Archive - July, 2009

Picking Perfect Pink Paint

It’s no secret that pink is my favorite color, and I believe that pink can be a beautiful wall color when chosen well. Unfortunately, it’s a difficult color to get right and the results are often more Pepto than pretty. Here are several of my favorite pink shades along with the reasons I love them and a few suggested uses. I’ve also included several examples of the colors in actual rooms.

pink paint
All paint colors are from their respective brands’ websites, but my descriptions are based on the actual paint chips.

  • Wild Aster, Benjamin Moore
    This is my favorite pink, hands down. It’s very subtle with a lot of taupe and lilac, but it still reads as pink. It’s the most sophisticated and adult of all the pinks here, perfect for a living room or master bedroom.
  • Reverie Pink, Behr
    Similar in tone to Wild Aster, but less muted.
  • Powder Blush, Benjamin Moore
    A nice happy pink, this would be nice in a kid’s room.
  • Pink Innocence, Benjamin Moore
    Lovely pink with just a touch of muted lilac.
  • Peony, Benjamin Moore
    This deep pink would be gorgeous in an entryway, powder room, or dining room.
  • Milk Glass Pink, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
    A delicate light pink. I’d love to see this in a feminine kitchen.
  • Bare Pink, Pittsburgh Paints
    Another delicate light pink, but a little bit peachy.
  • Old Fashioned Pink, Behr
    A very pure pink with a little coral in it. It may be a bit bright for an entire room, but it would be perfect on furniture.
  • Ballerina Pink, Benjamin Moore
    This pale pink is one shade lighter than Pink Innocence.
  • Tutu, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
    Glamorous and a bit old-Hollywood, this would be perfect in a dressing room.
  • Blushing Bride, Benjamin Moore
    Some bold pinks can be too magenta, too fuschia, too neon, or too dark. This pink is none of the above. I’d love to see this color in a creative space, like a studio or home office.
  • Sugar Egg Pink, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
    There is a nice lilac tone to this pink. I think it would be gorgeous in a powder room with a vintage tub, nickel fixtures, and a little crystal chandelier.

And as promised, here are a few of these colors (as seen in my home and my old apartment)…

Living Room with Rocker and Cradle
Wild Aster, in my living room

My Studio
Wild Aster, in my studio

foyer looking in (my office)
Ballerina Pink, in my old entryway; Pink Innocence, in my old office

Eleanor's Nursery
Powder Blush, on the dresser in Eleanor’s nursery

FAQ Week

I’m aiming for a post per day this week, each addressing a frequently asked question. On the roster so far…

  • Picking Perfect Pink Paint
  • How I Got My Baby to Sleep Through the Night (Without Crying)
  • How I Grew My Business
    (I already wrote the story of starting Pink Loves Brown.)

Hopefully I can get one up each day. Caring for a newborn makes it hard to find time to write sometimes. ;)

Anything else you’re dying to know?

*** Update 07.28.09 ***
A post a day? With a newborn? What was I thinking!? I’ll still continue with my FAQ posts, but they’re going to be more spaced apart.

Brief Random Updates

…after a week of absence while I worked on technical issues.

I have a new home! Er, well, the website does. Thanks for being patient this week as I switched domain registrars and web hosts. And if you’re looking for recommendations, I’d go with GoDaddy for domain registration and Liquid Web for hosting (that’s how I’m all set up now).

On an unrelated note, I do not like my new haircut. As much as I love short blunt bangs on others, I have to remind myself that they do not look cute and artsy on me, they just look bad. I look like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber. Thinking I should grow my hair out now.

I decided recently that I should own a pair of gym shoes. Or maybe tennis shoes would be the more appropriate name? You know, the non-bulky canvas type of shoes. Seems like something that should be in one’s shoe warddrobe. Now I’m trying to decide which of two pairs I’ll be keeping: blue Converse or red Keds. I like the Converse style (they’re very slim and they have a star on them!), but blue is my least favorite color. If I could combine them into one super sneaker, I’d be all set.

Which Ones?

(Maybe next I’ll buy a pair of dungarees! Or “jeans”, as the kids are calling them these days.)

Guess what… we are having a yard sale tomorrow! Our basement is chock FULL of treasures that will be made available to the general public in the morning. Perhaps I’ll wear my tennies.

That is all.

Jolly Green Giants

The giant green planters that I had originally bought to flank our front door have found their place on the patio. The first is over by the egg chair.

Our Yard

I love the way the garden is filling in over there, but I think I like it more for the potential I see. There are hydrangeas planted to the left of the chair, but you can’t even see them in the photo because they are so teeny tiny! They’ll be beautiful when they eventually fill in, but I have a feeling it’s going to take a looong time.

The other planter is near the back stairs.

Our Yard

That area needs a little work. I want a boxwood in that white pot, and eventually we would like to close off the opening under the stairs with a gate (so we can still access the space for storage). It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time because it would look so much nicer, but next year it will be a safety issue when Eleanor plays in the yard.

Anyway, don’t the planters look nice out on the patio? I’m almost glad they didn’t pan out for the front porch. Almost.

Style: July ’09 (Includes the Behind-the-Scenes Process)

I’m asked constantly how I put these style posts together, so today I’m showing you the behind-the-scenes process.

Style: July '09

It works the same way whether I’m making a board for an outfit or a room. I may have a good idea of everything in my head first, but usually there’s a lot of looking around at different options before I hit upon exactly the look I want. Once I’ve chosen all of the items I want to use, I put them all together, erasing backgrounds and photo editing where necessary. Here’s a screenshot of all the windows I had open in Photoshop for this month’s post…

Style: July '09 (The Process)

And here’s a breakdown of where it all came from (items that made the final cut are highlighted in bold)…

  1. * You’re My Favorite Hello Necklace
  2. * Shiny Saucer Ring
  3. Linen Ruffle Necklace
  4. Tobey Wedge
  5. Little Dumpling in Blossom Lambskin
  6. * Flower Field Lily Basic Tote
  7. Dressy Jersey Cinched Dress
  8. Blooming Bow Bag
  9. Tie-Front Jersey Dress
  10. All Aboard Open Toe Wedge
  11. Keyhole Dress — Rose
  12. Keyhole Dress — Brown
  13. Family Necklace with 1 Baby Bird
  14. Pearl Sandal
  15. * Dressy Jersey Cinched Dress
  16. * Ada Pleats Peep Toe Pump

Each of those dresses work for nursing which I know is not something that everyone needs, but it’s a requirement for me these days. Oh, and I’ve included the Ada Pleats shoes before, but with good reason: I absolutely love them. I have a pair in yellow, and they make my $25 Target dress look a whole lot nicer. See, I only recommend items I’ve actually bought (or would buy) for myself… I’m like a consumer advocate that way. ;)

My Glamorous Life

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