Color Buzz

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? 

   

Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Sorry this blog is late in posting, but I had a late night out with friends after some of us checked out this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House. As one of my friends put it, “It’s the best one yet!”  If you are in the area I encourage you to go see for yourself, it’ll be there until May 22^nd. Some of the rooms there are truly inspiring. I loved seeing some of my favorite color combinations realized.

Geoffery Bradfield’s room combined a deep orange with tans. Very soothing and invigorating at the same time…like meditating with a cup of coffee in your hand. And there were lots of smoky lavenders in the various rooms – some were paired with taupes, tans, and blacks. You should check out a great New York Times article about the Show House by Penelope Green for more details on the rooms.

We were fortunate enough to be asked by the super talented designer Sara Story to produce a ceiling cloth for her room! Below are photos of our work in progress and the final result.

Her room is stunning. She has a soft, medium silver-grey on her walls with deep charcoal blue window treatments. The room’s trim is ivory, as is much of the furniture. To finish it off, there are touches of muted caramel. Very chic.

I’m going back in a couple of weeks and will report in more depth on what is there. Let us know what you think if you stop by!

      
                     Our storyboard                           Megan and Veronique painting

                                 

                                       That's me painting with our stencil
                     
                        

                                                The final result

Manhattan Makeover

We just finished an ultra elegant bedroom in Manhattan. We worked with the very talented design firm Bradley Thiergartner. Benjamin Bradley conceived the idea of a high-end, modern-glam room with an overscaled floral pattern on the walls. A few samples were worked up and Benjamin and David Thiergartner decided to go more tone on tone.  They wanted crisp and fresh. We painted the background with a modeled effect in an eggshell finish. We printed the stencil using a high-gloss enamel. This gives a subtle pop to the design when the light hits it. Very chic!

                           

                Beehive designers stenciling              Veronique at work

 

No Need to Fear Stripes

Valspar Prairie Sky is a soft, almost smoky blue, with a hint of purple. It would look great in a bedroom with white and silver fabrics. In fact, try an array of different accent colors that have a silver cast to them

Adding white stripes to the wall is a great way to break up the color. Of course, you are thinking, “What? Stripes?” It’s really quite simple, and nothing to be afraid of. You can start by measuring out and taping stripes 4-inches in width. One tool that really helps with this is a bubble stick. After you’ve applied the tape, run over it with an old credit card to burnish the edge. This will secure the tape so the paint won’t bleed. Make a mixture of one part paint to two parts water. Take a brush and gently dip it into the mixture. Shake off the excess. Apply the paint to the wall in a light smooth stroke. The paint should be transparent. Move the brush up and down until the brush marks run in a nice vertical strip. Remove the tape and voila! STRIPES.

A nice trim color to accent this would be Honeymilk. Grab a nice down comforter and good book and enjoy the winter nights!

                                               
                  Prairie Sky 4003-5B                           Honeymilk 7003-4