Color Buzz

Bathroom Compromise

By Michele Coppin

Francis and Daisy are engaged and Daisy is preparing to move in with Francis - into his bachelor pad... Francis has been living alone and has not bothered to paint or decorate his house, yet he does have strong feelings about any transformations in his home. They have decided to start with the small bathroom, which has dirty, white walls and pretty, pale gray blue tiles.

Francis likes earthy tones where as Daisy prefers light pastels. I was brought in to mediate...

We looked at a variety of colors that either blended with the tiles or enhanced them. 

We settled on an elegant brown, making Francis very happy. The color is also soft and smoky which pleases Daisy. Furthermore, Roadhouse Tavern beautifully enhances the pale blue tiles, satisfying Daisy's desire for pastels.

   
Roadhouse Tavern 2002-9B

But she still felt that the walls were a bit masculine and needed more of a feminine touch...

So we went to Michael's where she chose a pretty stencil, which we applied in the same shade of blue as the tiles, tying the blue and the brown perfectly.

The overall effect is a combination of warmth and elegance, resulting in a happy couple who knows how to compromise.

Modern Style

By Michèle Coppin

Decorating can be daunting and confusing with so many different styles to choose from. Knowing what style you are and what you like can be very helpful.  Here are a few visual tips to help you identify where you fit in:

If this is your ideal home :

If you like spatial uncluttered spaces:

If you like designer furniture and slick materials:

If you like clean simple textiles:

And graphic accessories:

If you like contrasted interiors:

If you like minimalist's strong contrasting colors:

And/or abstract art:

And your ideal get away is here:

And finally, if you like the clean contrast of  black and white… congratulations!

Your style is…

MODERN/URBAN

Here are some modern palettes to begin developing your very hip style with:

Dramatic:

                   
Rugged Suede 4003-2B  Montpelier Red Velvet 1009-6 Rocky Bluffs 4003-1C

Elegant:

                   
London Coach 4002-1B     Hailstorm Gray 7006-21     Sweet Currant 1001-7A

Couples, don't forget to check out Valspar's "Love, Our Style" site for tips on merging styles AND a chance to win a room/paint makeover from the Beehive Studios!

Color of the Week - Pink Kiss

Last week's Color of the Week, Pink Kiss is a sweet, soft, breathy pink that would look pretty in a bedroom. You could also pair it with grays and whites to create a beautiful, elegant living room. Try Dust Bunny as an accent color, Anthem White as a trim color and Delicate Bliss on the ceiling.

                        

            Pink Kiss  1007-2C              Dust Bunny 2005-10B

                       

        Anthem White 7006-24             Delicate Bliss 7001-8

       

Friday Project Series: Scrapbooking for Couples

By Michele Coppin

When two people move in together and merge their tastes and styles, identifying colors that are pleasing to both is very important. However, many people do not really know what they like and the selection process can seem overwhelming.

A good way to identify colors that work is to create a scrapbook or a collection of appealing color examples. It is a fun and easy way to develop one's color awareness and preferences.

To begin, collect bits and pieces of color such as wrapping paper, photos, magazine clippings, leaves, fabrics, etc.—anything that catches your eye. As the collection grows, color trends become visible and a palette develops. These precious references make decorating much easier and will help you discover and develop your own personal palette.

When merging two styles like Francis and Daisy, couples can each make their own scrapbook. By comparing the two, the couple can identify the colors they have in common and focus on that particular palette. Here is their result:

His

Hers

His palette =

             

Sea Seeker 5004 - 7C    Red Ochre 2011 - 4       Cowboy Boots 2010 - 10

Her palette =

              

Soft Skies 4006 - 6A   Tomato Bisque 2008 - 5C    Maple Cream 3003 - 4B

****Couples, don't forget to check out Valspar's "Love, Our Style" site for tips on merging styles AND a chance to win a room/paint makeover from the Beehive Studios!

President Reagan’s White House Bedroom

By Michele Coppin

I am not terribly impressed by the decorating styles of the eighties. However, I do recall one outstanding exception: Ronald and Nancy Reagan's White House bedroom.

When the Reagan's moved into the White House in 1981, Nancy called upon Ted Graber, an influential Hollywood society designer, to help redecorate.

"The Reagans liked the feeling of an English country house by way of California" said Paige Rense, editor in chief of Architectural Digest. "Nancy was especially concerned that everything was comfortable and cheerful for the President. She didn’t want any precious little French chairs. She wanted upholstered pieces that men would feel comfortable with."

For the master bedroom, Nancy and Ted chose a gorgeous 18th Century soft, yellow hand-painted Chinese wall paper, patterned with masses of birds flitting gracefully around the room. The print is light, uplifting, cheerful and elegant. Like Nancy, I love the "Chinoiserie" style. 

Chinoiserie refers to a recurring theme in European artistic styles since the 17th Century that reflects Chinese artistic influences. It is characterized by the use of fanciful Chinese imagery, asymmetrical in format with whimsical contrasts of scale.

Photos courtesy of Architectural Digest

Chinese wall paper may appear quite feminine, but it works very well when offset with darker furniture like in this bedroom.

It is interesting to note that the Chinese invented paper, and they glued rice paper on their walls as early as 200 B.C. Around the 1700s, the first wallpapers were brought back to Europe from China and became immensely popular. Until the 19th Century, most of the monarchs in Europe had created their own Chinese interior complete with wallpaper, furnishings, paintings and porcelain.

Most wallpaper stores carry very pretty copies of 18th century hand painted originals. I find that one wall of these beautiful prints works well when balanced by one of its colors on other walls. For example:

  Pelican 4007 - 1A      

Tomato Red

By Megan Leblond

It is tomato season! Here are some of the devastatingly delicious cherry tomatoes from my garden. Warmed by the sun, they seem sweeter than grapes—so scrumptious!

I’m not the only one who likes to celebrate tomato season. Spain celebrates tomato harvest season with "Tomatina". The 100-ton tomato fight had over 40,000 participants this year. Occurring in late August, the event annually pays homage to patron saints, St. Louis Bertrand and The Virgin Mary. The tomato fight only lasts an hour, but the effect is spectacular. The town, locals and tourists are completely covered in red!

Humans have been incorporating the color of tomatoes into their lives for centuries. Insect shells of Spain and Armenia were used to create the first red dyes. Cochineal shells and madder were used to dye Pope Paul II robes in 1467 the first reds to replace royal purples, and Louis XIV coated Versailles in the ruby color, dressing 435 royal beds in red damask.

Described as a red-orange, true tomato red was first harnessed in 1869 by Carl Graebe and Carl Liebermann, who isolated the dye known as alizarin. Using the organic compound aniline, the team found the principle coloring agent of madder, a tomato-like plant. The synthesized color soon replaced previous forms of red dye and transformed the textile industry in Holland, France and beyond. In 1878, a synthetic version of aniline was developed for dying wool, and in 1884 Congo red was developed for dying cotton.

Today, we see the color on a daily basis. Red comes to us in the form of catchy advertising, token appliances, fast cars, flashy nail polish, bright lipstick and stunning shoes.

One of the primary colors, red never fails to draw attention to itself or prove a point. The intensity of color suggests energy and depth. Surprisingly, many people are drawn to the sometimes shocking color for interior spaces. It is a warm and reassuring color that implies presence and activity. Ever notice how “Open” signs are typically red and “Closed” signs are typically blue? “Warning” signs are also often red, as are “Stop” signs – all messages worth a second glace.

If you are considering a red for your home you should think about how you would like it to function. Would you like the red to stand out? Would you like it to blend with colors of equal intensity? Would you like it to act quietly as a dark sultry hue? If depth and warmth is the look you are aiming for, pair red with an analogous color. Those are the colors next to red on the color wheel. Examples would be oranges, browns or purples.

If you love the brightness and boldness of red, and are looking for a strong or fun look, pair red with it's compliment. That is the color opposite red on the color wheel: green. Certainly different types of green will produce varying effect. Personally, I love burgundy and forest green together.

If you would like red to be the highlight color or attention getter, pair it with a neutral like gray or tan.

We at the Beehive would love to hear about your red success stories and challenges.  If you have a tale to tell, or need advice on the right red or complimenting color for a space, let us know!

Color of the Week - Lucky You

Last week's Lucky You is a somewhat bright pink with a touch of lavender. This would, of course, be so pretty in a bedroom but you can also try it in an entry way as a cheerful color to greet guests with. For a more sophisticated direction try trimming it out with Exaltation and Napa Dawn on the ceiling.

              

Lucky You 1004-4C           Exaltation 7001-2         Napa Dawn 1003-10C

        

Merging His and Her Styles – Creating a Cozy Space

By Veronique Habermann

As you new shared life begins, it is important to create some cozy, special places in your house. If you are lucky to have a bedroom that allows it, placing a couch in you bedroom can do the trick.

In this case, I placed a small TV in a strategic position next to the couch, so not as to reproduce the big screen TV and coach area of the family/entertainment room. The only way to watch it is by laying on the coach with feet up, which is great for watching one of my favorite girly shows when he is watching something I am not in the mood for. It’s also a great space for us to get together to read books, or snuggle to watch TV together. It’s like a little nest for the two of you!

Berry Stain

By Megan Leblond

I recently had the pleasure of taking a beautiful hike along the Appalachian Trail.  The trail begins in Maine and stretches 2,175 miles to Georgia. It takes between five and seven months to complete by foot. It’s a real challenge and takes commitment to complete. 

Luckily, the trail is open to more than just the rough hikers, who take approximately five million steps to traverse the 12-state-long trek.

My hike was just seven miles to Sunfish Pond, a glacial lake near the Delaware River in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. It was a beautiful and fruitful day! The wild blueberries and red raspberries were everywhere! There were high-bush and low-bush blueberries, red raspberries and even a few blackberries! Talk about pure fun.  It is hard to explain the joy of picking fresh berries the entire length of the trail.  I was reminded of a haiku poem I wrote in high school about a deer with berry stained lips. I started thinking about the color each of the berries I was munching on would “stain” or “paint.”

To create a wash or stain look for a wall is quite simple. Working in sections, one can add water to just about any color of wall paint to create washed or watery appearance. The look has softness and depth. Keep a bucket of water with your paint bucket and add water to small amounts of paint. Work quickly to feather brushstrokes and avoid creating 'edges' of sections that you are working on.

Here are some color studies of the berries:

Here is an interior shot created by Renaissance Finish that looks as if it could be berry stained. 

And here are some choices from the Valspar palette that could help you obtain a berry-stained look:

                           
         Purple Plumage 1005-5B              Plum Good 4011-10

                           
                Merlin 4002-6B                      Berry Twist 1002-1C

New England Summer Cottages

The beautiful coast of New England is dotted with charming beach cottages. Unlike the whimsically colorful Floridian cottages, the summer homes in New England display a sober beauty that speaks of sun, wind and rain. The lovely clapboard sidings, weathered by climactic extremes turn to a variety soft grays - with hints of blue, pewter or pearl while others become bleached with sandy shades of earthy whites and pale straw. These color variations also depend on the age of the wood.

Wood connects us to our natural world, creating a rustic simple elegance. The beauty of natural wood is unique in its color, grain and patterns which stains enhance, but paint masks.

Indeed, stains allow the aesthetic properties of wood to remain while protecting from the elements.
Cabot Stains has an array of different stains, clear and tinted that help protect, maintain and sustain wooden sidings, fences, porches and docks...