Some things seemed obvious. The color of the kitchen should be charcoal. The color of the living room should be white (for now.) The color of my bedroom would be the same perfectly creamy neutral as the last house. But the dining room did not call out to me, did not whisper in my ear what color she wanted to be.
The room’s important. It is in the very center of the house. We eat all our meals here. I write and read the paper here. The boys sometimes do homework here. No matter who settles here, Dexter moves in and out under the cloth playing hide-and-seek. Last week I entertained two separate groups here. The first sat round the table and spoke of family and friends, connection and loss; the second stirred cocktails and talked about Crimea and the early days of internet dating. Each brought something to the room that will seep into the walls and settle there like the scent of freshly cooked bacon.
The color needed to be right. I toyed with those blues I love so well, their grays making them moody and complex. But I could not see my friends in that light. I feared we would all look ashen, the circles under our eyes deep and dark.
And then a book designed to provide inspiration offered up just that, not on its pages, but along its spine. Pink. Girlish, yes, but cloying? No. It’s barely noticeable yet casts the rosiest glow. Everyone should be as flush with excitement as this room makes them appear.
It will/should mimic candle light in the evenings. The light that makes everyone look great!
Pink!! Warm and cozy and waiting for the perfect counterpoint. Be well.
Mary
The palest of blush pinks would be wonderful for a dining room!
A dramatic ceiling treatment, chair fabric with just a hint of pink in it somewhere.
How fun!
Please show photos along the way:)
Go for it!!!!!
Color!
Love your table setting, fabric and all. I think I have the same oriental jar as you do. Never seen one like it. Imagine it has a wooden top .
Perfection! I look forward to seeing images in both daytime and evening light!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
my living area is Farrow and Ball dimity. that may be too pale for you, but I would describe it as a flesh color. It works very well for me.
WHICH pink..?
Beansie Clark
Yes -the right blush pink can actually be very masculine (or am I kidding myself) and casts the most flattering light on everyone in it! Great choice!
I agree with Linda wholeheartedly. A pale pink with apricot or peach leanings. As she said, that candlelight glow that makes every lady's complexion soften.
I don't mean to be a wet blanket but I read of a study where walls inside a prison were painted pink. At first the inmates found pink to be relaxing but as time passed they started trying to scrape it off.
A friend of mine painted her living room a white with a definite pinkish cast. After a year she painted the room a rich yellow. She said that the pinkish color had felt too cold.
I ended up painting my bedroom Queen Anne Pink from Benjamin Moore's historical collection. I love it, and everyone looks beautiful in the light reflected from the painted walls.
fallon
It is Queen Anne Pink! Benjamin Moore Historic Color. And, you could be quite right that it won't last. It's paint. It's an easy fix.
Beyond function, objects have the power to lift us up. Thank you for this lovely and meaningful post, Mrs Blandings. Truth and Beauty— yes!