Friday Favorite - 6/28/13

Those that know me well know that I have a strong preference for blue colors. Naturally, I couldn't help myself today by posting a terrific looking blue color for this week's Friday Favorite.  I love Benjamin Moore's Santorini Blue!

Why is it such a great color?  Santorini Blue is a smoky blue with definite gray undertones. (This is key when using a blue color so it doesn't come off as too baby blue or powdery).

 

Where would be a great place to use this color?  Believe it or not, I would love to see this color used on kitchen cabinets! 

 

(photo via décorpad.com)  (this blue is darker than Santorini Blue but hopefully you get the idea)

 

I envision Carrera Marble countertops and some dark stained wood floors. And, depending on what you put with it, I believe this color could give off either a French Country vibe or a very contemporary feeling.

 

What other colors would go with it?  I think a warm wheat color would suit this color very well.  I could imagine a ceiling painted in a wheat color to offset the coolness of the blue.

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in making it even more interesting, soft coral colors would work well too both in fabrics and artwork.

 

 



Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorite - 6/21/13

Today's Friday Favorite is a wonderful green color by Pratt and Lambert called "Sealife".

 

 

It is a wonderful green with a warm yellow base.   Pictured below it is used in a bathroom but I have other designs in mind.

(image via Pinterest)

 

Why is it such a great color? It is a fresh up to date look that will appeal to everyone because of its warm undertones.

 

Where would be a great place to use this color?  It would be fun to use it in a small entry way or vestibule as a warm welcome to a home.

 

What colors would work well this this color? I think using a turquoise colored accent piece or gold frames on the wall would be a colorful combination.

 

 

A little side note:  last Friday I was at Boston's Symphony Hall and I took a picture of the FABULOUS green color that was painted on the walls in the lobby.  Although no one employed by Symphony Hall could tell me the color, I am convinced it was "Sealife"  (Or perhaps it was on my mind as I had begun composing this post earlier that day!)  Anyways, I shot this photo because I wanted to show an example of how a gold frame would work great on a wall painted this color.  Love it, don't you? 

(photo by me)

 

Anyways, have a great weekend!

 

 





Another Color Option - Your Floor!

Summertime finally has arrived in New England.  Along with the warm weather, thoughts of a more relaxed lifestyle start to become a reality.  An overall lighter feeling seems to prevail.   In many homes, pulling up the rugs and walking barefoot become the norm.

 

(image via elledecor.com)

 

Bare wood floors are so inviting in the summer however a painted floor is a clever way to bring added color and design interest into your home.  A painted floor adds an another accent and sometimes can be a great remedy to brighten some old, worn wood.

(image via sayyestohoboken.com)

 

Sometimes, the colors can be playful, like the images above and below.

 

However even though I love unexpected color on a wood floor don't worry..you don't have to go too bold.  Below, this soft green is not what you'd expect but it really suits the space. 

(image via thingsthatinspire.net)

Or, just like this image below, you could consider painting the floor a restful color instead.

 

(image via acutedesigns.com)

 

Painting your floor can be a quick but impactful makeover and it's another way to enjoy your home this summer.  If you'd like more ideas on what colors may suit your floors, contact me at suecolor@gmail.com.

Enjoy the day!

 

Friday Favorite - 6/14/13

I thought it would be fun to start a weekly quick pick of a favorite color and give you a few ideas about how and where to use it.

This week I have decided to feature Farrow and Ball's "Gervase Yellow."

(photo via hipsquare.com)

Why is it such a great color? It's rich and warm yet most importantly it is such a chameleon.  It can read yellow or green depending on the lighting and space.  This will keep it interesting.


Where would be a great place to use this color? In the interior of an arts and crafts home with lots of natural woodwork.


What other colors would work well with this color?  Gervase Yellow would work well with dark woods and, believe it or not, with lighter tones of yellow or darker tones of green.


Have a great weekend!

The Birthday Tree

(photo by me)

 

Every spring there is a beautiful pink tree in our yard that blooms right around my oldest son's birthday.  When he was younger I used to tell him that it was his "Birthday Tree."  The buds start out as a raspberry colored pod and BURST into a confection colored blossom.



(photo by me)

The colors are always magnificent and never disappoint! 

Using any shade of pink is always a treat when specifying it for a client's interior.  I love the varieties of shades that come from this close relative of red.

I have used the typical soft pink for a baby's nursery.  In the photo below I used Behr's "Soft Muslin". 

(not so great photo by me)

The soft pinks don't often photograph very well as they are so subtle.  But the effect can be almost a slight whisper and it can create a wonderful glow.  This pink is so calming which my client loved for her baby girl's room.  It paired well with the bold bedding from Pottery Barn (note the quilt) and the green and cream colored rug.

I know pink can be out of some people's comfort zone when used anywhere outside a baby's nursery, but take a peek below and I'll show you how pink can work quite well in another setting.

(Photo by William Waldron)

 

In this room designed by Steven Gambrel, and featured in Elle Décor, the brighter pink color is toned down by the taupe/grey trim.  I also love the soft pink sofa, grounded with the wine colored velvet pillow.  A lot of unexpected details, but then again so are the pink walls - which makes it all work together beautifully, don't you think?

A few helpful tips about pink:  Pink is a cheerful, but restful color.  Start with picking the lightest pink on the color card, as it will always be stronger than you think on the walls.  Stick with pinks that mimic the colors in nature so they don't look too artificial and too child like. Finally, and most importantly, EVERYONE looks good in pink!  So flatter yourself and paint your next room pink - you won't regret it!

Enjoy the day!

PS:  Happy 18th Birthday Chris!






Memorial Day 2013

In honor of Memorial Day, I thought these colors would make a suitable combination:

Benjamin Moore "Heritage Red"

(Ext. RM)

 

Benjamin Moore "American White"

(#2112-70)

 

Benjamin Moore "Patriot Blue"

(#2064-20)

 

I would love to use these colors on the exterior of a weekend retreat cottage with  "Patriot Blue" as the body color, "American White" as the trim color and "Heritage Red" to create a welcoming front door.

(image via houzz.com)

 

With an American flag hanging out front of course!

 

(image via houzz.com)

 

 

Wherever you have retreated to for this long weekend, I hope you are enjoying a relaxing holiday, as well as remembering all those who have fought to protect our "colors" for over two centuries.


-Sue
 

 

 



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."
.

(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!