Hey, look, I did some painting this weekend! (My tiny assistant helped.)
I need to find a ladder (the step-ladder isn’t cutting it with 10′ high ceilings), and I need to decide on a final paint color. My friend sent me this video when I initially shared the Instagram photo above of the paint swatches, and yep.
The room is now painted with black-tinted primer, but the color is a near match for the first sample I tried, Almost Black. I also tried Soot, and Polo Blue, all Benjamin Moore colors.
I might pick up another sample or two, but I’m not sure yet. I do know that I want to go darker than the primer, which rules out Almost Black for sure. I’m happy with the direction the room is going in though! It’s a central room on the main floor, and I love the contrast those walls are bringing. I’m eager to bring all of the furniture back in, but I want to get the color just right without rushing it. Normally I wouldn’t be drawn to a green-based black, for example, but against all of the wood it might work. Otherwise, Soot?
44 comments
Sarah V
I have wood floors that are very similar in tone to yours and the ‘Soot’ walls in my bedroom look fantastic!
alisa
I think I like the almost black, although you know its really hard to tell on the computer. But love where this is going!
nicole
You might want to peek at BM’s Iron Mountain. I painted my dining room this color and it’s a great, moody, almost black that feels warm and inviting and is pretty weather the room is dim or lit with bright sunshine. It might work for you here. It’s tricky to do an almost black in a room with a blue sofa.
Kathleen
Love all the shades of blue! So beautiful!
xo Kathleen
JP
I like Polo Blue!
And hmm, wonder where that Plushenko video came from … Seems like I saw that somewhere else today.
Cassidy Ray Delaney Ann
Soot!
Also, here is the most epic figure skating routine EVER. Seriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMIErbpN_ys
Dawn V
Oh, I am on team Polo Blue. I especially like the way it looks when the light hits in in picture 5 above.
Kimberly | Turning It Home
When my husband and I were first married, he exclaimed that he wanted to paint our tiny bathroom black and I thought, “who is this man!?” By the looks of your room, though – I think he was on to something. Can’t wait to see the final result! (PS: my vote goes to Soot! It looks like a great neutral!)
Jill
I’ve been obsessed with Soot. A neighbor painted the exterior of their home Soot with white trim and it looks amazing. Colors just pop next to it. Great choice.
ChaCha
I have Soot in my long hallway. I could not love it more. I want to paint my whole that color!! It looks different in every light and every different angle!
Antonella
Polo Blue all the way!
erin
I like Soot the best, too!
Sarah W
My vote is Soot!
Janine
This is a really bold choice and I’m loving it!
I’ve heard good things about a Martha Stewart colour called Avocado, which is a black with a bunch of green in it.
Bmerry
Soot is nice and crisp.
Lindsay
I do love Soot! This room is going to be GORGEOUS! I love, love the colour.
amanda
I love the direction this room is taking! Yay for bold choices: I never would have thought to go dark in a Victorian (which is weird because of course they did), but I love the dark color with the oak. I’m jumping on the Soot bandwagon. I like the Polo Blue as well, but the Soot is more of a contrast with the couch. And that couch deserves all the attention it can get.
Erin
Dang, I love this. I have been pinning all sorts of dark rooms and am in the process myself of picking a really dark blue/green/smokey one for our bedroom. We have oak colored trim, which I’m trying to embrace until the day comes that I can leave this home for whiter, brighter trim pastures. But for now, I want to roll with the wood color next to dark paint for our master and my biggest dilemma is finding appropriate curtains and bedding that bring this whole look together. From your pics on my monitor, I’m liking the Soot one.
Lydia
Personally, I like Polo Blue :] It seems like it gives a kind of nautical look, with the wood tones?
I don’t know, but that’s what I’d choose :] xxxx
Anne
Ooh, can’t wait to see how this turns out! My vote is Soot.
Southern Gal
i vote for polo blue.
i have a room painted in a very dark blue – enough blue that when the sun shines there is a glow of blue- so its not SOLID black… good for decorating options. and that room must get some good light.
Judi
Soot. I first saw it on Anna’s blog, and now it’s on: All the doors in our house; an old IKEA media center; our banister; our upstairs bathroom vanity; and (soon) our lower kitchen cabinets (and probably a bathroom wall). It has UNBELIEVABLE depth, especially in Aura matte. It works as well in northern VT light as it apparently does in mid-Hudson light. I’m betting it would have the same depth and resonance in Chicago. You really cannot go wrong with this color (and thanks again, Anna–as you say, Soot, soot, soot, soot!).
Kristina
I used soot on all the interior doors in my house and I love it. Go for it!!!
Clever Girl Reviews
I like Soot and Polo Blue. The Almost black looks too chalky and flat.
Jules
Of the ones you have on the wall, Soot. If you’re looking for a black green, try RL Polo Green. I know RL doesn’t make paint anymore, but I bet Home Depot still has the formula. It’s the color I painted my back splash in the kitchen.
Traci
I love the color called Soot! So bold and deep. Can’t wait to see the progress after the walls are finished. Good luck!
Celeste
You’re making the right choice with Soot.
This is so lovely! Can’t wait to see it finished.
Lisa Campbell
I love the dark against the wood! Actually, I’m kind of in love with dark walls, period. I painted my bedroom Behr’s Evening Hush and I love it. It’s a perfect charcoal/almost black, similar to Soot, I think.
cherneeshouse
The room looks awesome with just the primer – the dark walls are really going to look lovely in this space. Can’t wait to see what color you pick.
Tory
Soot!
Andrew
Love how your sofa and fig tree are looking against this! And the window frames are standing out beautifully.
Kayla aka Kilo Bravo
I love the direction this room is taking!!! That P&R clip was perfection.
jenn aka the picky girl
Oh, see I actually love how it’s looking, but I think the dark blue tone really compliments the wood well. And honestly, since I have something so similar, anything I hang on the wall looks amazing.
Still, I can’t wait to see what you end up with.
merlin513
my vote is for SOOT. I’m afraid that if you went with the Polo Blue, once everything was finished that fabulous velvet sofa would blend in to much. Where as with the soot there would be some contrast between the walls and the couch. But in the end, it’s whatever makes YOU happy! :D
Andrea Lynn
I had a RL color similar to Polo Blue for a decade in my bedroom…loved it, but 4 years ago, I wanted to change to something closer to black. I went with SW’s Inkwell and it’s beautiful. Good luck with your selection!
Anna @ D16
SOOT, SOOT, SOOT, SOOT!! ;) Seriously, it’s the perfect compliment to those wood tones in your house. Just the right amount of blue.
(p.s. Jaimie in the comment above, all of the dark walls in my house are Soot. The dark gray walls in the apartment are Deep Space. Maybe you thought one was the other?)
Making it Lovely
Anna’s been on Team Soot from the beginning! I’m good with committing to a bold color, but I like to take my time in getting there. I need plenty of time to overthink and overanalyze in my head first. ;)
Marcee .... Illinois
Whoa …. looks great! Yeah, I really like it afterall. Different but sure is a popular shade from so many yes comments.
Lil helper is a hard worker. Has anyone ever said your girl resembles Mara Wilson? So cute!
Jaimie
I meant the dark grey :) I haven’t been quite bold enough to commit to a true black, besides my door. I just mean the color looks different for me IRL compared to your photos. Sometimes you just have to paint everything and see how it turns out.
jaimie
It can be really hard to tell how a color like that will end up until you’ve painted everything and the final coat is up. I like Soot personally. I painted both my bathrooms Deep Space by BM and it looks so different than it does in Anna’s photos for Door Sixteen.
Kim
My eye immediately went to the Polo Blue.
Jessica S.
Soot, it is!
First Born Vintage
Soot is the best, I had it in my bathroom and once it’s all up it does tend to look more blue/black than true black.
Making it Lovely
I think blue/black would be fine! I want something a little more interesting than just flat black.
Comments are closed.