Selecting Gray Paint...

...is not easy!  We decided a while back we wanted to paint our dining room a light gray and recently we also decided on gray for the accent wall in our family room.  Easy enough, right?  Not even close!  Gray is tricky! 

It is a neutral so it should be pretty straight forward but stand in the paint isle for a few minutes and you will quickly realize gray comes in all shapes and sizes...brown, blue, violet and silver hues, not to mention all different kinds of saturations.  When you search "gray" on the Benjamin Moore website it gives you 197 results!  Check it out.

As you know (from here) I initially planned on a blue gray for the dining room to play off the bright blue in the Grand Piano Room but once I got it on the walls I was not so happy with it. I tried out a second blue gray and didn't like that one either. 

So what did I do?  Nothing!  I let the two paint samples sit up on the wall until I got the inspiration to try again.  Well after deciding to also use gray in the family room I was re-energized and headed back to the paint isle, this time staying away from the blue shades and looking more for a silver based gray that wasn't silver at all.  (I know, such a helpful description.)

But I think I found it, Benjamin Moore Bunny Gray (no, I didn't make that name up) for the dining room and one shade darker, Thundercloud Gray for the family room. 

I haven't gone to buy it yet so all I can show you is the "color preview"...I think it is funny that Benjamin Moore calls their paint cards "color previews"...but as soon as I get back from a work trip this weekend I am going to make the big purchase and start painting.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I have solved the gray paint challenge because this has been a doozie!

RoomSketcher.com

Let's give a warm Mission Decorate welcome to RoomSketcher.Com!  RoomSketcher is an amazing 3D floor planning tool that you can all access for FREE!

RoomSketcher takes floor planning to the next level by easily letting you create the room of your dreams...finishes, furniture, flooring, accessories...everything you could want.  And we are lucky enough to have RoomSketcher as our very first Mission Decorate Sponsor!  Yippee!

So lets see a little more of what RoomSketcher can do...

Yes, this amazing living room was created by a RoomSketcher user.  Pretty awesome, right?!  Check out this dining room...

I love the detail it is able to create in the textures and fabrics!

So I thought I should try my hand at room designing.  I created a Master Bedroom loosely based off of my current Master.  (And by loosely, I mean wouldn't this look fabulous!) 

The room began like this...



...which is the 2D version of my room.  This is the view you work within as you create.  Then RoomSketcher generates your premium view and you get this...


...which is not to shabby for my first attempt.  A few things are a little off center (the art above the dresser) and some of my measurements need some work (look at my funky to long chairs!) but it is easy to use and with some practice I think I could be a pro.  I also really like how they tell you where to find the products they use...the area rug is from Ikea.  I may have to go buy that! 

Now only if they could show up at my house and make our Master Bedroom look like this in lets say the next hour for about $40!  Now that would be magic!