From the Studio

Willie’s a tree guy who stops by periodically to see if I want him to cut any trees down. Well, he stopped by  yesterday. When I got up this morning I could see out the windows! All the trees, bushes and scrub that I’ve been wanting gone are … gone! He’ll come by later this week to grind the stumps, and then it will be time to call Pam the landscape lady to come over and draw up what I need to do. Criteria: must look lush and fabulous with a minimum of upkeep.

That will all come in due time. Today the water’s off because Mr. Joe is running water pipes and faucets around the back yard. You gotta have water if you’re gonna have plants.

So here in the studio, my assistant Jessie is organizing the fabric samples, and I am thinking about the projects you may have rolling around in your brains. Big? Small? Somewhere in between? Here’s a thought: it’s six weeks from Thanksgiving week. Do NOT start a renovation project now. You’ll want to shoot yourself if you’re climbing over sawhorses to get the turkey out of the oven. But some projects – those “freshen up the space” projects - are perfect.

Let’s think ahead a minute: are you having family over, or are you going somewhere for the holiday? Or maybe you’re planning to cozy in, just yourself and your pets and maybe a friend or two. Whatever your plans, it’s time to make sure your personal space reflects who you are today, and supports you for who you’ll be tomorrow.

So … let’s think PAINT!

The least expensive change with maximum effect is paint. Some people find it very intimidating to select a paint color. If you’re one of those people, here are a few tips:

Pick an item in the room that is a color you love. This item can establish your color palette for the room.

Go to the paint store and get some paint sample strips. Take your item with you if it’s portable (like a pillow, a small picture, a swatch of fabric). If it’s not, take a photo on your cell phone and check that at the paint store to make sure you’re in the general ballpark.

When you get back to your space, pull the strips out and lay them out on a table or chair. What jumps out at you? Anything? Is it just confusing? Okay, her

e’s one way to look at the strips, and it’s never failed me yet; I’m going to break it down by a few brands of paint that are common in this area:

Porter Paint:

Let’s take as an example, strip number 162. This is a strip with chips of six different shades of green, all with a grey base note. The center or “balanced” color on the strip is “Twig Green.” It’s a pleasant color, and is a good choice for bedrooms or bathrooms. But the more ‘expensive’ looking color is the one below it: “Baltic Green.” Generally speaking, the more saturated color is going to read as more expensive and luxurious. So if you’re thinking “Twig Green” and you feel just a bit daring, go with “Baltic Green” instead. I think you’ll love it!

Sherwin Williams:

Since we’re on greens, let look at strip number 26. These greens have the same grey base note, but are a little different … they have a bit more ‘verve’ to them. The center color on this strip is “Softened Green.” I always steer my clients toward the shade darker which is “Clary Sage.” It’s a fairly saturated color, full of life but not to dark. I’ve used “Clary Sage” many times with my client

s, and they love it.

Benjamin Moore:

Benjamin Moore has three different collections in their paints, a

nd they’re all terrific. For this exercise, we’re looking at the “Classic Colors” collection, strip number 052. As you look down the strip, the most saturated color (the one at the bottom on each strip) has a bit of umber brown in it, making it a little warmer than the darkest colors on the other strips. But up at the center of the strip is “Weekend Getaway.” This color is comparable to “Clary Sage” and “Baltic Green.” These three colors are the expensive looking choices, or what I call the “money colors.” And if you go one shade darker on the BM strip, you find “Mistletoe.” It is an absolutely fabulous color, will work well as a neutral in any room, and I cannot think of another color that would not go with it. You could choose brown, orange, pink, red, black, navy … they each go well with “Mistletoe.”

And here’s the thing about Benjamin Moore:

they have “paint pots” – little jars of your shade

that you can buy to try your color before you get the gallon.

There’s another section of Benjamin Moore Paints called the “Pottery Barn Collection.” You can see them at www.PotteryBarn.com.

Out of their current colors, two that I love are “Texas Leather” (walls) and “Winter Snow” (trim).

So pull out you Workbook; think through your project; go snag some paint strips; bring them home and make a choice. If the color you chose wasn’t available in a tiny jar, get a quart. You can mix it in with the gallon later if you try it on the wall and get a big YES! To it. And if you don’t love it you’ve not spent a fortune.

The image above shows the use of "Texas Leather" and "Winter Snow," both from Benjamin Moore's Pottery Barn Fall, 2008 collection.

Now, about those paint finishes:

Always, always … use eggshell or its equivalent on your walls. It’s washable, goes on well, and will cover better than a flat paint. It also looks better on the wall. On the trim I use a latex semi-gloss.

Two of the prettiest trim paints I’ve found are :

Benjamin Moore’s Classic Collection - “Simply White” (Right)

Benjamin Moore’s PB collection - “Winter Snow” (Shown above)

These whites are creamy and clear but not stark. They will not turn yellow or pink once they're up. The will compliment any of the colors discussed here, and many more!

I hope this has helped to get your wheels turning. I always say, the buddy system is the best, so if you can do it partner with a friend and together you can knock two rooms out – trim included – in a couple of days.

I’ll write again with more idea for how to freshen up your space. We’ll go through the process step by step, so that at the end, you’ll have in your space exactly what you saw in your head!

In the meantime, if you have questions, feel confused, or just need a little nudge, drop me a line, and have no fear …

That’s why I’m here!


Create!


Cece D for DDG