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7 Spring Color Schemes {inspired by México}
Hola, color lovers! I’m just getting back from a vacation in México. My husband and I got some much needed R&R in the Riviera Maya, a beautiful resort area on the Yucatán Peninsula. We spent much of our time at the beach, and we also toured the town of Puerto Morelos. Mexico is such a colorful, vibrant country so I found tons of color ideas to share with you — just in time for spring painting! In this post, I’ve curated seven color schemes. I hope you see something that you’d like to try in your home this year!
We went on a bike tour in and around Puerto Morelos, a bustling beach town. My husband and I rode on a tandem bike and he was the “driver,” so I was able to snap pictures as we rode along. Unfortunately, many of my pictures came out blurry but I did get a few good ones. The houses were so charming and colorful, and the vegetation was very lush.
A few more snapshots from México:
As you can tell, we had a great time! I hope you enjoyed this post and if you want the names of paint colors that closely match any of the inspiration colors, please leave a comment or send me an email at kelly@porterhousedesigns.com.
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Black And White Rooms
Why did I write a post about Black and White rooms on a blog called Color Sizzle?
You all know that I’m crazy for color. Black and white is achromatic — meaning void of color — so what gives? Well, I’m always moved by color, but I also love contrast. Sometimes, it’s the contrast in a room that speaks louder than anything else. And a black and white ‘color’ scheme creates the most powerful contrast of all.
Black and white is not only visually striking, but it’s also a classic look {think Art Deco} that has real staying power {like Modern Glam}. Black and white is tried and true when other trends have come and gone.
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Another plus with this achromatic ‘color’ scheme is that you can add any other color or pattern to it, and it always works. That’s good news for those ADD types {like myself} who get bored easily and want to change things up a bit.
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Although, there is no real color with the Black and White combination, this duo offers a ton of energy, {from the contrast} balance, and the presence of perfect harmony…sort of like Ebony and Ivory…and maybe that’s the next best thing to color.
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C’mon Get Happy {With Yellow}
It never fails. This time of year, I start dreaming of yellow. Don’t get me wrong. I actually like winter {minus the short days}. I love snow and I enjoy snuggling up by the fire, but I also look forward to the first signs of spring which always come in the form of yellow — early spring flowers and more sunlight. So, whether it’s a room with yellow paint, fabric, or accessories just seeing a touch of this cheerful color can help bring spring a little closer…and add some happy to your home. Photo from susanisaacsre.com.
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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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Online Design: Working With Yellow Walls
If you’ve ever bought a new home or remodeled one, then you may have had this dilemma:
- You have no furniture for the room, so you decide to paint first.
- You select a great color and have the room painted.
- You love the color, but now you’re stuck…
- You don’t know what furniture pieces to get, and you don’t want to make a mistake.
Sound familiar? This is exactly what happened with one of my recent clients Vendell, who lives in Detroit. When she contacted me, she had just painted her living room/dining room with Melted Butter by Behr, a warm, welcoming and vibrant shade of yellow. Vendell’s home is older and has tons of character, but she wanted a more contemporary look that would fit her young family. This post features the DIY Design Plan that I created for her.
Aside from glam gray, black and white, this design also introduces green, which is a color that Vendell likes when it’s paired with yellow. The Chester Sofa is from westelm.com, the Bailey Chairs are from zgallerie.com, and the Aggie Beaded Lamps are from homedecorators.com.
Vendell also wanted ideas for accessories. Among the ideas shown above, I suggested that she purchase dinner and salad plates from the Labyrinth dinnerware collection to hang as a group in the dining room.
{this is now a room with a plan!}
Vendell was so excited about her DIY Design Plan but she was even more relieved to finally have a starting point and strategy. If your room needs fresh colors or a new look for the new year, email me at kelly@porterhousedesigns.com to find out how I can help!
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Have A Golden New Year!
I just stumbled upon this gorgeous gold New Year’s tablescape that I wanted to share!
This luxe table setting was designed by Cathy of Noble Pig Winery. I love how she incorporated gold into her theme. In fact, I think gold will be a very hot metallic-hue in 2013…
…But this decor also reminds me to live my life like it’s golden in the new year! This tune from Jill Scott – “Golden” should definitely be in your playlist in 2013!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Check out more great pictures of this table setting at noblepig.com.
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Merry Christmas!
Joy to the world!
The Lord is come! Let Earth receive her King!
artwork by loydfannin.com
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Glam Up Your Guest Room
The holidays are upon us and that means their could be overnight guests in your future. If you need tips to glam up your guest room, here are five fab ideas:
1. Add Color. Give your guest room a fresh coat of paint. Use a fun color or interesting pattern {stripes, chevron, etc.}. Your guests will appreciate the time and thought that went into creating a special room for them.
2. Get An Upholstered Headboard. If you’re getting a new bed, look for an upholstered headboard. Not only are they glam but if you’re short on space, this type of headboard can do double duty as a comfy chair. Upholstered headboards make for terrific reading in bed.
3. Ornate Organization. Just in case your guest forgets {or runs out of} bath and beauty items, leave a small collection of toiletries in your guest room. To keep it glam, put lotion and body wash in glass bottles, place cotton balls in glass dishes, and put travel-size toiletries in stylish boxes.
4. Don’t Forget Fresh Towels. Keep a few towels stocked in your guest room. White towels are classic and very hotel-chic.
5. Layer The Bed With A Blanket. Provide your guest with an extra blanket, in case it gets a little chilly at night.
I’m really loving these faux fur throws which are very hot right now. They’re super glam, very soft and will add a luxe feel to your guest room. The blankets shown above are available at bloomingdales.com.
{a touch of luxe}
Adding those special touches to your guest room is a great way to show your family and friends that they are welcome!
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A Flower for the Children of Newtown
Today my heart is heavy as I continue to pray for the community of Newtown, Connecticut.
This is a picture that my son painted for me when he was in elementary school. He is now a college-bound teenager, and I haven’t been more grateful to have him and his brothers in my life than right now.
To me, this flower represents the beauty and innocence of childhood. Posting this photo is my way of expressing my sorrow for the children who were lost in such a senseless tragedy. Their parents will never have another painting or drawing from the child they lost…not another picture to hang on the refrigerator. That breaks my heart. I can only believe that these children are now like the most beautiful flowers in the eternal garden of Heaven. They are vibrant, colorful, free and they are in the presence of God.
We may never understand why these precious children were taken away but I will continue to pray for their families because, even in the face of tragedy, God is the greatest comforter and the greatest love I know.
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Candy Coated Christmas Colors
If you follow my blog you’ve probably seen this room. It’s my red room and I’m always changing things around in there — especially during the holidays.
Every Christmas I put up my white tree in my red room, and each year I decorate it with a different colors. This year, I chose pink and orange. My inspiration was a pair of pillows I purchased online a few months ago {seen in the photo above}. I absolutely love their retro pattern and bold shades of candy pink and orange.
I started looking for pink and orange ornaments well before Thanksgiving and I found just what I needed at Michael’s and Wal-Mart. Easy and inexpensive. I also grabbed up a couple of white tinsel wreaths that were already decorated with colorful ornaments.
My only issue with the wreaths was that none of the ornaments were orange, but that was an easy fix: I just pulled some of the ornaments off and used a glue gun to replace them with orange ones.
I also stumbled upon these snowmen ornaments at Kohl’s:
They not only showcase my colors but they also fit in perfectly with my tree topper — a wicker snowman that I bought last Christmas. This year, I dressed him up in candy colored ribbon.
If you want to use different Christmas colors this year but you’re not sure which ones to go with, create an inspiration board and fill it up with items and colors that catch your eye. Here’s what I did:
You may not even use everything you put on the board {I didn’t} but it will keep you focused and soon you will start to see a theme emerge.
And when you’re looking for holiday decor, don’t overlook the thrift store. You knew I had to mention that! I found this wooden sleigh and reindeer set at Goodwill:
I’m in the process of backing my bookshelves with marbled paper, which is still a work in progress, but I think the paper creates a very magical setting for my thrift store finds.
I always enjoy sharing my projects and ideas with you this time of year because color makes our holiday celebrations more memorable and special. So, as you host family and friends, and celebrate the reason for the season — the birth of Christ — I hope you’ll use color boldly!
I’d love to see your decorations, so please send me your pictures! Email me at kelly@porterhousedesigns.com.
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