The paint is done — Rockport Gray has officially taken over our bedroom, and we are so happy with the result.
The deeper shade makes features like the extra-thick crown molding and the trim around the doors and windows stand out so much more. The darker tone gives the room a calmer, sleepier vibe—yes, you can absolutely call a paint color “sleepy”—and we love it.
Rockport Gray is a very changeable color. In some light it reads lighter and grayer,
and in other lighting it looks moodier and almost mocha-like.
We think it pairs especially well with crisp white accents and inexpensive curtains — we used Ikea Vivan panels ($9 each) — plus familiar pieces from our previous home, like an old side table and a white lampshade that now pop against the deeper walls.
All told, the bedroom has a new, cozier vibe. Previously the room felt soft and sweet with its light gray-blue walls,
but the previous color was very similar to the paint we used in our old house’s bedroom. After four and a half years of that, we wanted a fresh change.
The lighter walls also read a bit too blue when combined with the blue tones in the rug and headboard. We wanted more contrast so architectural details and upholstery would stand out. Side-by-side photos highlight how much more the molding and headboard fabrics “pop” now — they clearly take on a stronger presence.
The vertical shots make it even clearer: the trim appears almost beefed up and brighter against the deeper wall color, even though we didn’t repaint the molding itself.
Here’s how we tackled the paint project. We spackled and sanded any nail holes we weren’t using anymore, especially where art used to hang, to create a smooth surface.
Next we moved most of the furniture out and covered the remaining pieces pushed to the center with plastic drop cloths.
For precision we taped off the crown molding (working on a ladder makes my freehand shaky), but I freehand-painted the trim around windows, doors, baseboards, and outlets without tape to save time. The instant change after the new paint went up was impressive, but it still took five to six hours of prep and painting. The room is big (about 16 x 16 feet), and we also painted the adjoining sink nook, which added more cutting-in around windows and doorways.
We split tasks: I cut in around edges while John rolled the walls. We even repainted the sink nook ceiling back to white — we had painted it a different color earlier for book photoshoots, so it was nice to restore it to white while we finished the walls.
Surprisingly, we used less than a gallon of Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray (Natura base, VOC-free) for the entire room and the sink nook — probably around two-thirds of a gallon. Benjamin Moore’s coverage is great, so we mostly needed one full coat and a few touch-ups rather than two complete coats. We chose an eggshell finish for a matte look with a bit more durability and wipe-ability than flat paint.
Of course, painting one room always creates chaos elsewhere because furniture and belongings get shifted around to other spaces — our living room ended up as the temporary staging area.
We were grateful Clara’s grandparents took her out for the day so we could focus. We’ve painted during naps before, but having uninterrupted time makes the process smoother. We even set up a laptop to record the time-lapse with iMovie — simple and effective for documenting the transformation.
Result: a darker, moodier bedroom that feels restful and substantial. The trim now reads more architectural and intentional, which makes us want to try deeper colors in other rooms. Still, we like the overall balance in our home’s palette, which currently includes:
- light neutrals — like the soft gray in the living and dining rooms
- happy, playful tones — like the grellow in the kitchen and the light pink in Clara’s room
- deep saturated colors — like the dark teal in the guest room and the back of the dining room built-ins
We’re curious about the colors that will end up in the untouched sunroom, playroom, hall bath, and guest bath. What are you painting right now? Are you moving toward darker, moodier tones, or lightening up with soft hues? Share your favorite wall color — it’s always inspiring to hear what others love.