Color Me Unimpressed

A few years ago, our building at work (an old airplane hanger) was insulated. They sprayed on a foam then painted it. I am very glad they painted it. The foam itself was bright yellow. Because of the shape of our building, it looked for a while like we worked inside a giant Twinkie. People were going around whistling "We All Live in a Yellow Submarine".

Near my home, there's an old shopping center that was converted to an office complex. When I was in college, it was painted screaming rose-pink. Perhaps someone thought, "Gee, if the mountains look so pretty at sunset, wouldn't it be wonderful for this building to look like that all the time?" Short answer: NO. Over the years, sunlight has faded it to a more tolerable tint. It's still pink, but it's not eye-banging any more.

They have just started repainting my condo. I don't know who decided that it needs it, but it comes under "general maintenance", so there wasn't a vote at the annual meeting. We didn't even get to decide on the colors. I know who did, though -- unfortunately. I have seen the inside of her condo. It's all screaming orange and yellow and copper. (She must be an autumn.)

I told her that I was concerned about the paint color. I moved into a white building and loved the fact that it didn't look like every other beige/tan/ecru/dirt colored building in town. She said it wouldn't and showed me the colors she had chosen. The walls are to be what still looks like a tan variation to me. The accents are to be what she called "greenish gray", which she said would look wonderful contrasting with the clay tile roof and complement my planters on the veranda. (Want to bet it doesn't turn out that way?) She diplomatically allowed me to keep my unit of the condo white, as I am set back on the veranda, so there is enough visual separation and allowance for my unit to be considered a separate entity.

They started the painting this week. That "greenish gray"? It looks more like the color of wet concrete. And the not-beige/tan/ecru/dirt? It is a very pale orange. (I should have known it would be orange.) It looks like we'll be living in a Creamsicle.