Life after 50 - Room Makeover OR Updating that tired dreary living room!

On the weekend of the New Year I decided to undertake the project of "Updating" my living room. Yes, I watch all the shows, Sell this House, Flip this House, and so on. I think there should be one, "Hire Someone to Update this House, Really Cheap!"

With all the knowledge I had gleaned from these really marvelous shows, I bravely went to the paint center. I started at Lowe's in my town, where a young man looked at me as if I were crazy when I innocently asked, "Which Brown do you think I should get?" Now, of course you know there are hundreds of brown on the new color wheel to become color blind on.

Did this brown have too much gold, did this one have too much green, too much purple or red in this one? Oh how I poured over the little cards with all those lovely colors. It was like shuffling a deck of poker cards.

Well, being the design guru that I have become, I chose the colors I thought would work, got a sample of each (at Lowe's it's a pint for around $3.50) and walked confidently out of the store knowing that in one of the 5 samples SURELY my dream color would be there.

At home, with my trusty new sponge applicators and paper all over the floor, I started painting the five different colors on different walls in the house. I think I saw them do this on "Flip this House". I was just so pleased at myself for this. Just think, instead of painting all of the walls and hating it, I was painting it in sections.........and hating it!

NONE OF THE COLORS worked!!!

I then thought I would try a different tactic. I chose another store!! Sherwin-Williams is where I think "Sell this House" shops. I found a color I thought I would like "Latte". This brown has a dollop of green in it, but at that time I was looking for more of a pure taupish brown.

So, the man helped me choose "Sands of Time" and "Sensational Sand". Again with my hands loaded with the wonderful cards, and two sample quarts for $4.99 of each, I headed back to the house, to try it again.

Well, the Sensational Sand was exactly the color I was looking for, but.........being a woman, I didn't like it on MY walls. I suggest these colors to anyone that wants to update there house. They make your house look like a million bucks.

I went with "Latte" just because I like the name and there was a touch of green in it.

With the Latte color sceme, I chose Startling White and Monteplier Red Velvet for the trims.

There is definitely more to come, but with week one of the "UPDATE" completed, I still have more to do.

I will write more next time. Oh, did I tell you I have a 12' vaulted ceiling and I am scared of heights over two feet!

See 'ya!

Cresa