Color Buzz

Bringing Functionality and Feeling Together

So many homes these days are built with a great room which serves as a giant architectural multi-tasker. These rooms have a conflict; they are lofty and vast compared with the rest of the home, but they are also a place where the family comes together. One way to bring the function and the feel of the room together is by painting it a subtle color that almost reads as a white. You need a color that feels light in order to avoid creating an enormous cave. First, consider what is going on in the rest of the house. Is it cool and modern? Or, is it warm and cozy? A cool-palette home could have a warm grey-blue in the space. Perhaps use a color like Valspar Woodlawn Sterling Blue or Tempered Gray. These tones can hold the space together gently without feeling too cold. For homes that are warmer in nature, colors like Valspar Belle Grove Light Amber or Baked Scone give warmth without dragging the space down.  It’s like when you paint a space that reads white, but there’s much more at work.


                                       
        Woodlawn Sterling Blue 5001-3B      Tempered Gray 4004-1A



                                       
         Belle Grove Light Amber 3006-8B      Baked Scone 3007-8B

Design Dilemma - Chris's Box

Hi Beehive Designers,

I bought an antique box last year and recently adhered a sheet of copper to the top. I’m trying to find the right color to paint the wood of the box, but I’m having trouble. I’d like to place it on the ottoman to make a study surface and use it sort of like a coffee table. However, I already have a lot of color schemes in the family room (I’ve sent photos to give you an idea of the surroundings). The colors of the room are reflected in the couch and pillows in the background. Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Thank you,

Chris

                                            

Hi Chris,

Glad you wrote! After looking at the box, I'm thinking a soft green grey like Stony Path would be nice. The greens in this color would be a great compliment to the copper and the grey tones would work well with the furnishings in the room.

Best,
Ann

                                             
                                            Stony Path 5007-1B
 

Using My Natural Surroundings as Inspiration

This blog was written by Beehive Studios designer Michele Coppin
       

My home is soft and inviting. I live near the sea in a gray, soothing climate where the sand, the sea and the sky are variations of the same color, blending during storms, reflections of one another on rare occasions when the sun shines. My home reflects my environment. I love strong colors and always find myself drawn to the lush and extravagant colors of tropical flora, but not to live with. Rather my palette is calm and gentle – sandy beige (Valspar’s French Pastry / Clarified Butter), soft white (Cream Delight), very pale yellow (Coconut Scent), and light blue (Dew Drop) with touches of more vivid colors in my Persian rugs and red pillows. It’s really very beautiful and serene. Has nature inspired your interior design?

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

Drawing Inspiration Up from the Floor

This rug is a much loved antique serape, and is quite valuable. The owners tried every kind of color angle to feature their treasure, however when we got there, the room was just not working. At first glance, we couldn’t figure out why. Taking a moment to look at each element was the first step. The soft green walls were actually a nice gentle contrast with the reds in the rug. After visually pairing each element with the colors in the rug, the problem became obvious: the white trim on the walls.

The bright white trim looked clean and fresh against the green, but it jumped out too much against the warm ivories of the rug. It was like two different rooms. We suggested a warmer tone for the trim to help soften the contrast. Two directions we wanted to try: Valspar Churchill Hotel Ivory, a warm creamy off-white, and Dakota Trail, a greener/grayer off-white. These colors would bring the room together as a whole while showcasing the rug as center stage.


                                                  
            Churchill Hotel Ivory 3007-8C                    Dakota Trail 6008-3B

   

When White Trim is Not the Answer

For so long now, many of us have turned to white for all of our trim needs.  No matter the color, décor or room, somehow white has managed to get on the trim. But with a little extra effort, you can choose colors that will further enhance what is already on your walls. Here, a friend of mine went with a great neutral grey/green – Valspar Milestone 6007-1B – to bring out the silver qualities in her wallcovering. A color like this allows the woodwork to play a larger role. The trim becomes more of an architectural element instead of just a space holder. You don’t have to simply “go up” the color sheet to the lighter tones, but you do have to find a color that will harmonize with your main color.

 

The Colors of 2008

   Marc by Marc Jacobs
        Sloane in Sun

In 2008 we will see more blues and yellows. Already in fashion, yellow is shining its sunny glow. From a fab new Marc by Marc Jacob’s bag to the pages of the J. Crew catalog, this bright color is catching on. One way to work well with yellow is to pick a bold bright tone such as Valspar Sunny Jonquil and frame it with neutral colors like Milestone 6007-1B and Cliveden Mist 6007-1A.

Pantone picked Blue Iris as the color of the year. Blue is both soothing and comforting but also can be rich and bold. A great color which delivers all these qualities is Ocean Sigh. For a gentler version, try Sea Tickle. One other color that is gaining raves is grey. It’s a gorgeous sophisticated color that also makes a nice complement to yellow. Try Filtered Shade with Honey Glaze.

            

                               
Sunny Jonquil 3010-1       Filtered Shade 4003-1B       Honey Glaze 3003-2A       

                                                             

                      Ocean Sigh 5002-10A         Sea Tickle 5005-7B