Bright Ideas For Styling With Color In Your Home

Ever look at the rooms in your home and think there’s something missing, even though you might love your furniture and everything chosen to go with it, is there something that could possibliy add a bit more life to the space?

Color is what is missing.  For one who loves neutrals in my own space and turning around one day to look at my small living area, I just didn’t seem to love it anymore.  Everything just seemed to blend.  A perfect example of pieces I loved in the space but it was just missing some color.  Knowing as we mature in life our styles change.  My style for neutrals has remained the same for quite a while now, but embracing color in my living space was a change I was happy to make and it wasn’t through paint color on the wall. 

Changes were made through accessories.  An accent pillow full of texture and loads of color.  Hot pink florals, a bright green and yellow hummingbird embroidered on a gray and white textured fabric was full of style.  Perfect for the small settee.  The inspiration for adding color was with a turn of the head to see the mandolin sitting proudly on the settee, placed perfectly without knowing. 

Adding fresh cut flowers from your garden is another way to add brightness to your space.  I’m fortunate to step outside and cut fresh blue hydrangea to add as a centerpiece on the neutral coffee table made of reclaimed wood.  The blue is perfect up against the neutral color settee in the background.  Simple things like fresh fruit can add color to any space. 

Green apples, oranges, mixed with red apples add bright fresh color placed in a bowl on a table or even in a guest bedroom for overnight guests to enjoy.

Pops of color can also be added to a white fireplace mantle.  Embracing neutral for such a long time, summer provides the opportunity to be creative with fresh flowers and containers to place them in.  Finding an ivory background color water pitcher made of terracotta clay with a blue design was the perfect item to add additional color to my mantle.  Adding orange Parisian lilies to the pitcher added the height needed and achieved the goal for brightness.  Combining more blue hydrangea was a plus. 

Greenery is another way to add brightness.  House plants such as Boston fern are not only space fillers, but also add a sense of warmth and color to a room.  Succulents are another way to add color with various shades of greens and purples and can dress up a window sill at the same time.

Embracing color in a space can be done tastefully.  Having a neutral backdrop in a room helps when adding various colors at the same time to a space.

Bright Ideas of Adding Color:

·        Accent pillow full of color

·        A musical instrument (even if you do play, it’s a great prop)

·        Fresh hydrangea

·        Fresh fruit

·        Green plants

Home Styling With The Little Things

The sun has finally shed a bit of light on our most recent rain pattern.  With the warm sunshine brings some heartfelt appreciation for the little things that make a house a home.  To some it might be clutter, but to others these little things could be most cherished memorabilia.

Just by looking outside the window can bring some life and freshness to your home.  Gardens of plantings whether it be a small rose bush, hydrangea plants or by creating your own with potted flowers can provide interest.  For me it’s beach rose plantings that offer a sweet aroma every morning in the soft breeze. You don’t have to have a large and finely manicured yard to enjoy flowers and plantings that can be cut and brought inside your home to enjoy.  Potted house plants that will last year-round will also bring warmth and enjoyment to your living space.  I continually clip my begonia plant to create additional potted plants throughout the home.

Add some charm and interest to a bathroom.  Finding some unique items and thinking outside of the box.  I found antique iron birdbath in aged green that will be used for hand soaps or a potted plant.  Adding little details that will also create some interest, can be found in unique towel hooks.  I was lucky enough to hold on to a twisted iron and glass wall hook for use in the bathroom.  Creating an interesting display of wall mirrors will also add charm.  A little pre-planning when sprucing up a bathroom will result in satisfaction in the end.  Adding unique accent tiles with certain features will make the design stand out.  Iridescent hexagon tiles and glass mosaics that are installed on the shower floor or at eye level in a shower is an attention grabber.

Meadow fabric by Jffabrics for Duralee Fabrics

Little things of pleasure come in all shapes and sizes.  it could be as simple as the details on a fabric for pillows or window treatments.  A garden design fabric with a hummingbird and butterfly are particulars not everyone will embrace, yet still creates interest for someone who enjoys gardening and nature.  A sheer fabric with dotted frayed detail is a simple way to add some interest with the little embellishment of fraying threads.   Displaying your books of interest also adds a visual concept of who you are, your interest and tells a story of who you are.  These journals of information can be displayed casually on a staircase bringing color up onto the staircase through the book covers.

In the world of design, fine lines and contemporary living spaces are being noticed more.  Adding small details to a mantel to embellish and give style to the piece creates softness.  Pieces of detail can be purchased and added to furniture to create interest.

Miss Elouise

My most special little accessory to my home that brings me joy is Miss Elouise my fur grandbaby traveling to the local farmers market embellished with her stylish peasant kerchief always makes me smile.  What little things around your home make you happy?

Kitchen Design Tips from Matthew Quinn's Quintessential Kitchens

Boston Design Week was jammed packed with many informational seminars and presentations for the Boston Design Community as well as for the public to enjoy.  One that was sure not to miss was the presentation by award winning luxury kitchen designer Matthew Quinn.

Matthew Quinn has won the House Beautiful 2016 Kitchen of the Year award as well as designed kitchens for the Kips Bay Show House.  The Kips Bay Show House is an event where interior designers come together to decorate a Manhattan mansion every year that raises funds for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club programs for New York City children.  The audience on Tuesday’s presentation was fortunate enough to listen to Matthew Quinn sharing his kitchen and bath design tips as well as launch his new book Quintessential Kitchens.  Here are some of his most noted design tips.

Matthew shared the statistics that 43% of men cook 3 times a week where women spend less time in the kitchen on an average of 2 times per week.  When designing a kitchen with high ceilings, for example, a 22’ x 62’ space, (imagine that), Matthew brings backsplash tile up to the ceiling line as not to have wall cabinets reaching the ceiling that would not be easily accessible.  Another tip Matthew shared was instead of using recessed can lighting in the ceiling, utilize wall sconce lighting installed high above upper cabinets.  A feature a lot of clients ask for is double wall ovens.  Instead of following normal practices, Matthew likes to install two single wall ovens adding an open cabinet with glass doors to the center of the oven wall which provides symmetrical balance.

For that European kitchen feel, hand-made wall tiles installed to the ceiling with floating shelves for storing everyday dishes is another tip that keeps the kitchen open.  One of Matthews signature designs is mixing metals.  Mixing brass and stainless is something noticed in most every kitchen design he creates especially on his range hood designs as well as the hardware on cabinet doors and drawers.  Again, Matthew incorporates lighting sconces over windows instead of ceiling can lighting.  For a classic look on countertops, he suggests using honed countertops and a polished backsplash tile for a very classic look.  One of my most favorite design tips was when clients request metal windows, which are very expensive.  Instead of going this route he shared his resource.  Kolbe wood window company is a company that makes windows with the smallest mullions that look like metal when painted.  If a floor to ceiling wine cabinet is desired, Matthew uses glass shower door enclosures, one on the left side of the wall for white wine and one on the left side for reds.  The center of the wall can be used for cabinets, shelving, and barware.  

Open shelving and wall sconce lighting

Mixing of metals stainless and brass on range hood 

Polished backsplash tile, honed countertop, iron-look window, wall sconce lighting and mixing of metals on shelf brackets

Matthew Quinn’s new book Quintessential Kitchens is worth the purchase and is filled with his design resources for someone in interested in designing their kitchen or bath.

Kitchen Design Tips:

·        Use wall sconces instead of recessed can lighting for high kitchen walls

·        Install large backsplash tiles to the ceiling line for a kitchen with high ceilings

·        Install two single ovens instead of one double oven

·        Store everyday dishes on upper floating shelves instead of upper cabinets

·        Honed countertops and a polished backsplash provides a classic look

·        Use shower door enclosures to create a floor to ceiling wine cabinet

Mid-Century Modern Style Thrives at Duralee

Who would have thought that sleek and slim furniture I grew up with would be here to stay in 2017?  That red and white button tufted Naugahyde sofa with red accent chair and a sleek tapered leg my parents had in their living room when I was a child is back and covered in some fantastically fabulous fabrics.  That was the year 1964 when I was 2 years old and defined now as mid-century modern.

Duralee Showroom Manager, Gary Fisher with Renee Julian, Showroom Fabric Representative

While at the Boston Design Center this week, I received a phone call from Duralee Fabrics showroom manager Gary Fisher and when Gary calls, you know there’s something good brewing.  Dashing up to the 4th floor  Gary was anxiously waiting to give me a private showing of all that’s new and hip in furniture.   To begin, front and center were metal base bar stools.  Metals are hot right now in design and their Z-like base provides a modern style element.  Dark blue and teal were featured in the bar stool cushions and provide a contemporary look.  Next Gary was excited to pull swatches of fabrics for new showroom vignettes that were not traditional, but for this traditional style girl, I loved it all.

The first feature was inspired by teal wallcovering already installed on the showroom display wall.  Using this paper, an olive color fabric called forest in a rich velvet was chosen for upholstery on Duralee’s Sutton box back sofa with bench cushion.  Their midcentury modern exposed wood lounge chairs called the Holloway would be paired with this grouping and upholstered in Highland Court fabric called Sabine in colorway Black/Beige more of an Aztec pattern with the content of cotton, linen, wool, and viscose.  What was exciting about this grouping was not only the style of furnishings but the accent pillows.  Duralee’s lulu dK butterfly pattern in colorway olive and gold would be embellished with black brush fringe.  A solid teal pillow and another lulu dk gold pattern fabric would also sit on the sofa.  The striking element to this vignette is the fabric choice for the showroom’s display window.  Clarke-Clarke’s Myla pattern in color Hemp would be used for drapes framing this fantastic midcentury modern display.

As we played with swatches of fabric on the showroom’s floor Gary was excited to share another grouping.  Loving this combination also was a mix of all colors leaning towards a pink and gray colorway with pops of unconventionally designed fabrics.  The sofa would be upholstered in a combination of two fabrics.  Being creative, Baily & Griffin’s Chippendale braid fabric has a large geometric stripe design and would be embellished with their Dogges pattern in color Amethyst which twinkled with a blush-like shimmer.  This grouping would be combined with a pair of herringbone patterned chairs with button tufted backs.  Pillows here would shock anyone.  Highland Court’s Bellatrix in eggplant color resembled paint splattering fun.  Another velvet pillow in Chatoyant Raspberry and a gold metallic was used.  Last but not least a Studio JF Fabrics skull patterned pillow in gray and white lends a bit of a shock factor to this grouping.

Duralee’s mid-century style furniture is not your mother’s sofa.  Find out more at https://www.duralee.com/

Art Inspired Window Treatment

In the world of window treatments, the latest style holding strong is stationary side panels.  Letting light into a space without covering the window is often the request.  In a space that holds its own purpose, why not go novel in window treatment style.

A painting purchased at the time from Rockport artist Jean Byrd now located in Camden, Maine has inspired creativity for window treatment design in a laundry room.  Her painting of bright colorful laundry hanging from a clothesline in a backyard surrounded by beach roses was perfect for this client’s laundry room.  The painting Jean named Wash Day was inspired by her visit to Monhegan Island, Maine one of Jean’s favorite painting locations. With walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Chestertown buff and white subway tile installed three feet up on the wall, it was time for the existing window treatment in the laundry room to go. 

Searching for a whimsical fabric was easy with all the many bright colors the painting had to offer for inspiration. This was the first step in creating something unique and different for this one window in the laundry room.  Two contrasting fabrics were found both from Stark Fabric showroom in Boston.  The brightly colored design pattern of lime green, orange, pinks, purple and blues was called Tropical Reef and named Colorfulness.  How fitting for this pattern.  The second fabric was called Martinique also in color Colorfulness.  This pattern was calmer in the background of off-white with colorful diamonds again in pink, blue, lime green and yellow.  A perfect balance and companion fabric pattern. 

Creating a design for the window was easy.  We wanted to incorporate and transfer the clothes line subject from the painting onto the window.  By sketching out the window design and keeping the white window shutters on the bottom half of the window, a top treatment was all that would be needed with a vision of using an actual rope clothesline and wood clothes pins.  A design was created.  The multi-colored fabrics would resemble kerchiefs hanging on a clothes line.  A novel and whimsical design that would complement Jean Byrd’s Wash Day painting that so beautifully hung on the wall beside the window.

Jean Byrd has the gift of seeing and realizing beauty along the eastern seacoast.  Her many coastal travels and island visits have inspired most of her oil paintings.  I always say, find an inspiration piece to design a room around.  Art is always one of those pieces that inspire creativity in design.  For this lonely one window in the laundry room, new life will be created in this space not only through Jean’s Wash Day painting but also through the whimsical and novel design of the window treatment.