Color Buzz

Design Dilemma - Melissa's House

Hi Melissa,

I'm so glad you wrote! Looking at the photos I can understand why it was challenging for you - there are so many interchanging plans in your home. Below are drawings of your home with suggested Valspar colors and the corresponding color chips. Based on your preference for beige, earthy tones and on the colors of your sofa, pillow, countertop, etc, I wanted to stick with a warm, neutral palette. However, I wanted to give you an option in the kitchen - either to stick with the toasty palette or to branch away with cooler tones. Churchill Hotel Maple will give the kitchen a warmer, cozier feel, while Silver Leaf is a cooler grey. This will be more expansive and will contrast with the warm upholstery, dark wood furnishings and medium wood cabinets.

These are my suggested colors and finishes for each part of your home:

Entry

• Main color: Riviera Dune in Eggshell

• Around door: Paint a 3 inch “trim” to give more significance to doorway. You can do this easily by measuring it with a ruler and outlining it with painter’s tape.

Living Room

• Main color: Strawberry Malt in Eggshell

Dining Room

• Upper color: Strawberry Malt in Eggshell

• Under dado: Café Miel in Satin

Kitchen

• Over Cabinets: Churchill Hotel Maple or Silver Leaf (both in Eggshell)

• Backsplash: Churchill Hotel Maple or Silver Leaf (both in Semi-Gloss)

Hall to bedrooms

• Main color: Riviera Dune in Eggshell

• Upper color: Mesa Tumbleweed in Eggshell

• Under dado: Desert Fortress in Satin

Regarding the finishes - I chose Eggshell for most of the walls because it holds color nicely and I chose Semi-Gloss for the backsplash to reflect light in the dark inset and also because it's likely to get dirty from use. I love what you did with the dado (or chair rail) in the dining room and in the hallway to the bedrooms! I chose a Satin finish for under the dad in both areas because the colors above and below it are similar and I wanted to amp it up a bit. Satin is between Eggshell and Semi-Gloss, so it's slightly "shinier" than Eggshell, but it's also easier to wash. Having a Satin finish under the dado is perfect for you because you have a one year old running around, so it's more likely that the lower part of your wall will get dirty fast.

I also wanted to address some of your decorating options. You should try some art work in the living room to liven up the walls. Over the family room couch would be a great spot for some framed family and friend photos - have fun with the arrangement! For the dining area, you could definitely add some wainscoting. Are you thinking panels or beadboard? The beadboard uses wood strips that area bout 2" wide. Either would look nice. I would keep the mirror because it adds depth. You could try putting some pictures around it, but I would go with a dark wood color frame as opposed to black - black will be too severe.

Thanks again for writing and for sharing with Color Buzz readers. Let us know what you think of the suggestions and please be in touch again if you have any extra questions along the way.  Please keep in touch and let us know how everything works out. We’d love to see the “after” photos once you’re finished. Good luck!

Design Dilemma - Melissa's House

Melissa, 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 Melissa’s design dilemma.  Thank you, Melissa, for sharing your experience with Color Buzz readers.  Other entries are encouraged, so please feel free to email the Beehive designers with your specific design dilemma.

Come back on Monday to see Ann’s suggestions!

Hi Beehives,

Well, it is 11 pm, and after two weeks of trying to match colors and going through 13 sample paint cans, I came across this blog that offers help. My house has a completely open layout, meaning the kitchen, family room, living room and dining room are all one space. I am looking for a light to medium beige for the main color in my house.

I included pictures of my house to give you an idea of the space, existing colors and furniture.

The living room needs something on the walls besides paint, but I am so scared of doing anything – it took me three different curtains to finally decide on those. In the family room we are thinking about changing the decor to make it kid-friendly with a play kitchen or art table and two sofa chairs. In the dining room I think I am going to take down the mirror and put up black frames and I want to put up white wainscoting. I would like one ocean/beach tone for the décor in the dining room. I am open for the color in the kitchen, but I do like orangey/brown colors. They would all have to go together and mesh well.

I am so open to decorating ideas and the only thing that I want to keep is the sofa, TV stand, and curtains. Ohh, and I want to get new white blinds.

As far as what I would like with paint, I am pretty open-minded. I don't like super “out there” colors and I’m not a fan of reds.  I like neutrals and earth tones.  I also need help with what color to paint where – do I paint the island the same color as the kitchen or do I paint it the same color as the dining room wall?  And how do I paint the holes and area above the kitchen? They are rounded corners and the walls are textured.  Also do I paint the ugly baseboards the same color as the walls or white?

Additionally, what finish should I use in each room?  I have a one year old and everyone says I have to have high gloss in every room in case she draws on the walls, but I am not a big fan of shine. Any suggestions?

Thanks again for the help. Any advice or suggestions would be great. I am sooo stuck and my husband is pushing me to make a decision so we can cover up those samples on the wall.

Thanks,
Melissa

       

                                              
                              

            

            

 

       

Decisions about Color at the Last Minute

On Sunday evening, I was at Lowe’s with my son buying paint for an upcoming project. With just a few precious hours left in the weekend, Sunday evenings are the toughest time to make decisions as you madly try to finish up weekend home improvement projects. There was a couple in front of me, and the woman was visibly shaking as she looked at the screaming pure yellow paint chip in her hands. I overheard her say to her husband, “I don’t care how much it costs, next time I’m calling a decorator. I just can’t do this color thing!!!” I felt so badly. I asked what they were painting. They wanted to tone down the mint green fixtures in their bath. My six year old son, who up to that point had been so patient, decided it was time to go, and immediately it became hard for me to focus on the couple’s concerns. I wish I had had more time to spend with them. A soft grey blue would have helped offset their dated mint fixtures. They also poured out their frustrations over trying to get a teal rug to work with some brown furniture. I suggested khaki instead. The whole situation gave me a clear understanding of the anxiety people have about color. So, dear readers, please write us with any color concerns you have! Don’t wait until 4 pm on Sunday to struggle with paint color. We’re here to help.