Painting open shelves dark | Owning what you love

Look … If you love something, why change it?

Sometimes, I feel pressured to do something outside my norm. But I can trust myself to create the best home for my family. And usually that means going with the colors and styles and features that we really love and things that provide a comfortable backdrop.

That usually means painting all the trim white. It means warm and neutral walls. And it means some pops of color that I love. (Navy blue and red, please.)

There’s nothing wrong with taking risks and trying something new. But there’s also nothing wrong with sticking with what you love – especially in your home. Because it seems that whenever I go against my gut, I regret it.

That leads me to the open shelves in the kitchen. I painted them the exact color I painted the shelves in the barn.

The color is Behr Seared Gray. It’s the perfect color for contrast against bright white. And spoiler: I am obsessed with them. Again.

I had actually used all the other paint in this color and had to go get more. But it was worth the trip to the Depot. I like to have backups of my favorite colors. In case of zombie apocalypse. Or an emergency paint project.

The only thing I changed here was going with a white shelf. This provides some much-needed contrast instead of creating a black hole. Because the shelves are installed on shelf pins, they are removable. Which makes painting everything extremely simple.

I also think white shelves hold up a little better over time – the dark shelves in the barn show everything – like scratches and dust. The white does a better job of hiding imperfections. (And I added a few coats of poly for good measure. You’ll never regret poly. Even if you don’t want to take the extra step. Kim law.)

Once the paint and poly were dry, I was itching to put something up there. I tried to stay simple and not overload any of the shelves. I’m really digging the simple look – and I ended up going pretty neutral, which is a nice change. It will be overtaken by fall colors and pumpkins soon enough, so I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. #threedays

My current favorite is this DIY box of hydrangeas that my grandma brought me from her garden. (I also brought some home from my aunt’s house and I just want them everywhere.)

This wall-of-shelves is such a great addition to our kitchen. Not only does it provide some open display space, it also gives us an abundance of storage. I love that I have spots for all the random stuff – from small appliances to snacks and from Henry’s art supplies to extra decor items. (Once we get all settled, I may have to come back and share a peek inside those doors.)

Now I think the shelves are making a statement in the kitchen.

The shelves and backs were poly-ed birch plywood before and they were fine, but they weren’t speaking to me.

Now, I feel like we have a focal point on the wall. And the pop of navy really flows with the rest of the kitchen. We have so many elements – white cabinets, stainless appliances, granite and walnut countertops, exposed antique beadboard/car siding on the island.

I feel like the dark shelves actually help bring it together in a way.

So, I guess there’s a reason I named seared gray as one of my favorite paint colors. Want more? I also used it in the barn, the laundry room, Henry’s room and some other nooks that have yet to be shared on the blog.)

Do you have a go-to color or style? Own it, my friends.

 

Linking to the Before and After Party at Thrifty Decor Chick.