When we first moved into our townhouse ten years ago, this living room was our very first DIY project, and oh my goodness, what a difference it made! I’m sharing this post again because I’m currently refreshing those same walls (same color – Simply White by Benjamin Moore!), and it felt like the perfect time to revisit where it all began.
Color has a dramatic effect on how a space feels. Before moving into the townhouse, I told myself I would live with the existing paint color for a while before choosing a new one.
My resolve lasted about…umm…5 minutes?;)
To start with, there was a 90s-style ceiling feature running around the perimeter of the room. We affectionately called it “The Racing Stripe”!
Although it was painted beautifully, that odd stripe made the room feel like it was squeezing you in from all sides.
Despite being surrounded by moving boxes piled to an alarming height, I got out some leftover ceiling paint and painted over that bad boy. (It was White Heron by Benjamin Moore.)
With the ceiling stripe gone, the room definitely felt bigger. However, we soon noticed a bigger issue.
The room felt so very dark ~ even on a bright, sunny day (which is rare in the winter here on the rainy West Coast).
Since there is no overhead lighting in the living room area, it was especially dark in the evenings – even with every lamp we own turned on.
We knew right away that we wanted the room to be white. But, of course, there are only about 750 different whites to choose from!
I made many trips to the paint store to pick up samples that looked lovely and soothing in the store…
But when I put them up on the wall in our space, they looked very different!
Eventually, I borrowed some huge paint swatches from a friend. Although they don’t photograph well, each shade of white is very different.
I taped the swatches up in various parts of the room and observed them at different times of day. I also held my inspiration pillow up to them to see how well they worked together..
I’m not going to lie. It was hard to pick a white.
I didn’t want it to look sterile and cold, but I didn’t want it to look beige either!
In the end, I finally took the plunge and chose this one:
Simply White by Benjamin Moore.
It seemed warm without looking muddy in all the different areas of the room.
Once we had the paint in hand, we pushed our furniture together and started the transformation…
We quickly discovered that painting a tiny space comes with its own challenges. We were moving (and tripping over) furniture all day!
In the end, it was worth it, though.
It’s a color we absolutely love!
Here’s a little color comparison (even though the pictures aren’t great…):
Before (Benjamin Moore Natural Linen):
After (Simply White, by Benjamin Moore):
It’s light without feeling cold and sterile, and it works perfectly in this small space.
This project is part of a One Room Challenge. If you missed a previous One Room Challenge post, you can find Part One here. You can find the reveal post of our townhouse living & dining room (10 years ago!) here.
One Room Challenge To-Do List:
- Change out the light fixtures. (One done, one to go.)
- Paint out the bizarre brown racing stripe around the perimeter of the room’s ceiling.
- Paint out the dreadfully dark builder’s beige.
- Add some feature walls of interest in the Dining Room.
- Figure out storage solutions.
- Redesign the entryway closet so it functions better and has a little style.
- Hang up art
- Find lighting solutions that brighten the room during the day and night.
- Start shopping for a new couch and new chairs? (This may just be a dream…)
- New rug?
Missed a previous One Room Challenge post? You can find Part One here.
***Update: The One Room Challenge has long since wrapped up. You can see a more recent tour of the space decorated for Fall in this boho living room tour.
More Paint Color Tips
Looking for my tips on how to choose a paint color? After choosing colors for many painted rooms, I’ve learned a lot! Read my updated guide here → How to Pick a Paint Color You’ll Love
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