I was unsure what colour I wanted to paint the office for a long time. Back when we first set up the room, Matt picked a forest green (Benjamin Moore Manor Green). It was not my favourite colour, but it was his room, so I didn’t say anything.
Once I decided the office was going to be mine, I was more than ready to repaint.
I liked the idea of sticking with some shade of green. I like green and it would be another memory of Matt. I knew I wanted dark olive green a few places in the room (namely the vintage metal drawers I found years ago at an auction). Did I want it on the walls too?
I finally decided to go for it. But then I had to figure out what green. I sampled several: High Park, Rosepine, Cushing Green, Peale Green. They were too light, too grey or too brown.
Ellie’s comment was, “So you’re painting the office garbage can green.”
Thanks, girl.
I returned to the paint store in search of my goldilocks–not garbage can–green.
I bought two more samples: the oh so popular Vintage Vogue and a custom shade matched to a flowerpot my sister gave me for Mother’s Day.
Back at home, I put them on the walls… and Flowerpot Green was the winner. It’s dark, but not black, not brown, not grey. It is definitely green, and it picks up the tones of so many of the things I used in this room.
I had a few moments of hesitation as I was painting the first coat, but then I decided I liked it. When I moved my vintage slipper chair in just to see, I loved it.
My Mom’s reaction gave me another reason to love it. Her comment the first time she saw the room was, “Oh, this is the colour we had in the living room and dining room at home!” She was remembering a time that my grandmother (a frequent redecorator) got new furniture, painted the living room dark green, and then sewed curtains to match.
So from my grandmother to Matt to my sister taking care of me on Mother’s Day, my new office paint is full of history and meaning and family. That feels like a good choice to me.
Home on 129 Acres 
I like your green choice. I like colours, not beige or white. My favorite colours are blue, green, purple and red, and brown for accents. A few years ago I repainted the living room, hall, kitchen, dining and bathroom – light grey walls, medium grey doors, and dark grey trim, because they accented my furniture.
I love that you say your favourite colourS. It’s so hard to pick one! Your complimentary doors, trim and walls sound so thoughtful. That’s a nice way to do it.
Looks gorgeous Julia ! 👏
Pam
Thank you!
I painted some accent walls in my living area this year. For the first time ever, I went with a very dark colour. The rest of the walls are beige and the one accent wall up the stairs was a kind of caramel colour, so I painted that and the fireplace wall in the living room a dark brown instead. I thought I should stick to the main colour scheme since we rent, but the results are so much more amazing! I love the contrast and the drama.
That sounds amazing. I love the idea of a dark brown accent.
I enjoyed reading your article on selecting the perfect green paint for your office. The choice of Flowerpot Green seems to have added a rich, earthy tone to your workspace, and I appreciate the personal story behind it. As someone who also values the impact of color and art in a workspace, I run https://www.pastelbrush.com, a site dedicated to my own artistic creations and reflections. It’s inspiring to see how thoughtful design choices can transform a space into a place of creativity and comfort.
Thank you for your comment and for sharing your link. Your paintings are beautiful. It’s inspiring to see how you interpret different landscapes or scenes through your art.