From Minty Dreams to Bright Green Reality
In 2014, I took on my very first serious residential project. Refreshing a stagnant kitchen space with a soft, minty green — something light, airy, and sophisticated. In my mind, this color would be the perfect balance between fresh and calming.
I carefully chose my swatch and painted a 2 inch square test, confident it was exactly what I wanted. The painters arrived, worked their magic, and a few hours later I stepped into the room, ready for the big reveal.
Instead… I was greeted by a wall-to-wall explosion of bright, bold, almost neon green.
Not minty. Not subtle. Not even close.
My stomach dropped. I had hired professionals. I had chosen the color. But the outcome was nothing like the vision in my head.
Instead… it looked like I had dipped the walls in a neon tropical smoothie.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t airy. It was bold, bright, and very, very green.
At first, I was crushed. How could I have been so wrong?
What That Mistake Taught Me
That project, as “wrong” as it felt in the moment, turned out to be one of the most important lessons in my journey toward becoming a designer. It taught me:
Lighting Changes Everything
Colors don’t exist in isolation, they interact with the light, flooring, furnishings, and even the time of day. A paint color that looks perfect on a tiny swatch under store lighting can look wildly different on a full wall in natural daylight.Sample, Sample, Sample
Today, I always test colors on multiple walls in the actual space and view them morning, afternoon, and evening before making a final choice. That small step can prevent a big, expensive surprise.Mistakes Shape Your Eye for Design
That bright green wall sharpened my ability to see color, not just pick it from a chart. It pushed me to start understanding undertones, how colors influence each other, and how a space’s mood changes with paint.
How It Shaped the Designer I Am Today
If I hadn’t made that “wrong” choice, I might not have been pushed to dig so deeply into the technical side of color. That project turned into the foundation for how I approach every design now — thoughtful, tested, and tailored to the space.
I still smile when I see that old bright green in photos. It’s a reminder that every designer, no matter how seasoned, starts somewhere. The real growth comes from the lessons we take forward.
Design Tip:
If you’re considering a bold color, always paint a large sample patch first and live with it for a few days. Your eyes, and your walls , will thank you.