Anne Kenderdine's written a timely article for the Washington Post on museum wall paint selection, color in general, and how the two can be used for inspiration in designing your own living spaces. The article sites several DC area museum curators and their choice of salon paint color.
Seems like this is a new advertising angle for a variety of paint companies, Valspar (featured on HGTV) and Benjamin Moore (featured in many fine properties) included. And Washington's always had a soft spot for anything involving color - so why not?
If you're thinking about incorporating something new in terms of paint color, be sure to paint a small sample on your wall and look at the tone in varying lights and at different times of the day over a series of days before you commit. Take a color swatch to a variety of stores with fluorescent, halogen, or other lighting so you'll know how to complement it with fabrics. Also, if you're spending dough on top end products, it pays to consider having the walls professionally done. A tone applied with one coat looks very different from one applied with three - so check with your painter for his professional advice before you begin.
