a verdant welcome

throughout our home build and design process i was nervous about using color. one year of designing our home from scratch and ten months of building, all the choices + decisions left me guessing, second guessing, and feeling decision fatigue. and all the what ifs about decisions that felt so very permanent + oftentimes expensive. would i continue to like the color after a year, after 5? i know paint is easy to change, but after building a home, that’s not really the kind of project i’d want to undertake after aj, and i, and some few close friends painted the whole interior of our home to help our budget.

would color feel like too much, overwhelming? especially as i am someone who is sensitive to their environment, bright colors can often overwhelm my nervous system. i didn’t want to regret my choices in the long run, so you could say i opted for “safer” choices. a muted palette throughout, but the mud room + griffin’s room were two spaces i decided to take a risk. and am i ever glad i did.

i chose treron by farrow & ball for our mud room‘s floor to ceiling locker + cabinetry. built by local amish craftsman + placed in front of vgroove painted in the same color, with a custom walnut bench made by our builder. treron in this space almost reads as a neutral. paired with paneled schoolhouse white walls, limestone flooring and rejuvenation massey unlaquered brass knobs + hook. the grounded warmth of treron is my absolute favorite and is welcoming sight when you come through the front door.

trust me, the mud room doesn’t always look like this.

since it’s almost june here in the midwest, with drought like conditions i’ve packed away the muck boots, mittens, and coats. but let me assure you, the mud room is often just that. with two kids, two pups, and a kitten and new construction the ground surrounding the house is bare. we’ve laid down grass seed in most areas, but with a lack of rain they are barely sprouts. it’s almost like we’ve got a mini dust bowl on our hands with cracking, dry soil. dirt, dust + mud accumulates. i’m trying to remember this is part of the process + not let it get me down. “year one” i quietly whisper in my mind, assuaging the frustration and need for perfection. home takes time.

we’ve lived in our home for nearly three months. it’s all still sinking in. i really thought i’d be able to update as i went along but i’m still processing the journey…if you’ve wondered why i haven’t shared with you yet, this is a big part of it. but i’m feeling more + more ready as time goes by. so please, i’d love to hear any questions you have about the process below in the comment section.

in late march, the muddy paw prints + muck boots from forest school took a lot of mental work to just “let go” and prompted the purchase of a small rug to protect the flooring, although i do want the limestone tiles to age + feel well worn over time, give me a few more months to enjoy. but my vision actualized, aesthetically + functionally, for this space, with spring foraged bridal wreath spirea branches from our country neighbors yard, is making my heart so happy.

what do you think about treron? would you use it in your space?