Paint and Color

I went to Washington DC for the Women’s March. Yes, I’m for all those progressive ideals like equal rights, and peace not war, and I believe the environment is a person and a corporation is not. It was an awesome, fierce, and moving experience. And who would think so much power could be conveyed by the color pink.

But like pansies, whose name is associated with neediness or clinging weakness, but which in fact will live well into December in my Zone 6, and are happy to bloom in March for goodness sake, PINK is underestimated.

The pink pussycat hats in DC came in every shade. I was told by several wearers that classic bright pink yarn had sold out in their cities (Santa Fe, San Antonio, Philly) by the first week of the year. Then the pale pink yarns were gone, and gradually maroons and deep reds and purples. Yep, I saw hats in every shade from barely-there pink to deep violet.

I would like to see pink make a comeback in the home. I have to tell you I love pink, but when I mention it during a color consult, I am often met with a grimace or a shudder. “You are thinking about that harsh candy Barbie pink that is loved by the young undeveloped eyes of many little girls ages 4 to 9,” I say.  “Or you are thinking about the association these days with the pink ribbons signifying a terrible disease.”

Enough already, I no longer give pink to disease and bubble gum.

Pink is bigger than all of that!! I don’t want anymore pink deprivation in homes.

It’s a peaceful, happy color and depending on the shade it can read innocent or sophisticated, sexy, fresh, or elegant. And guess what – shades of pink, rose and peachy pink are utterly flattering on any skin tone. Pink is the glow of life.

“My husband will think it’s too girly.” In Belgium, that bastion of machismo, pink is the color for baby boys, and blue is for girls. I am not making this up, Fellas, get over it. You are man enough to live with a shade of pink in one room.

Have you noticed that Restoration Hardware, that mecca of hip retro industrial grooviness, is showing the palest of warm pinks in their catalog? Stunningly beautiful.

When I lived in New Mexico, the large living/dining room in my adobe house was painted a pale pale warm pink. I loved living in that glow. Guests were charmed by it and loved being in the room.

Shall I tell you my favorite pinks that I think are beautiful and tasteful, even for your sophisticated and elegant, happening home?

Of course and as usual,  you must take the paper sample chips or pints of sample paint home to try on your wall in your artificial light and natural exposure to see how each one reads!

In Ben Moore’s Affinity Collection are 3 glories: Proposal AF-260,Fondant AF-255, and Head Over Heels AF250. 

Queen Anne’s Pink HC-60 is a downright historic pink. Last winter, an older woman and her sister came in looking for a color for the walls of a bedroom they were preparing for their mother, age 92,  who they were bringing back to Pennsylvania from Florida. They were looking at deep sage-y greens to match the fabric of the chair cushion in hand.

I got to thinking about leaving the Sunshine State for the north lands in freaking January and felt it was my duty as an aesthetic professional to intervene. I pulled out the Queens Anne Pink – perfecto with the background fabric color. The sisters were into it; they saw how it popped the green chair nicely. It warmed up the room for Mother and I hope eased her adjustment to the Philly climate in winter.

In the Colonial Williamsburg palette there is Franklin White CW-200. Not a true pink, but I mention it here because it’s light and warm, leaning towards earthy peach in a good way. I recently placed this color in a kitchen with rich chocolate cherry wood cabinets and soft gray/rosy/peachy tile and countertops. It lets it all shine without interfering and has its own warm glow on the walls.

Now, to take pink to its most intense intensity——going far into the Universe of Red gone Pink, please visit with the two outrageous deep deep pinks in the CSP collection: Pink Flamingo CSP1175, and BubbleTea CSP-1180. They are astonishing and magnificent.

Did you know that the Farrow & Ball colors can be made in Ben Moore paint formulas? Yes, they can! Pink Ground is a warm peach pink – very nice. Middleton Pink* makes me want to dress up and dance around. Calamine, despite its name, is greyed out and downright sexy. Nancy’s Blushes is a full-bodied and healthy, beautiful, not shy but not brassy either.

For pale pink wispiness, look at Opal and Pink Damask. For a pink that is barely there—–really a white with a pink undertone, look at Gardenia.

**Update: At Client A’s house on Saturday, we started by looking for a right color for her new study. A is an elementary school teacher who needs quiet down time when at home. She is claiming a tiny cozy bedroom on her second floor and she has an interesting dark blue lamp/lampshade that she was thinking to use as starting point in choosing a color for the walls.. We looked through a few earthy historic colors, a few classic grays, then onto a few muted lavenders. With the lavender, A began to perk up and with a few more flips of the chart we were among the Farrow and Ball pinks.  I heard that sigh clients sometimes make when we come upon a color they love and have always wanted to live with, but think they cannot have it. It’s too bright, too dark, too crazy, too drab, too silly….whatever!  Yep, A, has always wanted a pink room, but for one reason or another, it hadn’t happened in her girlhood.

You better believe we got her a wonderful pink for her study: she chose Middleton Pink. We are letting go of the dark blue lamp in favor of a chandelier. I’ll post a photo when complete.

Go claim your Pink!

Onward, Barbara

White open plan kitchen fitted units island breakfast bar unit with concrete worktop pink red bar stools by designer Arne Jacobseb Series 7 concrete floor real home L etc 02/2009 pub orig