dark trim verse white trim

Over the weekend, we knocked the den off our painting list. The walls were cream so only one coat of Benjamin Moore Normandy was required. This made the project a relatively easy one as I cut in around the trim, base and ceiling and Jeff did the rolling. I also downloaded and listened to the entirety of David Sedaris' Holiday on Ice which made the time pass much more quickly. I am really excited that we were able to get this room done as I was able to unpack the last few boxes. This means that the house is now box free for Christmas decorating!

With the den complete that brings our painted room tally to three. The house hasn't been painted in who knows how long so all this painting is really just round 1. This generally means we are just tackling the walls and not the trim. A lot of the trim will need to be sanded and stripped and in some cases replaced so round 2 is probably going to be an even bigger project in certain rooms than round 1. This is definitely the case for the den. In round 2, we will have to strip a pair of french doors and potentially two windows before giving all the trim and casings a fresh coat of paint. We also will need to paint the fireplace and figure out what to do with a shoddy built-in (pictures to come I promise!). The big question at this point will be dark trim or white trim. Since I first began thinking about this room, I have envisioned it as this super cozy sort of a jewel box of a room complete with dark trim. At work, we have done several rooms that are top to bottom one color and I just love the monochromatic look. And while the look is rather on trend what I like about it is that reminds me of a traditional English parlor (not sure if this is justified but its what I think of). 

Since presenting this plan to friends and family, I have gotten a good amount of push back with such comments as "I love the contrast between the white and blue" or "trim is so impossible to paint let alone when its dark" or "it will be so difficult to repaint back to white". These are completely valid thoughts and concerns which is why I am taking them under advisement....But there is just something about rooms like those pictured below that I just can't get out of my head.....

home of Aerin Lauder via Mark D. Sikes

room in Oval Room Blue via That Kind of Woman

via A Thoughtful Place

home by Lindsey Coral Harper via House Beautiful

our den

This weekend Saint Louis got its first snowfall. Its rather unusual to have accumulation this early in the year but for this northerner its was a welcomed surprised. We spent Sunday sitting around the stove, reading and talking and it really made me want to get the room more in order before the holidays. I have had paint samples on the wall since we moved in and have been planning to prioritize the painting of this room in anticipation of the colder months. There really hasn't been much wasted time since we moved in but now I am really feeling motivated to get it done. In anticipation of painting, I never unpacked our books or other personal items and the few leftover boxes are really starting to bug me. Also I really love decorating for Christmas and boxes are just not not going to cut it!

The other hold up has been color selection. Initially, I thought I was sold on Oval Room Blue by Farrow and Ball. But as time has passed I think it is too teal for me and I want something more blue.  Now I am pretty sure we will go with the Benjamin Moore's Normandy. Step one will be just doing the walls as I don't think I will have time to tackle the trim or the fireplace but eventually I think I want to do the trim and painted brick fireplace Normandy as well. 

The main furniture pieces in the room are a free standing wood bookcase, a wingback chair passed down from my parents and a vintage daybed that I had recovered in a blue ticking stripe. The chair definitely needs to be recovered and we need to get a rug. I also would like to get two poufs or stools in lieu of a coffee table and a round pedestal table with a big lamp to add height to a sort of dead corner of the room. Finally, we need lots of pillows to make the daybed as comfy and cozy as possible. This is my current idea of the design of the room.

stone like pedestal table by Noir - demijohn form table lamp by Circa Lighting - moroccan poufs by Serena & Lily - pillows by John Robshaw

Stay warm everyone!

10.08.2014

dining room design by Tom Scheerer via Lonny