I spent yesterday painting the garage. At one point, I had a roller full of primer, and so, I went about the house looking for things that needed to be primed. The fascia has been waiting for just such a moment since Andrew and I installed it seven months ago.
So, I quickly spread out some newspaper and a drop cloth (which proved necessary!) and splashed a little primer over the front of the layout. Now I was committed, and I had to get the paint on as that white looked hideous.
Unfortunately, there has been a lip at the edge of the Muskrat River ever since the fascia was first installed. This was stopping the whole operation. I tackled it first with sandpaper – too slow, then with a Stanley Surform – didn’t work at all, and finally with the jigsaw – really loud but worked. I finished up with sandpaper.
Two coats of Benjamin Moore CC-542 Willow later, and we have a nicer-looking layout edge, but I’m not altogether sold on the colour. We had a decorator come in and help us decide what to do back when I was starting the whole basement renovation. We have her to thank for the colour of the walls and floor. I didn’t take her recommendation for the ceiling, but I like the walls and floor.
The cabinets and fascia upon which the layout sit were a bit of a head-scratcher for her. Indeed, she had a hard time conceiving what a layout would look like. But, in the end, I convinced her I needed a dark fascia, and Willow is what she came up with.
Unfortunately, we were all thinking that I would be using paint on the cabinets. But it seemed a shame to cover all that nice wood. So, when it came down to it, I used stain. Perhaps I was matching the stain to the wrong colour chip, I don’t know. I wouldn’t have chosen Red Mahogany if I were trying to match the umber-based Willow.
Well, what do you think? Should I go back to Benny’s and see if they can recommend a colour that comes closer to the Red Mahogany base cabinets?
Pembroke:87 
I think it looks pretty good. It definitely needs to be dark though.
I was just going to do our fascia black, I didn’t really give it much thought. Probably because it is only partly installed, only on one module where we’re working on a mountain.
When I was there last weekend the old man reckoned a dark grey may be better than a black. Maybe go Gun Metal Grey? Not sure, Its at his house so maybe I’ll let him have a say. haha.
Thanks Adam. Compared to a flat grey or black, I confess I like the warmth of this colour.