Vamp Greige Is Not Dull

As many of you who read along know, I am a colorist, never shying away from using color in my rooms. Lately the color of choice is this magical combination of beige and gray, which of course equals Greige.

When another design maven who's writing a design book saw my dining room, he remarked that this was a neutral room that is not boring, how my choice of "Vamp Greige" shows how you can use neutrals as color. He remembered my red walls, but did not think the greige to be any less exciting.

I got a lovely e-mail from Maryanne the other day, and she thinks so too. She sent me some pictures of her dining room.

She writes" "We are redoing a lot of our house as we bought it a month ago and it is definitely not to our taste."

Maryanne's dining room - she moved in a month ago

Maryanne painted her dining room a color she calls aqua blue. She wanted to try something different, but admitted she really is "a Greige girl all the way." So two days later she repainted the dining room Greige.

Maryanne's dining room then, with blue walls

Maryanne shares: "And I must say, we have had tremendous luck with Craigslist. I have bought many items so far and I am thrilled with them - the antique table in the dining room was only $210, the small mirror was only $20, but best of all, all 6 dining chairs were only $80!! The bust and marble stand were a combined $100. There was a time when I would have paid much more for these items. Now, I am so delighted to source them through fleas and the internet."

Maryanne's dining room now - with Greige walls

Maryanne tells us: "Greige is definitely not dull. My husband said yuk when I told him I was repainting the walls greige but, of course, now he loves it."

Maryanne's dining room project is still a work in progress. But at the rate she works, I am sure that the whole house will be done in two weeks!

Maryanne is a great shopper!
She says: "I try to limit all my buys to Craigslist or fleas.
I already had the chandelier from my more fiscally careless days."

Some of you have asked me what the paint color is that I am using, the color I call "Vamp Greige".

It is a discontinued color by the Color Place brand, the house brand from Wal Mart. However they (or any paint store) can mix it for you. The color is Studio Beige.

I have it mixed in a Kilz paint base because I like to use Kilz in New Orleans which is prone to moisture and mildew. But the Color Place brand base paint is excellent as is.

I have the exact paint number and formula at home, and I will share it with you when I get home from New York.

In New York with blogger friends Kwana and Patricia

The best thing about this beautiful paint color and paint brand is that it is only $20. a gallon. Sherwin Williams makes the Color Place brand, and the contractors here love this paint for both the price and the quality.

And most importantly, thank you Maryanne for sharing your project with us!

I think she is doing a wonderful job, don't you?!