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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

One Room Challenge - Week Two

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

Welcome back. This is Week Number Two of the One Room Challenge. If you missed last week, you can find it here. To review, I have decided to turn our former family room into a Chinoiserie Man Cave for my husband.

My goal for this week was to 1. decide on my color palette and most importantly 2. choose the paint color and 3. get the room painted.

More often than not, my plan for a room starts with a pattern - either fabric or wallpaper. I knew that in this room, being a man's space, I would not use much pattern, but a little never hurt anyone, right?

In my stash of fabrics I had a yard or so of this gorgeous Chinoiserie toile by Bob Collins & Sons called Fete Chinois in the gray, ebony, and ivory colorway - this is a masculine Chinoiserie fabric if there ever was one. Let me rephrase that - this is as masculine as I go.



I decided it would set the tone for my room, with a palette of gray, white, and black and that this fabric would end up as a pair of fabulous pillows to go on the leather couch. The room already has a great distressed leather couch that is staying. BTW, to me distressed leather is absolutely perfect for a man cave. Distressed leather is so forgiving - the sofa is ten years old and looks like new or better than new.

I absolutely love the color gray as a neutral wall paint color with Chinoiserie. Everything looks good with gray. I used Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray in my One Room Challenge powder room combined with this wonderful Ralph Lauren Chinoiserie toile.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray

Ralph Lauren Chinoiserie Toile St. Honore
So for the Man Cave my search began for a new gray. I kept coming back to Benjamin Moore Gray Owl. It is classic and elegant, without going too beige, too blue, or too green. The prefect gray. My painter painted it this week and it looks wonderful. I am totally smitten.

Here are some rooms painted in Gray Owl -

Meredith Heron

Emily Henderson

Emily Henderson

Now the fun can begin.

This week my goals are to 1. get rid of the big old box CRT TV and 2. replace it with a sleek entertainment unit and 3. a flat screen TV. This will make Mr. Chinoiserie Chic very happy.

I love Ikea's Besta Burs TV unit - it is beautiful and cheap and it comes in three colors that would be great - high gloss white, black, and gray. Not sure yet which I will choose. I am off to Ikea today.





Once the TV and cabinet are in place, I plan to make the TV less of a focal point on that wall by creating a gallery wall around it like these, all via Apartment Therapy -

A Cup of Jo

Lonny

Kate Hayes Design

Turquoise

Did you notice that in the first two gallery walls the TV is in front of some of the art? I know artists would consider this sacrilege, but I'm kind of digging it. Part of me thinks it's very cool and part of me thinks it would look like I already had a gallery wall and added a television later in front of it. Still debating.

I have a small gallery wall in my kitchen and another small version in my living room, but this will be my first large scale one with a dozen or more pieces. I love a good gallery wall and am excited to start looking for art for it.

Please go see what progress everyone else made this week.

Chinoiserie Chic - that's me

29 comments:

  1. BM Grey Owl is one of my faves too- gorgeous. And I LOVE your fabric plan- the first one with the leopard takes my breath away!

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  2. I love that fabric. We just gave away our last old chunky tv...nobody wants them. This room is going to be so nice, are you sure you won't want it for yourself?

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  3. LOVE this and LOVE the paint- Those were in my top 3 list but I went with First Star- so I cannot wait to see what you choose!

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  4. Thanks for the informative and entertaining post! Love the fabric. The room will be terrific1
    Marion

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  5. Love both those grays. Agree w/ Linda - you may want to take over this room in the end.

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  6. I can't wait to see your gallery wall, I love the TV covering portions of the artwork, the unexpected is always my fav! Gorgeous paint color, I'll be adding to my arsenal!

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  7. Love the paint color and the fabrics are to die for! You are totally nailing the manly chinoiserie! The tv gallery wall is going to look great!

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  8. I love it, Beth. It will be so chic. I'm sure Mr. Chinoiserie Chic will love it as well!

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  9. Rock on girl...I am so loving all of this chinoiserie goodness in those neutral colors. I definitely think the TV hiding some of the art is OK.....in my worthless opinion.

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  10. I did notice the TV in front of the art work! I thought it was casual and chic. I'm with you on that...I'm diggin it!!! Does Mr. Chinoiserie know how lucky he is???
    Sharon

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  11. Great fabric choice! I actually prefer placing the tv in front of the artwork, it looks so effortlessly casual that way.

    Jessie
    www.mixandchic.com

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  12. Ooooh, that fabric is to die for! And I love the idea of a gallery wall!! This room is going to be AMAZING!!!

    XOXO,
    The Glam Pad

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  13. Off to a great start and I love the idea of working the tv into the gallery wall. So smart!!

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  14. I have this same idea in mind of integrating a gallery wall in the wall where my TV sits. I love the art in the back of it in some photos. If you are not having the tv I think this is a great option. I love that fabric and paint color.

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  15. That paint color is absolutely heavenly, and that Bob Collins fabric is just too much! I'm dying! CAN. NOT. WAIT.

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  16. I love layering art! I think it looks more integrated and less forced. Especially with gallery walls where things can look too forced into place.

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  17. the wall color is so good. you know i love everything you do so i cant wait to see this....
    ugh. get it b!
    xo

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  18. I painted most of my main floor Gray Owl 2 years ago and I still love it,which says a lot because I like to change things up and 2 years is about my limit for a paint color. That fabric is gorgeous! Looking forward to seeing this space evolve the next few weeks!

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  19. That wall color is faboosh. Love!

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  20. Good choice on grays! Our master bedroom is Gray Owl and we love it :)

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  21. Those fabrics are gorgeous! The tv in the mix with a gallery wall doesn't bother me one bit. This is a man space after all so a tv's got to be in there somewhere.

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  22. You always have the most divine fabrics. I can already envision this room coming together. Mr. C.C. is a lucky man!

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  23. I've been working on our second gallery wall in our family, which is set up similar to yours with a our flat screen on top of media cabinet. Can't wait to see what you choose to include in your gallery wall!

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  24. I love your fabrics and I always love a gray room. I think this is one man cave I would want to hang out in!

    XO,
    Krista
    www.goodwillglam.com

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  25. loooooooooove the inspiration! this is going to be goooo-od.

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  26. I am crazy about your plan and I LOVE Gray Owl! I can't wait to use that in my home next :)

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  27. that fabric is beautiful. Like you I love a great looking toile or chinoiserie influenced fabric.

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  28. This will be stunning. I can see your vision in my head and it looks so rich! Gray Owl is one of my go-to grays, and the fabric with the leopard?! Perfection. Can't wait to see it come together! Abby M.

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  29. You cant go wrong with grey walls you have such great style I cant wait to see what you come up with for your man cave x

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