My Gradation Moment: The Stairs Edition

I’ve always been pretty fixated on paint chips (you’ll find one in almost any book I’m reading), which is why I went to Home Depot last weekend to get gray stair paint for our new apartment and emerged with a formidable stack of color cards instead. While sitting on our dining room floor, with the myriad options fanned out around me (currently, our only piece of furniture is a 24-pack of paper towels), it occurred to me that in lieu of gray, I could gradate the stairs. Somehow, Rob agreed. 23 Behr samples ($3.94 each), one tub of sealer, and a handful of hours later, and I made the following happen:

I know I should sit back and let the stairs be the major gradated color story in our apartment, but now I want this handmade “paint chip” quilt, and this ombre rug, too.

clockwise, l-r: BEHR PAINT IN COOL MELON, YOUTHFUL CORAL, LIPSTICK, RED TOMATO, LICORICE STICK, GRENADINE, $3.94 each, Home Depot;BEHR PAINT IN ICE FLOWER, NEVADA SKY, WATER FLOW, LIQUID BLUE, BRILLIANT SEA, HAVASU, BLUE LUXURY, $3.94 each, Home Depot; OMBRE AREA RUG, $125.00, Rugs USA; PAINT CHIP QUILT IN ORANGE NO. 2, $400.00, Etsy.