Oxford Blue

I have a red Dutch door.

Its lovely and fun and gets lots of comments and looks from people passing by the house on foot.  When I painted it red I had envisioned painting my pale yellow house a pale Nordic Blue.

My entire interior of my cottage is blue and white.

But I couldn't quite do it and decided last minute to keep the cottage yellow, but to paint it a slightly brighter shade with really white trim. 

In dreary Seattle, the Nordic Blue washed out and made the house look almost drab.  Yellow cheered it up. 

I was influenced by photos I saw online of Danish sea cottages.

They are bright yellow and surrounded by flowers of every color.

It really caught my eye and while the inside of Elinor Cottage is more subtle in tone, I felt the exterior needed a bit of help.

I chose Laura Ashley Cowslip Yellow #3 and I love it!

But now when I get home and see my red door with the bright yellow house, I can't help but think of Ronald McDonald and ketchup and mustard!  I just can't get it from my head and so I am going to change the front door color.

The color I have chosen is a classic Oxford Blue.  Its a color my friend Pippa said she saw all over Notting Hill and Oxford, when she was in England.

She wants her front door this color too and I hope she does it!

Oxford blue is an odd blue - not as dark as navy, yet not as in-your-face as royal or cobalt.  Its a happy, medium dark blue with some life to it.

I think it will go well with my bright yellow cottage!  Especially since I have the front and east side of the cottage planted with blue hydrangeas!