red, white, and souvenir blue

Remember my little post about painting?  If you haven't checked out the painting guide there, you really should.  I'm keeping it on file for all future painting projects.  Every shade I tested from this list is spot on and coordinating!  Sarah also recommends using only flat paint, and it is fabulous compared with any amount of gloss.  For our dining room, I chose Glidden's Souvenir, which Sarah describes as "a historic shade of grey blue." The whole process took on very patriotic tones...take a look:

Before:

Primed in two coats:

 

First coat of Souvenir: 

 

I'll post more pictures later this summer of the finished room, but I have to tell you how much I am loving the color.  At night with the chandelier lights on low, the room is so romantic.  During the day it elevates the whole house to a cottage, casual feel, which is our style of living.  As an added bonus, I don't really mind the chandelier anymore!

Happy 4th of July!  We are celebrating Zach's birthday with his family at our house.  Think big barbecues, games in our yard, testing a recipe for jalepeno popcorn, neighborhood strolls, and relaxing on our porch.  If you need some patriotic inspiration, I would recommend watching the John Adams TV mini-series.  Zach and I borrowed it from my father-in-law (Hi Pops!) and loved it!