Since we’ve moved into our home we have learned some interesting tidbits about the home and its previous owners from our neighbors.  For one, the home had at one time been turned into a duplex and then converted back to a single family home by different owners.  Another interesting item is that two owners before us was a well-known interior decorator in the area.  The owner after her hadn’t repainted except for the two front rooms that were that hideous orange color that I quickly painted over.  This makes sense since for the first time ever, I actually liked the existing colors in most of the house.  The only downside is that over time someone had tried to retouch areas using a similiar paint color that was the completely wrong sheen (i.e., satin instead of flat).  You could clearly see the “touch-ups” and it was driving me batty.

The room most afflicted with these spots was the living/dining room.  I attempted to first match the color since I thought it looked pretty good, but was unsuccessful.  It was then time for Plan B: repaint it a lighter color that would pull in more of the natural light and compliment the existing color that would still be in the adjoining kitchen.  Here’s the room before my paint job:

The color Aaron and I chose is a khaki tone with a hint of green/yellow.  I wasn’t completely sold on it at first, but I have to admit it’s grown on me.

 I used Olympic’s no-VOC paint and was rather impressed.  The coverage was actually pretty good and the fumes were almost non-existent (although I did still open up the windows and doors for ventilation just in case).   Considering the price was ~$25 for a gallow compared to Sherwin William’s no-VOC brand Harmony at $39, I think I found myself a new brand of paint!