OysterPuttyTaupe

We went with a pretty neutral for our downstairs walls this time around: Benjamin Moore Stone Hearth on most of the walls & it's slightly darker cousin Ranchwood in a select few areas. As you can see in the pictures, the actual colours depends heavily on the light source: it can look light brown with our compact fluorescent lights on but switch to a light grey with natural light. I'm pretty happy with the colour, given I wanted a grey/beige that would fade into the background. Oysterputtytaupe - a true neutral.

Dark grey like the plaster veneer board from a month ago, same colour as below.

Same corner from a different angle (in different light).

We're back to "prison wall grey"...but only until you open the blinds or turn the lights on.

We prepped with a plaster veneer-compatible primer (Aqualock) and followed it up with a low VOC Beauti-tone product called Natura in Eggshell. They were having a promotion, so the low VOC paint cost as much as the regular stinky stuff. We are very happy with the coverage - we'll have to see how the finish holds up to scrubbing doggy mud/kid prints off. We painted the ceiling with a higher end Benjamin Moore ultra flat ceiling paint in a cloud white (since they'll likely never get repainted until I'm old and grey).  The white colour continued in our closets, pantry and eventually on our trim too.

We've been tackling the barnboard floor idea slowly: first entirely rearranging the barn to allow easy access to the boards.  Once we started pulling them up though, they were splitting and in generally rough shape. The nails are so old and rusted, they are impossible to punch out.  I think I averaged 5 minutes wrangling per nail. The dance would continue thusly: first it would curl up like a young fern leaf, then snap off at the base, then resist my whacks with the nail puncher, no matter how well placed or powerful.

I've also come to appreciate the ease of plywood floors that look like shit. Mind you, we're working in a rough state at the moment but still: walk into the house with an armful of wet wood? Don't worry about the drips! Running inside to put the chicken eggs in the fridge before jetting off to work? Don't bother to take your boots off! Just let a smelly dog covered in mud into the house? Spill wine? Etc.

So maybe we try something else, and we paint out the plywood super cheap.  Like this:

Paisley tutorial here.  Other ideas here and here (fav: oysterputtytaupe room with mirror).