The deed is done! Rockport Gray is all up in this hizzy.
We love how much more things like the extra thick crown molding and the trim around the doors and windows pops now that the color is deeper and more… sleepy? Can you describe a bedroom color that way? In love.
It’s such a mutating color. Sometimes it looks lighter and grayer.
And sometimes it looks moodier and more mocha.
We think it looks especially good with our cheap-o Ikea curtains (Vivan panels for $9 a pop) and other crisp white things, like this old side table from our first house’s den and the white lamp shade on our floor lamp.
So yeah, we likey the new vibe in the bedroom.
Basically the room looked kind of soft and sweet with the light gray-blue walls before…
… but they were kinda similar to the walls in our first house’s bedroom (which we did love, but after 4.5 years with it we thought it would be fun to try something different).
It also felt a little too blue when you factored in the blue in the rug, the headboard fabric, etc. We just wanted something with a little more oomph. See how these side by side shots show how much more the molding and the fabric on the headboard pops? Now they stand out and say I am molding/headboard, hear me roar.
These vertical images might help you see the molding effect more easily (since they’re not as small). Doesn’t the trim almost look like it has been beefed up and whitened in the picture on the right? It’s all thanks to the contrast that the deeper and less airy color brings. Seriously, I didn’t repaint the molding or anything.
As for the process, we basically spackled any nail holes that we weren’t going to be using anymore (like the ones that used to hold the art up over the bed when it was on the other wall) and then sanded them so they were smooth.
Then we moved a lot of stuff out of the room, and covered the remaining furnishings that we pushed into the center of the room with plastic drop cloths):
We taped off the crown molding too (since on a step ladder I’m less steady handed). But I can freehand all the trim around the windows, doors, baseboards, and outlets without tape – so that saves us time and tape.
It’s amazing what an instant difference the new paint on the wall was. But it took us about five or six hours of prep/painting to get to that point. It’s a big room (16 x 16′) and we were also painting the entire sink nook (which is like another small room that’s attached with tons of windows and doorways to cut in around). So we just put on some music and got down to business. Painting business. Not funny business.
There was some of this (I’m the cutter-inner in the family and John is the roller):
And some of this (we actually painted the ceiling above the sink nook a color for the book photoshoots back in January, so we finally got to repaint it back to white while we were doing the walls):
As we mentioned, the room is 16 x 16′ – and we actually used less than a gallon of paint for this entire paint job (including the sink nook). Maybe around 2/3rds of one? Benjamin Moore paint (this was Rockport Gray in their Natura base, which is VOC free) has great coverage, so when we used Olympic to paint this room for the first time we used the whole gallon since we needed two full coats, but this time we only needed one coat and a few touch ups as a second coat instead of a full second application. Oh and we went with an eggshell finish for anyone wondering (it’s nice and matte but still a bit more durable and wipe-able than flat paint would have been).
There was still the same amount of house chaos even though we only needed one coat of paint this time. Because of course when you paint a room, at least one other room looks like complete insanity since all of the stuff from the room that you’re painting gets dumped in there. Like our living room in this case:
For those wondering where Clara was, her grandparents graciously offered to take her to the playground, lunch, and the library while we got this done. So thankful! We’ve definitely painted rooms while she napped and it has worked (like the bedroom when we painted it the first time) but it’s usually just a lot more choppy because we both work hard for the two-ish hours that she naps and then one of us has to watch her while the other one works (ex: I continue to cut in while John watches Clara after she wakes up) and then we switch (I watch her while he rolls).
Here was our little setup to catch the process on our laptop’s camera (which has a longer battery life when plugged in than our Flip HD, which can only record for an hour). Oh yes, we’re high tech around here. There was ottoman on side table action (we used iMovie to make the video, which comes free with most Macs and has easy settings to speed things up):
So whoop, there it is. Darker, moodier paint that makes us wanna sleep. Haha. And kinda makes us want to paint a whole lot of other rooms in darker tones since it’s amazing how much more substantial the molding looks. But when we stop to think about it, ultimately we like the balance in the whole house’s current palette, which consists of:
- some light neutrals – like the soft gray in the living room and dining room
- some happy tones – like the grellow in the kitchen and the light pink in Clara’s room
- some deep saturated colors – like the dark teal guest room and the back of the dining room built-ins
Should be fun to see what colors we end up with in the completely untouched sunroom, playroom, hall bathroom, and guest bathroom though. In the meantime, what are you guys painting? Anyone diving into darker colors? Or lightening up with something soft? Feel free to name your favorite wall color of all time – it’s always interesting to hear what you guys are loving.
Jamie says
Love the Natura paint! I was really surprised when it truly didn’t have much of an odor. It’s a bit over my budget for a full room, but the quart I used for an accent wall looks great and I can’t wait to use it again!
Kasia says
What is the light blue color on the ceiling?? Do you think it would look okay painting the ceiling the same color if we don’t have molding?
YoungHouseLove says
The ceiling is actually white, it just looks different depending on your monitor. Painting your ceiling the same color without molding should look great!
xo
s
Katherine Hatch says
Love the new paint color, totally brings the room together. Do you recall what the name of the previous paint color was though? You guys have such a knack for picking paint colors and I think that light bluey-green would look lovely in one of my home’s rooms.
Katherine Hatch says
Oops, I just read through all the comments and realized you already answered this question. Sorry!
YoungHouseLove says
No worries!
xo
s
Traci says
I love all of your rooms!!! Where do you get the art work that is hanging on the walls? Are they prints that you frame yourself? I need some guidance on where to shop for things for my walls.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, some are things we make or prints from Ikea that we frame ourselves or things we find at yard sales!
xo
s
Temaria Smith says
I’m so glad to hear you only needed one gallon of paint. I lucked up and got someone’s “Oops paint” in the same color. They wanted satin and the guy mixed an eggshell finish. Yay me!! I hung around until they marked the paint down to $8.00! My master is just like your first house; as a matter of fact, my whole house is similar to your first house, lol. I’ll send pics after I paint!
Melissa Cable says
I am toying with Rockport Gray in our giant master bedroom, but am worried it is a bit too dark. Is it the kind of color you can take some of the color/saturation out of to make a slightly lighter version of? I guess that might be a question for the BM guy. I’m scared to go so dark in such a big room. They are high ceilings and a sitting area.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, you can get it lightened if they add more white, but I love it! It doesn’t feel dark – especially in a giant master! I’d go for it 100%! Wait, we already did. Hahah!
xo
s
Jena says
Hi love how your bedroom turned out! Where did you get the rug? I love it!
YoungHouseLove says
That was from a local outlet called The Decorating Outlet. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Cait says
What was the original color of the bedroom called before you went rockport gray? The bluer color…?
YoungHouseLove says
Carolina Inn Club Aqua by Valspar.
xo,
s
Christina says
I love this color! Trying to find the same paint to do our bedroom. We don’t have a Benjamin Moore near. Tried to order online but it has to be a in store pick up. What would this similar color be in Behr paint?
YoungHouseLove says
You can just go to the paint department at Home Depot and tell them the name (and brand!) and they can look up the formula in their computer and mix up a “color matched batch” in Behr paint. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Vanessa says
Sorry if you’ve answered this a bunch of times before but I’ve searched and haven’t seen the answer…
What color did your room used to be, before you painted it rockport and what color is your ceiling now?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
The ceiling is just the stock white color that came with the house. The walls were Carolina Inn Club Aqua by Valspar. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Donna says
Love Rockport Gray for our master bedroom but we already have a large mirror that we don’t want to get rid of hanging over a chest of drawers. It is gold colored. Would it clash with gray – cool vs warm colors? Please advise.
YoungHouseLove says
I would bring a swatch home and hold it up, I would think it works since Rockport Gray is a nice neutral.
xo
s
KENDRA says
So I have searched your blog high and low to find the name of the blue color you first used on this bedroom – can’t find it anywhere :\ I want to do a blue in our Master and I like this one! Thanks so much.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Carolina Inn Club Aqua by Valspar. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Where is that rug from? I’m obsessed!!:)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from Shades of Light, though we found ours on sale at their local discount outlet.
-John
weirbeautiful says
Beautiful job guys! Where did you purchase your rug? Gotta have it…Love Turquoise! !!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! It’s from a local decorating outlet called The Decorating Outlet, but I’ve seen it on Joss & Main too!
xo
s
Apryl says
LOVE LOVE LOVE the color!!! I saw a swatch of the Rockport Grey and it looks so much darker than I thought it would. I only have French doors in my bedroom and no other natural light source so I am scared that it may be too dark for my space. I LOVE that color though. I’m in a bind…
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe try getting a half-tint of it (they add 50% more white so it’s not as dark). Good luck!
xo
s
airjulz says
Love your bedroom.
As much as I obsess over paint colors there is one that always works for me. Revere Pewter by Ben Moore in Aura paint is miraculous. Great in all lighting and with all decor. Highly recommend it!
Hanna J says
Just wondering primer you guys used to cover the paint before painting it the Rockport Color. I have the original wall colors in my bedroom but I am would like to paint it a light gray and just wondering what primer would be best :) Also, probably leaning towards the gray you had in this house in your living room. Moonshine. Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually didn’t prime at all, we just went right over the old color. Since the new color was only a few shades darker (not black or red or anything) it covered nicely!
xo
s
Holly W. says
I’m looking for the paint color of the bedroom before you made it all moody and sexy. I want to repaint my dark living room something to pull in more light!
Holly W. says
oh wait! I just realized it was in a comment above. D’oh. Thanks!
Nicole says
Where is the white side table next to bed from?
YoungHouseLove says
The smaller one with all the drawers is from Joss & Main and the larger one is from West Elm (the dresser).
xo
s