From the Studio

It's a beautiful day and Fall is in the air. Wallstreet is on a roller coaster ride, and Main Street is trying to find its balance. There's no denying that challenges loom on the financial front. Many people are worried about what's happening and trying to figure out what to do about it. Families, couples, singles, the issues are the same everywhere: maintaining home and security in the midst of the meltdown. How do we figure out what to spend our time on?
The answer is pretty simple:
Don't worry about things you can't change. Focus on what you can change, and take action on that. The sense of accomplishment you'll feel cannot be overstated. For example:
Here in the studio, Peter White is playing, and the sun is shining through the windows. Outside I can hear Mr. Joe's chain saw as he clears the brush at the back of the yard. The clutter in the studio is just about under control, and the new product catalogs are crowding the mailbox. So there's lots to tell you about. But before I go off on a tangent about all the new items available for your home, let's talk about where you are with your space right this minute.

I'm thinking we'll start with the issue of how to freshen up a room you've grown tired of.
We'll call it:

Love the Space You're In

One of the best color combinations to come along in a while was about ten years ago when sage blue and brown hit the horizon. Up to that point, brown had been considered sort of a drab color. Whose mother's house isn't covered with beige? Seriously! The fifties offered brown and orange. I mean, remember orange shag carpet? Ouch! For several years, brown was rendered "boring." Then in about 2001, the sage and brown combination arrived. The options were lush and beautiful, or fresh and cottage-y, even sleek and contemporary. And I have to admit, these scenarios wore very well. But now I have people coming to me saying one of two things:

1. "I'd like to do brown and blue. That's being done now, right?" Or ...
2. "I've had the blue and brown thing for awhile,and I'm tired of it. But I can't afford a complete re-do. Help!"

To number one I say: yes, it's being done. In fact, it's being done so much that you can do your complete room at discount stores, pre-packaged. What that means is, we need to spin it up a little; find something that is going to have a longer "shelf life." When a color trend - like the sage and brown combo - reaches the pre-packaged state at WalMart, it's time to brainstorm and reach a bit farther to find some fresh, "outside the box" ideas. Because the "sage and brown" marriage is coming up on its expiration date real soon.

To number two I say: there are things you can do with each of those colors. Let's look at what you have in which color, and proceed with ideas based on that.

This post we'll talk about what we can do with Sage. Tomorrow we'll tackle Brown.

Okay, so if your bedding or furnishings or floor coverings are sage, we'll find some accents other than brown; and the walls can be changed to any color, at any time. Paint is one of the least expensive, "maximum effect" changes you can make. But to get the ideas going, consider these options:

Sage and a pale gold.
Check out the image above. This is a very nice pairing. It's beyond "trendy," is considered a classic. And it can be restful.

In clearer tones, the blue and yellow becomes cheery and bright, perfect for a house by the water or a cottage kitchen.


Here's an example of the clear blue and gold tones. You can dress these choices up or down, depending on your preference.






In deep tones, sage and gold can be rich and luxurious, with luminescent accents and textured trims on pillows, throws, bedding, lampshades.


This image offers ideas for combining a variety of textures. Notice the use of trims, and the embellishments on the fabrics. Layering is important for a luxurious look and feel.







Sage and melon.
I have to tell you, I love this pairing! The possibilities are tremendous, and when you throw a third color in ... like apple green (that's what we're calling chartreuse these days) ... it becomes fresher than fresh, and can work in virtually any style choice. The image below shows these colors together. Included here is a throw and a duvet cover, and a variety of embellished pillows. Understated elegance.
If all else fails, or if you're looking for something that's simpler, with a serene or a contemporary feel ... try sage and white. If you want more saturation in the color, try sage and sage! Yup, that's called "tone on tone," and can be positively fabulous. It's all about textures. Take a look at these examples:

Here's a very simple and beautiful way to change the "sage and brown" look without breaking the bank.





This is one of my favorites. It's a classic way to create a
"luxury hotel" feeling in your bedroom.




This is a prefect example of "tone on tone." With sage as the only color, the interest comes from a variety of saturation in the same color, as well as beautifully subtle designs in the fabrics.

Let me back up a minute and be be really clear on this: even though the images I've shown you are bedrooms, the concept applies to any room. I just happened to have these images available, so I threw them up to give you something to look at.

Don't be afraid to experiment. And put your head together with a friend or two. It's great fun to tackle a project in a group, break a sweat together, and when you've hung the last picture you can each stand back with a glass of tea or a chilled martini and swoon over a job well done!

Watch this space for more ideas and creative "nudges" to keep you moving.

And if you encounter a challenge you're scratching your head over, if you need some help,
have no fear.

That's why I'm here.

Create!

Cece D for DDG