We decided to go for it and test two paint colors in our bedroom that we already had on hand. John has been lobbying for darker walls for months, so we swatched both a softer smoky gray and a deeper, browner gray to see which would work best.
You might remember our rough Photoshop mockup from a while back. Imagine that idea shifted toward a brown-gray, more like putty, rather than blue-gray—especially since the rug and bedding already bring plenty of color. We tested Gray Horse by Benjamin Moore (a smoky gray we love, which we used under the chair rail in the office) and Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore (a moodier browny-gray we used in the attached bathroom). The swatches surprised us: Gray Horse reads considerably darker in the office under the chair rail, but in the bedroom it looked lighter and less obvious than expected.
In contrast, Rockport Gray—the deeper, mocha-tinged gray—was an immediate favorite. It reads as a warm putty with equal parts brown and gray and really showed up beautifully on the swatch.
I painted test swatches of both colors in three different spots to see how they read on various planes of the room:
- the wall next to the bedroom door
- the wall next to the bathroom doorway
- the wall behind the bed (we wanted something dark to make the headboard pop)
You can barely see the Gray Horse swatch under the right half of the mirror, while the Rockport Gray swatch further to the right makes the headboard stand out. That’s how we imagined the full wall looking once painted.
So, Rockport Gray won. It already exists in the adjacent bathroom, so extending it into the bedroom creates a cohesive flow between spaces. Many main bedrooms mirror bathroom colors, and using this tone lets the headboard take center stage while other elements—bedding, rug, and accessories—bring in brighter hues. Although Rockport Gray is a neutral, it still adds personality when viewed in the context of the whole room. We’re even considering adding a subtle light-blue wash to the ceiling someday to complement the moody gray walls.
Rockport Gray is one of the darkest colors we’ve used in the house, aside from the dark teal in the guest room and the back of the dining room built-ins. That variety is what makes the home feel balanced: pops of bright color, soft light tones, and some deeper shades all working together as a cohesive palette.
We like how each room has its own character but still feels connected. For example, a soft pink in Clara’s room…
…greenish-yellow accents in the kitchen and laundry…
…dark teal in the guest room…
…and soft light gray in the living and dining rooms. Neutral walls often free us to layer in bolder colors through rugs, pillows, art, and furniture. In the office, for example, neutral paint lets bright art and cheerful chairs bring energy without overwhelming the space.
The living room follows the same principle: neutral walls plus colorful accents equal a balanced, vibrant room. The dining room uses soft walls, colorful curtains, and dark pops of color in the built-ins to create contrast and interest.
Neutral wall colors tend to offer more possibilities for layering in personality with accessories. That’s the strategy we’re using here: pick a neutral—or in this case, a moody neutral like Rockport Gray—and add life with textiles, art, and furniture.
So that’s the update: we picked a color and started painting. Here’s where we are now…
We’ll be back tomorrow with after photos and a time-lapse once the paint is dry and everything is put back in place. Have you been repainting lately? We find repainting one of the quickest and most affordable ways to refresh a space—usually it only takes a day. There’s no need to live with a color you don’t love when it’s so easy to change.
We still rely on trial and error the way we did when we moved into our first house: try things, learn what works, and change what doesn’t. It can feel risky, but making a change is the best way we’ve found to shape a home that feels right. Hopefully we can finish the bedroom by the end of the day.
P.S. We took one of our favorite monthly photos of Clara—she’s officially a little diva. Check out her moves in our family updates.