It was January when we painted three gray test swatches on the dining room walls. We decided quickly which shade we liked best, but for reasons that are still a little embarrassing, it took us four months to actually paint the room.
We tried to rationalize the delay: maybe we were too tired in January after painting the living room and hallway, or maybe finishing the guest room for a family visit took priority. There were also spring projects and party prep that distracted us. The truth is more likely that we hop from project to project and sometimes come back to tasks after months of dormancy. Whatever the reason, the dining room finally went from bare to finished.
It’s a subtle change, and online photos may not reveal a dramatic transformation, but the soft gray makes the room feel more polished and cohesive. The swatches are gone, and the color we chose is the same soft gray we used in the living room and hallway—Benjamin Moore’s Moonshine, color-matched to an Olympic Premium No-VOC formula. We already had several gallons on hand, so the job was mostly straightforward.
The idea behind using the same color in connected rooms was to unify the spaces while letting the kitchen, which sits between them, have a touch more color for contrast. Even a subtle coat of paint can emphasize architectural details like crown molding and trim. Now that the dining room is painted, those details read more crisply and the whole space feels more intentional.
Painting out the old test patches also helped us notice features we hadn’t really registered before. The crown molding in the dining room is significantly beefier than in other rooms—about twice as thick—so the paint gives it the presence it deserves. The soft gray complements the built-in shelving on the back wall, letting the cabinetry stand out while creating a calm, cloud-like backdrop that makes the room feel finished, even though we still need curtains, art, and some furniture to complete the look.
This room didn’t have stubborn wood-toned trim that required many coats of white paint, so the process was much quicker than painting the living room. We avoided additional tasks like beam painting, which saved time. We managed one coat together during Clara’s morning nap—Sherry cut in while I rolled—and completed the second coat afterward in shifts while one of us handled childcare. The whole project felt so relaxed that we were amused by how long we had delayed it.
There were humorous moments along the way. One of us painted in what looked like a black sweat suit from a distance, but upon closer inspection it was actually an inside-out pajama set. We also took a few playful photos that we later deleted because they got a little too silly. Despite the goofing off, it feels great to finally have a test-swatch-free wall.
Now that the walls are painted, the urge to finish the room has grown. We’re already thinking about creating a larger opening to the kitchen, hanging curtains, adding art, and dyeing the off-white slipcovers on the dining chairs. It’s easy to imagine how those additions will build on the soft gray backdrop and make the room feel truly complete.
For anyone tackling a similar project, a few practical takeaways: choosing a versatile, soft gray like Moonshine helps unify connected spaces; using a no-VOC paint makes touch-ups and multiple coats more pleasant; and working in short, focused sessions—like a nap-time coat followed by an afternoon touch-up—can get the job done without turning it into a weekend-long ordeal. Even small painting sessions add up quickly and can breathe new life into a room.
We’d love to hear if you’ve painted recently or if you’ve ever left swatches on the wall for months. Are you a fan of painting in comfortable, practical clothes—even if it means inside-out pajamas? Tell us you’ve procrastinated too; at least we know we’re not the only ones who wait a while before finishing a project.
Psst—if you want tips on painting like we do, look for posts and videos about how to paint a room and paint trim like a pro; they offer straightforward, step-by-step guidance that makes the process easier.