INTERIOR – My Old Country House

There was a time when you could not catch me contemplating a white room…not me..not ever!…But as times have changed and our home life has gotten busier and shall I say…more cluttered…I crave simple spaces… more soothing spaces with walls that act as almost a canvas for the life that lives there.

WHITES are tricky…There are 140 “whites” in the Benjamin Moore OC collection…ranging from bluish whites to pinkish whites…warmer, colder, grayer, yellower and everything in between. You can easily see how one would find their favorite and just stick with that. It can be too overwhelming….Over time, I have come to be on a first name basis with a handful of Benjamin Moore Whites.

LETS LOOK AT SOME OF MY GO TO FAVORITES….

FROM TOP LEFT: ACADIA WHITE, CHANTILLY LACE, COTTON BALLS, GLACIER WHITE, LINEN WHITE, MOONLIGHT WHITE, MOUNTAIN PEAK WHITE, SIMPLY WHITE, WHITE DOVE

YOU probably have your “favorite” white. And my guess would be that you have remained loyal to your favorite over time. But sometimes, one white does not work in every home. My best friend had been so loyal to her favorite, Benjamin Moore “Navajo White”, that she was risking going in a much too dark direction in her new house. Her “old” house was a newer house if you know what I mean, and the Navajo gave it character and depth…but her “new” house is an OLD house and need some LIFE and light…she went with Mountain Peak White and the results have been wonderful. I hope to have some photos to show you soon..

…as you look at these Benjamin Moore whites, notice how some are warmer..”dirtier”, have blue, or green or yellow undertones. These qualities are what you look at when choosing your white..the UNDERTONE IS WHERE IT IS AT!!!

chantilly lace walls and trim — CHANTILLY LACE- WALLS AND TRIM – WALLPAPER ‘DAYDREAM” IN BLUSH – MY OLD COUNTRY HOUSE

PHOEBE HOLIDAY BEDROOM! — PHOEBE’S ROOM – COTTON BALLS, WITH DOWNPOUR BLUE AND PINK LADIES

MOUNTAIN PEAK WHITE - MY OLD COUNTRY HOUSE KITCHEN — MOUNTAIN PEAK WHITE – MY OLD COUNTRY HOUSE KITCHEN -I chose this color, which now is moving throughout the house…based on advice i got from Maria Killam at Color Me Happy Blog . She recommends this white as one which complements white subway tile. Some whites make the tile look wrong.

THE NESTER - SIMPLY WHITE — THE NESTER – SIMPLY WHITE

screen-shot-2014-01-02-at-10-58-17-pm — WHITE DOVE – SHABBY FUFU

TWO MORE WHICH DESERVE A MENTION PINK DAMASK AND WINTER WHITE. These colors are perfect if you crave a hint of color. The color in both of these cases is so subtle that it really just sets the mood but in no way do you feel like you are in either a definitively “pink” room or a “blue” room:

PINK DAMASK – I am painting the inside of my closet this color and cannot wait to show you!

…AND WINTER WHITE….COOLER AND YET NOT COLD.

BENJMAIN MOORE WINTER WHITE — BENJAMIN MOORE WINTER WHITE

DO YOU HAVE A “GO TO” FAVORITE INTERIOR WHITE?

IF YOU WANT TO EXPLORE COLOR A LITTLE MORE…

be sure to check out:

FAVORITE INTERIOR PINKS

PREPPY COLORS

HOLIDAY COLORS

AND MY FAVORITE NEUTRALS

xolesli

(Post originally published January 2014)