7/23/2009

Pale Pink Bedroom

It was quite ironic for me that this morning's Home section of the Post cited Making It Lovely blog for its post "Picking Perfect Pink Paint." Just yesterday I popped the can on my Fifth quart of brand new paint that I've tested in my quest to find the perfect pink-without-being-pink bedroom wall color. I've been testing colors for weeks, and the painters are in the house right now so I must decide quickly. When I was a little girl my bedroom was pink, and when I redecorated my room in middle school in a pale crystal blue, I swore I would never have pink walls again.....that is until last summer when I saw my friend's Chevy Chase living room painted the most gorgeous soft pink, the kind that is at once sophisticated and shabby-chic, enveloping you in a little aura of comfort (the color was Dogwood White by SW). I realized that as long as the hue is in no way "candy" that pink walls can be quite successful.

My bedroom makeover inspiration continued with these images from a House Beautiful article:
This paint color is also Dogwood White!

However, when I tested dogwood white in my bedroom the hue was absolutely wrong with my Restoration Hardware pink/brown duvet. It appeared much darker and more candy-heart pink than in these photogrpahs. My room is about 12x15, and I think it takes a larger expanse of space to make the color appear less saturated. Meanwhile my godmother, who is just moved into a townhouse over in Chevy Chase Lake, decided her paint colors and recommended I use Benjamin Moore Frosted Petal, which she is putting on her bedroom ceiling with celery salt walls. Excitedly I tried this color on my walls, and it also read too dark and the wrong tone.

So feeling very discouraged at the paint store the other day, I found another article from House Beautiful featuring a living room by Steven Shubel with walls painted Benjamin Moore Bridal Pink. These walls appeared to have the warmer, slightly more peach tendency I believe my room needs:


I first tried this color out at 25%, but it was way too light. I've found that 75% Bridal Pink is absolutely the perfect color for me! This is my bedding:

I am adding this chocolate brown coverlet and standard shams to my ensemble during the winter to add a little weight to all the white:


If anyone else has Restoration Hardware linens from their Italian Bedding collection last year or an linens from RHBaby's new line of petal pink/chocolate brown, this color will be perfect. I have tried the RH's petal pink paint, and while it is a beautiful hue it is quite saturated and you cannot get a custom lower percent paint from them, so this is a nice alternative.

NOW.......After all this, I loved the effect of the pink ceiling. I'm torn between bridal pink walls with a ___?___ (pale aqua? pale green? pale silver?) ceiling OR if I should paint my walls white or celery salt with a bridal pink ceiling. If I do go with pink walls, I will paint the ceiling a light green or blue and tie it into the rest of the room probably by adding a boudoir pillow in a print that has brown, pink, and also this tertiary color in it. Up for consideration:

(from Pine Cone Hill)

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!

4 comments:

The Mothership Abroad said...

Those photos from House Beautiful are really lovely..good luck on your search for the perfect pink!

Ashley said...

Oh my goodness...the bedding is BEAUTIFUL!!! :) So are the photos from H.B!! Let us know the color you pick thats perfect!

aglee1110 said...

hi! i was wondering where you got your bedding! i am also on the search, and that is the exact type of bedding i am looking for to complete my room!

Laurie AE said...

I am enthralled by the images here ... I'll soon be painting my own apartment a pale pink, and this is just the kind of inspiration I was looking for!