I’ve added a new section to the site where I’ll list sources for various things used throughout my home. I’ve started with paint colors, and additional guides will be up soon!
Working With Digital Paint Swatches
Here’s a question from my recent FAQ post. Nicole wrote:
Maybe this is a silly question, but how did you get the paint colors off the brand’s websites? [...] I wanted to email a “true” swatch [to my family] with my photos but couldn’t save a swatch from the Valspar website. Did you get permission from the companies or am I missing something??
Thanks for asking (and nice name, by the way). All of the big paint companies use flash for their websites, which means you can’t right click to save swatches. You can get around that though by taking a screenshot and grabbing your color from the image created.
So how do I make the brush strokes and paint blobs for my mood boards? I made my own custom set of Photoshop brushes, but you can use a font like Blobs, Brushstrokes & Balloons or this free ink splat font instead. Just pick your color and then use the brushstroke or blob of your choice. If you’re feeling fancy, you can play around with the layer effects in Photoshop.

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.

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)…

Ballerina Pink, in my old entryway; Pink Innocence, in my old office







