COLOR & DESIGN HELP:
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IDEAS FOR MOLDING & TRIM:
IDEAS FOR YOUR BEDROOM:
Room Tour: My Gray Dining Room
I’ve finally completed the re-design of my dining room, and here’s the big reveal!
Years ago, I designed my dining room in the Spanish Mediterranean style…complete with Venetian plaster faux finished walls and tapestry-inspired fabrics. I love the warmth of this look, but it was time for a modern makeover:
The glass dining table and sideboard {shown below} remain in the room, along with a couple of clay pots. These pieces give the space that Spanish warmth that I wanted to keep. I purchased some new items for the room, like the white leather dining chairs…but it’s the older pieces, passed down from family members, that add real character.
My husband’s aunt gave us the sideboard when we first moved into our home. It’s from Century, made in the 1970′s so it’s solid wood! It originally had brass handles but I switched them out for new chrome pulls. The mirror above the sideboard belonged to my grandmother-in-law. It had a dark wood frame that I spray-painted silver.
Another special and unique addition to my dining room are the acrylic bubble panels:
These panels are my prized possessions. My favorite aunt gave them to me after many years of displaying them in her home. I remember looking at them as a young girl and thinking how cool they were, so I was thrilled when she “handed them down” to me! I love that they are so 1970′s retro. My aunt passed away a few years ago, so I’m glad to have such a special reminder of her in my home.
To the right of the bubble panels, you may have noticed my ‘plant stand.’ This is yet another family piece that has a fun story behind it…literally! It’s a city-issued metal box that my grandmother-in-law kept on the front porch of her Washington, DC row house. Back in the day {before I was born, I might add}, a real-live milkman delivered jars of milk and left them in the box.
Years later, after the milkman became a thing of the past, Grandma kept the box on her porch and it was used as an extra seat for family and friends. That’s why I say it has a story behind it! The box has a dent in the lid because so many behinds have sat on it over the years! It’s a fun accessory, and the red stamp helps it fit in the room perfectly.
Wondering why I chose red as an accent color? A couple of reasons. First, the adjoining room is red and my husband’s favorite color is red. I also wanted a color that would pop and stand out from all of the gray and white. When incorporating an accent color, here is an idea that you may want to try yourself: The chandelier in my dining room came with all clear crystals, but I replaced all but one of those crystals with red ones. This is very easy to do. You can find a great selection of crystals at crystalier.com.
{My thrift store finds: a ceramic lamp, amber pedestal glasses and red water goblets}
I used gray paint colors that have warm/taupe undertones: Dovetail and Gauntlet Gray, both by sherwin-williams.com. Because of the different undertones, selecting a gray can by tricky. I originally started out with a lighter shade, but ended up going with the darker tones which look more rich and inviting.
If you have any questions about this re-design, or if I can help you select the perfect shade of gray or any other color {through my Online Design Service}, contact me at kelly@porterhousedesigns.com.
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Add Velvet Furniture to your Color Scheme
I’m really loving velvet furniture right now.
Velvet’s rich texture looks great in any setting — glam, traditional or modern. And when it comes to color, velvet just seems to bring out the best in any hue. Colored velvet looks so delicious, and I love that is has an iridescent quality to it.
If you’re not sure about using this fabric, rest assured. Today’s velvet is not your grandparent’s velvet. Wait! In some cases, it is! Retro velvet pieces are in demand because they create such a chic eclectic feel when paired with current pieces (and remember…everything old is new again). Still skeptical? Check out these velvety photos. You may be surprised:
{decorpad}
{decorpad}
{vogue}
{cornerstone interiors via houzz}
{firstsense}
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What’s Hot Now: Mid-Century Modern
If the saying, “What’s old is new again…” is true, then this surely applies to the mid-century modern design style.
{dwr}
With so many websites, movies and a popular television series — Mad Men – showcasing this style, mid-century modern is one of the hottest looks in design right now.
{veluxe interiors}
With it’s clean lines, big patterns and surprising use of color, this design trend defined the 1950′s and 60′s. These days, many homeowners have turned to eBay, local thrift stores and flea markets to imitate this look. This style is all about simplicity, function and mixing & matching — more people are adding modern pieces to their traditional decor.
{wary meyers}
When it comes to color schemes, for an authentic look go for neutrals, moss green, yellow-green, turquoise, pink, orange and harvest yellow. And if you’re scouring second-hand stores for furniture or searching for reproductions, be on the lookout for Eames-inspired wire chairs, Saarinen tulip chairs and pedestal tables, and formed-wood pieces inspired by designers like Marcel Breuer.
{tasty decor}
{veluxe interiors}
{visualingual via houz}
{the washington post}
{elle decor}
Do you like mid-century modern? If so, check back soon — my next post will be filled with more great ideas for decorating and choosing colors the retro way!
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Ideas For Painting Your Trim
My clients often ask me for advice on which paint colors to use for trim and molding. So, I wrote a post about decorating with picture-frame wainscoting, and to my surprise it has become the most popular story on my blog. Needless to say, I thought it was time to do another post about trim.
{Cleverly ‘camouflaged’ picture-frame molding by mhouseinc}
Painting any type of trim can be a challenge, especially when you want to do something other than white. But it really just comes down to amount of impact you want your trim to have. Do you want it to stand out and be a focal point in your space? Or would you prefer that the trim blend-in and quietly reinforce the room’s color scheme? If you answered yes to either question, then take a look at the following photos for inspiration:
In the room pictured above, the crown molding blends into the room because it’s painted the same color as the walls. Design Tip: For a subtle difference, paint the trim in a different finish, such as a lacquer or high gloss finish.
Your trim will pop the most when you paint it with a vivid hue that contrasts against a more understated wall color or wall covering.
Design Tip: Create a monochromatic look by using two or three colors from the same color family, as shown in the photo above.
{domino}
For more tips on paint colors, trim and molding, check out Ideas For Picture-Frame Wainscoting.
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Go Dark With Wallpaper or Paint
I’ve gone over to the dark side this week by sharing tips around the web on how to use dark colors in your home.
{wintercreative via houzz}
Over at Houzz, you can find my Ideabook on using wallpaper to create dark and dreamy bedrooms.
{habachy designs via houzz}
Then, at Sherwin-Williams STIR I’m dishing out ways that designers can help clients feel comfortable using darker paint colors {but I think this info is useful for anyone — not just designers}.
Dark colors and wall coverings bring elegance and sophistication to your home like nothing else can. Be daring in 2012 and give ‘em a try!
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Choosing A Color: Burnt Orange
This is the best time of year for orange lovers!
Although I love vibrant oranges, I also adore earthy, rusty ones too. Clay colors such as terra cotta, burnt sienna, russett and persimmon are some of my faves. These are the colors that make you feel warm and toasty all over. Don’t you agree?
{jeffrey bilhuber}
{jeffrey bilhuber}
To see more great photos of clay colored spaces, check out my recent ideabook over at houzz.com.
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Bohemian Style {In Pink}
I just had a color revelation: I really like pink! I love many colors, although purple — lilac to be exact — is my utmost favorite. But lately, I find myself being drawn to pretty pink rooms {and things} like these:
{I just love the boho chic designs of warymeyers}
{One of my favorite pink spaces: designer Betsey Johnson’s NYC apartment}
{Like the room. Love the purple ceiling! Photo from bing.}
Go global! When you combine orange with pink (above), it creates an exotic feel, as in a Moroccan or Indian inspired space. Design by Barbara Chambers. I also love pink when it’s used in a bohemian style, as many of these pictures show. Pink is such a carefree color so it always looks great in a relaxed, gypsy-inspired space.
I don’t have a pink room in my home {That’s hard to do with the hubby plus three sons} but here are some of my pink things…
Have you ever had a color-scheme revelation? I’d love to hear about it!
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Moroccan Design
The colorful interiors of Morocco are a feast for the senses.
They are rich in heritage, color, pattern, texture and scents. These beautiful designs reflect the best of the North African landscape and culture — the ocean, soil, fruit, spices, wildflowers, sun and sky.
{genuinestyle}
{memois}
Moroccan interiors have classic Spanish and Moorish influences, so these designs are filled with natural materials {i.e clay and ceramic tile, metal and brass}, carved furnishings and beautiful fabrics.
In these interiors, you’ll often see colors such as pink, red-orange, saffron, sapphire and other jewel tones that are sultry and saturated. Moroccan design is also famous for comfort — tons of throw pillows, floor pillows and poufs. With all of this, there is no better design style to find inspiration for our own homes.
{zuniga interiors}
{Moroccan poufs, available at overstock.com}
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Finding Comfort In The Colors You Love
If you’ve ever hesitated to use and combine the colors you love for fear that others might not approve, then you’ll want to check out my featured Ideabook over at Houzz.com this week!
For the story, I had the pleasure of interviewing designer Matty Adler to learn all about the inspiration behind this amazing Victorian-style summer home. I was delighted to learn that all of the colors and the overall design were ‘taken’ right from the homeowner’s personality.
The wife, an artist {with a bubbly personality}, loves vibrant colors and she wasn’t afraid to use them in this family vacation home. She went with her instincts and did what pleasing to her — rejecting the more neutral, safe interiors seen in many magazines. Hallelujah!
I know that many of you color lovers are afraid to go all out, but just remember: What you do may not appeal to everyone, but you’ll be happiest in your home when you design for yourself. CLICK HERE to see more photos and descriptions.
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Christmas Wreath Number One
Each year, during the holiday season, I put up no less than 35 wreaths around my home — on the windows, doors and out in the yard.
Here is the first one I’ve put up so far. It’s in the foyer {I’ve been on a blue kick, lately}.
I make all of the wreaths {and bows} myself. Most of them are different, some are faux and some are real but all of them are colorful. The Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year to color your home!
A snapshot from last year:
{my front door}
All photos by Porter House Designs
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