Cottage Colour Of The Year - 2012 - Common Beige
First of all, a huge thank you to all of you who wrote comments about my 2011 colour of the year. All our different ideas made the post a lot more interesting.
Tout d'abord, un grand merci à tous ceux qui ont ajouté leur petit grain de sel à propos de ma couleur de l'année 2011. Toutes vos idées ont rendu l'article tellement plus intéressant.
Today, I'm going to show you my colour of the year for 2012. It goes with a little background story...
Aujourd'hui, passons à la couleur de l'année 2012. Elle va avec l'histoire de Cottage.
When I met Cottage, I immediately knew that it would take a little time for it to be transformed according to my tastes. What I didn't know is that there would be much more expensive things to do as well, like a new slab for the whole downstairs...
Quand j'ai rencontré Cottage, je savais qu'il faudrait changer un peu son look pour qu'il me plaise vraiment... Je ne savais pas que cela nécessiterait des opérations beaucoup plus onéreuses, comme refaire toute la dalle du rez-de-chaussée...
So soon, it became obvious that there would be money problems. By then, I had begun reading blogs and so many people seemed to be able to do things on their own...
Très vite, il a semblé évident qu'il faudrait faire des économies. A l'époque, j'avais commencé à lire des blogs de déco et beaucoup de gens semblaient faire les choses par eux-mêmes...
I didn't even own a paint brush... I had redone all my previous places, but to be honest, I was only the brain in those renovations and I had people work for me.
Moi, je ne possédais même pas de pinceau! J'avais refait tous mes chez-moi précédents, mais je n'avais toujours été que le cerveau des opérations.
I was beginning to wonder if I would be able to do it. It would save money. I was terrified to screw things up, though, as I'm not known as the artistic girl in the family.
Je commençais à me demander si je serais capable de me lancer. Cela permettrait de faire quelques économies. Mais j'étais terrifiée à l'idée de tout rater. Dans la famille, ce n'est pas moi qui ai la fibre artistique...
So I decided to try my hand in the loo. (I'm not sure this sentence makes sense - if not, blame it on my French, OK?) It's a very small room, basically as big as a cupboard and if the loo had a crappy paint job, it wouldn't be too bad.
J'ai décidé de m'entraîner dans les toilettes. C'est une pièce minuscule et si les toilettes étaient massacrés, c'était moins grave que le salon.
I chose to get rid of the orange fish that were sailing in an ocean of orange. And I chose "beige". I know, not a courageous choice... But at that time I had no idea where I was going with Cottage's decoration and all the blogs I was reading were praising "neutrals"...
J'ai choisi de me débarrasser des poissons oranges qui nageaient dans un océan orange. Et j'ai décidé de repeindre en beige... Un choix pas très courageux... Mais je ne savais pas encore du tout où j'allais avec la décoration de Cottage...
I have to admit. This is not the best paint job ever... I have improved since 2012. But I'm proud I got the guts to try, because now, I know I can.
Bon, j'avoue, ce n'est pas du super bon travail et je me suis améliorée depuis 2012. Mais je suis bien contente d'avoir eu le courage d'essayer, parce que maintenant, je sais que je peux!
I have to tell you a little secret, though. All this hard work is going to be destroyed in a few months... I'll tell you about it in a future post!
Allez, je vous dévoile un petit secret. Tout ce travail dont je suis si contente va être détruit dans quelques mois. Je vous révèle tout (ou presque) dans un prochain article!
So what are your ideas about beige? Boring or timeless?
Alors, quel est votre sentiment sur le beige? Ennuyeux ou intemporel?
See you soon,
A bientôt,
PS1: Karen, I'm so sorry, but now that the loo isn't all yellow anymore, you'll have to try to pee in the bowl...
Sorry, beige is not my favorite color. For me it's too boring. I avoid this color in my house.
ReplyDeleteI understand how common beige can appear.
DeleteHi Magali! I remember when you got rid of the little bathroom! I told you I thought it was a bad idea, remember? How do you feel about it now? Is having to go upstairs to 'go' okay?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, beige is BEIGE, lol. I'm a color girl!
Well, that dowstair loo was never used before because the door was facing the front door and located only a few feet away from the couch since it's only a small cottage. My guests and I always used the upstairs loo and we keep doing it... Only it's less orange!
DeleteEnlarging the bathroom? Or reconfiguring the stall, so you won't hit your head or not feel closed in? I am very excited for you and cottage! Love seeing your house turning into a cozy cottage. Sea glass colors upstairs too? Kathleen in Az USA
ReplyDeleteI can't enlarge the loo as the space was already taken out of my bedroom. The Cottage is an old one and it was built without any bathroom! See glass colours upstairs is a high probability ;)
Deleteum my whole house is shades of beige!!! lol I love creamy white and beige together - classic combo. Reminds me of shells and beaches. Especially if you use sandy beige :)
ReplyDeleteHi sweet Magali! I think cream colors are classic and simply beautiful. It opens and brightens up spaces and seems refreshing :) I can't wait to see what you do next! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteOf course, if you refer to it as Taupe it becomes a very chic colour!
ReplyDeleteUh, frankly? Boring. I don't think I've ever seen so many lovely photos of the loo in one blog post, my dear.
ReplyDeleteBeige can go either way, but I personally think of it as timeless. Just depends on how you decorate around it! I look forward to seeing what you are up to in the coming months. Have a lovely rest of the weekend!
ReplyDeleteBeige, or eggschell, what I usually buy for rooms that I want to be calm and peaceful, is a great background colour. Especially when other stuff with colour comes to live in your house in the foreground haha! And with children, that happens a lot ! So though I love colours on the walls, I wait until my kids have left the house :-) So it depends, in my opinion, on whether you need more peace or more 'life' in your cottage... Grtzz,Marcy
ReplyDeleteWe are building our own home. We've been living in one room in the basement going on our third year. I plan on painting every room cream, and decorate with color. If I want to change a wall or two later, I will. Paint is easy to change. Your little cottage looks adorable.
ReplyDeleteCindy Bee
ReplyDeleteI like color, but that's just me. You should paint the color that you want and will comfortable with. After all it is your home and you have to live with it. Good luck on what you select, I am sure Cottage will love it.
Mary
I love beige and neutrals in major areas but I also love to add in touches of color. Paint is so inexpensive but it's still a lot of work to repainted. So, I think you made a wise choice and it looks great.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Beige was a good start for the color to follow. I guess it would depend on how you feel about being in the loo. Do you want to be serene and peaceful? Or is it the quick get-away you wish? Looking forward to what you choose. Well, what the cottage chooses.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not my favorite esp. the beige with more yellowish tinge to it, I prefer it with blue or gray undertones, more cool. I wonder what this loo will look like next!
ReplyDeleteBeige is safe, so a good choice to start with. I prefer white walls throughout the entire house and I have always been told that it is calming and refreshing.
ReplyDeleteBeige is okay if there is the right light. I don't think it looks to good in our harsh light of the desert, but people use it a lot and it's called Navajo White. I didn't use it, because it looks dirty here. I think it is the dust and the light, plus an old home. I might feel differently with big windows and lots of light. xoox
ReplyDeleteYou wrote: " if the loo had a crappy paint job, it wouldn't be too bad." Crappy? {snicker, snicker} As far as beige goes, it's safe, and there isn't much you can do in a half-bath to add colorful accessories to it. What you did gain was painting experience, so that's a plus!
ReplyDeleteTu as oublié de parler de tes accessoires blancs : l'étagère et le porte-magazines qui donnent une touche lumineuse à ce petit coin qui est tout de même plus zen qu'avant !
ReplyDeleteI like beige. Yes, it might be safe but one can accessorise and easily change things up. I love neutrals and I think they are timeless unlike a bold colour statement.
ReplyDeleteBonjour Magali! Quelle différence! Nous aussi, notre salle de bain a bien changé il y a cinq ans. La couleur que tu as choisie va beaucoup mieux.
ReplyDeleteBonne journée! Anita
Painting is a fairly easy transformation you can do on your own. However painting small rooms like your can be tricky and painting around toilets is extremely challenging since they cannot be moved. You picked a tough room for your first paint job, and you did a good job. Beige is ok, but I feel that loo is calling out for an accent wall. Sounds like it is going to get a heck of a lot more however!
ReplyDeleteI painted over our beige master bedroom walls with a light gray and now it feels fresh and new. I like cream colored walls, but I don't much care for beige in our home. I can't wait to see what you're up to now, Magali!
ReplyDeleteGetting rid of the fish was a huge improvement. LOL Beige isn't my favorite color, but then there are so many shades of beige these days. I'm eager to read what you're going to do next!
ReplyDeleteil faut un début à tout et comme tout il faut se lancer, prendre des risques, on voit de quoi on est capable ou pas
ReplyDeletej'ai hâte de découvrir ton prochain post, quelle aventure ce cottage
Bon dimanche (ici en région parisienne il fait soleil)
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi.......I found you an cottage through a link party..I must say..I could not be happier about it..I too fall on the boring side of beige..sorry..i do like other variations of it..which are probably colors in their own right..I'm sure like most of us you are your own worse critic..it looks fine in the photos..after photos =^)
ReplyDelete..I look forward to your visits showing off cottage as you go..hope this week brings you 2 some great ideas..
Thanks for stopping by and taking time to write your ideas about beige... And yes, I always criticise what I do! But no one else seems to see the mistakes... or they are too kind to say it!
DeleteFor me, just picking a color is very difficult. This year in my new home I am going brighter in some rooms. So far I like it and posted on my blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Magali! I think the beige bathroom was a big improvement over the original color! I have been debating with myself over what color to paint my little tiny office area, and I think I'm going with creamy white walls and light beige trim, because for me, I like to add color in the decorations and books that I'll use on shelves in the area. I like that I can switch out the colors anytime I want, to go with the seasons, and the background will still work so I don't have to repaint the walls all the time--I'm too lazy for that :) I very much love color, and I love to change it out often, so having the neutral background is good for me. I don't care for beige that is too tan-colored, which is what my current walls are now, and why I want a change--it just looks dull and dirty all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think beige is a safe neutral when you are not sure where you want to go with color. So, you can add your color with towels and pics to hang on the wall.
ReplyDeleteI do not care for beige.
ReplyDeletebut many, many, many people do.
you asked, so I told. :-)
Bahahahahahahaha! I will definitely hit the bowl Magali. Love it and you did a fantastic job on the painting. Now what are you up to? Am I gonna see Magali-The Plumber soon??
ReplyDeleteMost of my house is Laura Ashley Taupe; a fancy name for beige. I love beige with crisp white trim. However, I have painted our utility room/breezeway a great color entitled "Cream Yellow" and the dining room will soon be "French Blue". I don't know why people are so highly critical of beige. Good decor is about personal tastes and the sense of nest. I love everything you decide to do.
ReplyDeleteI happen to like beige and I love everything you do, Magali so no negatives form me. xo Laura
ReplyDeleteBeige is a tough color to choose for a room, because if you don't get it right the walls can end up looking pink. If I were going to paint a neutral color, I'd probably go toward the grays. It looks like the beige you picked out for the loo worked pretty well. Looking forward to what you've got up your sleeve next. xxx ~ Nancy
ReplyDeleteIntemporel bien sûr & ennuyeux si on ne l'agrémente pas un peu. Je dois reconnaître que tout ou presque va bien avec le beige.
ReplyDeleteLa suite va être très intéressante, j'ai h^te.
Caresses aux quat'pattes. Bises. Babette
I love all the transformations I've seen you do to the cottage and love them. I liked someone else's suggestion of the sea glass color you introduced us to. I never liked green before, but all those sea glass shades were beautiful. I guess I'm saying I like color better than beige in that tiny room. I trust you and your choices though and can't wait to see what you come up with. Sandra
ReplyDeleteI can relate to what you were saying at first finding out how much the Cottage ran you in the beginning unexpectedly. When I moved in the Charmer was in a really bad shape. I even paid to have the inspector, they found a few things and came a "go ahead". I was in her about 1 month when the water heater broke, then a few months later the roof started leaking really bad and had to replace. I needed a complete tear off, in my neck of the woods only 3 layers of roofing is allowed. Yep there were 3 on it.ran me close to $7,000 back in 1988. I cried and cried. I don't mind you beige, it's safe, but like you said it's changing soon, and this paint job gave you the confidence you'll need moving forward. You did good girl!
ReplyDeleteNo matter what color you picked I am just amazed by your bravery. I grew up in a family where we did many, many home improvements on our own but for those who don't have that background it can be daunting. I have never paid anyone to paint for me because I think I do a better job than painters and I don't rise the brushes out on the lawn. I also get a real sense of pride by doing things myself.
ReplyDeleteAbout your funny sentence, I think your English is fantastic and I never notice that it is your second language, it was the next sentence that cracked me up. I have no idea if "crappy" means the same thing in France as it does here in the US but if you are going to do a "crappy" job of painting it might as well be in the loo.
Always enjoy reading your blog.
Traci
Thank you so much, Traci!
DeleteI must say my family laughed a little when I first said I was going to do the paiting myself...
Pour moi, c'est un super resultat.
ReplyDeleteCourage!
Bonne journee:)
I absolutely love a light, neutral palette for walls--there are so many shades of white/off-white/beige/greige available that there is something right for every room and lighting situation. It is a calming backdrop, and perfect for a small space. I LOVE color, but prefer to use it in the decor and accessories, and change it seasonally or as I desire.
ReplyDeleteThe thing with small rooms is that they can change the shade of beige and darken it... I've tried and it's very tricky!
DeleteWell it looks cream in the photos, but whatever colour you call it, it's way better than the orange fish. I tend to always go for white (what a surprise) but I know some people think it can be cold, so cream is a good alternative. I think the word beige is probably worse than the colour itself lol, and I'm with most of the other commenters in that pale walls can accommodate great pops of colour.
ReplyDeleteYou have come on leaps and bounds since your early painting work and now I'm so intrigued to know what your next plans are.
Beige is alright by me. I don't mind neutrals because you can always jazz them up other ways. I'm glad you tried your hand in the loo....though, that really does sound naughty. :)
ReplyDeleteI used to hate beige, but now I love it. I wish all my walls were neutrals, now!
ReplyDeleteBonjour ! Je préfère le beige au jaune !! Personnellement je trouverais presque le choix de la couleur beige audacieux, car j'aurais repeint en blanc ! Pour moi, c'est vraiment la couleur sans risque... Bon courage pour les travaux et à bientôt ! Flopsy
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing transformation! Well done. I think it's the perfect shade until you know the direction you want to go in.
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful day!
Okay, Magali, now you've really got me thinking...hmm...is she going to tear the whole thing down?! Beige can certainly do that to a person...sorry, but I need COLOUR in my life! Despite that, you did a really good job painting it!
ReplyDeleteHappy rest of the week!
Poppy
Beige is timeless, you can add your color through accessories if you like. Or, ...
ReplyDeleteYou can always bring back the orange fish! LOL
Can't wait to see what you do.
Hugs,
Patti
Unlike you, I don't have the nerve to do the painting myself. I just seem to butcher every paint job.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see what's up next at the cottage.
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Debbie
To be honest, I think all beige is boring. That said, your bathroom is a huge improvement over the orange. A blank slate. Way to go on having the courage to try. Now you know you can do it!
ReplyDeleteI do understand how boring it can seem, but it was such a relief to my eyes after all the orange!
Delete