One step forward, two steps backward

Let's see...where were we?  Oh, yes.  Now I remember.

This is usually my favorite stage of a project:  the construction is complete, the dust has settled, and the back breaking work is done.  This is the fun time when you get to pick out paint colors, fixtures, and finishes.  Just to bring everyone up to speed:  as you know, the half wall is installed, the new light fixtures have been hung, and some patchwork painting on the dining room side has been completed.  Next step:  paint for the breakfast room!  Here is where we started:

Historically, I have been pretty good at picking paint colors.  My MO is to bring home about a schmillion swatches from the paint store and simmer over the decision for several days/weeks, checking to see how the colors change over the course of the day and with my mood.  Which is exactly what I did this time.  I did a lot of waffling and finally decided on a stellar combination of 2 grays with green undertones:  Valspar's  Arid Plains and Wild Hawk color matched to Behr's paint and primer in one.

Well, I am here to tell you that my paint picking streak has been broken.  It has taken me several days to fully accept my fate, but I will be re-painting the room.  Boo to the hoo.  The color I used for the top half, despite going on rather mint green-ish turned out lovely:  a nice greige, if you will.  The bottom color was a different story:  instead of gray with green undertones, I got green with green undertones.  Wahhhhh!  **picture me cycling through the following emotions:  denial, patience (that the color would dry gray), hopefulness (that the Painting Fairy would again visit), anger, acceptance, resignation**

So, even though I do hate the color, I did snap a few shots to share with all of you.

It has also become apparent- both in looking at these pictures and in seeing this in real life that the molding also deserves a fresh coat of white.  In fact, I've decided that the first attempt to fix this room will be white from the chair rail down.  Colin and I got started on that tonight, and I'm reserving judgement because the coverage is so poor it looks pretty terrible at this point.  So, yeah.  That's where we are today.  Not the finest time in DIY land here.

In attempt to complete a nice, easy project yesterday, I attempted to swap out the boob light in the kitchen with a sweet semi-flush mount light that matches our pendents.  Long story short, I wrestled with the electrical, jerry-rigged the mounting bracket (because if I know anything about electrical it's that what you have in your wall/ceiling never works with what comes in the box), hung the fixture, and patched and painted the ceiling since the new footprint was much smaller than the old one.  Then, I stood back to admire my hard work and decided that I don't like the fixture.  All I could do was laugh.  At myself, of course.  So, I suppose some night this week, I will undo all of that and put the boob light back up.  Meh.  Worse things could happen.  At least it's my own fickleness that is causing all the extra work.  :)

And, because I hate to leave on such a negative note, behold the cuteness that I enjoy every day:

DIY set backs or not:  I am indeed blessed!  Sometimes I cannot believe the man-boy with whom I live is the baby to whom I gave birth, the child I cuddled and tucked into bed, the adolescent who- despite growing and maturing- is still that piece of my heart that grew into a human and left my body 14 years ago to travel around on its own.  What an honor it is, indeed, to be called Mother.

xo,

Emily