The bad news is the “do-it-yourself” homeowner often relies on magazines and newspaper articles or television shows for information about current trends in decorating including how to choose a color palette for the walls of their home.

I say bad news because of my firm belief that much of this information can be misleading and can leave the homeowner feeling confused. These sources often suggest color palettes that are trendy, that are not easy to live with and the recommended applications simply do not make good decorating sense. I prefer a practical, sensible approach to selecting and applying color to our walls.

Here’s the Truth

The walls of your home should be painted with colors that enhance the color palette found in your fabrics and furnishings. Wall color should not detract from your furniture, art and accessories but take on a supporting role in your decorating scheme. In other words, when you walk into a room your eye should take in the entire room as a complete package. You should see the furnishings first and wall color should be seen second.

The Color of Paint is a six-part series. Check back soon for updates!

If you aren’t one with enough intestinal fortitude for this move, I have a solution or two for you. Simply add an area run in leopard with a border to your tiled or wood floors. We have rugs made to order all the time. It’s not an expensive investment and we can get the exact size your room needs. In other words, take it in small doses. You can always move the rug to another room such as a bedroom if you get tired of it in the family or living room.

My second solution is to hint at a leopard pattern by adding it with throw pillows. Go back to the home page and check out the pillows on the sofa. Who would have expected to find leopard throw pillows in this room? Thinking out of the box is what makes this room so inviting. Don’t be afraid to add the unexpected. It’s easy to swallow in small doses.

I once found a print by the artist Wolcott in a vintage store in Miami, AZ. A couple of years later I found the companion piece at a consignment shop in Fort Myers, Florida! You do have to hunt if you want to find unique items. I prefer to skip mass produced art, example: the one that depicts the couple dancing on the beach with the maid and/or butler holding the red umbrellas. Creeps me out! Not to say I won’t hang it for you if that’s what you want.

For those of you who decide to make art a serious part of your decorating but don’t have the time to hunt like I do, I suggest shopping at some of the finer furniture stores. There you can find one of a kind art that has been professionally matted and framed. To duplicate what has already been done in a framing store would cost a ton more than what you will pay retail for the complete package. Art is so important in the scheme of decorating your home. Let’s not just pick something and throw it at the wall!

So let’s tackle the small fortune reason for a moment. First, I must tell you that I sincerely believe that good decorating should not and need not cost a fortune. What I do believe in is having a plan of action in place so you can proceed with your purchases as your budget allows. I have had several clients tell me they need to stop and wait a few months before we can shop for the next round of purchases.

There is nothing wrong with this approach and in fact I encourage it. I want my clients to sleep at night and not wrestle with the thoughts of getting the charge card bills at the end of the month.

You see, if you have a plan, waiting for the next phase is pleasurable because you have me to guide you, shop with you and as the decorating progresses you can see the evidence of your decisions unfold right before your eyes.  So give me a call and let’s make a plan for your decorating too!

Many of you have told me that your decor doesn’t have a style or that you don’t know what to call it. Please do not be worried that you are unable to assign a particular name to your design aesthetics. This is not important. I suggest you place more emphasis on developing a look that reflects your personality and supports how you and your family live in each room of the house. Then you can name it yourself!

Aim for creating an environment based on what appeals to you and not just by what is currently on the market. Your home décor should include furniture of correct proportion, arranged against the architecture of the home for balance and harmony. Include items handed down from family members as long as they appeal or are important to you.  Be sure to include a bit of whimsy to take the edge off older pieces.

More about fad decorating later!

First we updated the ceilings by removing the popcorn and installed new lighting to enhance her fireplace and the walls where we would hang new art.

A black leather sofa with soft curves was selected for a feminine touch. Stone tables, steel and black granite lamps, red barrel chairs, contemporary art and a good arrangement were exactly what this room needed. Last I selected a paint color in soft tan with a drop of gold for the walls. It serves to warm up the red and black colors in the furniture and art.

One last issue was the coral colored tiles surrounding the fireplace which could not be denied so I painted them a dark charcoal color and, voila! – a new fireplace! Click on the image below to view the transformation in full size.

« Back to Featured Homes

We began by shortening the stiff silk draperies to allow them to fall more naturally to the floor. Then we selected a pair of matching table lamps to unite the mismatched side tables.

The pale stripes painted behind the bed didn’t seem to serve any real purpose. They only added to the confusion in the room. So, I selected a purple hue with a touch of gray in the mixture that matched the bed pillows, slightly deeper than the color of the drapes.  Painting the walls this beautiful hue created an inviting and rich cocoon of color that draws you into the space.

We hung art in the room that we found in another part of the house. The soft charcoal frames serve to draw attention to the anchor wall. We are now looking for a headboard for behind the bed to further create a look and feel of comfort for guests who come for a stay. Click on the image below to view the transformation in full size.

« Back to Featured Homes

Not having made any changes to her décor in 26 years made the decision to start over an easy one. New furniture, tables, lamps, a beautiful area rug, color on the walls and refinishing the beams to look like the real wood lifted this room and the spirits of the homeowner. I evened up the bookshelves and added a wood edge to the front of each of them. Then I carefully arranged her beloved collection of books to show off the beauty and the texture of their bindings.

Updating the fireplace with stone added tremendous texture and interest to the entire house as the opposite side faces into the formal living room. We added wood corbels to visually support the wood mantel beam and refinished it to look like real wood.

She tells me the room is still their favorite in the house.  ”No need to leave the house, we love this room so much and it still looks as new as it was revitalized a few years ago.”

Click on the images below to view the transformation at full size.

« Back to Featured Homes

We kept the same footprint with the exception of moving the refrigerator down to the pantry area and moving the pantry to the desk area. We then selected new cabinets, backsplash, handles and lighting. We opened up the recessed ceiling light and exposed a beam from which we hung a chandelier over the island. We removed the wallpaper and painted the walls a rich green color selected for a tone in the fabric on the new dining chairs. It pops against the soft white of the glazed cabinets and shutters. The look is rich and luxurious yet warm and inviting. Click on the image below to view the transformation in full size. 

« Back to Featured Homes

Open to the main area of the house, the first decision was to select a wall color that would not clash with the rest of the house. I selected a mellow golden tone right out of the drapery fabric which is mainly tan, charcoal and purple.

Due to the limited amount of space on either side of the sofa, chair side tables were selected in a soft black stain to compliment the creamy camel leather. Then I found these lamps which lend a bit of contemporary flair to the room. Each with two light sockets, they provide adequate lighting to the room and plenty for reading.

The original end table covered in a burlap fabric was in great shape and gave texture to the smoothness of the leather. It serves as a drink table and is the right height for using your laptop. The art rounded up from other parts of the house adds the finishing touch of color and modern personality. Click on the image below to view the transformation in full size.

« Back to Featured Homes