Ever had a vision so clear you could already see the “after” photo in your mind… only to scrap it entirely? Same. Apparently, I’m not alone—according to one design survey, 44% of homeowners say they’ve completely changed their paint color plan after getting input from a partner or roommate. (Wish I had read that stat before I got too emotionally attached.)
I’m usually pretty decisive when it comes to design. I know what I like, I move fast, and I rarely second guess. But recently, I fell hard for the idea of a moody brown bedroom. I had the perfect shade picked out, I could already picture how cozy it would feel—sophisticated, dramatic, chic. I was ready.
Then came the dreaded “meh.”
Followed by the even more dreaded, “I mean, I won’t stop you… but I reaaally am not into brown.”
Cue the screeching brakes.
As much as I knew it would look fabulous (and honestly, still do), I also knew I wasn’t going to feel great about creating a space that didn’t feel good for both of us. After a couple nights of wine-fueled Pinterest scrolling through photos of the color that would not be—RIP moody brown—I rallied and started fresh.
The New Direction: Gray (Yes, Really)
Now, if you know my style, you’re probably thinking: “Wait, gray? That doesn’t sound like you.” And you’re not wrong. But hear me out—I’ve had my eye on Farrow & Ball Down Pipe for a while. It’s one of those magical chameleon colors that reads gray with a hint of blue… until it doesn’t, and then it reads green. It’s complex, it’s bold, it’s dynamic—basically, it’s everything I love in a paint color.
It actually reminds me a lot of the Farrow & Ball Pigeon shade I used for the kitchen cabinets in my Sheboygan house in that it also shifts in tone depending on the light. So clearly, I have a type.
And because I’m all about convenience, I popped over to my neighborhood Sherwin-Williams where they already had a match in their system. My partner (whose wardrobe is 90% blue and gray so obviously likes those colors) seemed to like the swatch I tested on the wall… or at least didn’t fight me on it. Let’s be real: at this point, anything but brown is a win in his book.
Some Prep, a Lot of Hope, and a Color That Might Be It
I’ll be honest—the walls need a bit of TLC before I go all in. (Thanks to my not-so-great experience with a peel-and-stick wallpaper I installed for my original bedroom wall plan, which I’m still too scarred to talk about. One day.) But I’m genuinely excited about this new direction. It feels like a win-win: I still get the moody vibe I was after, and he gets a color that feels more in his comfort zone.
And who knows… brown might just make a comeback in a guest bedroom at the Sheboygan house. Stay tuned. 😉