When One Thing Leads To Another

So back in 2012 when we bought our home we never changed the interior paint colour except in the bedrooms which were pink.  We simply matched the paint and did touch-ups which in some cases meant painting the whole wall.  Our home is an open concept so painting the kitchen, dining room, living room and two large hallways is kind of a big undertaking.  I've never been in love with the builders beige (which hints more towards peach than brown), in fact have pretty much hated it but we've lived with it.  After we decided to stay rather than sell in the Spring we changed out the carpets, rearranged rooms and ordered new bedroom furniture.  We put hubby's drum kit back in the spare bedroom as even though there is a proper room for guests it still fits in the corner.  Who wants a room only used 10 days of the year when family is over?  We also still have a treadmill in there as it folds up, and yes, it actually gets used.  Our old bedroom furniture is in there and provides lots of extra storage.  In fact, the house now mostly works for us.

All except one thing - the natural gas fireplace has always been super blah and the paint colour.  So on Friday we did one thing - painted the bottom half of the fireplace a rich magnetic grey.

Thursday - builders blah beige

So late Friday afternoon Hubby painted (I am the taper).  I am not a great decorator, every choice actually pains me with indecision.  But it was paint and it could be painted over if we hated it.  Well, we both love it but it just showed both of us how much we hate the rest of the paint colour.  So....starting today we are painting the rest of the wall in the living room a light grey, it almost has a hint of blue in it.  Including the top piece of the fireplace.  I don't know if we will leave it that way or paint the top piece of the fireplace the same magnet grey as below.  There is lots of warmth and light in this house, it can handle grey walls plus the floors are warm colours as well as the cupboards in the kitchen.  If we like the wall we will proceed with the rest of the living room over the next week.  I want it done as all my Christmas decorating is usually contained to the living room and dining room.  That way if hubby feels like painting more in the month of December he can without me dismantling Christmas decorations.  We do have a difficult tray ceiling that will likely be left until the new year.  I am ok with having a half-painted house, this all seems a step in the right direction.  Our decorating is only for us, no one else and is a weird mix of modern and antique with things like guitars all over the place.  This is a huge job and though paint used to be relatively inexpensive, it isn't when you are talking the equivalent of six rooms.

After - Friday

Once we get the wall painted I will do an updated post. 

Any one want to weigh in wether the top of the fireplace should be light grey like the walls will be or the dark grey of the bottom part?  I don't really see the top venting as a feature.......