The Paint That Convinced Our Color-Averse Editor to Go Bold

Share

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

I’ve always been a staunch fan of white walls. I like the blank canvas and clean possibilities of empty, expansive walls. But then I moved into a new apartment and was presented with the daunting question from building management: “What color do you want the walls?” When given the choice of practically any color option in the world, white seemed a tad safe.

image
The bold palette in Domino editor Kristin Limoges’s home office was inspired by shades of her favorite beauty products. The chair is by Coming Soon, the mirror is by AYTM, and the floor is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black. Photography by Cody Guilfoyle

I had a lightbulb moment when getting ready one morning: What if my walls and furniture mimicked the color of my most beloved products? After all, if I like a shade of blush, I’d surely also love it replicated as a paint color. As a beauty editor, my bedroom is more like a mini Sephora, if you will. I love my skincare, hair products, and makeup like they’re my own inanimate children, so inspired by my kids, I designed my bedroom so my products are on display.

image
Photography by Cody Guilfoyle

Ready to turn my white bedroom into a true color-infused beauty shrine, I looked to Farrow & Ball’s newest paint collection for inspiration. That’s when I laid eyes upon the hue that made me fall in love with color: Rangwali by Farrow & Ball. Described by the brand as an “exotic and adventurous pink,” Rangwali was the joyful boost of color I never knew I wanted.

Rangwali is named after the vibrant powders thrown during the Holi festival of colors in India. It’s a relatively low-risk pink too: The shade isn’t that poppy, bubblegum tone so often associated with pink. Instead, it has a deeper complexity, thanks to black pigment added for a depth of color.

That same shade played beautifully with my simple, floating shelves from CB2. They come in bright white, but I painted them Rangwali as well to make the shelving less noticeable so the products and paint color could be the focal points.

image
Inside the beauty closet, a curated mix of beauty products are organized in brass baskets by CB2. Photography by Cody Guilfoyle

When painting with a darker shade, I discovered it’s nice to brighten things up with pops of different colors. I painted my IKEA beauty closet a delicate, subtle blush—Calamine by Farrow & Ball. The closet is the perfect place to store away products that aren’t used on a daily basis, like face masks and special occasion fragrances and makeup.

image
Photography by Cody Guilfoyle

It’s also worth considering color-blocking, a signature trick of our style editor, Elaina Sullivan. It was Sullivan who convinced me to branch out with a Pop-bright Yellowcake shade, a sunny, vibrant, can’t-miss hue. A Domino favorite, the classic bright yellow is admittedly a bold choice. It was conceived to mimic the frequently used shade in iconic Americana 1960s kitchens. While I love that background story, my color-adverse brain was pretty sure it wouldn’t work well with my newly loved Rangwali walls. I was wrong. The bright yellow takes the darker colors into a whole new color scheme. It’s like a yellow eye shadow—unconventional yet met with great fanfare from every person who lays eyes upon it.

My bedroom now feels like a celebration. The three prominent shades taught me to give color a chance and take some creative risks when decorating my home. And it turns out that life really is much more fun in color.

Kristin Limoges

Writer/Editor

Kristin can usually be found face, hair, and body masking simultaneously, while thinking-up clever DIYs for her small-space Chinatown apartment. She’s always on the search for the greatest and most life-changing beauty and wellness hacks (hello nootropics and adaptogens) and is happy to report she loves dogs and cats equally.