Color Buzz

Decorating on a Shoestring

By Ann McGuire

Recently, I was interviewed by Tracey Morgan of WDSY Radio in Pittsburgh. We explored the idea of how to make the most of your decorating dollar. So many of us are faced with a financial crunch right now. Instead of dinners out, movie nights and even vacations, we are creating atmospheres at home that take you somewhere out of the ordinary.

We talked about how redecorating doesn’t have to be expensive. For $40 to $50 and one weekend, you can transform an otherwise forgettable room into a pleasing destination. Tracey wanted to know what room to start on. I suggested the family room or the kitchen because those are the rooms everyone in the family enjoys. With painting, you really do get the most bang for your buck.

What mistakes do people make with kitchens? Making them too busy is a problem we often see; there is so much activity in this room. Keep the décor clean and simple, and it will create a space where it is easy to focus on the task at hand. Perk up the walls with children’s artwork or family photos that can be changed out each season. A bright cheery color is great in a kitchen because the wall surface is usually limited. You can always put sunny yellow next to clean white cabinets.

I’ll continue briefing you all about what we discussed in future posts. If you can, check out the interview. Let me know if you have any additional ideas or experiences on how to decorate on a shoe string.

Dressing According to our Environment

By Michele Coppin

It’s fairly obvious that weather often dictates how we dress in a given environment (shorts in the summer, coats in the winter). However, I have observed that our clothes go even further to reflect our environment in color and design.

Take for example, people who live in the country. They are surrounded by the geometry of fields and the changing colors of crops. We often tend to see more earth tones and plaids.                                  

People living by the sea, in constant view of the horizon, are known to sport horizontal stripes and variations of blue.                                          

                  

And city dwellers, whose environment is broken up by the light and shadows of the buildings can typically be found in more blacks and whites.          

                     

Take a look as you venture around your neighborhood!

Design Dilemma - Gwynne's House

Hello Beehives,

I was wondering if you could help me. I bought Winter Evening Valspar paint and I don't like the way it looks. Can I try lightening it by adding some white or somehow mixing it with another color until I get the right color and ask Lowe’s to match it?  What do you think? I appreciate it.

Thank you,
Gwynne

-----------------
Dear Gwynne,

If you put on a color that is too dark, you can always add a lighter tone to it to make it more livable. I think your idea of mixing your own color at home, trying it on the wall, and then taking it into Lowe’s to color match is a great one. That way, you’ll know what you’re getting. And since you’ve already bought the paint, you may as well use it.

First, I would pick a warm white to mix in. Birch White from the Waverly collection is a good choice to go with Winter Evening – they are very compatible. Then, get three to four containers for your three to four color mixes. We measure everything here at the Studio, so I recommend that you get some old measuring cups.

Start by putting a ½ cup of Winter Evening in each of the containers. Then in container # 1 put a ½ cup of your white, in container #2 put a ⅓ cup, in container # 3 put a ¼ cup and in container #4 put ⅔ of a cup. Then paint samples as large as possible (about 1’ x 1’) of each newly mixed color on each of your walls to really get a sense of what the color looks like all around. You’ll notice how the color changes depending on which wall it is on. Pick the sample that looks the most consistently appealing.

Go recreate that color at Lowe’s and away you go to a brighter room! Let us know how it goes. If you can get before and after photos, even better!!!

                                                      

Waverly Winter Evening WV-32003                  Waverly Birch White WV-31003

 

Creating a Color Scrapbook

By Michele Coppin

You may have seen my blog about the first assignment for my color theory class already. The second assignment is to create a “Color Scrapbook,” collecting appealing bits and pieces of color such as candy wrappers, photos, leaves, pebbles, fabrics…anything that grabs your attention.

As the collection grows, color preferences become visible. A style and palette develops. Students use their findings in collages, creating beautiful abstract compositions with color as the subject.

These precious little references also make decorating much easier, and can help you discover and develop your own personal palette. I encourage you to try it at home!

Here are some examples from my scrapbook: soft, serene variations of blue for a soothing, relaxing atmosphere.

                                                                               

My First Assignment for Color Theory Class

By Michele Coppin

In every painting and color theory class that I teach, I find that the majority of students are intimidated by color. They are often insecure about their taste and choice of colors, preferring conventional/drab combinations because they are safe.

So, the first assignment I give them is very simple. It doesn’t demand much effort, and it’s actually really fun. Directions include:  Notice color! Be aware of color! Color surrounds you; it is everywhere and you don’t have to go far to find it.

As you start to pay attention, you will notice dominant colors in parking lots and outdoor restaurants.  

                                       

Or, how about color patterns in your garage or laundry room?

                           

Palettes of color are hanging in your closet or lying on your floor.

                                    

Opening your eyes to color will make the world a much more interesting place. It’s the fist step toward a beautiful journey.
 

                                          

The Colors of Food

By Michele Coppin

The color of fruits and vegetables can be as beautiful as the color of flowers. The color combinations and variations are endless as they grow, ripen and mature.  Fruits and vegetables have actually been inspiring artists for centuries. “Food portraits” are known as “still lifes.”

Jan Van Huysum, Still Life with Fruit
Oil on copper, 1720
Rijhsmuseum, Amsterdam

These delicious palettes herald the presence of nutrients. Color indicates the ingredients we need for good health. For example:

REDS are packed with vitamins (A C), protect your heart, maintain good blood pressure, and help to protect against some cancers.

GREENS are packed with vitamins (A,C,B,K), provide a source of iron, and boost your immune system.

YELLOW and ORANGE are packed with vitamins (C and B) that keep you eyes strong, boost your immune system and promote glowing skin.

WHITE, such as cheese and yogurt, is packed with calcium.

Some of my favorites in both appearance and taste are asparagus, baby artichokes, fresh garlic, cheese and bread. A glass of red wine would complement this tableau nicely…

Greens speak of youth, nature, fresh starts and cool mornings. Purples, dark reds and burgundy suggest the end of summer, setting sun, heat, and royalty. These opposites however make a very elegant color combination.

 

                                                   
Tropical foliage 6002 – 6C                               Garden Fresh 6008 – 7C

                                                

Hotel St Francis Sangre de Christo 1010 – 6    Accent Frosty Berry 1003 – 1B

 

Clashing Colors

By Michele Coppin

Combining colors that match is a safe choice. They tend to create soothing and serene effects that are easy to live with. However, MSN’s “Lifestyle” segment on June 17^th featured colors that typically clash, yet make a major statement brimming with elegance and energy.

Indeed, actress Reese Witherspoon was spotted wearing a hot pink and red dress with matching red sandals. This may not be the ideal combination for a room, but for an evening out, it is sure to be noticed.

Refreshing an Older Room

If you want to update an older room without making a drastic change, replacing the wall paper for paint is always a good choice. We recently revamped a room in a farm house that dates back to the 1860s. First, we stripped the wallpaper and applied a fresh coat of plaster. Then, we stained the white plaster with Valspar Sandy Cove, a color we thought would keep the integrity of the historic structure. When staining the plaster, we were careful to water down the paint 5 parts water to 1 part paint.

For the closet space, we wanted to choose a color that created a cozy surrounding to the bedroom like Valspar Caramel Gold, Hot Crossed Bun or Crunch Granola. After we applied the paint, we washed the closet walls with Boston Legacy, a darker brown, to give the closet some depth.

         

                                                                             

                 Sandy Cove 3005-10A               Caramel Gold 3006-7B

                                       

                Hot Crossed Bun 3005-9B           Crunch Granola 3004-9B

Red, White and Blue

Fourth of July is a swell of activity in our town. The day starts off with Paul Revere riding through the streets warning us of the oncoming Brits. The children dress in patriotic costumes and the rest of us wave red, white and blue as classic cars and fire engines line up and parade down the main street. We have a ceremony with the naming of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a releasing of pigeons – one for each colony (Although I’m not sure how the Founding Fathers fit this into their own celebration). We have an afternoon of tournaments and pool games, and after all this we head up to the top of a hill where everyone gathers for a town-size picnic complete with games and fireworks. It’s a great event. Generations come back for it - my immediate family, my grandmother, mother, sisters and their families, cousins, etc., are all together. Everyone is in some version of our country’s colors. I always panic because I usually can’t wear them, but for the love of the 4^th and all that it stands for, who am I to not get out a red dress?

 

 

What do colors symbolize?

By Michele Coppin

Historically, mankind has given symbolic value to colors. As societies developed, colors came to represent different concepts and served multiple functions. They emphasized certain meanings within an image, indicated status, expressed identity, etc. Of course, these meanings are very different depending on the culture they belong to.

Here are some examples of the meanings of various colors from Western European societies.

White: From the birth of the new moon, often associated with birth, purity, cleanliness. Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity.

Black: Mourning, death, earth, seriousness, submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God.

Red: the most emotional color, red signifies passion and love. Hearts are always red, but red also symbolizes blood, fighting and ardor.

Yellow: Warmth, sun, happiness, gold. Yellow also symbolizes cowardice, betrayal and hatred.

Orange: Warmth, wealth.

Green: Calming and refreshing, it is the color of spring and youth. (Walt Disney dressed Peter Pan in green. As the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, the eternal youth wears a tunic reminiscent of foliage. Green also symbolizes envy. 

Blue: The color of the sky and the ocean. Blue symbolizes sincerity, loyalty, peacefulness and tranquility. Blue also connotes melancholy, sadness and isolation. Picasso’s “Blue Period” began shortly after he moved from Barcelona to Paris. He was poor, depressed and cold. From 1900 to 1904, he primarily painted thin, elongated figures in variations of blue. When his work began to sell and his spirits lifted, his palette shifted to Pink.   

The Tragedy, 1903
Picasso
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

Purple: The color of royalty. Purple connotes luxury, wealth, power and dignity.

In Antiquity, purple was derived from a rare sea snail so expensive (even more than gold), it became a symbol of royalty as only the very wealthy could afford it.

The Byzantine emperor Justinian I appears clad in a purple cape in this 6^th century mosaic from the San Vitale Basilica in  Ravenna, Italy.