So I'm sitting here imagining a character who just moved into this old, kinda creepy Victorian house. She's determined to repaint every room to shake off the weird vibes, but each color she picks seems to change the mood in unexpected ways...anyone wanna run with this?
You know, this actually reminds me of when my sister bought her first house. It wasn't Victorian, but it was definitely old and had some seriously questionable wallpaper choices from the 70s. She was convinced repainting everything bright and cheerful would completely transform the vibe. So, she started with this sunny yellow in the kitchen—thinking it would be all warm breakfasts and cozy mornings. But weirdly enough, it ended up feeling kind of tense and anxious instead...like the walls were yelling at you to hurry up and get out.
Then she went with a calm blue for the bedroom, expecting serene vibes, but somehow it felt cold and distant—almost clinical. It wasn't until she stopped trying to force a specific mood that things started to click. She ended up choosing richer, deeper shades—colors that embraced the age of the house rather than fighting against it. A deep forest green in the study, a muted plum shade in the hallway...and suddenly those rooms felt genuinely inviting instead of oddly off-putting.
Maybe your character could experience something similar? Instead of trying to shake off the weirdness by going bright or cheerful, maybe leaning into colors that complement the home's history could work better. Sometimes these old houses have their own personality built right into them, you know? Painting might not always be about erasing or covering up—sometimes it's more about listening to what a space is trying to say.
Just an idea from someone who's spent way too many weekends covered in paint splatters and second-guessing color swatches...
