I hadn’t planned to reveal color #1 , on my list of the best colors of them all so soon, but something has happened…
Last week I got an e-mail from a man; men aren’t usually all that interested in my world of color, so from the start, I was very happy. Next, my gentlemen e-mailer explained that he bought my book, Color Saves the Day, which is helping him resolve some of his color decisions. Getting more happy.
The gentleman, then explains, that he has already painted the exterior his extraordinarly new home, BLACK.
Now he has my full attention. You need three things if you want to paint a house black
- superior architecture
- superior fenestration, or placement of the windows
- well, let’s just say you’d need to possess a certain something which only a man could have.
I think my gentlemen e-mailer has made himself a truly extraordinary home, so after some careful thought, I’ve decided to suggest he paint the living area an equally extraordinary color:
Silver Marlin, Benjamin Moore 2139-50
This is the color you bring with you to the “island” you never plan to leave. You pack a couple of cases of the best booze, your most treasured music, a hardcover copy of A Prayer for Owen Meany, grab your kids, your favorite sweatshirt, a couple of gallons of Silver Marlin, and you go.
The French, and fine artists schooled in the Rembrandt or Impressionist style, call this color Glasz.
Like a mirage, this is not a color that can be assigned a specific reference in the living world. The color is more subtle, more fickle and more magical than that. Sometimes, surround by blue, the color appears green. Add a little yellow to the picture, and it goes ever so slightly grey. In the light of the day, the color will appear more blue, but still, not exactly. Not exactly green, or blue, or grey, Silver Marlin changes it’s mood and demeanor in much the same way as the living world-it’s a lot to hope for from a can of paint, but that’s why, it’s number 1.
The photo guy has it perfect for us here.
My e-mailing gentleman will have the oasis he set out to create, in his wonderful black home, set ever so beautifully into the landscape, surrounded on the inside too, by the single best color of them all, Silver Marlin. !
Great to hear from someone who has bought the book!!! Speaking of, A Prayer for Owen Meany, one of my all-time faves…
Forgot to mention…the house looks great. I’ve admired a house not far from mine that’s painted a deep charcoal gray. It looks elegant. I would have painted mine that color, too, if the roof shingles were a different color.
glad to find your blog, thanks for the color tip!
awesome. I haven’t used it yet for painting yet, but I have seen it in a few homes- it would be nice in Aura Matte finish , yep.
It’s definitely worth a try. There’s something magical about this color! Let me know if you agree.
I know I am finding this late, but this entry made me happy and also made me pee my pants. I just painted my dining room this AMAZING color and I was hunting for a color to paint my ugly kitchen, which can be seen from the dining room. Stuck with some orangey wood (oak?) cabinets that I am not willing to paint. Too many crevices. Anyway, you I did not find the answer to my query, but wanted to thank you anyway for the post. FYI I am considering BMoore Blue Lake or Blue Lagoon.