval, I neither gloated nor said, "I told you so."  At least I don't think I did.

I have now painted with Farrow & Ball Dead Flat, Estate Emulsion and Full Gloss and I could do a commercial.  As one reader said, "It is like painting with creme fraiche."  It is.  It's glorious.  And the colors are such a beautiful complexity; who wouldn't want that?


This was not a sponsored post; I have paid for all the paint and received no compensation from Farrow & Ball.

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