Earlier this month I visited THE SOUTHERN LIVING IDEA HOUSE
….which just happens to be 10 minutes from my house!
JUST OUTSIDE OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
ARMED WITH ONLY MY iPhone – I TOOK DOZENS OF PHOTOS…TOO MANY TO SHARE IN JUST ONE BLOG POST…BUT ENOUGH TO INSPIRE.
I WAS SO VERY MOVED BY THE HOUSE, THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND THE DESIGNER, BUNNY WILLIAM’S COMMITMENT TO DESIGNING A HOME WHICH WAS NOT ONLY EXQUISITELY GORGEOUS AND FUNCTIONAL BUT A HOUSE WHICH FITS INTO OUR LANDSCAPE, NOT JUST A DESIGNER’S FANTASY HOME BUT A REAL HOME.
BUNNY WILLIAMS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT HOW WE LIVE, OUR WORK, OUR WEATHER OR KIDS AND PETS…EVEN THE DEEP RUST COLORED CLAY WE TRACK IN …SHE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING AND THE HOUSE WAS TRULY A CHARLOTTESVILLE DREAM HOME!
THERE WERE COUNTLESS TAKE-AWAY DECORATING IDEAS, BUT THE DESIGN CHOICE WHICH I COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT WAS THE OVERALL COLOR SCHEME OF THE INTERIOR WALLS.
THERE WAS COLOR – EVERY WHERE – IN ALL DIRECTIONS – BUT THE PRIMARY WALL COLOR OF THE ENTRYWAY,
THE STAIRCASE
THE DINING ROOM
THE LIVING ROOM,
THE MASTER BEDROOM,
THE HALLWAYS,
THE UPSTAIRS PAJAMA ROOM.
I HAD TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS…I CONSULTED THE RESOURCE GUIDE AND FOUND THAT THE COLOR WAS A SHERWINN WILLIAMS COLOR CALLED STEAMED MILK.
I WENT DIRECTLY FROM THE SHOWHOUSE TO SHERWINN WILLIAMS, AND PURCHASED A SAMPLE QUART. I CAME HOME, TRIED IT OUT…AND THIS PAST WEEKEND…WE HAD ALL OF OUR HALLWAYS AND THE ENTRYWAY PAINTED….
SHERWIN WILLIAMS -STEAMED MILK
I PLAN TO PAINT THE DINING ROOM AND MAYBE EVEN THE LIVING ROOM THIS COLOR…IT IS THE PERFECT CANVAS FOR ALL OF MY COLOR…MY ARTWORK.
TROUBLE IS…THE RESULTS ARE SO SOOTHING AND BEAUTIFUL THAT FOR THE MOMENT ANYWAY…I DON’T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING BACK ON THE WALLS!! I MIGHT GO IN A MORE MINIMALIST DIRECTION….LOL!
I WILL CONTINUE TO POST PHOTOS AND MORE OF MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME. THE SHOWHOUSE IS OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 20 FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT MAKE A TRIP TO SEE IT.
CLICK HERE FOR THE HOUSE TOUR
Today’s post is dedicated to a Mom Friend…Martha, who passed away this morning after, losing her battle with cancer. Martha has 2 daughters who go to school with Phoebe, her eldest played soccer with Phoebe when they were younger and we sat on the sidelines…chatted and smiled and watched our girls. Martha was a beautiful person…inside and out, and my fondest memory of her, is of her dancing, last year, all by herself, in a room full of people, all dancing and looking as happy as a person can look. Her smile was contagious and she made YOU feel better. Knowing her battle I am grateful she is no longer in her broken little body but my heart feels sad that her body broke at all. I know, though, because I have passed these roads, that life carries on, the sun comes up, babies get born, people laugh really hard and cry really hard and LIFE is what you just keep doing…
…..so Martha, I will keep doing my LIFE,…in honor of you. 
Lesli, how will the steamed milk color paint go with the Formica counters. I am thinking if using calacatta marble counters in kitchen and wondering if steamed milk paint would be to warm to use in same room?
The color looks great with the counter tops. Our kitchen is painted SW “SEA SALT” but the hall leading into THE room is Steamed Milk
It is a beautiful color. Years ago I painted my house in a simliar color. I still love it and stuck with it through all of the trends. And not only is this color soothing, it does make my artwork be the primary attraction which is what I want.
I love it…!! Thanks for stopping by!
How many times have you painted each room in your house? I can’t wait to own a house someday….ahhhh
I love the Cavalier pillows! ❤️
I know, aren’t the doggie pillows darling??/
I think I have painted every room 3-4 times, except the powder room which at last count was 10. BUT that was all before 8 years ago when I figured out that a neutral base was better for my style. Prior to that, I would love a color, try a color, then hate a color. You will notice that this new hall color is just a shade lighter and cleaner that the old color, I LOVE the light neutrals and do not anticipate any changes. well, until I paint the living room and dining room this color!
Painting with Steamed Milk today. Touring the house was a delight and this is the color I loved the most! Thank you for sharing your pics.