Saturday, August 20, 2011

Rainwashed or Tousled Grass

That is the Question
I've loved this bedroom for a long time.
I don't know where the photo originated from. If you know, let me know.
Well, what I like is the wall color and the headboard.

So a couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by a nice guy at 

He asked if I'd like to receive some free paint from Dutch Boy and in return give a review of their product.

Well, I've been wanting to paint my bedroom for ages and thought this the perfect opportunity.
Only problem is...I already knew what color I wanted.
I wanted Sherwin Williams Rainwashed like in these rooms below.
Currently, I have a pale pink antique iron headboard with much sentimental value and birds eye maple dressers in the room. 
Yes, dressers...one low boy with mirror and one large chest of drawers with mirror too. 
I had a much larger bedroom where I lived before and now the room seems too crowded with both.
But I'm not sure what to do about that because I do need the storage.
One might have to go to the back bedroom.

I'm not a fan of wood finishes very much...and if it weren't that these are birdseye...I'd probably paint them in a heart beat. 
But since they are birdseye and they are all I've got...I'm going to make it work. 
And they are pretty. I do really like birdseye maple

See above photo? I actually really love that wood bookcase thing with the rainwashed walls.
And my first inspiration photo has wood tones and I still love the room.
I'm thinking maybe this will push me to do something great I would not have done otherwise.
But here is my dilemma...
I knew I wanted to paint the room SW Rainwashed and a few months ago I painted my best friend's 
bedroom that very color which just confirmed it.

But my free paint is from Dutch Boy.
Dutch Boy is owned by Sherwin Williams. Did you know that?

So the nice guy at Dutch Boy sent me a paint deck and told me to pick a color.
I picked the color that in the paint deck looks closest to Rainwashed.
And that color is Tousled Grass.

Normally, I'd never paint a room without doing a test of paint color first.
But hey...this was suppose to be a free deal and not wanting to spend any money, 
I didn't want to go to Walmart which is where they sell Dutch Boy and buy samples.

So I am very nervous to how this is going to turn out. 
For you see the room now is a terrible toothpaste green. 
It's been that color ever since I bought the house and I hate it.
I'm so frightened this is going to be similar.....I know this is probably an irrational fear. 
But you know, you never know how a color is going to look on the wall just by the paint chip.

Rainwashed is not very attractive on the paint chip but on the wall it's magic.
So I went on Dutch Boy's site and they have this Color Tester program where you select different rooms
and pick the paint color and see how it looks.
Here are my tests of Tousled Grass.
Pretty good, I think.
Nice but I'm sure it's going to be darker than this.
Yikes! this one scares me...looking too minty fresh.
Please may it not look like this in real life.
I don't know....I guess I just won't know till the paint gets here.
Have you used Dutch Boy paints before? 
I never have and I'm apprehensive although I've read great reviews online.
Did you also know that Sherwin Williams manufactures Krylon spray paint too.
Krylon is my favorite spray paint....but I did not know it was made by Sherwin Williams.
No wonder it's so great.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Night

Out Back at Night
Last spring when I planted this sweet potato vine I promised myself I was going to keep it trimmed 
so it would not be as wild and crazy all over the deck as it was last year.
Well, it was a nice idea but it's quickly taking over again. 
And it was such a mess to clean up after it died.
The corners of my deck have open planters and it just takes one large sweet potato vine plant to fill each planter. 
Big bang for little bucks.
Sally
This chiminea a friend gave me when she got a stone fireplace built in her backyard and didn't need it any more.
I've yet to light it...it's been way too hot.
I'm too paranoid of fire to light it anyway. 
I'll probably just put candles in it.
Violet loves to hunt for locusts in the vines.
She's quite good at catching and eating them. ick
So pretty yet a dangerous carnivore when it comes to locusts.
I feel like I haven't gotten to enjoy outside very much this year because its been so darn hot.
So I'm looking forward to cooler days in September.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011