Color Palettes You Can't Get Wrong

When it comes time to pick a new paint color for your home, do you find yourself up to your ears in paint samples not knowing what direction to go? Do you find yourself admiring design ideas online and trying to figure out how you are going to accomplish that look; but inevitably conclude that it is too overwhelming so you will just paint everything a nice cream color? That is the same for most people, because there are so many colors, hues, tints, tones, and names that the whole process becomes so overwhelming and seem like a hopeless endeavor. 

It doesn’t have to be!

Even though color and paint is my FAVORITE was to spruce up a room, and something that I love selecting; I myself get overwhelmed sometimes when the colors just aren’t working with me.

For those of you who want to take the first step to color, here are 8 full proof color schemes to help you get started:

1. Yellow and Blue: As primary colors, they share an uncomplicated, elementary quality that keeps them in sync.

2. Black and White: No Brainer, right?! It's dramatic, sophisticated and as classic as you can get. In any room, in any amount, it's absolutely fail-safe, and you can mix in dabs of whatever accent color appeals to you.

  

3. Pink and Green: Think about nature: pink flowers atop green stems, blooming from shrubbery, surrounded by foliage.

4. Navy and White: A starched white button-down topped with a navy blazer never goes out of style, and neither does a navy and white room.

5. Yellow and Gray: Yellow helps somber gray to lighten up; gray calms yellow down and keeps it from bubbling over. It's a win-win.

6. Red and Beige: Temper the bold of red with a swath of beige to create a rich, inviting, but still mellow space.

7. Blue and Orange: They're opposites on the color wheel, and paradoxically that means they go well together. I usually opt for more of a turquoise and coral color, to tone down the hue and make it more appealing and not so harsh.

(Go Broncos!)

8. Lavender and Brown: The key is to keep the lavender from getting too bright — a chalky pastel shade works best and looks luminous against deep brown.

 You can do it! Grab a bucket, or two, of paint and get started!

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A Well Dressed Room

Does decorating a bare room scare you, like the terrifying dream of being naked in public does? Well don’t let it! Decorating is a lot like getting dressed says Marni Jameson. She wrote an article in the Denver Post and I thought it was Brilliant and had SOOO much truth to it! Here me out:

Every morning don’t you get up and start from scratch (naked)?....Most people do. As a woman we make tons of decision before anything even touches our bodies: skirt, dress, pants, what bra, scarf, shoes, socks, sweater, jacket, jewelry, etc…. We also take into account our agenda for the day, comfort level and function! Does this sound familiar? These are all “design decision” we make about our wardrobe EVERY DAY and have been since we were around the age of 12.  

Getting dressed is just like designing an empty room. You start form the basics and build upon it, layer by layer, adding texture color, and taking into account function, comfort, desired aesthetic, etc.

I realize to most, it seem like a larger challenge than I have made it out to be, but really, you can do it! I also realize that the one difference between fashion and interior design is that we can change our clothes 7 times before leaving the house. This is not the same for interior design. It takes a lot more time, and a bigger budget. Not to mention the scale. These all are scary yet valid concerns, however if you break it down it really can be easy, and may even be fun for you.

I get to do this every day, and yes, sometimes it is hard but I LOVE what I do, and most morning it is even easier than getting myself dressed, at this point. Haha

Here are 8 tips to get a room dressed: By Marni Jamesosn-“House of Havoc”

1. The Purpose: When you get dressed you automatically think of the day’s agenda and factor that into your decision making. Are you going to work, a wedding, a backyard BBQ? Do you want to be dressy, casual, or chic? What you do with your space, determines how you will dress it. Is it a formal room, or will you be kicking back and watching TV?

2. The Style: Are you a Jackie Onassis, a Lady Gaga, or a Mitt Romney? Your taste in clothes-classy, funky, eccentric, tailored, should carry through your home. Don’t dress like someone you are not, and don’t let your house have a different character than who lives in it. I would imagine Joan Rivers’ home to be a riot of color, and Calvin Klien’s home to be a resolve of black, taupe and ivory.

 3. The Basics: Foundation pieces anchor both outfits and rooms. In clothes, foundation times are the slacks, skirt, or dress. In a room they’re the main upholstered pieces: sofas, chairs, or bedding. “A classic neutral sofa is your little black dress”.

 4. Pops of Color: Every outfit and every room need a spike of color. A teal tie or a citron scarf, sherbet pillows or raspberry lamp shades. A pop of color could also be a leopard print rug (or tiger-stripped heels).

5. The Bling: A touch of sparkle completes both an ensemble and an interior. It doesn’t have to be much, but it does have to reflect light. What metallic buckles on shoes, a belt a ring that glimmer, a watch or bangle bracelet do for an outfit, a crystal bowl, silver candle sticks, or a mirror does for a room. “Think of earring as lamps in a room”

6. The Wrap: Jackets and outerwear are to outfits what paint color and drapes are to rooms. “They complete the package”

7. Combine Textures: A little cashmere here, a little satin there: Rooms, like outfits, need contrasting finishes. Contrast sleek with rough, shiny with matte, and soft with hard.

8. Lay it Out: When putting together an outfit, it helps to lay the clothes out, swapping tops, ties, earrings, and belts, until the ensemble clicks. Putting a design together, with paint swatches, floor samples, and fabrics help you to visualize the room in the same way.

Now go get your ROOM DRESSED!

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** NOTE: Even though I wish I wrote these 8 tips, I don't and cannot take credit**

Big Impact...Small Price!!!

After my last post, I found that people LOVE budget decorating...who doesn't really?! Here are some more budget friendly design tips, that I use on MANY of my projects, and in my own home!

1. Supply the Storage Yourself

No matter how well your place is decorated, organization is key to showing off your great designs. Building a desk, shelves or closet doors is an inexpensive way to get your clutter out of sight.

2. Build a Headboard

Headboards are the perfect combination of form and function and create the perfect focal point for your bedroom that grounds the space and sets the tone for the entire decor. The can be made from anything really. See some other ideas here.

3. Assign Furnishings to Double Duty

Save money and conquer a small space by having everything serve a dual purpose. Make or buy ottomans with built-in storage or use twin mattresses’ as “sofa” cushions that function as an extra place for guests to sleep.

4. Divide and Conquer Efficiently

Break down big spaces by creating zones expensively with dividers or artwork.

5. Find Your Hidden Canvases

See past boring closet doors to the fresh, clean canvases crying out for decoration. Turn old mirror closet doors around with fabric to add a soft, stylish alternative. You could also transform surfaces like this with modern artwork.

6. Put the Ceiling to Work

Don’t forget the "fifth wall". Paint the ceiling, add beams or install a fun light fixture that continues the design upward. It’s a great, inexpensive way to get more design mileage out of a room.

7. Do the Unexpected

Use an old classic chandelier that you had laying around or found at a thrift store, and give it new life. Clean it up, paint it in a bold, high glass color and hang it in an unexpected place, like a powder room.

8. Buy Some Extra Space on the Cheap

Make low ceilings look higher by placing furniture vertically so that the eye follows the line up. And make windows look taller by mounting draperies high on the wall.

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10 Budget Friendly Ways to Change Your Space!

With the new year upon us, are you feeling the need to re-vamp your home? Here are some tips that I found online, that I thought were great ideas, and DON'T COST A THING...Bonus!!

1. Frame a magazine or book illustration:

Books and magazines are a great source for vibrant pictures. If you are like me, you have tons of magazines stacked on your coffee table (as decor, of course), so why not put them to good use- just cut pages out neatly and pop them into any blank frame for instant artwork!

2. Re-purpose fabric remnants as art:

If you do any sewing or crafting, I am willing to bet you have some pretty fabric pieces in your stash, just waiting for the right home. Stretch a larger piece over a blank canvas, and place it in a frame.

3. Use your throws in a fresh way:

Instead of always folding them at the foot of the bed or over the arm of a chair, try using your throws to change the look of your furniture with a bit of strategic folding and tucking. Try wrapping the loose cushion of your sofa with a throw, or lay a throw folded in thirds across the back and seat of a chair.

4. Color code your bookshelves:

Bookshelves looking a bit boring? Spend a winter afternoon rearranging your tomes by the color of their spines rather than the contents for a change. Bonus: It will give you an excuse to peruse all of your favorite old books!

5. Put the silver on display:

Whether or not you have silver, most of us have something we consider "too good" for everyday use. Consider putting some of your favorite pieces on display where you can enjoy looking at them daily. Float a flower in a teacup by the sink or gather fruit on a pretty cake plate on the counter.

6. Paper a wall in old maps:

Make your own wallpaper by decoupaging maps directly onto a freshly cleaned wall. Use maps of your area or nautical maps, or mix and match maps from places you have traveled to. If maps aren't your thing, tear out pages from an old book, or use pictures that have been ticked away in a box somewhere.

7. Remove a door and create a hideaway office:

Even a tiny closet can be transformed into a workspace. Replacing the door with a curtain will help the nook feel more inviting and give you a bit more space — and you'll still be able to close off the "room".

8. Hang artwork on your shelves:

A favorite of designers, like myself. This simple trick can make a room feel more sophisticated in an instant. A small painting allows you to still access the books around it.

9. Swap out accent furniture from room to room:

 I like to call the "shopping the house". Small furniture (side tables, stools, slipper chairs) is easy to move, and a simple swap can completely change the feel of a room. Try a side table from the living room in the entryway and a narrow entry table behind the sofa.

10. Reuse glass jars for flowers:Embellish small glass jars with colorful ribbon to make an instant collection of bud vases. Line up three, five or more down the middle of your dining table for an easy, casual centerpiece.

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10 Design Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make in Your Kitchen

A lot of life happens in the kitchen. No matter how different our lifestyles may be, a lot of activity revolves around the kitchen: Cooking , preparing a quick snack, eating breakfast or a 3-course dinner with family or friends. Not only do we socialize in the kitchen, getting together with family and friends over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, the kitchen is one place that needs to be both beautiful and functional. This raises a double challenge of do’s and dont’s in kitchen design.

1. Don’t obstruct access to the kitchen triangle.

Us designers refer to the sink, stove and refrigerator as the kitchen triangle which are the area of greatest activity which requires careful planning and unobstructed access. Of the three, the sink will see the most action and should have easy access to the stove and refrigerator, as well as your countertop workstations.

2. Don’t waste storage space.

Kitchens typically contain lots of stuff. Not only that, but items often concealed behind built-in kitchen cabinet doors can be oddly shaped and require a lot of space, such as food processors or stand mixers. Finding a home for your kitchen stuff while keeping it easily accessible can be a tricky proposition. Think about installing open shelves on an unused wall where you can nicely display your dishes or glasses to free up some concealed cabinet space.

3. Don’t ignore counter-top work space.

One of the biggest complaints about kitchen design is the lack of counter-tops. Consider all the kitchen activities that require a counter-top, as well as appliances that are permanently located there, you might want to fit as much open horizontal surface areas in a kitchen as possible. This may be achieved by adding an island or breakfast bar to an L-shaped kitchen or open shelving to an used wall. This will allow more space to display your dishes or glassware and leave the concealed storage for your larger, more unsightly items. 

 4. Poor lighting.

The kitchen is one room where you can’t afford to have poor lighting. It’s not only a matter of design and atmosphere, but also a safety matter when it comes to handling sharp kitchenware. Rooms generally need three types of lighting: general lighting for overall illumination, task lighting, and accent lighting. For the kitchen you especially should evaluate the work areas and focus on how you can provide each spot with the light it needs. Consider adding lighting directly above all the main working areas, use pendant lights or a series of mini-pendants in areas where these can enhance the lighting and beauty of the kitchen.

 5. Don’t forgo a back-splash.

While budgeting or designing a new kitchen or kitchen remodel, sometimes the backsplash considerations slip to the end of the list. This is one mistake that saves you money on the short term, but on the long run costs you a lot of time and effort. Imagine the steam, high humidity and grease content in the kitchen and you will understand why installing a backsplash behind the oven and extending it above all the counters throughout the kitchen is a smart idea. It is much easier to clean grease off a backsplash made of tile, metal, or plastic, than wall paint or wallpaper.

 6. Don’t forget to ventilate.

Effective ventilation systems help extend the life of your appliances and although they can be an investment, if you have a kitchen that opens to a living area or family room, they will make life easier, cleaner and more pleasant for everyone. 

 7. Don’t choose a wrong kitchen island.

When it comes to kitchen islands we generally think of additional storage, preparation and serving space in the kitchen, but the fact of the matter is that kitchen islands can waste a lot space. Choosing the wrong island or placing it in the wrong spot can be a disaster, especially in a work area that can get over cluttered.  At minimum, an island should be 4 feet long and a little more than 2 feet deep, but it must also have room for people to move and work around it. Specialists recommend that unless the kitchen is at least 8 feet deep and more than 12 feet long, one shouldn’t even consider an island.

8. Don’t ignore your recyclables.

These days, with the advent of recycling, dealing with trash in kitchen design has gone beyond sticking a bin under the sink. As recycling is here to stay, be prepared to manage your trash efficiently and incorporate trash sorting bins into your kitchen design.

9. Avoid being too trendy.

Although it’s not necessarily a mistake, choosing the latest kitchen designs and high-end equipment may not be the best of choices. The most stylish color of the season and trendy designs have a short half-life, and you may never get your return on large investments in the latest kitchenware.

10. Invest in a professional.

Taking over a kitchen design project on your own to save money is a common mistake which can waste more money, time and energy. There are some jobs where, for safety and quality work, a professional is not a whim. Designers possess the latest resources, trends, ideas, and manufacturer’s details to help you identify your specific needs and translate those details into an efficient plan according to your taste.

Courtesy of Freshome

http://freshome.com/

 Cheers!

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