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One Room Challenge: Week 5 (What Trim Color?)

green, pale pink, and ochre yellow paint swatches

Let’s talk about the rainbow room. (Yes, I know that’s a silly name! My kids named it and it has stuck.)

The Rainbow Room (Before)

The office is painted the palest blush pink (White Blush, Benjamin Moore), with white trim and black doors with brass hardware. White trim is classic and lovely as an intentional choice, but when it’s done by default it can be a missed opportunity. The rainbow room (glorified closet) will be made even more special with its Ornithology wallpaper, and I think white on the woodwork would miss the mark.

Milton & King Wallpaper with Paint Swatches

If I go with a dusty pink/beige color to play off of the office walls and the wallpaper background, the trim would recede and let both the wallpaper and stained glass window shine.

Swatches and Samples

I was recently sent a Nix Mini Color Sensor (such a fun little tool!) and I used it to find a match for the wallpaper’s background color. I placed my sensor on a sample of the print to scan, and the Nix Paints app gives matches from all the major paint brands. A few of the colors it recommended were Joa’s White by Farrow & Ball, and Brandy Cream or Muslin, both by Benjamin Moore.

Nix Mini Color Sensor

I like the idea of muting the trim because there’s already a lot going on in a tiny space. It would look something like this.

Rainbow Room, Milton & King Ornithology Wallpaper, Stained Glass Window, Pink Painted Trim

There are a bunch of other colors to pull from in the wallpaper. Blue, purple/plum, or mustard yellow would look great, but if I’m going to go with a bolder color here, it’s going to be green.

Milton & King Wallpaper, Green Paint Swatches

There’s a lot of green in the print’s foliage, and there are also green chairs directly outside the little nook that would play off of the color when the door was open. Maybe I don’t want to highlight the trim this much though? It’s not as special as the window and wallpaper, and I worry it’s competing rather than complementing.

Rainbow Room, Milton & King Ornithology Wallpaper, Stained Glass Window, Green Painted Trim

Here’s how the swatches look near those green chairs. A nice nod to the rest of the design, but not a necessary one.

Milton & King Wallpaper, Green and Pink Paint Swatches

Green or pink? What say you?

Rainbow Room, Milton & King Ornithology Wallpaper, Stained Glass Window, Green or Pink Painted Trim


Follow along with the One Room Challenge participants!

One Room Challenge• Boxwood Avenue • Coco & Jack • Design Manifest • Dwell with Dignity • The House That Lars Built • Little Green Notebook • The Makerista • Making it Lovely • Old Brand New • Old Home Love • The Painted House • Megan Pflug Designs • Pink Pagoda • Erica Reitman • Sacramento Street • Simply Grove • Jill Sorensen • Sugar & Cloth • Vintage Rug Shop • Waiting on Martha • Media Partner House Beautiful • TM by ORC

My One Room Challenge Posts

Follow along from the beginning!
• Week 1: Hello, Office • Week 2: Design and Layout • Week 3: It’s Curtains • Week 4: Putting it Together• Week 5: What Trim Color?

And check out my previous One Room Challenges!
• Spring ’16: Our Bedroom and Den • Fall ’16: Front and Back Entry, Stairs, and Hallways

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

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  • Alana
    November 7, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    Ha! I knew you’d go with the pink. It is your signature color. ;) Love the wallpaper. Drama in small spaces has such a great immersive vibe.

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