Updated: Paint Problem (She loves it!)

[OscarQ]

I am painting my MILs new condo.  She picked BM Strawberry-n-cream as the color for the bedrooms. We did the first coat (after priming) last night.  It looks so pink.  Like way more pink than I think she'd like.

Here's the rub...she's in NY, the condo is in DE.  I have to have this done by Saturday night as I'm away Sunday and Monday and she moves in on Tuesday.  Do I do a second coat and see if it reads truer to the card or do I find a lighter shade?

We tested large samples on the walls and this is what she picked.  I'm torn.  She won't be down until she moves in so I have to decide.  She'll be living there alone - she's 63 so it's not like my FIL has to live with pink walls.

We ran out of paint because these stupid walls are just sucking it up so I have to buy more anyway.

Thanks for any advice!

ETA:  Link to www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/strawberryncream

Update: she arrived and she loves it! Thank you all so much. She was stuck in traffic yesterday for fiver hours the poor woman so I was especially happy that she's thrilled by it. Her reaction to the main room was much more exciting. Also, I'm using First Light in my MBR too. It's the only room we haven't touched in our house and we have 2 gallons leftover so...

vimeo.com/163581213

[OG Jo]

Did she look at the samples on the wall in the new condo? Sorry if I'm not following correctly.

Either way - I think you should just call, say hey, this isn't looking like what we thought it was, do you want me to pick a different color and let her make the decision.

[OscarQ]

Apr 14, 2016 11:01:18 GMT -5 OG Jo said:

Did she look at the samples on the wall in the new condo? Sorry if I'm not following correctly.

Either way - I think you should just call, say hey, this isn't looking like what we thought it was, do you want me to pick a different color and let her make the decision.

Yes, I should add - she was down last weekend and we painted big samples on all the walls, watched them as the light changed and she picked these colors.

[Deleted]

When did you paint it? Is it possible that it hasn't cured yet? I always freak out when we start painting because the color looks so much darker for the first 2 days or so.

[mrspez07]

Was the primer a colored primer or white? I've found if the primer is colored the same as the paint, the color comes out super saturated, and darker than expected.

Call her and tell her it's not matching the sample on the wall

[auntie]

Does the second coat match the chip? If it does, I'd keep painting.

My parents are older and don't always read colors as I do. The paint in their place in FL looks like someone smeared cheap Cover Girl Foundation on the walls- but they love it.

[downtoearth]

It sounds like you're fast at painting. I might just go get more paint and do "first light" or "silky smooth" off the BM site as a second coat. Problem is you might find bleeds through if it's lighter and then have to touch-up. Uggg, not sure with the short timeline and your time away this weekend.

[OscarQ]

Okay, I called her. She says as long as it isn't "little girl or teenager pink she trusts my judgement". And she doesn't want to "trouble be at all".

It totally hasn't cured yet. We just painted it last night. I"m heading back tonight for round 2. It was a white primer, not tinted at all.

MIL has zero clue. She was "fine" with the walls the crappy yellow/tan they were. Fine. Not a word I allow in my D&R vocabulary. She's never painted a room in her life. Contractor White 4EVA

mrspez07 - I'm wondering if because the sample was done on the wall pre-priming it's reading as lighter than expected.

[nursecramer]

Apr 14, 2016 15:38:57 GMT -5 OscarQ said:

Okay, I called her. She says as long as it isn't "little girl or teenager pink she trusts my judgement". And she doesn't want to "trouble be at all".

It totally hasn't cured yet. We just painted it last night. I"m heading back tonight for round 2. It was a white primer, not tinted at all.

MIL has zero clue. She was "fine" with the walls the crappy yellow/tan they were. Fine. Not a word I allow in my D&R vocabulary. She's never painted a room in her life. Contractor White 4EVA

mrspez07 - I'm wondering if because the sample was done on the wall pre-priming it's reading as lighter than expected.

I learned the hard way (with a bright yellow) that even if a large swatch looks good to begin with, once it's on the whole room it can still look too saturated. After about 6 months of trying to live with it, I caved and repainted it to a more mellow hue. I would choose a lighter color for the next coat.

[OscarQ]

Apr 14, 2016 15:38:17 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

It sounds like you're fast at painting. I might just go get more paint and do "first light" or "silky smooth" off the BM site as a second coat. Problem is you might find bleeds through if it's lighter and then have to touch-up. Uggg, not sure with the short timeline and your time away this weekend.

Thank you! First Light is perfect. It'll take another coat but it looks so much better. Thank you for this suggestion. My sister and I think it is the color she really wanted to achieve.

She's so excited about this move and I really want this to be as perfect as possible for her. She joked the other day that our painting her place was like a makeover show. She mentioned hat the hosts always call the family with a problem. When I called her this afternoon I said "well here's your 'we have a problem call'".

The timeline will still be right but I can do the kitchen and bathroom after she moves in. Just want to have all rooms with major furniture invited done by Sunday.