Color Buzz

Color of the Week - Fresh Pear

Now that spring is here, flowers are beginning to burst open from their winter rest. What better color to celebrate spring's arrival than a sunny, light green? Fresh Pear is a clear, bright, yellow-green that will work great in kitchens, bedrooms, porches and hallways. Pair it with a warm gray/blue like Surrender and bring in a grounding color like Prairie Dance. 

                                     

                                    Fresh Pear 6007-7C

                     

                   Surrender 4004-7B     Prairie Dance 6006-10A

             

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

Planet Green

By Michéle Coppin

Green is the coolest, hippest color, thanks to Kermit. Luckily during this time of year, shades of green are everywhere which makes me very happy. I love spring when the cool air becomes a little warmer and the green grass and leaves emerge.

Here are a few of my favorite green combinations:

                                             
            Afternoon Delight 6006-10A                Quail Egg 7002-12

                                         
                                       Sparkling Lake 5002-3B       

                                         
       Homestead Resort Moss 6006-6A        Tempered Sage 6006-5A

                                          
                                         Pontoon White 7006-13

Green is one of the purest, most natural colors. Because of its strong presence in nature, I often associate the color green with our beautiful Planet Earth. I know I am not alone when I say this because when astronauts return from space they don’t discuss the brute force of the rocket launch or the exhilaration of zero gravity. More often, the most significant experience they share is their view of Earth, its magnificent beauty, fragility and lack of visible borders.

"From up there, it looks finite and it looks fragile and it really looks like just a tiny little place on which we live in a vast expanse of space. It gave me the feeling of really wanting us all to take care of the Earth. I got more of the sense of the Earth as home, a place where we live. And of course you want to take care of your home. You want it clean, you want it safe."

—Winston Scott, two-time shuttle astronaut, author of "Reflection of Earth Orbit"

If you would like to show your appreciate for our green Earth, I urge you to check out Earth Hour, an event taking place tomorrow, March 28. You can learn more at http://www.earthhour.org.

And we'd like to add another friendly reminder to go and vote in the Color Buzz Poll if you haven't had a chance.

Home Front

We were recently mentioned in Terri Sapienza’s Blog Watch column in the Washington Post. This is particularly near and dear to me, being a former Washingtonian. I encourage you all to check out her articles on house & home. One of my favorites is an informative piece that helps quell our collective sadness over Domino's closing. The article focuses on the possibility of the great magazine’s reemergence and acquiring back issues for your collection. One site Terri mentions is http://welovedomino.wordpress.com/. I recommend checking it out for a quick Domino fix.

Both Terri and Jura Koncius host a weekly live discussion, taking on your decorating dilemmas every Thursday at 11 AM EDT. You can submit your questions before or during the live session: http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/content/submit_homestaff.htm.

And, if you haven’t done so already, please take our Color Buzz Poll mini survey!

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!

Color Buzz Poll

Attention all Color Buzz Readers:

We are excited to let you know that today we are launching a new mini survey so you can easily communicate your color and painting ideas and concerns.  Every two weeks, we will put together a new question to help us gain more insight into what you’re thinking and feeling about color. Please take a moment to add your two cents!

Thanks,

The Beehive Girls

Color of the Week - Ivy Pasture

Since we celebrated St. Patrick's Day last week, we thought a rich lush green would be perfect.  Ivy Pasture is a deep green with a touch of olive to it.  It looks beautiful with Shoreline Haze as a trim color.  Try it with an accent of Crimson Glow for a nice pop.  This combo would be great in an entryway, family room, or playroom.  You'll always feel connected to the Emerald Isle with a stroke or two of this gorgeous green.

                    
    Ivy Pasture 6004-6C       Shoreline Haze 6008-1B     Crimson Glow 2011-5

                       
            

Friday Project Series: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

By Michele Coppin

Mirrors have fascinated humankind since ancient times and they are often associated with powerful folklore. Just think back to popular children’s tales like Snow White. 

                           

In Feng Shui, a properly placed mirror can dramatically shift the energy flow of any given space. It brings the calming and refreshing qualities of water, which we can really use in these crazy times.

I had been searching for the ideal mirror for my living room for a long time. I needed something at the right price with the right look. I wanted something carved and ornate with curvy and delicate lines. Mirrors can be very expensive so I searched for the best deal.

I recently settled on a very plain mirror that I found for just $40. When I first brought it home, the dark brown frame looked cheap, rather masculine and depressingly rectangular. While it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, the price made the project worthwhile and I knew I could add a fresh coat of paint for a brand new look!

                       

I started by gently sanding the frame to remove the varnish and then wiped it clean. I wanted the mirror to be a light and clear element on the wall, so I applied an even coat of soft grayish-white: Milestone.

 

Milestone 6007 - 1B.

In an effort to break up the straight lines, I sketched graceful leaves, curling ribbons and buttons in a copper acrylic. I love using copper as an accent color because it is earthy and elegant.

                  

                

To make the design pop, I added touches of pure white and darker gray to the foliage. This technique allows the background color and the sketch marks to come through the top coat, which creates a unique effect. Once the project was finished, the mirror had a refined, handmade quality. The light colors appear very soothing against the darker wall and my living room feels more spacious. 

                   

                 

And at only $40, it is the fairest of them all!

Pairing Paint and Quarry Stones

By Michele Coppin

I am working with two clients, Miguel and Anna, who have gutted their living room and are rebuilding it from scratch. It is a labor of love and a painfully slow process for these passionate DIY-ers. They want the fireplace to be the central focus of the room, so Miguel hand-picked the most interesting and colorful stones from the quarry. He then carefully cut and assembled them to fit together like a puzzle.

              

He explained that he used naturally weathered rocks because the face of each rock was exposed to the elements over thousands of years. I have been following his progress over the past few months and am amazed by the result. He has taken a pile of rocks and transformed it into this beautiful structure. I think Miguel might secretly be a sculptor.

               

Now it is time to paint the walls in a color that enhances all the wonderful nuances in the stone, particularly the more unusual purples and ochres (earthy-yellows). These are complementary colors, meaning they sit opposite each other on the color wheel. Each makes the other seem more intense. Therefore, ochre walls would emphasize the purple in the stone, whereas purple walls would bring out the ochre.

We looked at many swatches at different times of day and under different light. Anna does not care for ochre walls so we concentrated on creamy beiges. After helping them identify their favorites, I painted big swatches of the chosen color options above and next to the fireplace.

Miguel’s preference is Dusky Hyacinth, a soft greyish purple. It is quite dark and  would create a dramatic effect:

                                           

                                        Dusky Hyacinth 1003 - 10A

Anna’s choice is Lyndhurst Gallery Beige, which is soft and soothing, yet rich enough to be  very effective:

                                            

                                    Lyndhurst Gallery Beige 2006 - 10B

The jury is still out and the perfectionists are debating. What color would you suggest?

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!