Maybe it is the unseasonably warm weather we are having in Connecticut that is making me itch for Spring and changes. Or it could be me feeling off if I don’t paint something every now and then. As you know we are making some fun changes coming up in our kitchen. Actually my handy-man gave me a date that he can come and I can’t wait for him to get started on the banquette in our kitchen. We also have new roman shades coming for our windows in here. So of course like any home project it snowballs and I decided I needed to paint our kitchen interior door.
BEFORE- Gray from Benjamin Moore
It was a darker gray paint, called Gray from Benjamin Moore. I have loved this color and get asked A LOT what the color is, it is right up there as one of my top questions. I can see why, it is a really good gray paint. But I wanted to lighten it up. The dark gray really wasn’t going to work with the new roman shades that I have coming for this door and window.
So my husband was going to Home Depot for a filter and I told him how “fun” it would be to try a couple of different gray paints on the door. Poor guy and poor use of the word fun for him. Being the great guy he is he took my Benjamin Moore paint deck and had them match the gray paints I wanted to try and mix into little samples. I didn’t see him again until the next day…just kidding. Really it did take longer than just getting a filter.
So he came home with the 5 gray paints and the one white paint sample, just to see if for some odd reason I decided to go with white.
7 Benjamin Moore Paints Tested-
1- Cloud white
2- Wickham gray
3- Gray owl
4- Stonington gray
5- Cliffside gray
6- Coventry
7- Gray (already on the door)
Now it is kind of tricky to see a big difference but hopefully this will give you a taste of the the slight variations and also a list of some of my favorite gray paints and my favorite white.
So I decided on one gray paint #2 Gray Owl, the one on the far left. And I started to go to town painting the door, you can see it all along the bottom and up the left side. Then I stood back and I didn’t love it with my wall color (our walls are Cloud Cover from Benjamin Moore). Then I tried the one that my husband liked the most, that I thought was too dark #6 Coventry. It is the one on the left right above the Gray Owl.
Sometimes it is hard to admit- but the husband was right. I liked Coventry best too!
What do you think? What a difference it makes to the space. It feels so much lighter and brighter. Who knew the darkest of all the gray paints we sampled would be my favorite. And I guess compared to what was on the door it is light! And also it only took the 7 oz sample to paint that entire door! So it wasn’t all a waste.
Here are some more pictures of the door painted in Coventry- you know because you need to see every angle.
AFTER- Coventry from Benjamin Moore
Make sure to check back and subscribe to my blog below to see the rest of the changes to come our kitchen! (Until then you can find more details on our kitchen HERE).
Love it!!!! Also you have me hooked on chocolate in a French press!!!!
thanks Heather!
HAHA! Ya, glad I am not alone in my addiction 🙂
Wait…what? Chocolate in a French press??!!
yes:) I shared about it here- http://nestingwithgrace.com/whole-30-and-paleo-how-i-survive/
I really like it. It looks good but I always liked the other Gray too.. I think it nice to have a change for Spring and Summer too.paint can make such s huge difference. We just finished remodeling a bath and will be doing kitchen soon. Would you be willing to share the roman shades you ordered or will the post be real soon? I need some. I can’t wait to see your new kitchen space?
Yes- paint it an easy thing to change for sure. I agree- I like both colors.
Yes, I will be sharing the roman shades soon!
hey girl- love the new look!
Thank you Shawnna!
I love the way it lightened things up in there! Great choice, although the gray was incredible! I agree, I think it’s a good change for spring! I think Robin’s Egg blue would be an awesome scent color in there! Maybe some Easter decor?!?❤️? . Love your blog?
Thank you! And maybe some cadbury chocolate eggs:)
I thought it looked great before, but I really like the lighter gray. I just love the contrast between white walls and doors painted a different color. I want to paint one of mine too, but first to paint the walls white!! 😀
When you paint an entry door like this, do you paint both sides or do you leave an exterior color and an interior color? I’m finding it difficult to find a color I like for both, so I split it up. :/
I did split it up and it was before. The other side is navy. Same with my front door. Totally ok with it!
thanks!
What kind of finish was the paint? Flat, matte or shiny? Did you remove the hardware or paint around it? 🙂
I used a flat finish for both gray paints. We just painted around the hardware and around the glass then cleaned off the glass after. Easy!
Hi! I am new to your blog. First, let me tell you that you are amazing and very talented.
Looks like yoir kitchen door is in high traffic area. Can you, please, let me know how the dark grey door hold up. I painted one door black and did not like how easy it is to leave scratch marks on dark paint. I literally could write on it. And it was quite durable precat epoxy from Sherwin Williams made for commercial use. With 4 and 7 y.o. Girls I thought it would drive me crazy to watch them not to damage my hard work ?
Also, are those eucalyptus branches real? Where do you buy them?
Thanks!
We have had the dark gray for two years and it has held up perfectly. I think it helped that I did it in a flat finish- so you don’t notice every little flaw.
Yes those are eucalyptus- real from Trader Joes.
Thanks so much for reading:)