Double Parlor Home Library The Victorian House

Pink in the Library

The day after I got back from my trip, I figured I may as well paint a room. Then I realized what a dummy I was for pushing myself too hard, and I took a few more days to rest before putting on a second coat of paint and finally finishing up. The library is now the most perfect shade of pale pink (Pink Ground from Farrow & Ball).

I tried to make the boy do most of the work, but he gave up about two minutes in. Thanks a lot, kid. I know three-year-olds are not the most reliable when it comes to manual labor, but can you not see the state your poor mother is in?

Painting Pals

I was eager to see some payoff after all of that painting, so I laid out one of the rugs I brought back from Morocco in an effort to create the illusion of a finished room. (Tricksy bloggers with their vignettes!) Eleanor went ahead and set up the pink stools around the table in preparation for a tea party — appropriate, since I drank mint tea while rug shopping.

Pink in the Library

I like the rug and I love that it would have the memory of picking it out in the Marrakech souk attached to it, but it’s not working in the larger context of the space right now. It’s too near the entryway and its vintage Persian Koliaei runner, and the two clash. The Persian can be used in the hallway upstairs though, which gives me a couple of options. Either I can find a runner to compliment the Moroccan rug, or just move the rug into the entry instead of the library. It’s a funny size (4’6″ x 8’6″), and it would actually fit pretty nicely, but I don’t know how well it would hold up to heavy traffic. Chicago winters are not kind to entryways with all of the salt and snow that gets tracked in, and the dense wool Persian is fairly impervious to all of that. I’ll have to play around with my options a bit more.

I am loving the pink walls though! I’d been missing my favorite color.

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  • erin
    July 7, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    Love it! And I love your hair, too!

  • kristin
    July 7, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    that is the PERFECT shade! i think that i’ll have to use it to sweeten up a room sometime. :)
    (and you look FAB painting. a million points for keeping up your hard work!!)

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:02 pm

      I’m trying! I’m so dang tired all the time.

  • Laura
    July 7, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    Oh, love it! And it seems like this combo probably works really well with the living room’s black walls and blue sofa, no? I vote keep it and put a sisal or jute or something really durable in the entry and move the other rug upstairs.

    • Making it Lovely
      July 7, 2014 at 1:16 pm

      Yes, it’s perfect in combination with everything except the current runner in the entry!

  • Malia
    July 7, 2014 at 1:10 pm

    Curious about the runner comment regarding winter salt/slush–do you wear shoes in the house?

    • Making it Lovely
      July 7, 2014 at 1:13 pm

      No, we usually take our shoes off, but coming in from the front door means we’re going to step on whatever runner is in the entryway. And before we had a rug there, we would slip occasionally when coming in from the snow or rain (especially the kids).

  • Kate
    July 7, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    The walls look so nice! Since this post is tagged “Eleanor’s room”, are you perhaps thinking about moving the rug up there?

    • Making it Lovely
      July 7, 2014 at 1:30 pm

      Oh, oops. I meant to tag it “Double Parlor” and “Eleanor’s Room” was the one right below it! It would look good in her room too though. Or in the nursery for the new baby!

  • Laura
    July 7, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    What a perfect way to compliment and brighten all the wood in the library!

    I cannot believe your energy level!!! Your accomplishments are amazing.

  • Laura
    July 7, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    I love the Persian rug in the entry…

    • Making it Lovely
      July 7, 2014 at 1:31 pm

      I do too. One or the other has to move though — they don’t look good near each other.

  • Dana
    July 7, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Nicole- Please be careful drinking mint tea and painting while pregnant… I hate that I’m now “that mom” — but after losing my baby to congenital heart disease in February I am so paranoid about doing anything that could potential hinder the development of an unborn baby. I love your blog — don’t mean to be alarmist — just needed to say something. I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy!

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:01 pm

      I’m sorry for your loss. I’m being careful, of course, and thank you for your concern.

  • Christina
    July 8, 2014 at 7:12 am

    Cute baby bump!! (And rug and pretty stools too!)

  • Janine
    July 8, 2014 at 11:24 am

    Damn, I am LOVING that shade of pink. I avoid Farrow & Ball because their paint is very expensive (but worth it, everyone knows the quality is there to back up the price)but this might actually be the lure.

    Now to convince the boyfriend… mwuuhahahahahaha.
    And by convince
    I mean
    I’m gonna do whatever I want.

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      Ha! Yep, this is my first time using their paint, and I only needed a gallon since one whole wall is taken up by the built-in bookshelves, and there are lots of windows and openings in the other three.

  • Sarah
    July 8, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    I LOVE this! I can’t wait to see pictures of both parlors together!

  • ali jan qadir
    July 8, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    I just want to know one thing how did you make your kid work so patiently :p my kids always get in the way when I start a project. Anyways the overall theme of the room looks great!

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      Oh, August was out of there right away! He wanted to help, but you know. Not really.

  • Sandy B
    July 8, 2014 at 9:24 pm

    Wow … that rug, the walls and the pink accent pillows completely transform that space! Could not love it any more.

  • Alison
    July 9, 2014 at 7:19 am

    I’ve always loved this shade of pink since I started seeing Christine Dovey use it all over the place… divine! It’s so neat to see someone else use it too! Could you speak to how you ordered it and the cost?? Was it dramatically more expensive than normal paint?

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      That’s where I saw it and was inspired to try it! It’s a really perfect shade of pale peachy (but not too peachy) pink. I don’t typically color match to competing brands, and Pink Ground was exactly the color I wanted, so I gave F&B a go. It’s twice as expensive as other brands, but I only needed one gallon for the room. I bought it directly from the showroom, and I think it was something like $10 off with my designer’s discount at the Merchandise Mart, but you can order it online from the directly too.

  • Lilis
    July 9, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    Wow, you have so many energy. in my both pregnancies all I wanted was sleeping. Wondering how do you managed the children when you do a project, my boys are always interupt when I do something.

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:12 pm

      I don’t have a ton of energy, but I wanted that room painted already so I made myself do it! Brandon kept the kids out of the room while I worked in there.

  • Christina
    July 10, 2014 at 7:31 am

    We’re having a major rug dilemma here too. We can’t seem to find the perfect one for the living room, so there’s a constant rug rotation going on. Switching out 8×10 rugs is getting tiring. :)

    • Making it Lovely
      July 11, 2014 at 10:16 pm

      But when you’ve finally hit upon the right rug, it will really tie the room together!

  • Amanda
    July 10, 2014 at 7:56 am

    It’s nice to see pink back in your home again. I’m usually not a fan of the color, but you really know how to make it work in a home. Looks great!

  • Sayeh, The Office Stylist
    July 11, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    You picked the perfect shade of pink! The rugs make a great impact in the space and the pink accent pillows are lovely.