Color Buzz

Design Dilemma: Kamonda’s Guest Bedroom

Hi!

I am having problems deciding on a shade of purple for my guest bedroom. The pictures below are of the sham. The bedspread is the same pattern with gray/blue, olive, gold, purple and beige. You’ll also see a picture of the headboard - the wood has a cherry finish and the metal is black.

             

             

             

It is a small room, so I wanted to paint one wall a deeper shade than the other three to make the room appear larger. But I am open to using one color throughout.

The two colors I picked were Valspar Plum Burst, on the wall with the window and bed, and Purple Gala on the other three walls. 

     

Plum Burst 4002-10B   Purple Gala 4002-10A

After reading how hard the color purple is to use in design, I'm second guessing myself and really need some direction.
 
Please Help!
 
Sincerely,
Kamonda

…………………………………

Dear Kamonda,

Don't despair; you're on the right track. We’re really happy you've chosen to go with the deeper color on the windowed wall. Can you center the bed under the window? I could see the room looking very elegant with the bed there and floor-to-ceiling raw silk panels in a camel color. For a shade, try a light champagne color. What color is your trim? You may want to go with Cream in my Coffee or Hopsack. 

                

Cream in my Coffee 3003-10C   Hopsack 3033-10B

Let us know how it turns out!

Thanks,

The Beehives

Cheerful Color Combinations - First Installment

                   

With all of the uncertainty out there, one thing's for sure—you can wash away the blues with a fresh coat of paint! We've all been feeling down about the economy, and many of us are hunkering into uber-nesting mode. Now that it’s spring (thank goodness!), it's only natural to want to revitalize ourselves and our homes.  Why not let color lift your spirits?

Reaction to color is very personal. One person's joy is another person's headache. Some of us liven up around bright crisp colors, while others are comforted by soothing muted tones.

Keeping both of these groups in mind, I've put together two directions of color combinations that will hopefully address these mindsets. In this first installment, I include bold, bright and vivacious colors that are considered happy and cheerful. Later, I will explore more subtle color combinations.

When searching for bold colors, look for clean and clear hues that aren't complicated with browns or greys. Once you have your selection on the walls, bring in more complex colors to give visual balance. Let's start with a few of my favorite combinations:

Orange and Pink
I have loved this combination since I was a little girl. It reminds me of sunshine, oranges, flowers, fruit juice and candy—all things I love. I used to have an orange shag carpet, white walls and pink trim and I totally loved it. These days, however, I would rethink the approach. 

To play these colors right, you can go in two directions. You could saturate the room with both colors and add structural elements of a cool neutral like grey to hold it all together. The other direction is to paint the entire room a warm ivory and have punches of orange and pink throughout.  Again, I would add either silver or gray to off-set the warmth of the saturated colors.

I recommend Orange Toffee with Flower Girl, balanced with a tan like Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford.

                                                
                Orange Toffee 2007-1C                      Flower Girl 1005-1C

                                          
                              Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford 3007-10C

Yellow and Grey
Anther blues-busting combination that is totally hot right now is yellow and grey.  Yellow is a funny color. I used to dislike it immensely, but there's something contagious about it—now it makes me giggle! It's light-hearted, warm and inviting and when played right, very sophisticated.  When pairing it with grey, yellow plays the role of the star and grey as the supporting actor. I recommend yellow walls, light grey trim, and white accents like Tangy Lemon with Orchid Ash.

                                    
               Tangy Lemon 3006-2A                   Orchid Ash 4003-3B

Blue and Green
Light blue and citrus green is another mood-enhancing color combination. It reminds me of the beach. Try a clear blue with a hint of purple and a green with a healthy amount of yellow. These colors look great in many different rooms. In a kitchen, for example, I would paint the walls blue and the cabinets white. Then I would add accent fabrics that add the green. 

Another great way to combine these colors is to paint stripes with them. They lend themselves well to this treatment because they are both harmonious and cool.

Try Garden Fresh and Dewdrop.

                                   
              Garden Fresh 6008-7B                     Dewdrop 4006-7A

Here's an expanded collection of these bold bright beauties:

Greens
Gleeful 6008-7B
Garden Fresh
Lime Mousse 6008-9B

  
  Garden Fresh 6008-7B


Blues
Dewdrop 4006-7A
Encounter

  
    Encounter 4008-7B


Yellows
Lemon Twist
Like Butter 3005-2A

  
  Lemon Twist 3006-2B


Oranges
Cantaloupe Smile
Autumn Gala 2004-1A

  
Cantaloupe Smile 2007-2A


Pinks
Flower Girl 1005-1C
Pink Ribbon

  
   Pink Ribbon 1005-1C


Purples
Whipped Plum 4002-9B
Lavender Quartz

  
Lavender Quartz 4001-9C

This has been one of the most enjoyable blogs to write. Just thinking about these makes me happy. I can't wait to get some of them onto the walls!

Check back for part II of this blog entry and in the meantime, let us know what colors cheer you up!

Also, please don't forget to take our Color Buzz Poll mini survey and let us know what room in the house you would paint today!

Design Dilemma: Jason's House

Hi there!

I am in desperate need of help with the color selection for my hallway and kitchen. I have an open floor plan where my dining room and kitchen are both open and the hallway comes between both rooms. I just think that my current color selection doesn't quite go together.

Right now my dining room is painted with Hopsack.                                
                                 
                                   Hopsack 3003-10B

The powder room has stripes that my wife and I painted by masking off the green base and sponging on a silvery metallic.

      

Also coming off the main hallway are two bedrooms. One is painted with River Mist and the other is painted with Ralph Lauren Chaps Sandstone BRS-31, which is a medium dark brown.

                                      
                                        River Mist 5003-9A

The kitchen, which falls at the end of the hallway, is painted with Woodlawn Silver Brook and my dining room is painted with Hopsack.

    

                         
  Woodlawn Silver Brook 5001-1B          Hopsack 3003-10B

The hallway, which links each of these rooms together, is painted with Dutch Boy's Mackinac Island with white trim throughout. It just seems like the green in my hall doesn't go well with my other colors.

I was wondering if you could help me determine what colors I should paint my hallway and kitchen. My wife and I like contemporary colors but we tend to choose more browns than anything. Also, we don't want any of the colors to be too loud in case we decide to sell the house someday.

Any advice you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks!

Jason

Chocolate Passion

Chocolate is one of my all time passions.  I absolutely crave it at least once a day so coming up with one particular chocolate color was really hard.  There are so many of them; it's like opening up a sampler and looking at all those luscious browns.  Working with brown is very easy.  It's a gorgeous backdrop for most other colors.  My dining room is brown with a creamy white trim.  It's elegant, but still very soothing.   Cafe Miel 2008-7C is the chocolate I ended up wanting to take a bite out of.   It's a creamy, toasty medium brown.   You can take this color in so many directions.  Try it with a warm pink like Sweet Sixteen 1006-2A or with a gray like Modest Silver 4002-1A.  You can use Cafe Miel on all four walls, or pick just one as an accent.  It would also make a nice color on a ceiling because of its warm nature.  Whenever working with chocolate, remember: have fun!  It's a delicious color.... Let us know what your favorite flavor is...

                    
     Cafe Miel 2008-7C         Sweet Sixteen 1006-2A     Modest Silver 4002-1A

Color of the Week - Silver Dusk

Last week's Color of the Week was Silver Dusk, a soft blue-grey that would be beautiful in a bedroom or hallway. It's elegant and picks up on this year's trends towards blues and greys. Try it with a warm ivory like Whitewashed Oak. For accent colors try Tomato Bisque which is a warm toasty light orange or Orange Ochre to really kick things up!                                      

                                           
                                            Silver Dusk 4006-3A

                  
Whitewashed Oak 7006-23   Tomato Bisque 2008-5C   Orange Ochre 2010-1

              

2009 Color Trends

Last week I had the opportunity to contribute to one of iVillage.com’s House Calls blog posts on color trends. Since 2009 color trends seem to be on everyone’s mind, I thought we’d provide some of our top picks for the year. It’s always interesting to see how home décor follows fashion about a year or so behind. That’s why it’s no surprise that yellows, greys and purples are big this year – they were prominent on the 2008 spring runways and in 2008 fashion.

As we’ve blogged about before, Pantone has selected Mimosa as the Color of the Year, further cementing yellow’s place as a hot color in 2009. People have embraced yellow with its warm and happy glow, and its energetic feel symbolizes optimism and hope - a great thing in today’s economy. Yellow was popular in fashion last year, it began popping up in home décor throughout 2008, and we see it brightening up 2009 as well.  It can be paired beautifully with greyed-out, lilac neutrals, or you can create a cool graphic look by pairing it with navy. And don’t be afraid to try it on an accent wall with a bold yellow like Chickadee, or a nice buttery yellow like Lazy Sun.

                                  
                    Chickadee 3002-1B                  Lazy Sun 3006-6A

Fellow Beehive designer and blogger, Michele Coppin, wrote a great piece on greys a few weeks ago, and I recently spoke with Stacy Downs at the Kansas City Star about grey’s “triumphant return” as the new neutral. Greys and greyed-out tones have shown up in fashion all year, as an alternative neutral in Marc by Marc Jacobs's Winter 2008 Collection and silvery tones in Bottega Veneta’s Spring 2008 Collection. Grey is a soothing color that can be romantic and sophisticated, ranging from soft lavenders to cool, misty greens and complex blues. Despite its many shades, greys are easily matched and Michele offers a good rule of thumb on pairing greys in her blog entry.

                    
  Orchid Ash 4003-3B          Plump Grape 1003-7A   Churchill Hotel Ecru 3002-10C

Finally, purple continues to gain popularity and was named the “must-have” color of the year by the Color Marketing Group. Here at Color Buzz, we have been talking about purple all year - how to update purple and avoid the “disco ball” look, pairing bold purples, purple’s versatility and the love/hate relationship many have with purple. Purple ranges from soft, grey-lilacs like Orchid Ash, to delicious plums like Plump Grape, and can be the perfect complement to many yellows and greys, as mentioned above. Pairing purples with silvers and warm off-whites with a touch of grey in them, such as Churchill Hotel Ecru, gives a sense of balance and freshness, while letting purple be the star. We saw purples in different forms on the fashion runways, including Michael Kors’ lilacs and greys, and Cynthia Rowley’s lilacs and smoky mauves. Even though mauve had a disastrous finish in the 80’s, it is making a reappearance in warm and sophisticated shades, and can be quite elegant when paired with complex colors. Try Lilac Buds with Cream Delight and Smoked Almond for an updated arrangement.

                      
   Lilac Buds 1004-8B          Cream Delight 7002-14      Smoked Almond 1006-9A

Hip, Hot, Cool Grey

By Michèle Coppin

Grey is finally getting the recognition it deserves as one of the hottest colors for the New Year! Greys started regaining popularity in 2008, and as noted by my fellow Beehive designer, Ann McGuire, in her Kansas City Star interview, grey is the “new neutral” and can easily be paired with many colors to achieve different effects.

No one seemed to pay much attention to grey until last March when supermodel turned singer and First Lady of France, Carla Bruni, accompanied her husband, President Nicolas Sarkozy, on his first official visit to England. The trip was a great success, and Carla won the hearts and minds of the British with her elegance, poise and array of gorgeous grey ensembles! The Queen was reportedly impressed, the press went wild and grey made its fashion comeback.

Grey has a long history rooted in the nostalgic beauty of grey seas and grey skies, with its depth and mystery inspiring artists and designers for centuries.

                                  
 
Forget about dull battleship grey, midway between white and black. Grey is a soothing color that exudes tranquility and calmness. Grey can create harmonious and gentle atmospheres that are reassuring, comforting and discreet—a true relief in these tumultuous times.

For those in need of a simple and cost-effective way to restore harmony and balance in your home, a new shade of this soothing color can make a big difference. Take a look at this romantic and quiet space by Layla Grayce decorators that used a combination of pale greys and soft blues: 

                    

This comfortable modern interior blends greys and whites to create a relaxing and tranquil place:

                      

The most beautiful greys are created by mixing two complementary colors—colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange, yellow and purple, or red and green.

Indeed, grey can range from soft lavenders to cool misty greens and sophisticated blues. For example:

For a warm grey: March Breeze
For a greener, fresh grey: Cliveden Mist
For a cool grey: Tempered Grey

To explore additional grays, go to Valspar’s online paint palette, choose a family of colors and select the "Neutral” tab at the bottom for “grayed” versions of those colors.
 
Greys are enhanced by other colors and are easily matched:

• All greys go with white
• Blue-greys go well with blues and greens
• Reddish greys go well with pinks
• Brownish greys go well with oranges, pinks and turquoises
  

*Carla has a lovely soft and smoky voice, I recommend her latest CD – all the proceeds go to charity.

               
  March Breeze 1001-10C   Cliveden Mist 6007-1A    Tempered Grey 1004-14

Front Doors

Michele Coppin

Rather than painting the entire exterior, why not try a fresh coat of paint on the front door to update your home’s appeal? When choosing a color, consider the door’s surroundings. There is often a color you can find to coordinate with the existing materials. By choosing a shade lighter or darker than what is already there, you will give a sense of unity to your house.

The red in this door picks up the color of the brick while the contrasting green outlines it nicely.

For a door that makes a big impact on its own, pick an inviting color that you like.


 

This blue door has so much personality!

                           

 

For a luxurious, creamy look, a gloss or semi gloss exterior paint works best, like Valspar Duramax Satin Finish.

When using several colors, follow the structure of the door and let the panels guide you.  This will highlight any interesting characteristics in the woodwork. 

Which ever way you go, say no to blandness, say yes to color and embrace your door!

Fall Roadtrip

My son and I went on a fall roadtrip. As we headed south, we saw fields of hay and meadows of warm  yellows. The trees were just starting to move out of green and catch onto their fiery colors. There was a farmstand on the side of the road and we couldn’t pass up a chance to get some local cider, pumpkins, apples and what was left of the tomatoes. All amazing!!                               

Oh, and the orange car isn’t mine – just wish it was...    

I’m such a sucker for all things autumn. So here are some more fall colors for you…

   

                      
                     Orange Glaze 3009-6          Toffee Cream 3001-3B

When you work with these strong orange-base colors, try balancing them with silvers, greys and khakis. Colors like:

                     
                   Sparkling Sage 5005-3B         Stony Path 5007-1B 

 

                                    
                            Fairmont Penthouse Stone 6008-1C

Color of the Week - Cake Batter

Last week's Color of the Week was Cake Batter.

                                 
                                    Cake Batter 2007-8C

This yummy color is a soft, toasty, warm white that has a peachy quality to give it a touch of sophistication. It works well in entry halls, living rooms and bedrooms. Try pairing it with a soft grey blue like Sailboat. Or let it warm up a cool grey like Autumn Fog.

                 
              Sailboat 4005-5B                      Autumn Fog 4007-1B