We’ve all been in the white wall phase for a few years now and it’s time to add some contrast! The new photos on my Paint and Wall Finishes board on Pinterest will give you inspiration to add a dark wall -charcoal, navy, purple? You may need a second opinion (like a great interior designer!) as not every area will be enhanced by this addition, but in the right place it adds the wow! Add it to unify space in the hall with the great pop of color at the end. Powder rooms are often conducive to a dark contrast. Bedrooms become cozy incubators. And there is always the man-cave / office with an alternative to dark wood. Take a look at your spaces and go from boring to brilliant!
The Joy of Yellow in Design
I have had a yellow room in my home during most of my adult years! This year every shade of yellow is big in women’s fashion. Which means we will see more and more of it in home furnishings. See some examples on my Paint and Wall Finishes board on Pinterest. A color often used to chase the gray of the Pacific northwest, it is a favorite of bright and sunny people no matter where they live! We have over 300 hundred days of sunshine in the Southwest but adding more inside just adds to the upbeat mood. It can be subtle: a light tint for a warmer off-white base color, a perfect backdrop for your blue and white dishes in the kitchen or dining area, a warm and inviting powder room or bedroom. With all of the gray tones currently in use, yellow is a perfect color to add. An accent pillow, a bowl of lemons by the bar or flowers on the table… the pop of color creates visual impact. It is also beautiful with white moldings. A classic! Always worth consideration!
Choosing Yellow
Love a yellow interior room? Or maybe yellow is the perfect exterior color? This array of Sherwin-Williams colors with an actual piece of stone on top from a French chateau illustrates the variety of beautiful hues to choose from. Who can resist the color of sunshine? Yellow is a perfect complement with the current gray hues and, of course, a classic with every shade of blue (the big color at the High Point market). Tip: Designers have color tools that they can use to select current colors and new options. They can get large color samples from manufacturers so painting sample walls is usually unnecessary. Check your paint samples in the actual room at night and during the day. Bask in the glow!!
PS – Monet’s dining area at Giverny was a luminous yellow!
Remodeling Glory
The best part of an interior design career is that every day is different. Today the schedule includes the last few thumb tacks to secure a loose wall hanging that is covering speakers on a fireplace/TV combo wall in a family room. The entire home was remodeled a few years ago. Working with the contractor that owns the home, I did the drawings for the remodel. It included removing one structural wall. The kitchen remodel opened that space to the dining and living area. It became an award winning kitchen and was widely published. Each bath and powder room was addressed as if it were a special art project.
It was now time for the spaces to advance to a new level! For $2000, my innovative specialty painters glazed the bedroom walls with a warmer neutral, added a variety of warmer colors to a rough textured fireplace wall in the living area and hand shaped the wall of the fireplace/TV area in the family room. I added eight bigger accessories to the kitchen and living areas. We moved two pieces of furniture and voila! The home has a fresh new look!
While attending a church meeting with one of my contemporaries that is a kitchen and bath designer, the contractor invited her over to his home for the first time. Her comment made my day! “I had the pleasure of seeing your work first hand. I have to say I am over the top impressed with your talent!! I have the highest level of respect for an incredible designer. LOVED his kitchen!!”
After working with this couple over many years since the initial remodel, the project is complete and looks nearly perfect (except for that last shelf the contractor needs to finish!) Do you want your home to look as perfect as possible?
Tweet: Remodeling can be such a pleasure for both the homeowner and the interior designer. @dunnedwards
Pinterest: The kitchen picture is already the cover for the Kitchens board. Just link to this post.
Dunn Edwards Paint Made Here in Phoenix!
Dunn Edwards is California based with the production plant in Phoenix. Their paints are formulated for the Southwest and its intense heat.
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