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Popular Posts
Yellow And Brown
This photo recently appeared on the cover of The Washington Post.
This amazing 300 acre sunflower field is located just north of Baltimore on Clear Meadow Farm. It’s quite an image, and it inspired this post on Yellow and Brown spaces.
A Yellow and Brown palette has a definite, casual, retro vibe {think harvest-yellow appliances and dark brown paneling of the ’60′s and ’70′s}. However, this color scheme can also be very elegant.
Fall 2010 Color Trend: Purple and Brown
As the Fall 2010 colors begin to emerge, the autumn-inspired palette of purple and brown is definitely a trend to watch. As you know, purple is my fave and I’m also glad to see that brown is still hot.
{trenddirector.net – Fall 2010 color trends}
I’m also loving the different variations: lavender, taupe, plum, chocolate, periwinkle, espresso, violet, mocha…
{jcpenney-studio helix collection}
{houzz.com - designer Brian Patrick Flynn}
I’ve also been known to do a little lilac paired with khaki and chocolate, myself:
I’m Featured In The Washington Post!
Today, I’m super excited to be featured in The Washington Post’s new Local Living {Home} section! Thank you Terri Sapienza and the Local Living staff for brilliantly showcasing my “Mom Cave.” Hopefully this cover story will be a source of inspiration for design enthusiasts who love color and love bargain shopping even more!
Autumn Ideas
I’m so loving all of the fall colors right now. Every year it amazes me how quickly the leaves go from green to crimson, russet, yellow, amber, orange and brown…
…beautiful, inspiring colors that make for really cool {or should I say, ‘warm’} decorations. Above is an autumn tablescape I designed a couple of years ago, and I still like the way it looks now. It must be because nature’s colors are timeless, and seasonal goodies — such as pumpkins, gourds and pine cones — never go out of style. Here are some other fun ideas for autumn:
photos credits: sunset; bhg; decorators home
Vote For My Home Office!
I’m so excited to learn that my home office has just been selected for Apartment Therapy’s Room For Color Contest 2009!
My home office is finally complete and I was able to enter photos into the Room For Color contest just before the deadline! If you like what I’ve done, please CLICK HERE to give me the “Thumbs Up” over at Apartment Therapy! You’ll also see a few more pictures, the inspiration behind my design, and the color palette {with the paint colors I used}.
Voting for my entry ends at approximately 3:00 pm EST on Saturday, October 17, 2009. Thanks for your vote, and for supporting Color Sizzle!
Office Preview
If you’ve been following my tweets on Twitter, you may know that I’m re-designing my office.
{off with the wallpaper — with the help of a steamer}
I’ve removed stubborn wallpaper, painted, assembled furniture, disassembled furniture, fixed a leaky pipe, and patched the drywall — well, actually my wonderful, patient husband has done most of the work. The old carpet has been removed and the new flooring is in place. I’m not quite finished but progress has been made.
{on with one of the three paint colors}
I’m really loving the new color palette. In a roughly 10 x 12 space, I managed to use three of my favorite paint colors: lavender, aqua and chocolate brown. The colors are serene but the combination is fun. I couldn’t resist posting just a few sneak-peak pictures:
{the new sunburst mirrors reflect all of the colors}
{I love pretty-printed storage boxes}
{crisp white curtains are always chic, and I love the brown detail}
{a touch of whimsy}
More to come soon…
Brown Is Staying Around
Some color forecasters have put chocolate brown on the endangered species list…
…but it still remains a wildly popular wall color for 2009. Using brown is a great way to cozy up a room. The richness you get from using a deep, delicious chocolate-brown just can’t be matched. We love brown and — at least for now — it’s staying around!
photos from: decorpad.com; cottageliving.com; southernliving.com; housebeautiful.com; coastalliving.com; bilhuber.com
Garden Inspired Spaces
If I could turn my backyard garden into a room…
It would look like this:
Nature is our biggest source of inspiration. Its purposeful and plentiful color is a gift from God. We live in a colorful world, but do we really see the colors? When you truly notice how colors are combined outdoors, you’ll feel confident bringing more colors indoors. Compare the two photos above: In the garden, violet phlox translates into plush violet chairs; deep brown mulch becomes the main hue for walls and flooring; new growth of a pine tree is reflected in yellow-green draperies and pillows. And check out the room’s wall mural — flowers, plants and birds — perfection.
This dining room also picks up some of the garden’s colors: red of the Japanese maple, gray tones of the stonework, and mulch brown.
The wall color in this space reflects the soft green found in many of my garden plants.
Another splash of violet in this dining room, along with a touch of mint green which is the color of the vase in my garden.
This kitchen also features that mint green. The darker shades represent the color of my “see-no-evil” frog….or maybe I should call him the “see-no-color” frog:
Perhaps this little guy can remind us to actually see the colors of nature — whether it’s your garden, a beautiful sunset, or the produce at your grocery store. Be inspired!
room photos from homesandgardens.com
You may also enjoy this post: Lots of Yellow and a Bit O’ Blue
Valentine Treat Table {Get The Look}
In my last post, I introduced my budget-friendly Treat Table for Two. I wanted to show that you can create a colorful, romantic setting without breaking the bank. In this new post, I offer specifics on how to pull it all together. Move your cursor over the word “Notes” in the PictoBrowser to see details for each photo. A scroll bar will appear for some of the photos, so that you can read the entire description. Have fun!
Valentine Treat Table For Two: design and photography by Kelly Porter
Valentine Table For Two
Valentine’s Day is next Saturday, so for the next couple of days I’ll feature photos of my colorful Treat Table for Two {for Couples on a Budget}.
This does require a little planning and some patience, but keeping your romance alive (esp. in this economy) should be a top priority! A Dessert Date is perfect for busy married couples with small children. You can easily set up a Treat Table for Two in your home after the kids are in bed. You can use your dining table, a coffee table or even a T.V. tray — whatever works! Here, I used our bistro table. Using a smaller table is way more intimate.
Start With Color – Get your color ideas from something you already have that can be used in your setting, such as a vase, tablecloth or plates. My inspiration was a serving plate my mother gave me a few years ago. From this, I chose delicious colors: bubblegum pink, hot pink, yellow and brown — keeping in mind that I had brown plates I could use.
With inexpensive items from the craft store, fabric store, grocery store and clearance sections, I saved a ton of money but didn’t sacrifice on style. This Friday, I’ll post more photos and details on how to get the look!
Valentine Treat Table For Two: design and photography by Kelly Porter
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