Color Buzz

Design Dilemma - Anita's House and Response

Hi Beehives,

I am having a problem finding the right color for my bedroom.  The room is 16’ x 14’ with an 8’ ceiling and a large window facing west.  I would like to paint the room a light brown color that would compliment the teal-green bed comforter.  The bedskirt is a chocolate brown.  Help!!!

Anita

Dear Anita,

Since I can't see the actual teal and chocolate colors, I'm going to give you a few light browns.

Oregon Coast
Sandy Cove
Mark Twain House Oak

Each has a touch of green in them which I think will work nicely with the teal. Let us know how it goes.

Best,

Ann


                              
Orange Coast 6007-1C    Sandy Cove 3005-10A   Mark Twain House Oak 3004-9C

 

Keeping an Eye on Your Neighbors

You should always consider your neighbor’s colors when you choose your own exterior house color. You may even want to check with them so see if they have any plans of changing. You don’t want to be the house on the block that stands out for all the wrong reasons. You don’t have to match the homes on your street – just harmonize with them. If all the other homes are painted in warm natural tones, don’t suddenly introduce loud garish colors. You can be bold without being loud.

Sometimes it’s fun to think of your house as a large package. The color outside is the wrapping and the interior holds the gifts within. Think of what color would be appropriate for your home to be covered in. Is your interior warm and cozy? Then maybe a cooler tone like Cliveden Gray Morning could be a nice contrast on the outside. Maybe a bold inviting color like Rare Sienna on the door to lead you in? If you have a cool and sophisticated home, a light grey tone like Stony Path might be a great container color.

The other objects on your property should be taken into consideration. You can paint your garage or any out buildings a deeper shade of your home or a contrasting color. Sometimes painting these surrounding buildings can frame your house nicely.

                                    
Cliveden Gray Morning 6001-1B    Rare Sienna 2010-7         Stony Path 5007-1B

Green Flowers Do Exist

This blog entry was written by Beehive Studios designer Veronique Habermann

                     

For a long time, I have been under the impression that there is no such thing as a green flower. I proved myself wrong today by simply peering out my window. Look at this picture of the tree in bloom. Green flowers! Granted this green has a lot of yellow in it, but it’s green nonetheless. It’s funny how color always surprises you.

Design Dilemma - Anne's House - Response

 Hi Anne,

Your house is wonderful!  It has a great layout and the lighting looks cheery and bright.  The fireplace in the Living Room is a terrific focal point.  Without much other information to go on, I am putting together a palette that is warm and neutral at the same time so that you can bring in more accent colors as you grow into the house.

For the Living Room, I would try a color like Dakota Trail in eggshell.  It is very neutral but has a touch of green in it to play against the red of the fireplace and the red of the floor. 

For the Dining Room, I would try something slightly more dramatic to create space.  Try Redstone Dining Room Gold in satin on the bottom with Belle Grove Light Amber 3006-8B in eggshell on top.

Design Dilemma - Anne's House

Anne, a Color Buzz reader, wrote to the Beehive Studios designers asking for color and decorating help on her house.  She sent in photos and the following background information.  Today’s blog features Anne's design dilemma. Other entries are encouraged, so please feel free to email the Beehive designers with your specific design dilemma.  And come back on Friday to see the recommendations from the Beehive designers.

Hello,

I'm buying a new house and looking forward to painting. Well, actually the house is not "new." 

                              Living Room

It was built in 1948, it’s located in Los Angeles, and has lots of character that I want to play up.  It has a big red brick fireplace in the living room with a wooden mantle surrounding it, a built-in book case, a big west-facing window in the front of the living room, good natural light throughout, wood floors (I think the color is red oak - most of it is under carpet right now, but we plan to expose it) and crown molding. There are also a few things I'd like to disguise: the ceilings are lower (8-foot, I think) and flat, and the house is fairly small at 1,100 sf total.

                

                                                  Dining Room                           

In Celebration of Asian Heritage Month

Color is alive and rich throughout Asia. From the deep intense saffron robes of Buddhist monks to the soft nature driven colors of Japan. China is so closely identified with red, but there are also the whites and blues from the culture’s ancient porcelain. In southern Asia, the color really heats up with the gorgeous silks dyed in colors that put the rainbow to shame. Japan has drawn from the colors of the elements to create a sophisticated traditional palette, but in the past several decades, they’ve been serving up a fun and raucous color extravaganza through their pop culture. The colors were traditionally derived from spices, flowers, shells, minerals, and plants and animals of the region. The possibilities of incorporating an Asian-theme are truly endless! Have you done it?

Take Your Sights Upward…Paint the Ceiling!

Everyone is always asking us about trends in color. One thing is for certain, they are always changing. Right now, yellow and gray are very hot. Check out last Sunday’s New York Times Magazine's photo spread of objects made in luscious honey yellow.

The designer, Sara Story, we worked with at Kips Bay created this fabulous hallway using these very colors.  I love, love, love the ceiling! It’s such a surprise. Ceilings are always so overlooked. I’m thrilled Sara thought to take our sites upward.  

For more ideas on trends, check out this cool article about trend forecasting in the New York Times. If you are out trend-spotting, send us what you find. We can see how many photos it takes to start something.

 

Adding Whimsy with Cabinets?

This blog entry was written by Beehive Studios designer Michele Coppin

While in Florida a few years ago, I was asked by Agnes and Phillipe to design and make their bathroom cabinets. They had just finished building their dream home, an elegant mixture of classic and contemporary styles, the living room combining Flemish antique furniture, Persian rugs and modern art. Having a very whimsical tendency however, they wanted the bathrooms to be playful and fun.

Agnes had seen cabinets that resembled Hawaiian shirts in a magazine and wanted the same. So, I called upon Len, the local craftsman/carpenter, a true artist – who arrived on his giant Harley, in full leather, and a white ponytail blowing in the wind. He was very amused by this novel project. I gave him the drawings of 4 shirts (two Hawaiian shirts and two frilly blouses – in the interest of gender equality) which he cut out with a grin and a saw. The cabinet doors did have to remain very rectangular in order to open without hitting the bathroom walls.

My challenge then was to paint them to look three-dimensional as well as match them to existing wallpaper in color and pattern…take a look!

Philippe and Agnes are thrilled. They love reaching in the shirts for their suntan lotion, and they enjoy the comments they receive from guests. I get a giggle every time I visit, and it was an easy and original way to personalize a room. Hmm…how about kitchen cabinets in the shape of fruits and vegetables? 

   

Design Dilemma - Penny's House

Hi Beehive designers,

Okay here goes.  My foyer and hallway is painted in Waverly New England Yellow, in a semi-gloss finish I believe.  My kitchen is sage and can be seen from the living room.  What would be a nice complementary color to the Waverly New England Yellow and sage color?  I have brown microfiber sofas and two paintings that I love with various reds/poppies and greens framed with dark frames.  Any specific direction or suggestions with this is greatly appreciated.   

Thanks,

Penny

Painted Floors

We bought this 140-year old farm house. The upstairs wood floors were all painted when we took the place on. After going through several ideas (some more successful than others), this light soft beige/green seemed the direction to go it. The painted floor has given the space a charming light quality that we wouldn’t have gotten if we had stripped and stained them. We are still going room by room to get the colors right. A painted floor can add a spark of excitement underfoot, it can be a great deep-colored anchor or when painted a light color can lift up a room as though you’re walking on clouds. What kind of feeling do you want to be walking into?