• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

July 7, 2016

My Number One Question Answered

Since the dawn of this blog there is one question I have been asked more than any other. And I rarely answer it. Why you ask? Well, for one, I’m shocked that anyone actually wants to know. And, secondly, the answer is just a tad complicated.

French country home entry decor

So do you want to know just what is the number one question I’m asked here At the Picket Fence?

What is the name of the yellow paint on your walls? 

Now, you may be scratching your head and wondering why on earth I wouldn’t answer that question. I mean, it’s so simple, right? Well, yes and no.

You see, and I’m going to get really, super duper honest with you here, when I edit my photos before putting them on the blog it always alters the shade of yellow just a bit. I do a lot of lightening and brightening. And that makes the wall color softer than I think it actually looks in person.

So, I’ve always hesitated to tell the color because I think that what you are seeing on your screen is actually somewhat different from what I see in real life. And I never want to be misleading.

French country style wall clock in living room atthepicketfence.com

But, it’s time. Time for me to answer the question once and for all. You ready? I realize I’m making this more dramatic than it needs to be but just go with it, ok? 😉

The color on the walls is called ‘Dusty Yellow’ by Olympic Paints.

french country style sconce and mantel decor

I continue to just be so surprised that people love the yellow so much that they would write to ask me about it. Because it seems like I’m surrounded on social media by rooms that are almost exclusively white or grey or greige (grey/beige).

Yellow definitely doesn’t seem to be the ‘in’ color these days.

oversized clock in the dining room atthepicketfence.com

And yet, as I’ve said many times here before, the most important thing when it comes to decorating your home is that it is YOURS. So if you love yellow more than you love white or grey or greige then you should go for it!

For all of these years, the yellow has made me very happy. We Oregonians need ways to trick ourselves into thinking we’re seeing sunshine throughout the year and there is no doubt that it helps to have yellow walls.

lavender topiaries on dining table

If I were picking out yellow paint now I would definitely go a shade lighter than the ‘Dusty Yellow’ so keep that in mind if you decide to use that color.

And don’t be surprised if you come visit me here at the Fence one day in the near future and I’ve painted the walls a different color. After 8 years of living in this house they are needing a bit of freshening up and that will be the perfect opportunity to maybe go in a different direction.

But I will always have a soft spot in my heart for these yellow walls. They’ve served as a wonderful, sunny backdrop for so much life being lived in our home.

“How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.” (Vincent Van Gogh)

Thanks so much for meeting me and my yellow walls at the Fence today,

Vanessa signature

18 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « Big Announcement About Our Book!
Next Post: Pride and Confidence »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cathy says

    July 7, 2016 at 8:04 AM

    Duck Bill from Sherwin Willams looks like this color.

    Reply
  2. Leslie says

    July 7, 2016 at 8:35 AM

    love yellow! it’s my happy color and has lived with me many years to brighten my day. I’m thinking I may spread the sunshine a tad bit farther into the darker areas of my home. Thanks for the reminder! Life always needs a little brightening…and tricking it with paint is perfect!

    Reply
  3. Wendy Johnson says

    July 7, 2016 at 9:25 AM

    I always say if you get mugged you don’t want me to be the witness and this proves it. I am so busy looking at your “stuff’ or reading, I never noticed your walls. It is a lovely color, be interesting to see if I notice a new one..

    Reply
  4. Debbie Riley says

    July 7, 2016 at 9:54 AM

    Yellow is my absolute most favorite color of all time, as far back as I can remember! My house is yellow (old farmhouse), and my dining room and hall are yellow. <3

    Reply
  5. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    July 7, 2016 at 9:58 AM

    Thanks for this post Vanessa….I have “yellow walls”….Sherwin Williams Blonde to be exact. The color changes during the day and different shades from one wall to the next. They were painted this color when we built the house 11 years ago. Both walls and ceilings…to change the color, it would be about $4,000 plus, as our ceilings are around 20 feet tall and scaffolding is required. So I embrace them for their cheerful color…I love your walls…I can see how they make you feel as if you were in the sunshine throughout the day!

    Reply
  6. becca says

    July 7, 2016 at 9:59 AM

    Your gorgeous house wears it well, my friend! Yellow really is such a happy color and a beautiful backdrop to your fabulous furniture, vignettes and artwork. Hmmm, wonder what color you might go with next time?

    Reply
  7. Vicki says

    July 7, 2016 at 3:31 PM

    Yellow has always been a favorite color for me and a true mood lifter! I love your yellow!

    Reply
  8. Carol says

    July 7, 2016 at 4:14 PM

    I love the right shade of yellow. In fact, the whole main living area in our home is painted a soft yellow – Sunwashed Linen. This is the third house we have painted this color so we must love it! Lol

    Reply
  9. Teresa says

    July 7, 2016 at 6:55 PM

    Just a curious question I have wondered for awhile…I have been following your lovely blog for a number of years. Several years ago your sister and you seemed to take turns back and forth writing the weekly blog but now only see your writings (which are wonderful!). Just wondering if your sister has decided not to blog any longer, although we still see her photo her. Perhaps she is participating in another way?

    Reply
  10. Michelle Mortensen says

    July 7, 2016 at 7:32 PM

    I know… white & gray seem to be the colors du jour, but I just can’t. I have always been drawn to yellow rooms. I seem to pin them all the time. The important thing with yellow is getting the JUST right. I, personally, am not a fan of lemon yellow or mustard yellow. I tend to like a “butter” color. What I have found is that I tend to also like whites with yellow undertones, like Benjamin Moore Antique White – which tends to look like a butter color when it’s up. Overall, it is important for a person to have a home that reflects their own personal style. For me, that means YELLOW all the way!
    Best & Bisous,
    Michelle from Simply Santa Barbara

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      July 9, 2016 at 6:21 PM

      Thank you so much Michelle! And when my husband and I were dating we would take little day trips into Santa Barbara (I lived in Camarillo at the time). What a beautiful place to call home!

      Reply
  11. Christine Kennedy says

    July 7, 2016 at 7:33 PM

    So delighted to see a blog that features color. I subscribe to many blogs and I have selected them because their design aesthetic attracted me. Imagine my horror as I have watched one after the other succumb to the current trend to decorate in boring neutrals. They are losing their personal style in a sea of white, gray and griege and have begun to all look alike – depressingly bland! You can see by the responses to your post that there are many out there who still love color – especially yellow. Keep up the great work.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      July 9, 2016 at 6:20 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words Christine!

      Reply
  12. Lisa Mothersead says

    July 8, 2016 at 4:34 PM

    Yellow is my favorite color so of course I love it! Love those found glass bottles, too.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      July 9, 2016 at 6:20 PM

      Thanks so much Lisa!

      Reply
  13. Barbara Ann Sandoval says

    July 8, 2016 at 10:57 PM

    Well I think you’ve been asked so much because it looks so good in your home. I have “wine country colors” in my home but chose a golden butter yellow to go with my other colors. It too changes depth and brightness during the day. But I love it

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      July 9, 2016 at 6:20 PM

      I love wine country colors Barbara!! Thanks so much for coming by. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Lauren says

    February 7, 2018 at 7:07 AM

    I just found this blog and I love yellow walls! My room was a Tuscan yellow in high school and every time I walk back into that room it makes me so happy. May I ask what is the flowering plant that is shown in this post? So beautiful!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to sha Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to share all of the details of our family room shelving makeover but I’m super impatient and just had to give you all a sneak peek!! We are SO happy with how they turned out and it finally looks like I’ve always envisioned. Our quick fix years ago (scroll to see the before photo) never felt quite right but now? Soooo much better!! 🙌🏻 Big shoutout to our amazingly talented friend Matt @redemptive_woodworx for bringing our vision to life and doing such impeccable work.

I hope you all have a great start to the 4th of July weekend and make sure to check my stories later for Friday Funnies!
The month of June is coming to a close and it has The month of June is coming to a close and it has been JAM packed! The highlight by far though was my son's graduation from high school. When I started blogging, he was only 6 years old and some of you have been apart of my community here for that entire time. Now, he's 19 and there is a reason parents are told not to blink because the years truly do go faster than I ever could have imagined. He has become such an incredible young man we are so excited to see how God is going to unfold the next chapter of his life. We celebrated with parties galore (SO many open houses to attend!) and made memories we'll forever cherish. My mama heart was filled to bursting with the joy of it all! Now we're taking some time to just enjoy these warm, summer days making even more memories because, when you’re at this stage of parenting, you know all too well how much you need to grasp every opportunity to spend time together.

I hope your summer is off to a great start too dear friends! 🪴
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts o “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy first day of summer dear friends!! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted something new here but life has been crazy. I’ll have some new photos of house projects and life events to share with you soon but, got now, I’m just going to enjoy this gorgeous first day of summer after our ridiculously long, wet spring. ☀️
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. Th “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace) 

Welcome June!
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence