We all chuckle at some of the names our paint colors have. Some make sense and some are just way out there. Today I thought I’d have some fun and “start my own line” of colors that I see on a daily basis but don’t officially exist anywhere. The colors may be similar to some but the names have been changed. Here’s what I came up with. Enjoy.
Perpetual Blue: The blue that is always found in just about everyone’s home and it never goes away. Is a pretty blue and guaranteed to be around forever.
Here we have the “Dreaded Orange” as in the dreaded orange kitchen that you always see me writing about. It’s the orange floor and the orange wood stain that you find in so many homes that just take over your color scheme. Great color but not in a wood stain.
Band-Aid. Also known as “Pinky Beige”. Now this color has a very, very bad reputation but when designed properly, can be stunning, tricky but stunning. I actually have it in my home and it even gave me a run for my money.
Green Dream. This is such a great green! It’s not like a sage, pea green or an old fashioned Kelly. It’s one of my favorites.
Tube of Toothpaste. Speaking of greens, here’s one that’s really a pretty color but really frightens people because it reminds them of toothpaste.
Baby’s First Deposit. Use your imagination on this one. Decent color but when it reminds you of something stinky, it really doesn’t matter how great the color is.
Love this color and it’s a really popular choice for a Master bedroom. Variations of this to a lighter choice for the main wall or a darker accent color for the ceiling. This is a hottie in the bedroom.
Everybody say “awe” because this color is that cute for a nursery. It’s great for a boy a girl or if you just can’t decide what you want. Also known as celery. Highly recommend this for baby’s first color.
It’s hard to find the right pink. It can be too much like bubble gum or barely there. Big Girl Little Girl is a pink that you can grow into.
Now on the side of an actual color palette if I had to design one it would be very close to this. Since I spent the first 28 years of my life on Long Island, I know these colors well thus the love for all my coastal posts.
Some colors are a cross between Nautical and Coastal which this is. Great color palette for the home and these are designed to be mixed and matched throughout the house.
Decorating by Donna • Intuitive Color Expert 
Fun post! For the record, I *think* I have that “orange” stain on my floors, but I happen to love it! Maybe it’s not what I’m thinking. It’s a medium, warm stain. At any rate, your take on these is great. But for the palette I would love to hear the “pretty” names for the ones that you used unpretty names for, replacement names to put the positive Donna spin on “Band Aid,” “Baby’s First Deposit,” etc.
Soooo many people have the Dreaded Orange in the home, myself included but I plan on getting it out!!! Keep an eye out for Part II for some “pretty” names. The list will be big!
Reblogged this on Wellborn Blog and commented:
We are in love with Donna’s Paint Colors – a few would look wonderful on cabinets!
You’re so sweet! Not sure about cabinet color on these but certainly for the home. Thanks for the reblog and keep an eye out for more!
Love the paint names & some, but not all, of the colors …
I’ll be inventing more colors and names, prettier ones I promise! There are just for fun of course.
Donna–I sort of had a brain child idea that I could paint my beat up “orangey” hardwoods white! I wonder how that would wear?
You can paint any wood I’m sure but it’s a process! Sanding, priming, painting. May be easier to replace the flooring. I need to update all the floors in my home too. Wish I could just spray paint it all!
Right now the Dreaded Orange is not popular at my house. We’re redoing ALL of our orange cabinetry and woodwork. But my least favorite OF ALL TIME is Tube of Toothpaste. Those mint blues and greens always leave me cold, and remembering trips to the doctor/hospital/dentist when I was a kid! Icky! The Deposit one is tolerable in the right place . . . but not in that name, ha! But then I think you are more of a grays person and I lean towards browns and beiges. Am really trying to go gray & gray-blues in my bedrooms though. So far it’s working! 🙂
Wishing all a wonderful weekend. 🙂
The colors that I highlighted here are ones that I “struggle” with on a daily basis with clients. They show up on a daily basis so that’s why I mentioned them.
“Baby’s First Deposit” seems to be a dated color at this point. I haven’t seen a color like that in a home in a really long time. People are just gravitating towards “Perpetual Blue” as yourself for your bedroom. Pretty color but EVERYONE has it in their home.
Love “Baby’s First Hue” – such a happy color and really can be used any where in the home but the “Dreaded Orange” is a problem when it’s seen in wood stain. On the positive side, it looks great with “Perpetual Blue”. Have a great weekend too and thanks for all your posts Cheryl 🙂
I would love to know a color in SW that is the same as the accent wall
The wall where the mural is painted? If that’s the one you’re referring to, it’s actually a Behr color – and also known as a “pinky beige.” This color is very challenging to tie into you home so because bringing in any hue into your home that has a pink undertone.