Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Kitchen Paint and Flowers


The on-going painting campaign at the Nest resumed shortly after the sun had set on Sunday evening, as I turned my attention to the terribly-pink kitchen walls, which are being covered with a brick red called Mexicana.

I'll admit I was a shade non-plussed to open it in the artificial light of evening, where it seemed a little browner than I thought I liked. And I still see a little of that in proper daylight, but it's a sort of terra cotta note, which I quite like.

And I'm very fond of the way the peachy-orange dining room walls are playing with the red of the kitchen.

I'm not brushing/rolling the Mexicana, though. I'm applying with a sea sponge, which is creating a sort of mottled texture to the painting. Plus, the more you work the paint with the sponge, the more you can get the over and under tones of the color to come out a little to build on that texture.

The cutting in's actually the worst with this treatment, since you need a wee bit of sponge to get into the cracks and corners...and I've had some bad luck with masking tape adhesives failing just as I start laying paint along the edge.

Ah, well...all the trim in the place will get a nice fresh coat of white once all else is finished, so no real worries there.


There's just the west wall of the kitchen left to get the Mexicana, though that will be a project for tomorrow night after work.

The bricky-red should butch up the pink walls that will remain in the pantry.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd share with you a few snapshots from the garden at work.

I just love these yellow David Austin roses. I can't recall the name of this variety, but the scent is just lovely, even muted a little by the recent cool temperatures.

These single pink roses are also nicely scented. You can see that the rose plants are looking a little scraggly at this end of the season, even though they are continuing to bloom. They'll do so on and off til around November, weather allowing, which it often does. That's always nice.

Just a bit of blush from cool evenings on the flowers of this PeeGee hydrangea. You can also see the wear of this part of the season here, as well.

This first evening of autumn (sob...) brings us temperatures teetering between 58 and 59 the last couple of hours. It's mostly comfortable, but every once in a while there seems a bit of chilled air current (not really a breeze, per se...) that suggests I ought to have all the windows closed. I've shut a few, but not all of them.

I like the fresh air as much as I enjoy a comfy flannel shirt.

17 comments:

Butch said...

I really like what you've done to your Nest. The colours are "workin'" ;-)

I can tell you've been busy and your choices of colours will be wonderful during those winter months. They're nice, warm colours. Good job!!

Word Verification: myexcot

( a previously owned Army cot?! )

tornwordo said...

Yes, the colors are really swankifying your digs.

Unknown said...

I like the red. It's got a richness to it. Things always do tend to look a bit strange at night. I had the same issue with my entryway turquoise initially when nothing was hanging on the walls. It scared the bejeebers out of me for a day or so, until I got used to it.

Give it a chance and see whether it won't work for you once you get used to the change.

Java said...

I've noticed radical hair cuts and changes in facial hair coverage are easier to take after a couple of days of getting used to them. Do brick red kitchen walls do the same thing? It looks a bit dark from here, though my vantage point is limited. I like the way it plays with the peachy orange of the dining room.

I love the hydrangeas! The first shot is particularly nice.

Rick said...

Amazing what some paint will do. It's so easy once all the PAINstakingly prep is done. Nice colors. I want to paint my kitchen and front hall before the holidays. You're inpsiring me. Gorgeous flowers as always.

dykewife said...

i love the brick red colour. i love rich colours. i'm glad most of the pink is going. i dislike pink with a fair intensity.

Anonymous said...

I like the red, too. I've always loved red on walls. Your palette of colors are definitely welcoming and warming. My entire house is monotone in a sundew color which reflects yellows and greens, depending on how bright it is outside.

Vic Mansfield said...

Color! Yes! No limpid wimpy pale pastels . . . .I love color, and you've picked some wonderful ones. How do you do that? I know I risk having my gay card revoked, but I'm missing the decorator gene.

I have this really sick green in my bedroom. ANd I've been moved in over a year. have I painted? No. I am shamed into action.

Come decorate, midnight gardener!

Patrick said...

You may have gotten this comment twice, the blogger website went a bit spare on me there... I love the Mexicana, and bet it is the perfect link between pink and peach. I'm a big fan of terra cotta and various shades of earthy reds (in case that wasn't obvious). We've been enjoying cooler temps here too, and I've usually chosen to put on more clothes rather than close the windows for now.

Greg said...

CJ, if you pick a nice red maroon or something like this, you can add some greens later and call it Christmas decorations!!

Dykewife, I'm saving (for the nonce) just the pantry in the Bed of Roses pink. We'll see if the adjacent brick red can sufficiently butch it up.

Afod, I'm sure the Sundew is nice, but it sounds like you could use a few accent walls to give the sundew something exciting to reflect!

Bear, I know this will sound sort of new-agey or decorator-ish or something...but the rooms sort of told me what colors they should be. I love lots of color and so I ended up picking something from each slice of the rainbow...trying to balance out the hot, deep tones with more pastel ones...it's been fun, for sure.

Start with a list of what color stuff you have, and also what colors you actually enjoy...and we'll go from there!

Patrick, your friend Monsieur le Purrypants is experiencing some SERIOUS zoominess this evening. I'd pick my feet off the floor if I wasn't worried he'd roll the computer chair away with me in it.

Chilly here again tonight...its definitely a nice night for an extra layer or two.

Birdie said...

*Peering in the window* Wait. Where's the sousaphone?

Love the rich colors! I've got only one wall with that much pizazz. It really makes the room.

Unknown said...

Nice color choices. The homiest living room I have ever been in was in the Fenway. Terra cotta w/ white trim, lots of rusticy wood furniture.

Curt Rogers said...

The colors are quite nice! I hope they keep you warm and safe in the coming Autumn!

Anonymous said...

My Beloved had to explain to her cousins that vibrant colors were exactly what we wanted in the rooms of our new home. Finally, she pointed out that the rich turquoise in the living room would have been acceptable as an _exterior_ color in my Dad's home town.

Oh, so it's cultural, the puzzled cousin said.

We figured we'd leave it at that.

And although this is about palettes of scent, not color, I though y'all might like exploring this link:

http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/story/he-hates-perfume

Some of them sound like Gardener-bait...

Greg said...

Hiya, Birdie: don't peep, c'mon on in...the sousaphone under wraps in the back room, away from the paint a-spattering...here's your painter's cap and brush.

Homer, Curt, thanks to you both for your color compliments. I'm actually really pleased at how well the colors are working out.

Rhet, isn't it funny? Some people don't like color, or maybe they don't like the way it makes them feel. Some say they are afraid to try colors.

Can't help thinking about that movie, Pleasantville, where everyone's black and white...until they start feeling passion.

Greg said...

Ohmigosh, Rhet...quite a few of those sound very intriguing.

I think I'll have to work a visit over the Brooklyn and the CB Shop next time I'm fortunate enough to visit New York.

lostlandscape said...

What is it with males and pink? I really respond to it in a stereotypically male way [Insert sounds of a gag reflex here]. But I'll admit to at least liking the more incendiary hot pink end of the color range--the more intense and closer to coral the better. Yes, it's best to confine normal pink to laundry rooms and bunny slippers (You don't have a pair of those to go with the monkey slippers, do you?)

Anyway, I'm liking your colors. The Nest looks cozier by the minute.