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.

I’m going to turn this into a bistro. Would love some suggestions.  The theme is Mediterranean ( mostly Italian). Inside decor will be darker (mostly reds and browns) Any suggestions would be appreciated.– janemuir

Kate suggests:

I think this home will make a cute bistro.  While the darker colors you mention could work on the interior I would start with something a bit lighter on the exterior.  It will not only make the place look a bit bigger but will give you a canvas to add some details that can carry your theme to the exterior.

I’d start by painting the main part of the house with a color like Valspar 3004-8A Oatlands Gold Bluff or the slightly lighter 3004-6B Oatlands Yellow.  Use a creamy white for the trim that has the same undertone.

I would go with a toned gray for the shutters.  Something with a bit of color in the gray but not too much.  5001-4C Slate Court could work nicely but before putting it on slap on a coat of reddish brown first and let it dry.  You don’t have to do this to carefully because it is an undercoat.  Just avoid sloppy paint spills or drips.  Once dry give the shutters a nice coat of Slate Court.  When completely dry…and I mean completely…hit some of the high points with sandpaper to allow some of the undercoat color to come through and give you an aged look.

You can do the same thing with the door.  You could use the same undercoat color as long as it looks different enough from the door color or you could go with a shade of blue or even use the leftover paint from the shutters.  Again give the door a nice coat of a color like Valspar 1008-5A Belle Grove Flamestitch Red and then give it an aged look with a bit of sandpaper.

You can try out the look on a piece of scrap wood to make sure you like the way the undercoat looks when it comes through.  You should also test out the main exterior, trim, door and shutter color on test boards so that you can confirm that the colors work perfectly before you begin painting.

You don’t mention if you are going to keep the awnings but if you could match them to the main house color, the trim color or do something a bit creative.

Giving the aged finish to the door and shutters will begin connecting your guest with the theme before they even get inside.  A bit of landscaping to anchor the house and a few planters that look like they came directly from the Italian countryside and I think your place will say “Italian Bistro– Come on in!”

Today’s decorating dilemma: My boyfriend and I are trying to complete our bathroom, the floor is in dark brown tile with chai tea wall tile color. After going crazy searching for Tiffany blue I wonder if this would be the best combo for a relax bathroom, what do you think?? Should I go for it and use Erica’s pick????

Look forward for feedback! ~Helena

Bethany’s Suggestion:

Tiffany’s Blue definitely has some pizzazz. The dark, chocolatey browns that you described always look good with lighter blue shades.

Looking at the Sherwin Williams color match of Tiffany’s Blue 6766 Mariner, I would suggest a color that decreases the intensity, such as SW6764 Swimming. This color is comparable to Tiffany’s website background color.

An important factor when choosing color for your bathroom, think about how the color will affect the way your skin tone looks in the mirror. When you sample the color, take your test board, and hold it up to your face in the mirror in the same room you are looking to paint because of the lighting.

The French word for bathroom translates as “water closet”. So what better way to establish this theme, than to let the watery color visually purify you as well!!

Hi Kate. We are in the process of finishing our basement. It is about 2100 feet and will have a main living area (pool table, air hockey, TV area, and a large bar/kitchen), exercise room (the wall that connects to the main living area will be half glass with glass doors), a bedroom and a bath.

The bar and pool table will be a medium oak. Our house is decorated in warm earth tones throughout, and we would like to carry this down to the basement. However, we don’t want to simply replicate the upstairs. I would like it to be a little bit more lively and fun.

We have no direct light from windows, so we are concerned about the space feeling too dark. If you have any color suggestions, we would love to hear them! FYI, our contractor includes Behr or Benjamin Moore paint. Many thanks, Francie

Note from Kate–

Hi Francie, I am out of town presenting at the House Beautiful Color Institute in Chicago but your in luck because the very talented Barbara Jacobs will be responding to your question. Take it away Barbara.

Barbara suggests…

You are thinking in the right direction to want to make your more active space have a more energetic and lively ambiance. Not only will it create variety of design in your home, but it is really more effective from the ‘color psychology’ perspective to create a more high-energy feeling in the kind of social area you’ve described.

Having no direct light from windows is not such a problem in itself; it’s more a question of the type of light you /do/ have there. I recommend working with a good lighting designer if there is someone in your area. Color is one thing—but paint is just one part of ‘color’.

Color does not exist without light, and each type of lighting has a different affect on any color. This effect is called ‘metamerism.’ I often work in conjunction with a lighting designer, because I can use any colors that I think best and that please my client , and the lighting designer will create the lighting plan according to the paint colors and the space itself. That’s what makes it really work well – the combination of Color + Light.

So, in answer to your question about color suggestions: In general, your colors can be a bit brighter and more saturated in some areas, and also have more contrast within the room. You can still carry some of the earth tones into this room as the ‘foundation colors,’ and use them on the floor, but add some contrast and punch in some areas.

For example: behind the bar you could use a rich, rusty color; around or behind the TV, a deep plum. The exercise room area could have some Teal accents. Other accent colors you might include in accessories like pillows, etc. (if you have a sofa) might be a brighter ‘tangerine’ orange, or olive green (or both? Depending…) These are the types of colors I am imagining would work, based on your description.

Use a paint finish like a washable matte, not reflective.
Ceilings might be a creamy off-white

I hope that helps. If any of our readers have suggestions please feel free to leave them for Francie in the comments.

I have lots of yellow kitchenware from the 40’s and 50’s. I started collecting Harlequin dishes and Hall pitchers when I was in college and still enjoy them.

The Harlequin teapots are my absolute favorite and I have them in 9 or ten colors. I just love the pointed handles and bright colors.

The Harlequin water pitcher is also an item I like and have in many colors.

I have several Fiesta pitchers but parted with my other Fiesta pieces. You can only collect so many things.

The yellow in this style Hall pitcher is a much lighter and more muted yellow. Do you get the idea I like having the same items in lots of colors?

The same is true for my wardrobe. When I find something fabulous that fits well I often buy it in more than one color.

This yellow ice cream scoop reminds me of some fun times at my grandmother’s house when we would make ice cream sundaes or root beer floats.

As you can see in the background above and in this picture stripes are another favorite especially in these vintage glasses and pitchers.

When we lived outside of Boston my son and I would go to the Cranberry festival each year. We would scoop up the bright red berries right out of the water that flooded the bogs and eat them on the spot. They were so delicious and not at all like the ones you buy in the store. You know an eight year old wouldn’t be gobbling them down if they were too tart or sour.

Pocahontas wears a yellow dress on this vintage cranberry crate label. I have five different cranberry labels all from an old factory on Cape Cod.

You also get a glimpse of my roman shades that are gold, terra cotta, green, with a hint of black.

Contrary to what you might think I usually use white lights for my holiday decorating rather than the multi-colored lights. However, I do have a place in my heart for the colored lights that decorated our tree when I was a child and have dozens of antique Christmas tree bulbs. Here I pulled out a variety of yellow ones.

My duvet cover has yellow, gold and teal on a cream background. I love this color combination and snagged the cover and two matching pillow shams last summer on sale as Pottery Barn.

It’s hard to see in the picture but I have this two-tone gorgeous silk quilt in teal/gold but didn’t even think about these two pieces working so perfectly together until I got home.

We all seem to have color combinations or color schemes that we are attracted to over and over again. Gold/teal is one of those for me.

This is an antique hand colored botanical. I started collecting these prints just after college so I was able to buy quite a few before they got popular…and pricey. I wish I was as good at spotting stocks to invest in.

So thats a bit of the yellow that shines with optimism, enlightenment, happiness, and inspires creativity in my home.

Is it any wonder that sunny yellow makes me smile so easily?

Speaking of which it’s a absolutely perfect sunny Spring day here in DC so I’m going to put on my yellow espadrilles and head outside and enjoy this beautiful afternoon. I’ll see you back her tomorrow.

P.S. If this post hasn’t quenched your thirst for yellow you can always see ‘Yellow mellows on the table’ on Live In Full Color or  ‘All about the color yellow’ on my website.

I’ve been reading about Dorothy Draper but most of the pictures are in black and white. Can you give me some examples of the colors she actually used? I’d like to decorate my apartment in bold colors and thought her palette could inspire me. Thanks, Riley K.

Kate suggests…

Benjamin Moore put together a special palette of their colors that captured the style of Dorothy Draper a year or two ago for a museum retrospective show. Here are the colors they included:

Dorothy Draper was the Grand Dame of using bright, bold color and texture combinations in her day and thought to be quite outlandish. While in her day using these hues might have seemed quite brazen today it is no longer that unusual and in fact quite fashionable.

Find out more about America’s first interior designer in my article on Sensational Color…

Resources:

• Type in your zip code for a list of Benjamin Moore dealers near you.
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.

I’m looking for help with natural oak trim and wood floors. Pretty good light and great artisan wood side tables and hutch. Anything but yellow? Anything bolder? What about something in a green?

2nd question– I’m interested in some ideas for color for living room and dining room with beautiful natural oak trim and molding. There is no way we are going to paint this wood, but we would like ideas for a natural match. Help!!!! –Eileen

Kate suggests…

Green would be great choice with your oak floors and trim.

When I read your question I immediately thought of Edgewood Green from Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paint. This is a subtle green with brown undertones that would be perfect with oak trim and floors.

It also coordinates amazingly well with many other colors.

In this picture ‘Greige’ is in the foreground with ‘Edgewood Green’ in the middle room and ‘Peridot’ in room beyond. A similar scheme might work in your home and all of these colors would look nice with oak.

Here you see it with slate in the dining room. Gorgeous!

A complementary scheme with ‘Red Berry’

And another with ‘Shell Pink’

I think you are on the right track with green and I hope these images have given you some good ideas for colors you can use in the other rooms of your home.

***Readers if you have other ideas or suggestions I welcome you to add them in the comments. I’m sure Eileen would love to hear your thoughts too!***

Resources:

• Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paint
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.

Thanks for finally addressing the bricks…The front of my home has partial red brick and the rest is stucco. I am in Florida on a small lake.

The house was painted beige with the mauve trim, plenty of trim includes the garage. The house next to me had the mauve color shot and painted their house in it. The color is ok but not fantastic. It is midtone. What color can I use. Should I color shot the mauve ( from the 70s) and tweek it a little?

I like colorful; One house on the lake is a violet periwinkle and is pretty. Also 2 yellow houses on the lake. The house on my other side is white with lt. blue trim. Can you please show your color chip selections I just love that! — Criztina

Kate suggests…

I’m imagining that your mauve tends towards red if it goes well with your brick and if you are happy with that color than certainly tweaking it a bit is an option but it seems that you might be ready for a change.

Yellow and creamy tan are colors often used on homes that have red brick combined with stucco but with two other homes close by already using yellow I don’t think it would be best to have your home in this range of colors.

I like the idea of going with a blue but something that will give you a different look than the periwinkle main color or blue trim of either of your neighbor’s homes.

A blue gray could work well especially if your bricks have a gray cast and your roof has cool undertones. An example of this scheme would be Sherwin-Williams Portal Blue for the main color and Scottish Loch as the accent color.

Since you are in Florida I might use a color that has more blue than gray. Shown here are Benjamin Moore Blue Bay Marina for the body of the house and Lakeside Cabin for the trim.

If your brick and roof tend to have a warmer cast than you could use a blue green hue. I’m showing three colors here not because I’m recommending three but to show you how you can think about your color scheme once you have decided on the color in general.

For example with these three colors from Valspar you could consider a few options. You could use the Aquatic Edge for the main color and either Lake Country or Belle Grove Spruce for the trim.

Going with a darker accent color will focus more attention on the trim while going with the mid-value will highlight the trim but integrate it more with the main color.

Another option would be to paint the body in the mid or darker value and the trim in the lightest value. It really depends on the look you prefer.

As general rule for painting architectural elements I usually first consider the deepest colors for accenting recesses and lighter colors for highlighting details that stand out from the structure but since most stucco homes have traditionally been painted with the trim in a darker color this may seem like the most natural way to place the colors.

When selecting the actual colors keep in mind that colors will look darker if your home is in the shade and lighter if it gets full sun. Also the rougher the surface, the darker the color will appear.

I hope that helps.

***Readers if you have other ideas or suggestions I welcome you to add them in the comments. I’m sure Criztina would love to hear your thoughts too!***

Resources:

• Type in your zip code for a list of Sherwin-Williams dealers near you.
• Type in your zip code for a list of Valspar dealers near you.
• Type in your zip code for a list of Benjamin Moore dealers near you.
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.

Picture of lake from artist Linda Blenheim’s blog. Check out her art and items for sale.

Each event takes place in one of the many incredible designer showrooms. I will be in the J. Lambeth showroom and will be using their beautiful fabrics and accessories to illustrate my talk.

House Beautiful has an incredible line up and I’m thrilled to be part of this event. I hope to see you there! More information is availble at HouseBeautiful.com

Note the number of blues in this seasons collection. The popularity of this color continues as we make our way into fall.

More color at Pottery Barn