Our story so far: My husband and I created a design plan for the renovation of the old Methodist church we planned to turn into our home.

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And finally, I defined our color story. Color was the easiest way to create a cohesive space, and this part of the design dossier was probably most important in keeping us (me) on task. When we moved out of our previous home, I was appalled at how many purple home décor items I’d accumulated. It all began with a pair of microfiber purple chairs we’d chosen for the living room. They wore like steel and lasted through a redesign of the room, which included a purple wall in the kitchen. After that, I’d unconsciously chosen a purple rug, purple placemats, a purple bedspread and purple candles. Too much of a very distinctive color!

When I thought about our church, I wanted a more neutral background. Though I used words (“black and white, cream and chocolate brown, grays, light blues and aqua with occasional turquoise”), I knew actual color samples would be most useful in practice, so I cut apart a paint chip book (several, actually) to create a visual. The chips I chose had evocative names like marshmallow, snowdrop, planetary silver, Havana coffee, after rain and blue mosque. I decided a limited color palette would be most interesting with an array of textures: Metal, glass, wood and fur.

We referred to this document many times as we determined our floor plan, and we would be referring to it many times more as we made decisions about flooring, fixtures and furniture. The fun was beginning.

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Tomorrow: What’s the buzz? Tell me what’s a-happening. Read it here.