Blinded by the ... Lighthouse

I noticed on Friday that the painting crew did not put a primer coat on the new walls before they started slapping on the yellow. Unfortunately, by the time I noticed, they were already on the last wall. This concerns me for a couple of reasons. One, according to the written estimate, I am paying for "primer coat plus two top coats on new walls," and I didn't get a primer coat. Two, I agonized over that color. When creating test boards, I went by what the estimate said... primer coat. To me, that has always meant flat white. So, I took scraps of wallboard and primed them with white paint, and then tested my colors.

According to Martha and all the other color gurus out there, what's underneath really does matter. The color you see on top changes, albeit subtly, depending on the color of the underlayment. Artists know this. I know this because I've tested lots of paint on lots of different walls, old and new, over the years. I challenge you to try it yourself. Paint a single light color over two completely different base colors, say one green and one cream. Stand back and appreciate the chameleon effect of those "true colors shining through." With a good quality wall paint, and at least two coats, this color concept may not be as important as shifts in lighting, but it does matter. Also... did I mention I'm paying for that primer coat? This painting stuff ain't cheap.

So what do I have now? Grey drywall + BM Lighthouse = that greenish-yellow tinge I was so trying to avoid. Argh. I've put a call in to the CertaPro manager. In the meantime, I'm not going to fret too much. If you learn nothing else during a remodel, you learn what constitutes major problems, setbacks and aggravation and what is usually easily rectified. This one is a mere speck in the grand scheme of things. Onward...