Going Green

I consider the color green to be a wonderful neutral. All you have to do is take a look at nature to see how compatible green can be with all other colors.

 

(Flower Photos by Me)

When Pantone selected Emerald Green as it's 2013 Color of the Year, it was a choice which, according to Pantone,  represents "elegance and beauty" as well as a color that "enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony."
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(Image via Pantone.com)

However when it comes to paint colors, most people wouldn't  rush to paint their room a bright emerald green.  (Unless you are very bold - which is GREAT!!).  I would suggest, however, that you consider any shade of green a color that might work well with a variety of furnishings.

(Photo by Jessica Howe of PropertyPrecision.com)

In the picture above of my client's Dining Room, I chose Sherwin Williams "Clary Sage" to complement not only the salmon toned seats on the chairs, but the reddish brown and teal colors in the oriental rug.  (My client didn't want to change up any of the furnishings and who could blame her - all are beautiful!) The green also worked well with my client's gold accents in the framed artwork, chandelier and mirror.  Do you see how this green seems to pull together so many other colors?

 

Take a look at the room in this photo below which was featured in House Beautiful Magazine.  The walls are painted with Fine Paints of Europe's "Vreeland Mint." This color marries so well with the black furniture!  Did you ever think black and green would work well together in anything other than mint chip ice cream?

(Photo via House Beautiful.com)

 

One more example of green's compatibility is in a room where I used Benjamin Moore's "Fernwood Green".  It was originally used for a little girl's room which featured soft pinks in the rugs and furnishings. Now that this client's daughter is growing up this same color still works well with the now pre-teen's bold choice in bedding!

 

(Photo by me - which is why you can't see all of the neon bright polka dots on the sheets!)

 

Somehow the color green is the great unifier.  If you're out on a spring day, you'll see the balance, and harmony and know just what I mean!

(Photo by me)

 

Enjoy your day!

 

 



Healing

It has been one week since the terrible attack on the city I call home and yet it must feel like years for those who were injured or in any way affected by such an atrocious act.  Thoughts, prayers and love continue to pour out to those who have died and to the many who have suffered in so many ways.

In an effort to help begin the healing,  Mayor Menino and Governor Patrick have launched the Boston One Fund.

The One Fund has been established to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.

The colors of The One Fund logo are yellow and blue.  These colors are reminiscent of the banners hung around the city to trumpet the Boston Marathon, the jackets that runners from all over the world wear annually to proudly show their participation in the event and finally blue and yellow have traditionally been the colors of the Marathoners' prized Finish Line.

While this blog is intended to lend insight to color for your home, it felt more appropriate today to talk about what the colors for the One Fund may represent to not only Bostonians, but everyone as we try to heal and move forward.

Blue is the color of constancy yet it is also a symbol of comfort.  Historically, in primitive societies, survival was difficult so the dawning of a new day, a blue sky, surely brought hope.  Blue is often identified as a calming hue.

Yellow, and it's association with the sun, represents energy and life.  The warmth of this color is always useful in lifting one's spirits.

Yellow and Blue or Blue and Yellow - perhaps the combination will bring thoughts of hope and comfort and most of all.....peace.


For more information visit: www.onefundboston.org

A Little Drama

Sometimes it is fun to spice things up with a little drama.  Believe it or not, using black paint in just the right context can achieve such a goal.

Black, as you know, is essentially the absence of white. It is the negation of color.  Yet when used on walls, black paint can add glamour and sophistication.

(Photo courtesy of Elle Decor, Christopher Sturman) 

 

I absolutely love the use of Farrow and Ball's "Pitch Black" in this space!  It works so well because of the high ceilings and large windows.   In this case the black adds a dramatic back drop to the artwork.  And look how fabulous the lime green pillows work in contrast.  Tres Chic!

 

(Photo courtesy of Elle Decor)

 

 

In this photo above, black paint is applied in a high sheen.  It is a bold move against the dark brown trim but it gives off such a sophisticated vibe.

 

Perhaps you are not daring enough to paint an entire room black, but still adventurous enough to enter into a bit of the dark side.  If so, consider using black in a room with an accent wall or in a space where you will only spend a short amount of time.

 

(Photo via Country Living, Max Kim-Bee)

 

Here, Behr Paint's "Sled" is a fabulous blue-black that is used in a bathroom. It adds quite a punch! However the white tub, painted trim and marble floor prevents the black from overpowering the space.  (I can even imagine using this color in a room with a chair rail or white paneling to break it up but still give it the wow factor.)

 

If used in balance with the space, black can be chic and will always add a little drama!

 

 

 

 



 





Easter Eggs

On a blog about color, I couldn't resist posting these Pantone inspired Easter Eggs this week.

Very clever, very fun and an original way to bring some spring colors into your home.

(Image from All About Orange on Blogspot.com)

 

 

Enjoy the day!

 

 

 

 

"New" Old Home

Last Thursday I was fortunate to be part of a fun "Spring Fling" event in Winchester, Massachusetts, which featured a property for which I had been hired to select both interior and exterior colors. After seeing a post about the event on my Facebook, a client asked me to share some more of the photos on my blog.   Here are some photos from this "new" old home.

(All photographs are courtesy of Alan Myers.  Check out his work at www.bostonimagemakers.com.)

The Exterior Body Color is a Benjamin Moore custom-mix.

The shutters are painted California Paints "Fieldstone" and the front and side doors are Martha Stewart Living Paints "Gabardine."  I really wish that you could see the door in this photo, it's a wonderful denim blue color with a hint of green.

 

When doing color consultations for spec homes, or homes purchased by builders with the intent to renovate and resell, I have to take a different approach with my color selections as the home(s) need to have mass appeal. I aim to give the feeling of "move in" quality to help the buyer envision their belongings in the new space. I have to be careful in my selections as people have very different emotional reactions to color and ultimately the goal for houses on the market is to have them sell quickly.

In the interior photo, below, the main entrance has a warm yet neutral color. With all of the beautiful woodwork and glass leaded windows it was better to accentuate the architectural details rather than have a bold color detract from the unique features of the home.

The walls are painted Benjamin Moore's "Manchester Tan," a historical color with a warm undertone for this historic and prominently located home.

This home had AMAZING original woodwork in the dining room (below) with a built-in leaded glass china cabinet. The wood itself was in fantastic condition so the builder thought well enough to leave it alone. I suggested a pearly white on the ceiling and limited wall space to illuminate this otherwise dark room located in the back of the house. It is a beautiful room but as you notice the floors were much lighter than the paneling so anything other than a neutral color would have really made the room feel choppy.

I had fun selecting the color for the third floor Billiards Room.  It had a built-in mahogany bar and somewhat of a men's club feel.  The green walls were intended to mimic the felt on the top of the pool table.

Walls are painted Benjamin Moore's "Peale Green"

 

 

While the bathrooms still need to remain somewhat neutral, tiles can certainly dictate color direction.  In this photo, a blue with violet undertones team up well with the Carrara Marble floors.  This hue might suit both teens and adults.

The beauty of paint is that when you are working with older homes, it can showcase your best architectural elements or divert attention away from unusual issues or building designs. 

Finally, I must confess, these pictures don't even tell half the story as they were taken before the home was staged for the event.  Ellen Fador of "Spectacular Spaces"  (www.spectacular-spaces.com) did the staging and she did a wonderful job.   (When I have a chance I will take some more pictures of the rooms and share them as well.)

Once the paint and the staging were completed, this old home felt new again.  Let's hope an offer is forthcoming!

(A picture of the back of the house. With no flowers budding and the shrubbery hidden beneath the snow, the custom-mix yellow color brightens the bleak winter scenery in New England.)

 

If you have a home in the Boston area that you are getting ready to sell, I would love the opportunity to work with you.  Check out www.suecolor.com for more information.

 

 

Spring?

COULD SPRING REALLY BE HERE?

I snapped this picture of these daffodils poking their heads through old pine needles and recent snow.  Ahhh, at last a small sign of spring!

It made me think about combinations of yellow and green and why it's no surprise that early spring flowers such as daffodils are made up of these beautiful colors.

YELLOW symbolizes energy and life while GREEN symbolizes harmony. Both can make wonderful statements in your home.

One of my favorite combinations of yellow and green is Farrow & Ball's "Dayroom Yellow" paired with "Breakfast Room Green", also by Farrow & Ball.

 

Depending on your furnishings and lighting, these colors are fabulous for interior rooms.  "Dayroom Yellow" is warm and energizing and "Breakfast Room Green" can be very inviting with its extremely slight yellow undertone.

 

 

(Images from Farrow-Ball.com)

You could use the pair in adjoining rooms -- the effect would be fabulous!  It would certainly give your interior a breath of fresh spring air.  Enjoy the day!

On a Scouting Mission

Our dog "Scout" is an English Springer Spaniel.  When he was little, and it came time to pick our Springer from the litter, our first choice was a puppy with brown and white coloring versus a black and white combination.

Scout as a newborn, can you pick which one he is? :)

(Photo Courtesy of Carol McDonough)

  

In the world of dog breeders the correct description for a Springer Spaniel with brown and white markings is actually liver and white.  However in the world of color I would describe Scout as a  divinely rich, warm brown.  He is scrumptious!  (And I'm not just saying that because he is my dog! ha!)

 

The color brown is made up of a combination of orange, red, rose, or yellow with grey or black. Since it is a color that is associated with the earth itself it can represent stability, security and comfort.  It is a color that can be warm and rich yet surprisingly neutral.

 

I have always wanted to match Scout's coloring to a paint color (however I thought I would have to actually custom mix my own) which is why I enjoyed reading a recent story about a paint store in upstate New York that matched a dog's coat to an actual paint color!  This inspired me to revisit the thought of painting a room "Scout!" 

 

If I had to pick the best match to Scout's fur, I would have to go with Ralph Lauren's "Library Mahogany" (#NA31).  Though there are so many fabulous browns out there, this one is particularly sumptuous because of the depth of the chocolaty brown hue.

 

(Photo by me)

(And believe me, this photo in no way does the color justice!)

 

Pairing a deep brown, such as this one, with a clean, crisp white can be dramatic, yet cozy, in any room.  I think Ralph Lauren's "Brilliant White" (#ML01) would work nicely with the "Library Mahogany".   Check out the drama and coziness in this photo:

 

 

 

This brown can also act as a wonderful neutral where you could inject brighter colors as accents.  Bold pinks, fun greens or touches of soft blues can make the combination even more interesting.

 

(Image via Pinterest)

 

(Image via Pinterest)

 

(Image via Pinterest)

 

It's fun to imagine but for now I'll have to dream about a room where those "Library Mahogany" walls will simply envelop me as I don't have a room in my own home ready for repainting.  I'll have to "scout" out another opportunity to use this color in a client's home and in the meantime enjoy the coziness of hugging my dog instead!

 



 SCOUT!

 (Photo by me)

 

 

Do you have a dog whose coat would make a beautiful backdrop to a favorite room?