Here’s how the story began: I had about 30 minutes to zip into the paint store and pick a navy color for the dining room walls of my Atchison house. An hour later, I was drowning in paint chips, completely overwhelmed and still no closer to finding my perfect navy. Can anyone relate? Picking the right paint color for your rooms is so important to the overall look and feel of your interior spaces, that it can become a stressful decision.
Here’s how the story ended: I tossed the paint chips and had the store custom mix the best navy I’d ever seen. I called my new hue Twilight. And, a few months later, Mary Carol Artisan Paints was born. After selling our paints for years, we retired the line a little while ago. (You know me – I’m always ready to move on to something new!) But customers kept asking for our paints. So we re-introduced the line this fall.
Classic Colors for Timeless Style
We picked 12 of our very best colors for our new collection: Timeless classics that will always be in style and the perfect choice for a well-designed room, whether it’s traditional or contemporary. This group of carefully curated colors has something for everyone, whether you like bold, rich colors that make a statement or whisper soft tones that give your furnishings center stage.
The Versatility of Neutrals
Even though our colors are very different, each is a timeless neutral, an inviting canvass upon which you can design a room that reflects your unique personality. I love neutrals because they make it super easy to change the look and feel of a room simply by changing your furnishings or accents, or adding seasonal decor. Here is a glimpse of a few of our colors …
Garrity Cream
I am crazy in love with this buttery warm cream color and have washed my lake house in it, from the walls to the trim. The color has a lot of brown in it, so it feels warm and inviting. Yet it’s pale enough to be the blank canvass behind any décor. I especially like Garrity Cream in rooms that have lots of color and pattern. It balances all that action, keeping the space from being too busy.
Twilight
When I decorated the tiny powder room off my living room, I did what all the decorating experts say to “never” do: I covered the walls in a dark color, Twilight, the be-still-my-beating-heart navy that kick-started this whole paint adventure. I think painting tiny spaces a dark, rich color makes them feel dramatic and snug. So, as usual, I ignored the experts and went with my heart. I love the results!
Front Porch
Blues can be hard to pick. Sometimes they go too baby blue. Other times, too gray. Front Porch is just a nice, clean blue that looks fabulous with most everything. Zakk, a Nell Hill’s designer, shared this “after” snapshot of a bedroom he helped a customer redesign. Linda wanted to get rid of her Tuscan brown and beige and go with a cleaner, lighter tone in her room. In this re-style, Zakk and Linda painted the walls Front Porch, then freshened up her existing furniture with custom bedding from Nell Hill’s. The fabulous light fixture is from Nell Hill’s, too!
Amelia Blue
Named for famed aviator Amelia Earhart, who is from my hometown of Atchison, Kansas, this blue feels like wide-open skies. Here, it adorns the walls of a sorority chapter house at the University of Kansas.
Molasses
Molasses is a rich, indulgent brown that looks wonderful with Garrity Cream. Here it is in one of the galleries at Nell Hill’s. It’s like a warm hug!
Our Full Palette of Colors
Our high-resin paints are formulated by master chemists to deliver premium color saturation with a smooth application. Your finished walls will look smooth and lovely, bathed in warm color, ready for your creative touch. Pick them up at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff. Or, give us a call at 877-746-4320 and we will ship them to you.
Next Week … I will share some creative new seating options for your dining table that will make your dining space feel fresh and fun.
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Stunning Summer Bedding 2022
Finding the Perfect Upholstered Piece
Lovely Lakehouse Essentials
Linda L says
October 19, 2015 at 1:47 pmWhat a beautiful post. A lesson in being brave and listening to our hearts. As was the case with your powder room. It’s so elegant. I love it. So many good ideas and gorgeous pictures! Thank you Mary Carol for all your inspiration. Now I’m wondering if the framed pictures that can be seen
in your bathroom mirror are for sale at your KC store.
Laura Gabriel says
October 19, 2015 at 2:08 pmMary Carol,
You know I love the new paint! What color did you use on the kitchen cabinets in the Lake House? Is it Garrity Cream? I’ve been looking for the perfect color for my old kitchen cabinets and that looks like it will work!
Thanks,
Laura (one of the Denver girls!)
Mary Carol Garrity says
October 19, 2015 at 3:29 pmHi Laura, yes, my kitchen walls and trim are all Garrity Cream.
BARBARA says
October 19, 2015 at 4:18 pmDear Mary Carol, I love your enthusiasm that makes you so creative and takes you to big changes. I congratulate you on this new challenge and I mention that I love each of the rooms that you show us.
The motif ceiling in the dining room is great, I love it.
The bathroom of your house looks equally spectacular, I’m sure everyone will want to see it, do not be surprised frequently wishing to go. For me , Garrity cream it is a key color as front porch , and mollasses….. great to.
Your colors are perfect for everyone, there are several options that iwill cover the desires of your followers for sure.
Thank you once more for sharing with us your news.
love you
Barbara
Ellen Smith says
October 19, 2015 at 6:16 pmIs it possible to purchase small sample paints?
Jaybird says
October 20, 2015 at 10:00 amWould it be possible to see a picture of a room done with the Gooseberry color???
Many thanks,
J
Ann says
October 25, 2015 at 4:17 pmI love how changing a room’s wall &/or trim color gives our home (and me) new energy. I also agree that finding the right color can be overwhelming! Thanks for helping us narrow it down to 12 beautiful colors.
Would you please confirm what color is used on the walls in the top photo?
jane says
October 31, 2015 at 7:51 amlove love Nell Hill’s colors are the best . Thank You Jane
Julie says
November 2, 2015 at 8:52 amYour paint colors are beautiful. Can they be shipped to California?
Mary Carol Garrity says
November 2, 2015 at 4:14 pmYes, Julie, they can!
Tina says
January 10, 2016 at 12:26 pmWhat are your thoughts on painting rooms different colors? Seems there’s a balance needed so every room in the house isn’t a different color…yet, not have every room the same color! What’s your advice? Perhaps Master bedroom, dining, etc different than the main parts of the house? (We have an open floorplan where kitchen living breakfast dining can all be viewed at same time…so it’s nice, but confusing on how to paint and design these rooms. Any advice you can offer is super appreciated! 😉
Mary Carol Garrity says
January 12, 2016 at 3:57 pmHi Tina, I agree – it is tough to know how to paint your rooms. In my cottage, for instance, my rooms are the same color — Garrity Cream — except for the little powder room off the entry, which I painted a deep midnight blue. But in my Atchison home, most of the rooms were different colors, plus I had two that were papered. I think you nailed it: the rooms need to balance and flow together well, whether they are painted the same color or not. Finding the right balance is a matter of personal taste. So, trust your gut!
Michelle Derry says
June 16, 2016 at 3:14 pmHello there neighbor! Long story super short – we sold our dream home at Weatherby Lake and the exterior color/style was very similar to your cottage exterior. Big problem, Kwall paint no longer available and I am unable to replicate the exterior color on our new tiny house project at Lake Waukomis! I tell ya, if I had a dollar for every stranger who knocked on my door at Weatherby asking me for that gorgeous rich tone…… Would you please share your exterior color with me? I may be sneaking either to Weatherby or “around the block” to color match with my paint deck when the time comes for exterior!
Mary Carol Garrity says
June 17, 2016 at 4:15 pmMichelle, I’m so sorry – I don’t have the paint color. The exterior boards came pre-finished.
Christina says
September 26, 2016 at 11:06 amGorgeous colors! Is the top photo, the dining space in the deep brown, Molasses? Are we able to get color swatches prior to ordering? Thanks!
Mary Carol Garrity says
September 26, 2016 at 11:20 amYes, it is!
Leah Huntley says
December 31, 2018 at 3:15 pmBring back Shutter Window! It is the most amazing green I have ever seen. It transformed our front room and gives a bright punch to the area while still being an awesome neutral. It goes with everything. Love it so much.
Mary Mobilia says
August 21, 2019 at 5:18 pmWhere did you get the dining room chair covers? They are so elegant!