Then ‘Brighten Our World Pink’ on October 12th to get Sassy and turn our lights, towns, communities, and businesses pink to symbolize the boldness, courage, and sass of so many women and men that fight Breast Cancer.

People across the world are encouraged to put colored lights in their porch light or window both at home and at their place of business to create a beautiful environment to celebrate those that fight depression and breast cancer.  Learn more at Brighten Our World…

Go directly to Mood Factory to find colored light bulbs…

I thought about what I was going to say, put together some great boards and worked with Cathy the fabric guru at Ainsworth and Noah to find fabrics that would capture the audience’s imagination but what unexpectedly inspired the design mavens that attended my talk was the color of the sweater set I was wearing.

Sure, its is a great color for me and I love blue-greens but who would have thought it would have evoked so many comments?  One of my friends from House Beautiful even asked me if I knew what paint color would be that blue since during my presentation he decided it was the perfect color for his bedroom.

Funny but I have been lusting after a room in deep blue too ever since I saw Windsor Smith’s kitchen on the cover of the September House Beautiful (okay, I confess I’ve been carrying the awesome special color issue that included my ‘What the Color Says’ around with me ever since it arrived) and I have thought about painting a room this color every time I put on the sweater set but I hadn’t gone as far as to see if the color existed in any of my favorite paint brands.

Since I’m not the only one loving this color I decided once I got home I would find out.  Now I was on a mission to see if it was a readily available color or one that was going to have to be custom blended.  I was speaking at Calico Corners in the evening so on the way I stopped at Vienna Paint, sweater in hand, to see if Benjamin Moore had a color that matched.

I pulled many color swatches but none of them matched the quality of the color exactly.    The closest was 2059-10 Marine Blue but it was a tad dark and lacked the hint of green the sweater has.  While all of the other paint color swatches were close they seemed either too dull, too green, too blue…you get the idea.

Actually the closest match I found in for Benjamin Moore was the color they used on their brochure of historical colors and although it looks close to the paint swatch in the picture it really wasn’t that close.  The brochure was a much better match but unfortunately, they couldn’t ‘read’ the brochure with the equipment they use to match colors.  They couldn’t ‘read’ the sweater either since it doesn’t work with fabric either but offered to mix it by eye.

The next day I was running into Lowes to pick something up and even though I didn’t have the sweater with me I decided to swing by the paint department and see if any of their colors looked like a match.  I immediately honed in on color 4011-5 Newport Gray (not a color I think anyone would describe as gray but that’s the name) and thought it looked like it might be right.  I grabbed a swatch and as soon as I saw it against the sweater (ding, ding, ding) I had a winner!  It was a great match.  Not too green, not too dull and not too dark.  Perfect!

It is so good that I could see the Valspar ad with my sweater color being ‘poured’ into the can of paint.

And as the ad says “Now the colors of life can last a lifetime” and this is one shade of blue that I think is worth keeping around that long.  What do you think?

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/the-perfect-blue-at-house-beautiful-color-institute/feed/ 7 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/exterior-color-scheme-success-simple-as-1-2-3/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/exterior-color-scheme-success-simple-as-1-2-3/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:21 +0000 Kate Smith http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/?p=1462 Did you ever look at the color scheme on a home and instantly think, “Love it!”?  That was my reaction when I saw this home while in Provincetown, MA.  I loved the color scheme but even with my knowledge of color it wasn’t immediately apparent to me why it worked so well.

I really had to look at the colors closely but once I did I discovered that there were three reasons that the colors on this home’s exterior worked so well.

I began by figuring out the undertone of the stained siding  The shutters appeared to be a very muted tint of yellow-orange and harmonized rather than competed with the siding color but I wanted to be sure both colors were in the same color family.

I keep an NCS color deck in my car specifically for the purpose of generically determining paint colors.  I can then use their standard and match to any paint brand’s color.  Luckily, I was driving so I had it with me.  My iphone color apps are helpful but in this case I really wanted to see the color standard next to the actual surface.  I’m only sorry I didn’t think to take a picture so you could see it for yourself but it brings me to the first reason this color scheme works.

1.  The color of the stained siding and the color of the shutters have the same undertone

The NCS standard confirmed that both the exterior siding stain and window shutter color had basically the same undertones.  In the case of the siding the color is a visual blending of the stain along with some for the original color showing through so rather than guess which color stain would achieve the same results I check with the folks at Olympic Paint & Stain.

From the pictures and information I provided they said that staining the siding Off White would produce this look and that Classic Cream was their match for the shutter color.  Of course it is so difficult to show the actual colors on the screen but you can download the color chart or stop by Lowes or your local Olympic retailer to see the actual colors.

I also noted that the copper roofs over the doors, the downspouts and gutters picked up on the color of the siding that is peaking through the stain.

2.  The white color chosen for the trim has the same undertone as the siding and shutters.

The trim is quite white but when you look closely that it leans ever so slightly warm rather than cool.

The black wrought iron details punctuate the facade and keep the scheme from seeming too plain.  Sometimes all it takes is a small, repetitive, contrasting detail to keep your eye moving across the surface of the home and in this case that is exactly what the hardware is doing.

3.  The front door color is a color that complements the siding and shutters

The color on the front door is a muted blue-green and while it is hard to tell in the photo because of the screen door it is in a slightly darker value that allows it to stand out and beautifully complement the shutters and siding.

I didn’t notice it at the time as I’m looking at the pictures I was thinking how the door color reminds me of the bluish-green of copper patina so even if the homeowners allow the copper details to age they will bring out the color in the front door even more.

~Are the colors on your home exterior this sensational? If not, I’d love to help. Simply click here to contact me for more information and pricing for a personal color consultation for your home’s exterior.

Sometimes this is easy. For instance if you’re painting your daughter’s room and she insist on pink and you insist on her being able to sleep you are well on your way to finding your perfect paint color because you know the color family (pink) and have defined the mood (restful, tranquil, dreamy) you want to create.

So if you already know the mood you want to create and have a color family in mind I say, “Great!  You can jump on the fast track and go directly to Step 3!  If you are not so sure keep reading.

I suggest that you start by thinking about the mood or feeling you want to create in the room. Is it a family room that you want to feel warm and welcoming? Is it a kitchen that you’d like to jump start your morning and energize you for preparing a meal at the end of long day?  Or is it a master suite that both you and your partner wake up in feeling as pampered as if you were staying in a five-star hotel suite?

For every room you decorate you are setting the stage for the activities and interactions that make up your life. Close your eyes and see yourself or your family in the room.  If you don’t already have a vision of the finished room this is one of the best places to begin.   You don’t need to think about the color just yet.  Just imagine how you want it to feel and and capture that feeling in your mind.

Once you have captured the feeling of the room you can begin figuring out how to create that ambiance with color.  In the next steps we’ll talk about how to take your vision and select a color scheme that works with the furnishings you already have or the ones you plan to acquire.

I suggest that you keep a notebook or file of your design inspiration and ideas.  If you haven’t already created one now would be a good time.  It is an excellent place to keep track of everything from your paint swatches to pictures of those pieces you want to purchase.

You will want to have a visual reference as you create your color scheme.  With so many things on flooding our minds don’t depend on your memory for recalling every detail when with a glance you can know the exact details.

If you are interested in attending either event and haven’t already done so please RSVP to the stores directly: Great Falls 703-430-4450 or Fairfax 703-385-5425.   I’ll look forward to seeing you at Calico Corners!

Five reasons I think the color scheme and attention to details make this adorable Victorian stand out.

1.  The homeowners had the confidence to use a bold color for the home’s exterior.

While a color this strong might be disastrous on some homes it is exactly what this home needed to keep it from getting weighted down or lost under the roof.

The bright gold was the right color choice for the main home exterior paint color.  A dull or muted gold would have ‘aged’ this home in the same way using the wrong foundation color ages a woman.

2.  They chose the right white for the trim color

With a gold that is clear and clean rather than grayed or toned down painting the trim white rather than off white was the best choice.  It looks crisp against the gold.

3.  They created a welcoming entrance.

The purple doors are perfect in both style and color.  Purple and gold are complementary colors, which is one of the reasons that the purple stands out against the gold and creates a focal point on the home’s front and side facades.

The purple is repeated in the flowers in the hanging arrangements that flank the front door.  Thriving plants at the entrance of the home not only add color and texture but tells the world that the home is alive and being cared for.

4.  They clearly defined the entrances

Since this property is on the corner you not only see the front door but also the side door.  You can see how the homeowner has chosen a planter and trellis to the left of the door rather than repeating the hanging arrangements used at the front door.  This helps to define the two entrances and keeps people from being confused about where the main entrance to the home is.

5.  They respected historic color schemes but weren’t dictated by them

Although many Victorian home in New England today are painted all white during the era that these homes were being build bold color schemes that were inspired by nature were the norm for a home’s exterior.  While many homeowners enjoy researching their home’s history and duplicating the original colors I prefer to look at the past as inspiration and choose colors befitting the home today.  I believe that is the same approach these homeowners took when choosing their color palette.

This scheme is build from the complementary color combination of gold and purple along with neutral gray.  The red-orange may seem like an unlikely color choice for the accent color but I think if you were to try other hues with the gold and purple you would find that this is one of the most appealing choices.

The right green could have also worked but because of the amount of green surrounding the home it would not have stood out as nicely.

Are the colors on your home exterior this sensational?  If not, I’d love to help.  Simply click here to contact me for more information and pricing for a personal color consultation for your home’s exterior.

Finally a solution!  While I was walking down Commercial St. in Provincetown, MA I noticed that several homeowners and at least one business owner have replaced the gravel or broken shells typically used for driveways or walking paths with broken dinnerware.

I just had to ask but no one seemed to know how or when this got started.  Now everything from the chipped dinnerware of local restaurants to ceramic sinks from home renovations is brought to a corner of a local parking lot where someone gets to work off steam by breaking them into small pieces.

While I don’t have a gravel driveway there are a few places in my garden where I could replace stones or gravel with colorful broken pottery.   With even just one dish I could mix the pieces in with the gravel that covers the soil in my herb pots to add some flecks of color.

If you happen to be in Provincetown you can see how this looks for yourself.  The small parking lot at Angel Foods on Commercial St. is where I took these pictures.

While I’ll never be happy about breaking one of my beloved colored plates or bowls I do like the idea that they can take on a new life by being recycled right in my own backyard.

The vines are well established and upon closer inspection I could see the original once painted green shutters beneath the ivy.

Each plant was placed with the end design in mind so the vines head straight upward to each shutter.  I’m not sure how you would make this work for a two story home but on this single story home I think it is just absolutely brilliant.

The homeowners wisely chose a soft olive green to paint the front door.  The color works perfectly with the natural green hues in the ivy without competing or drawing too much attention.  If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that comment flies in the face of what I ordinarily recommend because I like the front door to be the focal point of the facade.  In this case however I’m giving these homeowners a green thumbs up for their color choice.

Do you love the way this home looks as much as I do?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Online class begins whenever you’re ready to learn more about using color.  Visit ColorKnowledge.com

Unleash the power of colour

FRESH AS SPRING: Lift the doom and gloom with splashes of paint

Changing the mood of your decor

Brush away the blues with spring’s strong hues.

In all this doom and gloom, “we’re attracted to colours that are optimistic, upbeat and full of life, and at the same time drawn to neutrals that give us the sense of stability and permanence of solid foundations,” says hue guru Kate Smith.

So why not grab some paint and coat your home in shades of happiness.

Paint is powerful, says Smith.

“Without changing anything else, paint can change the entire way you feel in a room and take it from so-so to sensational in just hours.”

The wall colour creates a background for your furnishings but also sets the mood of the room and expresses your personality: “there is a lot of value in a can of paint.”

Continue reading on The Expositor