If you’re like me, you have a dark, distant basement corner stacked high with paint cans from previous projects. You’ve let the pain run all the way down the side of the can, and have no way of keeping track what the lovely hues were used for. Don’t worry, lovelies, no need to cower in shame anymore! Brooklyn Limestone (check out this site – it’s completely fabulous) came up with a fun way to keep paint cans organized and lovely.

Before (this isn’t my basement – trust me, it’s much worse….)

She created these labels

And painted the lids for a larger swatch

Click {here} for the original post AND to download a free template! Thanks to Bryn Alexandra for spreading the word.

Do you think I can bribe G to tackle this project over the weekend? I’ll keep you posted……

Happy Friday!

… in my head, anyway. (It’s actually from here.)

I’m not going to show you what our actual office looks like – it’s just a small step away from embarrassing, and I wouldn’t want you to feel bad about judging me.

One wall is the fabulous Sherwin-Williams Baked Clay color that we used for the red wall transformation in our living room. The wall with the window is tomato red. Like, super super tomato red. And the other walls are the soft Nomadic Desert beige that is our base color throughout the house.

I chose these warm colors because I love orange and red…and I think it must have been cold out. My darling A. surprised me by painting the office while I was on a business trip. I came home to the redolent smell of paint fumes and a gleaming, red-orange office.

We never got around to properly decorating it, and lately I have been itching to finish it and move on with my life. I used to walk into that room and soak up all the warm-glowy goodness.

And now…now…I might hate it. It seems smaller than it should and  overwhelming red. I keep finding photos like this (from Apartment Therapy), and coveting the light walls and breathy, soft light.

This article showcases a lot of gems, some a little too modern for us to pull off, but full of ideas.

While I can’t exactly replicate the brick wall in this office, I’m starting to dig the idea of pulling in color through art and furniture rather than through the walls:

This is probably more likely to happen (and yes, sadly, the antlers too…), but I think “messy chic” would be a good step away from the suffocating red:

Do you guys have any ideas? It’s a small space, but I really think it could be a lot more beautiful and functional with a little light gray paint (don’t kill me, honey), a painted desk, and some white frames.

And maybe some antlers.

Love,

Here is the wall before. Weep with me over its mediocrity!

K. and G. happen to be quite proficient at taping off and painting perfect squares, so a drop cloth was dropped, paint was mixed, and the fun began. Here is my beloved, A., using some Frog Tape.

We were as careful as humanly possible, but there were still a few little bleeds. Armed with my tiny detail brushes from my oil painting studio (umm…the garage), K. and I managed to clean it up to near perfection.

Here A. and G. relax with some Wii and paint fumes. Ahhh.

A couple of shelves and a skinny console table were the missing ingredients for a lovely, bold statement wall in our living room.

This next shot is more indicative of the true color. Sometimes I just sit there and drink it in. And then I go and rearrange all my photos and vases fourteen times.

Do you have any wall colors you absolutely love? This one is Baked Clay by Sherwin-Williams. It’s upstairs in our office/guest bedroom as well. I can’t get enough!

Post a comment and let us know about any impromptu house projects you’ve taken on! This one turned out fairly well for the 30 seconds of pre-planning involved.

Love,