Finish Selection Stupor

Betcha didn't even know that was a thing, huh?

Well it is and I'm thinking it's a pretty serious condition and should have a proper name. Like "Designeritis" or "Ryckbost Disease".

Now that we are practically ready for drywall, I need to have all of my final selections made for finishes, fixtures, etc.

But I have been in a complete stupor.

I've been staring at paint colors since July and blank floorplans since August. Basically, what I concluded earlier this week was that I had no earthly idea what I wanted to do to this house. The cabinet color is selected and bought, the counter material as well. I've already bought the tile (floor and wall) and the wood floor is staying. Other than that, I've really not nailed any of the other selections down (paint, final bathroom fixtures, window coverings, the list goes on).

But it's time. It's time to make some decisions and to just go with it. Here are two things I am struggling with:

1) Most of you reading this blog know that I do this for a living. Which makes the next reason exist;
2) I haven't come to terms with the fact that I am going to make a mistake.

When we bought our first house, we bought it with the existing walls painted and when we decided to repaint, it only felt like we had painted once and only paid for the one paint job. Because I have to select the first paint (and a possibility of a second in some rooms if the color I pick isn't "right" or if I overlooked a weird condition) it feels like I am gluing a layer of dollar bills to the wall knowing the chances that a second layer will cover the first right up is a good one. I think that is the best visual aid I can give.

Plumbing, electrical, insulation. Those are all tiny little dollar bills wrapped up and placed in the walls, then covered up never to be seen again. Ouch. Same with picking the wrong paint colors. I know in the scheme of things, paint is cheap and the easiest thing to fix but I really don't want to have to do it twice (financially or physically). But it's about time that I resolve to make the mistakes and move on with my life.

And, there's a lot to consider. Not any more than I consider on a daily basis for projects but if you've never selected every single finish for a large space from the trillions of options, I recommend that you do not try. I have friends that have worked with builders who gave them four options for every surface. For types of cabinet colors, four types of wood floor, four counter options, etc. and I thought they we're going to have a minor stroke. This is that, times a lot. Paul and I also know too much about what is out there. We know what we want and that it is somewhere, we just have to find it and afford it.

So, last night while Paul was working at the house and Addison was asleep, I started laying out finishes, room by room. Purging paint samples, and the other millions of finishes I had laying around. Keeping used paints in one pile and all of the no-go samples in another.



 

This was for the master bath. Green vanity, gray walls, tile not shown, white quartz counter, some piece of walnut casework or seating, nickel light fixtures and hopefully a touch of gold or brass somewhere (being represented by my bracelet). That's right folks, my bracelet. I like to keep things very professional and serious over here.

Once I had walked through every room, I pulled out the "accent colors" and "accent finishes" that we're only on the table for a visual and found that I was really down to five core paint colors. Minus some fabrics, and the main floor tile, our house is going to look like this:

Isn't that the most impressive iPhone photo you've ever seen? Are you sick of my sarcasm yet? It looks slightly disjointed on the binder and not in context but it's a very muted palette of blues, greens and grays. Modern, but not. Historic, but not. Just enough of all the things I want it to be.

More color talk to come, but these decisions alone make it feel like we're working towards our "home" now and not just the "house".