COLOR & DESIGN HELP:
-
-
IDEAS FOR MOLDING & TRIM:
IDEAS FOR YOUR BEDROOM:
Exterior Color Ideas {from Oregon}
One thing I love about my online design service is that I get to work with really nice people who live all over country…
…such as Anne, a watercolor artist who lives in Corvallis, Oregon. I was thrilled when she contacted me about helping her choose exterior colors. Anne owns two houses that sit just a few hundred feet apart on a gorgeous piece of property filled with colorful flower gardens and lush green trees. One of the homes is her main residence and she uses the other for her studio and guest house.
When I spoke with Anne, it was clear that she loves vibrant hues and was open to using multiple colors on each house. But she didn’t want the colors to compete with her flowers or draw too much attention to her property.
She had some ideas for paint colors but she wasn’t sure what would look best or if there were other colors she should consider. All of that is understandable. Deciding on the colors for one house can be a challenge…but two houses? That can be a daunting task.
Anne sent me photos of her houses, the gardens, and she also sent a photo of her artwork. This radiant watercolor allowed me to see what colors Anne is comfortable with, and it helped me to pull the color scheme together:
I wanted the dominant colors on each house to reflect nature’s seasonal hues, so I went with an earthy green {Clary Sage} for the main residence and an autumn amber {Autumnal} for the guest house. For both houses, the trim was done in a tone that was a couple of shades darker than the main color, but still in the same color family. To tie the look together {and to add a little punch of color} the front door on each home was painted with the same vibrant violet {Fabulous Grape}. All colors are by Sherwin-Williams.com.
{BEFORE – main residence}
{AFTER}
{BEFORE – guest house}
{AFTER}
I was so happy when Anne emailed to say that she loved the color scheme, and I was even more excited when she sent the ‘after’ photos. In her own words, this is what she had to say about the process:
Does your home’s exterior need a fresh coat of paint? Now is a great time to get it done before the weather gets colder. If you need help choosing colors, I’d love to help you! Just send me an email at: kelly@porterhousedesigns.com, and I’ll respond quickly with a quote. Right now I’m offering special pricing for fall!
All photos provided by Anne Schuster. Check out her website to see more of her amazing paintings: Bellfountain Art
 |
eDesign: A New Look For Birchgrove Baking
There’s only one word I can use to describe my recent eDesign project: Sweet!
Located in Montpelier, Vermont, Birchgrove Baking specializes in custom cakes, pastries and coffee.
I first heard from Jenn a couple of months ago. As the owners of Birchgrove Baking, she and her husband were trying to decide on a new color scheme. At that time, the bakery had blue walls, black display cases {left behind from the previous owners} and red accent chairs — all great colors but Jenn was ready for a change. She wanted friendly hues that would give the bakery a fresh look and appeal to her loyal customers.
After reviewing a few different color palettes that I recommended for the bakery, Jenn ultimately decided on the combination of yellow and gray. She also threw in a couple of warm blues for accent colors.
The new colors are cheerful, welcoming, and everyone loves the new look. Jenn says the bakery, which measures just 19′ x 23′, even looks larger. In a stark contrast from the previous wall color, customers are now greeted with sunny yellow walls. Jenn also removed some of the display cases, and the remaining pieces received a coat of gray paint. She stenciled the backs of a few shelves, and others were covered with Woods Wallpaper from Anthropologie, which was also used on the bakery’s accent walls.
This re-design was all about color branding and paying attention to the details: Accent chairs and the Barista bar were also given new hues.
Didn’t Jenn do a wonderful job? Birchgrove Baking was already a hot spot with the locals before this re-design, but it’s even more popular now. If you’re ever in Vermont or you live in or near Montpelier, be sure to stop by the bakery for coffee and a sweet treat…and tell ‘em Kelly@Color Sizzle sent you!
If you need help selecting a color scheme for your business, contact me at kelly@porterhousedesigs.com. I offer affordable eDesign services to assist you wherever you live {PayPal accepted}.
 |
Restaurant Color {The Silver Star Diner}
You may remember my eDesign post when I gave you a glimpse of my color design for The Silver Star Diner in Ontario, Canada. Well…
…I was so happy to discover that the restaurant finally opened, and from the photos I’ve seen, it looks terrific! I was so honored when the restaurant’s owner {who is also a top chef} contacted me about creating the color design for his modern diner, which was still under construction at the time.
I didn’t travel the 400+ miles to the site {although I would have gladly done so}. Instead, the owner and I exchanged sketches, drawings and photos via email, and we also had a couple of phone conversations. In the end and after several months, The Silver Star Diner opened for business earlier this year. Let me take you on a tour:
The restaurant’s owner wanted stand-out colors that would fit the diner’s modern take on tradition. He also wanted the colors to attract customers and make them feel welcome. I chose Eastlake Gold for the main color {very warm and inviting} and charcoal gray was used for the upholstered banquettes.
And for a little bling at the bar, I specified a metallic-silver upholstery for the stools.
{All paint colors are from Sherwin-Williams}
For the accents I selected fun, punch colors: Robust Orange, Gentian and Ionian. All of these colors are featured on the bar wall and on the upholstered chairs. I wanted to have the bar wall color-blocked to create a strong focal point. Then, chose Ionian for the coffee station wall:
Using ‘in-between’ colors gives a space tons of interest because they are so intriguing. In this palette, Gentian is in-between purple and blue. Ionian is a cross between green and blue.
Another great feature in this space is the ‘welcome wall’ at the front of the diner. The owner wasn’t quite sure how to treat this wall, so I suggested a silvery-gray glass mosaic tile. The idea was that the tiles would twinkle — just like stars.
Setting the mood with color is so important in commercial spaces. Just like we want to feel comfortable in our homes, we also want to feel at home in our favorite restaurant.
If you need help choosing a color scheme for your restaurant, contact me at kelly@porterhousedesigs.com. I offer affordable eDesign services to assist you wherever you live {PayPal accepted}.
Photos by: Class Act Productions; Reclaimed
 |
Color Design: Coral And More
One way to achieve great success with your color scheme is to ‘pull’ it out of your artwork. This is exactly what I did when choosing paint colors for this beautiful home. The homeowner {who is also my friend} had collected gorgeous abstract art pieces that were full of bold hues. She also has great contemporary furniture, but because the walls were builder’s white, it just felt like something was missing. Not any more.
{Like me, my friend has three boys. Look how clean her white sectional sofa is! Unbelievable! Wall color: Chrysanthemum by Sherwin-Williams}
We not only selected colors that complement the home’s furnishings, but my client-friend also took the bold approach of painting her ceilings. This two-tone application adds tons of drama but the look is still harmonious because each room was painted with analogous colors: coral for the family room and living room; blue-greens for the dining room.
In the dining room, new chairs line the wall, painted with Halcyon Green by Sherwin-Williams. {There will be plenty of comfy seating for my friend’s large Christmas gathering.}
In the kitchen {below}, we used a rich neutral which picks up the tones of the cherry cabinets and dark wood flooring. This warm, earthy color also balances all of the other hues.
The ceiling color in the family room was the same shade of coral that we used for the walls in the living room {below}.
Now, when friends and family come to visit, they embark on a colorful journey that begins right at the front door.
All photos by Porter House Designs.
If you need help with a color scheme, contact me at kelly@porterhousedesigns.com. I offer very affordable eDesign services to assist you wherever you live {PayPal accepted}.
 |
House of Paint
I was recently contacted by a homeowner who lives in Downtown Silver Spring, a revitalized area just north of D.C. known for its colorful outdoor spaces, trendy restaurants and shops.
This client lives in one of the many charming bungalows that sit on quiet streets just beyond the action. His goal: to create his own lively space by using bold, festive colors. Bring the noise!
When I arrived for our color consultation, the homeowner handed me a calendar. It had gorgeous photos of Guatemala including houses and scenery enveloped in vivid, saturated hues. We quickly got to work, and a while later we created a palette that included a variety of vibrant colors.
In each room we also painted the ceiling using a lighter tint of the chosen wall color.
This was a really fun project. Best of all, my courageous client loves how the colors turned out and he’s happy with his home — that’s what it’s all about.
Some of the colors used in this project:
{From Sherwin-Williams: African Violet, Chartreuse, Jalapeno, Julep}
Colorful scenes from downtown Silver Spring {click photos for link}:
 |
Fall Into Orange
Autumn is my favorite time of year. Pretty soon, we’ll be dazzled by a spectacular display of fiery hues. If you’re looking for a great autumn-inspired color, let me suggest my all-time favorite shade of orange: Copper Harbor by Sherwin-Williams. I love this shade of orange because it’s dramatic without being too bright. You can see here how I’ve used it. Notice how lighting makes a difference in how this color appears in both spaces (this is a reminder to test your colors, first). I’m using Copper Harbor now in my twins’ room, where it will be paired with navy blue– I’ll post photos when I’m done. Orange can be rustic, sophisticated or whimsical. It’s a versatile, happy color.
Visit my color portfolio to see more photos of these featured spaces.
 |
-
MY WEBSITE:
AROUND THE WEB:
