Missoula to St. Bart's
After nearly twenty years with the same paint, the dining room at House 173 finally welcomes a new color.
I think it was in 1998 that the dining room was first painted - and it's been the same color ever since. I don't know if that's a statement of the quality of paint, the steadfastness of not fixing it if it ain't broke, or - is it just a flat-out sad statement! Either way, it's changing!
I've noticed something about us over the years, we don't change things simply because fashions change. Once a room feels right, we're content to let it quietly become part of the house. Maybe that's why choosing a new color feels like such a commitment. It isn't just paint. It's deciding what the dining room will feel like every time we walk through it for the next decade or two.
Saying Goodbye to Missoula Blue
Back in '98, the dining room was painted Missoula Blue by Dutch Boy...
It's been a nice color for the room, went well with the woodwork, and lent a very calming (if not cool) feel. After removing the old bookshelves, the fading showed, but it was remarkably little fade. I think you may be able to tell in this picture, look around the top two and right at the bottom of the lowest hole patches:
Not too shabby! I always thought Dutch Boy made really good paint, but I'd have to drive 75 miles one way to Springfield, Massachusetts to get it (isn't that where the Simpson's lived?). Now, with the new built-in going up, it really was time for fresh paint.
The Great Color Search
Oh the agony of picking a color. We've been all the way around the color wheel. Here are a couple finalists:
All four of those colors were considered at various times in the past year or two, pretty much since the great dining room furniture adventure of '15. Then there was...
'Cuz we were thinking blue has been a good color. And...
But it seemed too dark, so maybe lighter...
Somehow, that one didn't feel right, so maybe...
That's Sherwin WIlliams' Stonebriar. That came very close to being the new color, but we thought it might be a little too...something.
Meet St. Bart's
But there was one color that caught our attention from the beginning, and kept lurking in the background, and in the end - it won out. Introducing....
The coordinating colors are similar to the furniture and in the family of the woodwork. It's a shade of blue - which seems to be our wont, and thought it would really make the room pop!
First Impressions
Here's the first wall...
If you look in the upper left of the picture, you'll notice the contrast between the new St. Bart's and the good ol' Missoula Blue - kinda striking! At first it feels like it would be a bit dark, but when the built-in is finished, I think it'll look awesome! And finally, for my own future reference, St. Bart's was mixed at Lowes in satin:
Thank for dropping in!
George
I laughed when I saw all the paint chips. I've done exactly the same thing.You start with three choices.Then five.Then eight.Then somehow you're standing in the paint aisle debating whether one shade is "slightly warmer" than another while your spouse quietly wonders if you've completely lost your mind.What I appreciated most was that you showed the indecision instead of pretending the perfect color appeared immediately.That's how real homes happen.Not with certainty.With samples...second guesses...and finally that wonderful moment when you roll the first coat on the wall and think,"Yep...that's the one." - The Color Overthinker
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you choose a paint color for a room with natural woodwork?
Original wood trim often becomes the starting point. Rather than competing with the wood, choose colors that complement its warmth and allow the craftsmanship to remain the focal point.
Why test several paint colors before deciding?
Paint changes dramatically depending on lighting, room size, flooring, furniture, and surrounding trim. Colors that look perfect on a sample card can appear completely different on an actual wall.
Why repaint before installing a built-in?
Painting first is usually easier because you don't have to cut in around cabinetry later. It also allows the finished built-in to be installed against a freshly painted wall.
Does a darker wall color make a room feel smaller?
Not necessarily. Richer colors often add depth and make woodwork, artwork, and furniture stand out more dramatically, especially in rooms with good natural light.
Keywords
Sherwin Williams St. Bart's, dining room paint color, Missoula Blue, choosing paint colors, original woodwork, dining room makeover, House 173, built-in project, wall color ideas, Sherwin Williams blue