Color Buzz

Cheerful Colors - Second Installment

Last week, I blogged about a few of my favorite cheerful colors (Read the first installment here). You’ll notice that I focused on oranges, pinks, blues and greens, but cheerful colors don't always have to be bold and bright to make us happy. Sometimes happiness comes by way of peace and calm. I've put together three color palettes that take you in that direction. 

Harmony

Embrace yourself with the warm glow of this palette. These colors lend themselves beautifully to homes with open floor plans because of their soothing, neutral qualities

                                        

            Peach Encounter 2006-4B           Kabuki Clay 3003-8C   

                                     

Belle Grove Light Amber 3006-8B  Coral Gables Biltmore Mediterranean

                                                                              Caramel 2007-8A

Peace

Soft and gentle, these colors are playfully joyous, yet subtle. Try using Spring Parade as the main color with Whitewash Oak as your trim. Then, play up accents in colors like Sweet Lily and Baked Scone.

                                     

              Spring Parade 1001-4C                   Sweet Lily 1002-4A

                                    

               Baked Scone 3007-8B                 Whitewash Oak 7006-23

Tranquility

These colors are cool and soothing. They remind me of a light and breezy early morning sky at the beach. This palette would look beautiful in a bedroom, living room or hallway. These colors are easy on the eyes and lend themselves to ivory accents and deep wood tones.

                                     

            Silver Dusk 4006-3A                          Lunar Tide 6006-3B

                                      

          Woodlawn Whitewash 6008-1A        Cliveden Gray Morning 6001-1C

To demonstrate the power of peace, I encourage you to read “The Perfect Gift” by Judith Warner of The New York Times. Judith offers a beautiful reminder of what happiness is and the simple warm-hearted ways we can achieve it.

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

              

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I thought we should talk about one of my favorite colors: green! Green is truly one of the liveliest colors in the world. It represents nature and the earth and I really believe we are programmed on some deep level to seek it out. Green is soothing, refreshing, uplifting and just plain beautiful. It is one of the most dynamic colors ranging from a bright Kelly green, to a soft sea foam green to a dramatic evergreen.

You could paint an entire house with shades of green and feel that no two rooms are alike. Here are a few recommendations to consider:

For an entryway, you could try a neutral green like Withered Moss to bring the outside in.

 

Withered Moss 6007-36

A lively, spring green like Fresh Pear would look beautiful in a kitchen, especially if paired with crisp white trim and tangerine or hot pink accents.

Fresh Pear 6007-7C

For a dining room, consider a rich, saturated green like Elegant Silk, which pairs nicely with Redstone Dakota Sandstone.

             

Elegant Silk 5010-7     Redstone Dakota Sandstone 1001-10A

A sophisticated living room would look lovely with a muted green on the walls like Plum Passion. This soft, sage green would look great with accents of rust, ivory and navy blue.

Plum Passion 6007-5B

A master bedroom with warm ivory bedding would look fabulous with a soothing, watery-green like Meadow Mist. Try accents of warmer, neutral greens like Epic and touches of violet and coral pinks.

               

Meadow Mist 5008-7B                  Epic 6008-3C

For a children's bedroom, try a fun green like Garden Fresh and add splashes of royal blue or hot pink to really set a playful mood.

Garden Fresh 6008-7C

The family room is often where we spend a lot of time. For a cozy, homey feel, try a warm green like Olive Marinade. The rich undertones have a hint of gold, which would look especially beautiful with dark wood accents.

Olive Marinade 6007-5C

In our studio, we painted the floor in Wetlands. It’s a deep black-brown green that looks rich and inviting. We added a warm, light oatmeal color (Dakota Trail) to the walls and a creamy white for the trim. The balance between the dark and light hues looks great.

           

Wetlands 5007-2C               Dakota Trail 6008-3B

When choosing a color for yourself, keep in mind that greens work really well with their opposites: rusts, pinks, reds. Play around and see which work together and avoid the combinations that fight against each other. Enjoy! 

Design Dilemma: Jason's Response

Dear Jason,

Thank you for turning to us for color help. The colors you have look like they go together pretty well. There may be other factors that are working against the color scheme as a whole. Just to give you a few color ideas, I would suggest warming up the hallway with a caramelly-neutral like Filoli Antique Lace. This will look nice with the Hopsack and the River Mist. 

                     
Filoli Antique Lace 3002-10B    Hopsack 3003-10B           River Mist 5003-9A   

For the kitchen, you could go in two directions. First, if you want to go with a blue, I would again warm up the space with a color like Palisade Blue. 

                                          
                                         Palisade Blue 4006-3B

If you want to take a totally new direction, I would consider a crisp, clean color like Fresh Pear.  This would keep the flow of the room, but still add some color dimension. 

                                          
                                           Fresh Pear 6007-7C

Let us know if these sound good or if you need more color suggestions.

Thanks!
Ann

The Winter Blues

By Michele Coppin

Winter blues are beautiful. Just think about the water, sky, ice, shadows, and snow. Shades of blue can be mysterious or crisp. I find most blues to be a true source of inspiration.

        

Many people consider blue as their favorite color. Blue is often the color new mothers choose when they are expecting a boy and it is often the color preferred by men (although some may argue!). Reminiscent of the sky and water, representing freshness and purity, blue creates feelings of calmness, serenity, peace, tranquility, safety and order—qualities we need in these tumultuous times. It is a spiritual color that stimulates the imagination, inspires our dreams and helps us focus during meditation.

Russian painter W. Kandinsky was once quoted as saying, "The inclination of blue to depth is so strong that its inner appeal is stronger when its shade is deeper. The darker the shade of the blue color, the stronger is its call to the infinite, the stronger the yearning for purity and finally the transcendental."

Indeed, blue encourages self-knowledge and inner search. Blue is also an invitation to travel, a call to adventure. Because it is the color of the vast oceans, blue suggests voyages, discoveries and distant horizons.
 
Blue can be a cheerful color, but it is usually regarded as calm and relaxing, creating a sensation of clarity and spaciousness. In Feng Shui, blue is the symbol of tranquility of the mind. The color encourages positive thinking and is often used to decorate offices because blue promotes productivity and concentration.

Blue is a good choice for bedrooms because its serene, soothing nature facilitates sleep. Because blue is often associated with water, hygiene, freshness and cleanliness, blue is also a favorite in bathrooms. I enhanced my blue bathroom with a combination of blue and white Mexican tiles:

                    

The only room where I would not recommend using blue paint is the kitchen. There are very few, if any, foods that are blue and the color does not stimulate our hunger. Because blue is not the most appetizing color, it is recommended only as an accent in kitchens.

There are many colors that pair well with blue, but as a general rule, you can’t go wrong with white or gray.

Pale blue goes well with yellow and creamy beiges.

                                 

                           Celestial Blue 4003-5C   Champagne Tickle 3001-2C

Teal and turquoise go well with browns and earth tones and pinks.

                                  

                           La Fonda Teal 5007-8B     Berry Brandy 1005-9B 

Navy blue goes well with red, strong pinks and white. 

                                           

                        Atlantic Schooner 4004-6C   Fabulous Red 1011-2

Purple-blue go well with greens.

                                      

                  Oatlands Velvet Night 4001-8B   Meadow Wind 6005-7B

For more on the history of blue, I recommend checking out Michel Pastoureau's gorgeous book "Blue, the History of a Color.” 

 

Scandinavian White

By Michele Coppin

Even though the Groundhog saw his shadow, don’t let the winter get you down. Let it inspire you!

Long winters and the lack of natural light in Scandinavia inspire a beautiful style that emerged from the need for sleek and airy interiors that make the most of the available light. The Scandinavian style combines the neutral colors of the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish landscapes with a casual, aged appearance.

                     

                                      "Harvesting Ice”

Scandinavian-style interiors are timeless, fresh, elegant and often free of clutter. The style is warm and welcoming, and the design relies primarily on white, which is a nice change from traditional English country/rustic design. Swedish artist Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919) is generally credited with helping to define this Scandinavian style.

                      

                                  "Brita's Little Nap"

Brita was one of Larsson's eight children. Larsson was the Norman Rockwell of his country, capturing every day life in his touching and charming paintings.

For some, white is not a color, but a value. For others, white is the combination of all colors. In any case, white is a neutral with infinite possibilities. In the West, white is associated with innocence and purity, which is why it is the color of weddings. It is also a spiritual color often associated with religion, angels and meditation. In Asia, however, white is the color of mourning.

White makes rooms appear bigger. Alone, it can create a sensation of space and infinity. White gives interiors a sense of freshness and calm. It is luminous and accentuates light, although too much white can create a negative feeling of sterile emptiness and solitude.

Elegant and neutral white is always in fashion. It goes well with wooden floors, especially when paired with bleached or light-colored wood such as maple. Floors can also be painted white or a similar pale color.

When pairing white with other colors, I recommend considering other neutrals like gray, cream, or beige used in gradations. When combined with green, white creates a young, fresh tonic look. Fabrics like cotton and linen go well with white walls as do white and blue tiles, white ceramics and glass objects.
 
I love these quiet simple Scandinavian interiors, uncluttered and full of natural light. I like the way the white works in kitchens, because it imparts a sense of cleanliness.

In this dining room, the white is elegant, simple and inviting.

White is a soothing and relaxing color for any room!

How have you incorporated white?

Michelle Obama's Inaugural Gown

By Veronique Habermann    

       

A week ago, there was a lot of guessing about what Michelle Obama was going to wear for inauguration day. Michelle wore two beautiful outfits, including one yellow ensemble for the inauguration ceremony, and a flowing, white gown for the inauguration ball.

 

Earlier in the day, Michelle wore a yellow dress and coat set from Cuban-American designer, Isabel Toledo. The color yellow symbolizes hope and optimism. The decision to accessorize with green gloves and shoes was very modern. Michelle stayed true to her classy, yet sexy, approach to style with this outfit. I think she will go down history also for her unique sense of fashion.

For the evening event, Michelle chose, apparently at the very last minute, a white chiffon, one-shoulder gown by young designer Jason Wu. The dress looked absolutely beautiful on her, not unlike a wedding dress. Jason Wu described his dress as "soft, feminine and powerful." He went on to say that he “wanted it to look like a sign of hope.”

       

I think the white gown was an excellent choice because it was a neutral color. This stunning dress was a far cry from the usual reds, blues and other jewel tones worn by Michelle at past milestone events. It was unexpected, while still maintaining her usual sophistication. The gown was beautiful, but it didn't scream extravagance. For me, just as designer Wu had wanted, the dress brought to mind peace and hope.

No matter what she wears, Michelle always demonstrates impeccable taste. I am looking forward to see what other daring colors choices she will make in the next four years!

Color Of the Week - Champagne Dance

Last week, we rang in the New Year with Champagne Dance. The color of champagne has always been one of our favorites, and it ties in nicely with Pantone’s Color of the Year: Mimosa.

It's soft and velvety and is always aesthetically pleasing whether paired with a strong partner like a navy or a gentle companion like Cliveden Sandstone.
                                            
                Champagne Dance 3005-4C    Cliveden Sandstone 3007-10B

                      

Color of the Week - Fabulous Red

Last week's color of the week was Fabulous Red. We were in a festive mood. Dining rooms take a starring role this time of year, so we put together a palette that would add magic to any holiday gathering. With this intense rich red, try a deep warm neutral for the trim. We chose Wild Hawk. For accent colors, we went with Jekyll Club Cherokee Tan, Deep Earth and Lush Sage. Make your house festive, and celebrate color.

                 
               Fabulous Red 1011-2              Wild Hawk 6007-2B

                 
     Jekyll Club Cherokee Tan 6008-2A      Deep Earth 6010-2   

                                
                                    Lush Sage 5003-2B

        
                      Dining Room Painted in Fabulous Red

Color of the Week - Churchill Hotel Maple 2008-8B

Last week's color of the week is Churchill Hotel Maple. With this soothing deep beige color, you can bring warm elegance to almost any room. Try balancing its warmth with Oatlands Subtle Taupe and Asiago for a chic backdrop for the rest of your room.

                                         
                                    Churchill Hotel Maple 2008-8B
                      
         Oatlands Subtle Taupe 6005-1B            Asiago 6005-1A

We Love This Old House

Just got my copy of November's This Old House ...I love it for many reasons.  One, because they talk about how an old house doesn't need insulation to be warm...can't wait to read that over a steaming bowl of soup.  And second, the Beehives and I were featured in the article entitled, “3 Small Spaces, 9 Bold Color Ideas.” 

This issue has a great spread on how to create color washes, and do a nice job demonstrating technique with many nice color examples.  In the article we contributed to, we talk about many different ideas from using bold colors in an entry (your favorite color is a great way to welcome guest) to using lively kitchen colors to wake you up each morning to adding energy to the small space of a bathroom.

Here are a few Valspar colors to consider:

Entry ideas
 
Trim: 
       
    Woodrow Wilson Putty 6006-1A

Walls:                                             Door:
                  
          Smoked Oyster 6005-1C              Orange Maple 2010-5      

Kitchen ideas

Ceiling:                                          Walls: 
                 
             Polar Star 4005-1A                 Field of Daisies 3003-1B

Bathroom ideas

Ceiling:                                          Walls:  
                   
  Fairmont Penthouse Stone 6008-1C         Jazzy 4005-8B

Trim:                                               Floor: 
                   
          Whitewash Oak 7006-23               Sandalwood 6008-2B