Color schemes are often described as ‘classic’ because we associate them with history and historic settings.  When it comes to the color red one of the most iconic rooms in America is the Red Room in the White House.

The vivid color scheme and cozy size made it a favorite place for presidents and first ladies.  It has also been a favorite of many Americans who have painted their own homes in this striking hue.  Below are images through history of this inspiring room.

Nancy Reagan in the Red Room in 1981 (NARA – Reagan Library)

Would you be surprised to learn at this room well known for its color wasn’t always red?

In 1809, Former First Lady Dolley Madison decorated the White House parlor in “sunflower yellow.” Beautiful drapes adorned the walls and yellow silk covered the furniture.  It wasn’t until the 1840s that it became the Red Room.

White House State Floor showing location of the Red Room (source)

A stereograph view of the Red Room looking northwest, during the administration of Ulysses S. Grant (source)

The Red Room during the administration of Theodore Roosevelt (source)

The Red Room designed by Stéphane Boudin was Jacqueline Kennedy’s favorite State Floor room, circa 1962 (Kennedy Library)

A watercolor of the room, recently redecorated, adorned the Kennedy’s 1962 Christmas card (source)

The painting of Red Room by Thomas McKnight was the official 1994 William Clinton White House Christmas Card (source)

How  HGTV’s Frank Fontana suggested that the Obama’s redecorate The Red Room. (source) According to Frank every President needs a little zebra print in his life.  As you can see below the final design was a much ‘tamer.’

President Barack Obama reading notes in the Red Room (source)

Valspar Oatlands Upholstery Red 1008-3A (source)

Painting your living room or family room red is a perfect way to bring this classic color into your own home.  Would this iconic color scheme be at home in your place?

PS.  See more wonderful post that are part of  Rednesday

‘Blue Monday’ usually falls on the Monday of the last full week of January and is often said to be “to be the most depressing day of the year’.

This seems like a bad rap for such a nice hue so for the next few Monday’s I’m going to show just how blue is anything but depressing.

(Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally)

I thought a great place to start was to show some rooms with the classic blue and white color scheme.  For fabulous examples of how top interior designers have used this color combination I popped over to my favorite magazine, House Beautiful and pulled a few of the many, many wonderful images from housebeautiful.com

(source)
Stephen Drucker, Editor in Chief of House Beautiful magazine take on a tour of Nancy Corzine’s Cool Blue Living Room.  You won’t want to miss the two great decorating tips he shares.

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The fresh take on the classic blue and white scheme invited me into this room by David Lawrence.  His design for a Hamptons house is just the balance between traditional and ‘today’ that appeals to me.

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The soft camel colored sectional looks so comfy and adds warmth.  I could just imagine curling up on this sofa after an afternoon painting at the beach.

(source)

The color on the walls, Parker Paint’s Waterside adds a beautiful backdrop for the navy blue and white in this dining room by Markham Roberts.

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I usually prefer a deeper shade of blue for my own home but Meg Braff’s Blue design in East Hampton near the beach feels so uplifting that she has convinced me to “lighten up”.

Looking at these interiors has left me feeling anything except blue.  How about you?

I’m all about inspiring people to use color and that is what my presentation last week at the House Beautiful Color Institute in Atlanta, GA was meant to do.

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/determine-the-mood-your-want-to-create/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/determine-the-mood-your-want-to-create/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:52:03 +0000 Kate Smith http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/?p=863

Before you start thinking about the specific color or color I recommend that you define the type of look you ultimately want to create and the mood you want to set.

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.

I’m trying to choose a colour for the Master Bedroom, something that would go well with cherry finish of the furniture in the room.(curtains and lamps will be replaced after the room is painted) Also, I have no idea what to do with tray ceiling – what is the best way to paint it?

Here’s what I recommended:

I see either a creamy golden tone or a very complex and muted gray with a touch of blue or blue green. Either would work beautifully with the cherry finish.

For the tray ceiling you have a few options. Many homeowners leave the ceiling of the room white and then paint the entire inside of the tray the same color as the walls. However, I prefer to use two or three colors to draw the eye towards the feature and to highlight this wonderful detail of the room.

A color from SW that you might find appealing is Compatible Cream #6387 for the walls and vertical surfaces inside the tray and Napery SW#6386 for the ceiling of both the room and inside horizontal surface of the tray.

Or you could use Dover White #6385 on the ceiling surrounding the tray, the Compatible Cream on the walls and vertical surfaces of the tray and Napery on the horizontal or ceiling surface of the tray.

Alternately you could use a completely different color on the horizontal surface inside the tray. Maybe Silver Peony SW6547 would give you a dreamy ceiling to fall asleep beneath each night. This would be my choice and the combination of this whisper soft gold and lavender combination is comforting and healing.

Before you start thinking about the specific color or colors I recommend that you define the type of look you ultimately want to create and the mood you want to set.

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 wake you up in the 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.

Now find a few moments to envision how you want the room to feel and then meet me back here.  The following steps in this series will be posted over the couple of week along with additional reference materials that you may find helpful in completing your interior decorating projects:

Step 1: Define the mood you want to create

Step 2: Determine the color family

Step 3: Select the perfect tint, tone or shade

Step 4: From color swatch to paint purchase

Step 5: Paint your room

Step 6: Show off the fabulous results!

See you at Step 2.

My friends Mark Woodman and Charles Smith were among the interior designers ask to suggest a new color and design scheme that Mrs. Obama might consider when she redecorates the White House.

Here is a view of the current East Room from the White House website.  Mark suggested a refreshing aqua blue and stately gold scheme.

Aqua and gold is the scheme in my bedroom and I love this combination but don’t see it used too often.  I’m sure if the White House has an aqua and gold room I’ll be seeing more of it elsewhere.

I think it would be a wonderful scheme for the East Room especially if they take the aqua onto the ceiling as Mark recommends.  This would really open up the room and give it a much more up-to-date look.

Charles suggested yellow for the walls and yellow with peach trim for the drapes.   Here’s a picture from the White House website of the State Dining Room

A very elegant look that would work beautifully in the White House and has an upbeat feeling that reflects the Obamas optimism about the future of the country.

Nicely done Mark and Charles!

To see what several other designers suggested see these articles:

Will the Obamas turn the White House green? in the Miami Hearld

White House: Change coming to the Executive Mansion decor from AP

What colors do you think the Obama White House will be decorated with?

I really like the way the colors work in this room.  I recommended this palette from Sherwin Willaims today to Rebecca in response to the picture she posted on RoomVues.  She said she wanted to find a way to make her studio apartment seem more “grown up” and I think that this color palette would be a great place to start.

The color scheme includes:

SW 6400 Lucent Yellow for the walls
SW 6399 Chamomile for the trim
SW 6163 Grassland for the ceiling

Besides just having a color scheme that works this room shows several things that can be used to make a space appear larger:

• The neutral scheme with hues that blend beautifully in a low contrast palette.
• Careful placement of the black to move the eye around the room.
• Smooth rather than rough textured fabrics and surfaces.
• The mirrored coffee table “disappears” rather than stopping your eye.
• They also used a fine black pinstripe on the molding that draws the eye up and around the space.

Picture from House Beautiful

Today seems to be my day for green.  I just took a few minutes to post a couple of recommendations in the Makeover Gallery at Roomvues and in two cases was replacing green and in one case recommending it.

I recommend Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum paint Edgewood Green for this great room that I thought would look even greater in green.  Below is an spectacular stairway painted in this color.

I also thought that this dining room in icy green would be so much lovelier in a palette of sophisticated neutrals and suggested a few flattering new colors for a currently green powder room.

Check it out and add your own suggestions…

I love Mount Vernon and it is on my ‘dream places to live’ list because:

• It is on the water with a spectacular water view!  Thanks to some smart folks with the foresight to buy the land across the river and turn it into a park it will always remain that way.

• The grounds are gorgeous and expansive.  Keep in mind that in my dream life I can well afford to have someone else maintain the many acres of grass, flowers and trees.

• The home has incredible architectural details both inside.

Yesterday my son and I went on the ‘National Treasure’ tour.   We got the inside scoop on when, where and how the scenes from the movie were set up and shot at Mount Vernon.

It was great fun and on this particular tour you get access to parts of the estate that you wouldn’t ordinarily get to see.  I especially liked being able to walk along the water directly below the house since this is usually off limits to visitors.

At the end of the tour our guide dropped us off at the mansion and since I haven’t gone through the home in a long time we decided to tag along on the tour.

Okay well I try to keep Sunday as a non-work day but I couldn’t help but get absorbed by the room colors.  As was the fashion of the day some of the rooms are painted in deep, bright colors, which were considered a status symbol during that period.

Two rooms that especially drew me in were the dining areas.  The large dining room is painted in a hue that on the Mount Vernon website is described as– “the stunning green color was a favorite of Washington’s”.

I had actually forgotten that George Washington’s loved the color green and that he had used it in both the large and small dining rooms in the home.

The color in the smaller dining room is much more vibrant –”In 1785, the striking verdigris green paint was added.”

The guide shared that President Washington was not only fond of this color but believed it was easy on the eye and the best color to aid in digestion.  I’ll let you be the judge of that but how interesting to learn that our founding father thought about the psychological and physiological effects of color.

Here’s how they describe the color on the website –”Washington believed the color to be ‘grateful to the eye’ and less likely than other colors to fade. He added an overcoat of glaze, which further intensified the color.”

If you want to recreate these historic colors in your own home you are in luck.

In 2003, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association granted the exclusive rights to manufacture paint in the historic colors of Mount Vernon to Duron Paints a division of Shewin-Williams.

The palette named Estate of Colours™ includes nearly 30 colors exactly as they appear in the mansion and 90 more inspired by the 500-acre plantation and period artifacts.

Are you a fan of historic homes?  Do you have any favorites that have inspired the color schemes in your own home?

Resources:

• Take a virtual tour of the mansion at Mount Vernon…
• Article  about the restoration that gives some interesting details about the process to uncovering the original colors is in Architecture Week… 
• ‘New look for historic houses: Accuracy replaces idealism’ in the New York Times…
• See the color of Mount Vernon at Duron…