Favorite Paint Colors: June 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Questions + Manchester Tan Color Combination

Here is another e-mail I received from a reader.

Love your blog and it is where I decided to go with BM Manchester Tan as a main color in our home. However, I'm stuck picking out a color to go with it. Can you recommend a color?

Manchester Tan is one of my all-time favorite neutrals. It's one of those colors you can't really go wrong with and it goes with just about anything. Do you remember this room (see more here) Becca submitted last year? It’s clean, crisp and I love the colors she chose as accents.

Adventures in Decorating

If you're picking out a Benjamin Moore color, they have a great tool on their site that shows you paint combinations that will go with the color you are choosing. In this instance, if you search Manchester Tan and click on the link, it will take you to their site with two colors underneath that will coordinate with it - Jackson Tan and Squirrel Tail. You can also click on the link to the left that says more color combos and get Dried Basil and Sienna.

I put together a color combination with Squirrel Tail and Dried Basil but also added Vapor and Natural Linen, both which I love. All are paint colors that will look great with Manchester Tan. If you are looking for a great neutral, Manchester Tan is a beautiful color and one that I recommend often.

(Every computer screen shows a slightly different shade of color. Please make sure you use paint samples to see the true shade.)

*Make sure you do Vapor Trails and not just Vapor when sampling. I had Vapor on my original post by mistake, but it's a white and not the blue/gray that you see above. Thanks!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Haven 2012

Last week I had the awesome opportunity to attend Haven 2012, and oh how I am wishing I could turn the clock back a week. It was such a great conference where I not only learned a ton, but I got to meet and hangout with so many beautiful and talented women.

The best part was being there with my sister, Melissa. Love this girl, Haven wouldn’t have been the same without her.

The conference started with our keynote speakers, John and Sherry from Young House Love and I was totally engaged with what they were saying right from the beginning. They were so down to earth, genuine and hilarious! It was fun to hear their story and how they run a successful blog together.

Melissa and I were able to get a picture with them and little Clara afterwards. Such a cute family.

We had amazing break-out sessions that were so informative and helpful – every class that I went to I learned a ton, but I have to say my favorite part was socializing with the other bloggers there. I met so many amazing ladies. Here are a few of my favorite Haven Mavens!

Traci from Beneath My Heart, who helped put this all together!

(Left to Right) Me, Melissa, Wendy from The Shabby Nest, Julia Hooked on Houses, and Amanda from Serenity Now.

favoritepaintcolors_320sycamore_centsationaltgirl

Ashley from The Handmade Home and Kate from Centsational Girl

Angie from Angie in the Thick of It

And the reason why I came to Haven…. Kevin and Layla from The Lettered Cottage! Remember I won their giveaway? I gave them both a big hug. They taught an awesome photography class together and you know when things finally click? That’s what happened for me during their class. I feel like I finally understand my camera, we’re on a different level now thanks to these two people.

Another one of my favorite classes was taught by Marian (Miss Mustard Seed) She taught an amazing advanced painting class and talked about some of her favorite products. Anyone that reads her blog knows that one of them is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This is something that I’ve read all about but have never actually tried myself, so I was excited to see what all of the rage was about. We got to try it out ourselves and let me tell you I fell in love with how easy the application was, really love that you don’t need to prime or sand, and once it was on and buffed a little bit, it felt as smooth as a baby’s bum! Everyone at the conference was given a sample pot and I can’t wait to try mine.

I also loved their line of colors which you can see here. What about you, have you tried chalk paint? Do you have a favorite color?

Haven more then exceeded my expectations and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to go and learn what I did, meet new people, make new friendships, and spend time with my sister. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Refuge

Refuge by Sherwin Williams

Not Yana's Blog

Monday, June 25, 2012

Tobacco Road

Tobacco Road by Duron (Sherwin-Williams)

Dream and Differ

See more posts on Tobacco Road here, here and here.

Friday, June 22, 2012

blog questions 062212

I get numerous e-mails from readers with various questions about paint and wanted to start posting some to hopefully help those out who may be wondering the same thing. Here is an e-mail I received from Kelly:

I have spent hours looking at your blog and fell in love with RL Canvas Natural only to find I can only get it through the mail. Do you happen to know a color that is similar in Behr or a paint that Home Depot would carry?

Canvas Natural by Ralph Lauren

The Old Painted Cottage

Have you ever been in a situation like Kelly's? Well if you have, or currently are there is a great online tool called colorcharts.org. Have you ever heard of it? If you havn't it's basically a database with every color imaginable. You can also color match and find similar colors available from different manufacturers, which is my favorite tool they have.

So to answer Kelly's question:
1. Go to colorcharts.org
2. Type in canvas natural (1 result was found for Ralph Lauren Paints)
3. Click on Ralph Lauren Paints - canvas natural will come up on the right, click on it
4. You will be brought to a pallette of colors with canvas natural on the right once again
5. Below Canvas Natural, click on "match this color".
6. Six "excellent" matches will come up with Behr paint being the top match at 95.4%.

So to answer Kelly's question, her best match to RL Canvas Natural is Behr's Cameo, which is carried at Home Depot.

This can be done with any paint color. If you have found a color you love but don't have a store nearby, or you are brand specific, or you just want to browse their color pallettes, check it out if you havn't already done so. (I'm not getting compensated in anyway to say this, I just think it's a great paint tool!)

I hope that everyone is having a great summer! If you have a question for me, I would love to help you out. Sometimes I can answer your question right away, other times everyday life gets in the way and it takes a little while to get back to you, but I promise I will try to reply!

Also, I am currently at Haven having a blast with my sister Melissa and meeting lots of new blogger buddies and reconnecting with old ones. Can't wait to share what great DIY and paint tips I have learned here next week, along with more great paint colors. Have a great weekend!