“I think we should paint it glossy. And the crown moldings.”
“The crown moldings green?”
“Yep.”
“I want it flat with white crown molding.”
Simmering silence ensues.
“Why don’t I start by painting it flat, no crowns, and see how it goes?”
Paint ordered; paint applied.
“I like it.”
“I really think it needs to be glossy. And the crowns painted.”
Imagine verbal scuffle. Later the same day:
“You painted the crown molding.”
“Well. Not all of it. Just a little to show you that it really does look better.”
Conjure images of a tense Sunday afternoon. Without nearly enough time to heal:
“So what do you think about glossy?”
“Do. Whatever. You. Want.”
If you think this little bit of passive aggression would have held me off, you’re wrong. I immediately emailed a p.o. to Farrow & Ball for the Calke Green Full Gloss. It arrived a week later with twin friends (Borrowed Light for the living room ceiling) and I painted the study again. In a day. So, basically, Mr. Blandings left for work in the morning with a matte office and returned home to a glossy office. Glowing, gleaming, goosebumpy gorgeousness, truly. He walked in to set his briefcase down and I could hear him pause. I braced myself.
“You painted my office.”
“I did.”
“I thought only the crown moldings were going to be glossy.”
“No.”
Pause
“You said I should do whatever I wanted.”
Pause.
“I love it.”
In return for his generous approval, I neither gloated nor said, “I told you so.” At least I don’t think I did.
I have now painted with Farrow & Ball Dead Flat, Estate Emulsion and Full Gloss and I could do a commercial. As one reader said, “It is like painting with creme fraiche.” It is. It’s glorious. And the colors are such a beautiful complexity; who wouldn’t want that?
This was not a sponsored post; I have paid for all the paint and received no compensation from Farrow & Ball.
