Color Me Confused

It's one of the toughest assignments I've ever had: deciding on a color scheme for my 14-year-old daughter's room. In theory, the choice was hers, and that's what made it so difficult.

I previously painted Hanna's room about eight years ago. That was a simpler time, when bubble-gum pink and sky blue would do. But at 14, such decisions are labored. Just getting dressed for school each morning requires several attempts, as layers of wardrobe go through layers of review.
 
The problem, of course, is having too many choices. Hanna’s drawers are overflowing with too many tops, bottoms, and in-between things. Similarly, Benjamin Moore offers us an array of paint colors guaranteed to satisfy every taste and boggle every mind.

It’s almost cruel. For weeks we shuffled through stacks of paint chips, trying to come up with the perfect combination. Cream froth and lavender lipstick? Alabama wheat and beach plum? Kansas grain and raspberry ice?

Who comes up with these names?

Finally, last weekend, I hauled Hanna into the hardware store and gave her an ultimatum: speak now or live in a white room.

In the end, she came up with a beautiful pairing of Orleans violet and eggplant. We rolled on several coats of each, with a white chair rail separating the lighter violet shade above from the warm, rich eggplant below.

I’m pleased with the result, but one large issue remains: What color carpet can possibly go with Orleans violet and eggplant? It’s a question for another weekend.

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Tags: Moore, Benjamin | Paint

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