Mocha Is Coffee, Not Paint Color!

Please stop! Please stop painting your walls this horrible color, it's not the next new thing. It is dull, muddy, and OVER done. It doesn't reflect light, it makes your room dark, and your walls look dead.  I know you think it looked great in the last 50 model homes you saw it in, but do you know why it is used in models so much? Because it's BORING!

Builders decorate their models to appeal to the masses (that is why you get theme decorating too, but that's another rant for another time).  The philosophy is to not turn anyone off with any specific taste, which I understand, you ultimately want your product to appeal to everyone.  Unfortunately, many people interpret these decorating "styles" into serious interior decor or design.

Now don't get all huffy and offended, you can still have beige walls if you must. Pay attention to the beige you are selecting, look for  undertones in green or red, maybe a beige that is a little more grey, think taupe.  Pay attention to your decor in relation to the paint undertone.

I O Metro  has a great post, showing the change from boring beige, and how it effects a space.

Here is a little blurb of information to assist you, if you must use beige paint.

Here's to painting over that wall. Happy painting!

Personal disclaimer: The interior of my home is completely white "Aha!" you say, "phony" "talk about boring" "looks like an apartment" I hear ya.  Gloss white to boot, "blasphemous",  I know!  My floors are dark walnut and grey slate, my current decor is reds, oranges, yellows, you don't even notice my walls are all white, plus I love white walls! I can change up my decor anytime, go with a whole new color scheme and I don't have to paint.

15-5519

15-5519. That's the color code for PANTONE® color of the year, Turquoise.

I have been waffling back and forth on whether to post about "the color of the year". It has been discussed on every design blog out there and most are probably sick of it by now. I also get the impression that most don't like it used in decorating. Some are saying it's too "trendy". What?

If it weren't in fashion, would it be "color of the year" Is it color of the year because it's in fashion or is it in fashion because it's color of the year? Do they just flip a coin to pick color of the year? Maybe they do? I don't know? I think it involves a little more research than that. But moving on...

I like turquoise. I liked it before it was color of the year. Turquoise pairs well with many other colors. It's really rather versatile. It pairs well with neutrals like black and brown, as well as brights like red, pink or orange.

I love turquoise and I love these bowls. Crate and Barrel.

DIY Magazine used it on it's Spring cover.

Image courtesy of Southern Accents.

Image courtesy of A Turquoise Wedding.

Image courtesy of The Haystack Needle and a great post on a DIY upholstery project.

What do you think? Do you like the color of the year or meh?

Green. With Envy?

Two things that seem to be everywhere I look, or read, this week are the color GREEN and Toile (arrgh, we will talk about toile later).

So what do I do, jump on the band wagon and talk about green. But how much green do we need?

I love green.

It's one of my favorite colors.

But, which one? Citron, Sage, Kelly, Lime... or are you hungry... Yellow Lettuce, Key Lime, Limeade, Citrus Punch?

These are just several of the real?-made up colors that I have seen in print over the last couple of days.

Here are some of the green's, or green things, that I like. Hmm, I think I may be drawn to Apple Green.

Green MacBook

Rohini Curtain

Orla Kiely Green Apple Collection

What!? This is toile. This shit is seriously starting to bug me. It's great in it's place, but becoming way over exposed. Anyway, for a later post, I digress.

Have a nice weekend!

What color green do you think this is?

A Color Lesson: Blue

There are few blue foods found in nature and so it is not surprising that blue is not an effective color for a restaurant. It tends to suppress the appetite.

The color blue causes the brain to release tranquilizing hormones and can be used effectively in hospitals and dentists' offices.

Pale blues encourage fantasy.

Blue is the color preferred by most Americans.

If not too dark, a blue surrounding increases productivity. Studies show that students score higher and retain more information when reading blue text. Weight lifters lift heavier weights in blue rooms.

In apparel, dark blue denotes credibility, responsibility and trust.

In the middle-ages, blue was a difficult dye color to achieve and it became associated with a high level of socio-economic and moral achievement. References: Carlton Wagner, Director of the Wagner Institute for Color Research, Chicago IL Faber Birren, The power of color: how it can reduce fatigue, relieve monotony, enhance sexuality, and more

All images courtesy of Easy Living magazine.

A quick review of the color Orange

Orange chair

With the Fall season comes the color orange and and it partner's yellow and brown. I just thought I would review some quick facts about the color orange and show you some nice thing's that are not pumpkin or scarecrow based. So here you go;

HGTV Make Room For Orange

Orange is composed of 50% red and 50% yellow and is considered to be a declassifying color. Yellow-based oranges known as “pumpkin”, elicit friendly responses. They are also attention grabbers. A product that is the color of a yellow-based orange is seen as inexpensive; hence it is often used in cheap motels and fast food chains. It can also be used to make an expensive product seem more affordable.

A blue-based orange also known as “terracotta” is an upgrade version of orange which looks friendly but not cheap. It can give an in formal appearance to an expensive product without compromising the appearance of quality.

Surlatable

Istanbul Side Table

So now, I gotta say it...

Orange you glad you stopped by!

References: Carlton Wagner, Director of the Wagner Institute for Color Research, Chicago IL Faber Birren, The power of color: how it can reduce fatigue, relieve monotony, enhance sexuality, and more. June 2005

I know it's only the 2nd of September, but in just a few short weeks it will officially be Fall.
I needed a little motivation to get in the mood. I thought you might too.

Here are some really quick and easy projects to get you started.

Before you know it, it will be Halloween, Thanksgiving and then, well you know..... but that's another "season".



You can purchase the plastic version of these urns at most dollar stores. Fill them with whatnot in fall colors.



An easy one item wreath, for your door or above your mantle.



Cute little corn husk votive covers for your table, and...


also for your table, pine cone place cards.

Have fun!


All courtesy of Martha Stewart

Perfect!

These canvas magazine butlers from West Elm are exactly what I need. Not only are they the perfect non-colors, but they are the greatest prints.

They are much more stylish than my current, basket on the floor system.

Color of the day: PINK

Pink for prisons…?

This is not intended as a reference to the ex-sheriff of Davidson County, North Carolina, who became infamous for painting the jail cells pink.

Pink is a calming color which has a temporary but significant effect on stress and anger. It has been used effectively in jails and prisons because of this calming influence.

Pink also causes people to highly value certain things.

Sweet foods taste better when placed on a pink tablecloth or napkin.

Made in Pink

Pink rooms courtesy of Marie Claire Maison

Marie Clair Maison

My weekend project, a gift for a pending new arrival.

Keep the babies calm.


References: Carlton Wagner, Director of the Wagner Institute for Color Research, Chicago IL Faber Birren, The power of color: how it can reduce fatigue, relieve monotony, enhance sexuality, and more. June 2005

I promised some color, so here, some color and commentary.

Color is the first thing we notice, and elicits a psychological and emotional response. Knowing the ways in which people respond to color can be a powerful marketing and design tool.

Today's color is GREEN.

blogs.hgtv.com/.../green_color_inspiration.html

Green is the color of life and nature. There are many different greens. People's response can drastically change depending on the value (how light or dark a color appears), as well as the context in which the color is utilized.
www.apartmenttherapy.com

Dark greens are classifying colors and therefore, only a limited number of people respond positively. Only 3% of the population responds favorably to dark blue-green, but it is the upper socio-economic 3% of the population.

Hmmm, one could only hope to have some green rooms to design in their future.

References: Carlton Wagner, Director of the Wagner Institute for Color Research, Chicago IL Faber Birren, The power of color: how it can reduce fatigue, relieve monotony, enhance sexuality, and more.

English Country Antiques and Home Furnishings

This is adorable, I wish I could have it in my home. The problem is someone may, no, WOULD, actually put their yucky feet on it and I would have to beat some heads.

Yes, I know what you are thinking. Can't she find anything that isn't black and white or zebra print?! I think I am actually getting tired of it. Sort of. Maybe.

I promise to find some color, I will look endlessly, no black and/or white for awhile. Hopefully. I'll try.

Amani rug from CB2.

Some black and white loooove.

I have a giant bolt of yards and yards of this upholstery fabric. Of course I love it because it is black and white. Black and white Michelle, not blue.

I have been thinking about what to do with it for awhile now.

I believe my first project will be a cornice board valance for these two windows.

This project will have to share some time with my summer school commitment so it may be a work in progress for a little while.

After that maybe something for someone else.

Everywhere I look lately I see a green wall. Not the eco kind of green wall, but green paint. I love the bright, bold greens being used.

I think I may have to add some color green to my white pallet home.

I like the true green on top, but it may wear on me after awhile. I like the yellow-green here, but I don't know if this one will work in my home without furniture redo.

Thoughts?