Sometimes a little change can make the biggest difference. I was reading an article the other day that said that people who switch up their morning commute (literally walking a block or two out of their way, or taking a new route) were 90% more productive that day, just from that little change alone. And while it’s not totally sustainable to walk a new way to work every day (even though I might try!), it does show the magic in how a simple change to your usual routine can make a big difference in your daily life. And even little changes in your home can make a big difference on your outlook on life too! 

I’ve lived in my place in Chicago for over 5 years now, and I love every nook and cranny in my condo. I was really ambitious when I first moved in and did most of the decorating in the first few months, but after that, I kinda let everything stay the same (except for a few paint projects and refreshing my bedroom a few years in!). And as it gets a little chillier in Chicago, I’ve been finding myself hunkering down in my apartment more on weeknights and the weekends, which I know will eventually make me a little stir crazy – but for now it’s pretty nice to get into a cozier routine. One of my favorite places in my apartment is my cozy little office nook. It’s where I keep little tidbits of inspiration, do the majority of my blog work on the weekends, and is my (very little) creative space to get things done. I used to like a bright and white aesthetic, but these days I’m craving some more color in my apartment – whether it’s a bold accent wall or painting a full room a more fun, vibrant color – especially when the doom and gloom of winter hits Chicago. 

So a few weeks back, I joined my friend Lauren to visit the True Value Fall Reunion, a tradeshow where brands showcase their products to the True Value owners and operators who buy products for their local stores. It was such a cool experience seeing so many vendors all in one space, but I was especially excited to see the EasyCare Paint booth since I was dreaming up a little office refresh and wanted to check out their array of paint and primer options.  The team at the EasyCare Paint booth was so helpful, and I got to chat with theircolor expert who helped me go through all the colors (there were a TON!) and pull swatches together that would look good with the rest of the paint colors in my home. My apartment gets pretty dark since I have windows facing a courtyard (and after around noon the sun’s already passed through!), so I wanted to find a color that looked good with the morning light and at nighttime too. They have over 1,200 colors available in five sheens including flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and gloss, so you’re able to really pick the right option for whatever you’re painting.

Beyond picking the right color, I also wanted to make sure the paints I picked were high quality, and also safe for my home too. EasyCare Paint’s stain resistant paint formula is guaranteed to last (for life!) and the paints are also low-odor, low-VOC (which means it reduces the amount of gas that paints usually leave) and are 100% acrylic. Plus, they’re all certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), because they minimize the irritants and pollutants in the air, making your indoor space more enjoyable for everyone. They’re the only paint brand that has all their paints AAFA certified, so if someone in your family or yourself has asthma or allergies, you don’t have to sacrifice paint options to make your space beautiful – which is a win-win!  I ended up taking a ton of sample paint swatches home, so I’m still deciding between what color I want to paint my little office accent wall next. Currently I’m tied between EasyCare Paint in Pale Avocado (a beautiful super light green that’s magically calming) or a super light pink like EasyCare Paint in Pink Maiden. They also had a beautiful pink shade called “Charming” which seemed too perfect to be true (but a little too pink for my tiny space – it would be perfect for a little girl’s room!). You can see their full line of paint colors here, which is sure to drum up some inspiration for your next paint project.

Okay, so help me decide – are you more of a Team Light Green, or Team Light Pink? I’m making my family and friends vote, but would love to know what you’d lean towards! Xx

Thanks to True Value’s EasyCare Paint for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Charmingly Styled possible!