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Choosing A Color: Emerald
Emerald has been a much talked about color lately.
It is Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2013, and we are also getting close to St. Patrick’s Day. Other than the fact that my name is Kelly, I’m nowhere near to being Irish but to those of you who are — Happy Celebrating!
Emerald is a true green. Unlike pine or sea greens which have strong blue undertones, or chartreuse which is heavily influenced by yellow, Emerald is the perfect 50-50 balance of blue and yellow. That makes it a very rich, saturated hue that always makes a statement. Painting a room with Emerald can be scary because it is such a strong color, but if you’re brave enough the result is a space that is refreshing and regal.
{makinglemonadeblog}
For a glam color scheme, pair Emerald with black, white, brown or gray. For a more casual, playful look, add other vibrant colors to Emerald like fuchsia, orange, purple or turquoise.
{via pinterest}
Adding just small “statement” touches of Emerald is a very sophisticated way to create a focal point:
{marcusdesigninc}
{iarbuzz}
Here are four of my favorite Emerald paint picks. Give one a try!
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It’s Time To Change Accent Colors
There are just some things you can’t change about your home, but color is not one of them.
I change my home’s colors all the time — to the dismay of my husband. He says that as soon as he gets used to the latest colors, I change them again. So, what’s new at my house? Teal, turquoise and a refreshing mix of warm greens.
Painting is a very easy way to transform the look of a room, but adding or changing a room’s accent colors is even easier. Let’s face it. Once you take the time to paint a room {especially a large room or open space}, you may not want to paint it again. It’s much more efficient to change your accessories, which is what I’ve done in my family room.
{a corner view of my family room}
It’s a two-story room that opens to the upstairs and the foyer. We painted the space about ten years ago and I still love the amber wall color. I was just tired of the rusty-red accents. So, for the room’s mini-transformation, I started with fabric. I found an amazing, velvet and silk retro pattern that I used for color inspiration. The fabric vibes perfectly with the style of my home, which is a marriage of Spanish traditional and modern.
{my inspiration fabric}
I used the fabric to re-cover four throw pillows. I also used those gorgeous warm blues and greens to customize my existing wall clock:
I mixed acrylic paints to get four different shades of green and a rich teal. Then I painted the clock’s numerals and hands.
I also had fun rounding up accessories that fit into my new color scheme.
{I purchased these glass vases at Marshall’s.}
{This glass bowl is from HomeGoods. I love how it sparkles in the sunlight!}
Below are my thrift store finds from the Salvation Army. This is one of two lamps that I bought about a year ago but they needed new shades, so they sat in storage for a while. I finally found a perfect pair of silk shades at amazon.com, and I added turquoise finials that I got from Pier 1.
{The ceramic vase, also from SA, was a real bargain. I think it cost about $4.00.}
{I found these turquoise tassels at a local fabric store.}
I’m still working on some finishing touches in my family room, so when they’re done I’ll post more pictures. In the meantime, I hope you’ve been inspired to change your colors. Doing so will bring a fresh look and new energy to your home.
I took all of these photos with my iPhone via Instagram — my favorite app these days.
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Choosing A Color: Chartreuse
I’ve read there are two types of ‘green’ people:
{hgtv}
…those who prefer blue-greens, and those who favor yellow-greens {such as chartreuse}. Many children and teens love the idea of having a bright yellow-green room. Manufacturers are also using this color for products targeted toward a younger crowd. While chartreuse is definitely a youthful hue, I’m also seeing more of it in grown-up, contemporary spaces. I recently blogged {at houzz.com} about the appeal of yellow-green and, while most people responded favorably, one reader described the color as ‘baby diaper green.’ That’s quite a description…”
–An excerpt from my Living Style column for Sherwin-Williams.
{lightlocations}
Chartreuse is one of the most eye-catching colors on earth — and not just because it’s so vibrant. Red is vibrant, but we look at red and know exactly what color it is. On the other hand, chartreuse intrigues us. Is it green? Is it yellow? It looks like something gross…but it’s also kind of cool.
{design crisis}
{A pretty chartreuse and blue color scheme. Photo by houseandhome.com.}
Chartreuse started showing up everywhere in the early 2000′s. I believe this wave of warm green was similar to the avocado-green trend of the 60′s and 70′s. But this new green had transformed into a color that was much more vivid. Could this comeback be linked to this guy?…
It’s quite possible that chartreuse has become a hot color because of the movie character Shrek. That would also explain the color’s popularity among the younger set. And what’s hot in popular culture eventually works its way into home design:
{katy ridder}
{bhg}
{decorpad}
{adesignstory}
{flickriver}
{ideal home}
{amy butler}
For a monochromatic color scheme use chartreuse with other types of green {as shown in the room above}. Or create a look that is more lively by adding turquoise, pink, purple or orange. To tone down your palette include white, black, brown or gray in your chartreuse room. This color fits into any design style — from a traditional dining room to a modern bedroom — so don’t limit your possibilities when choosing chartreuse.
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Fall Color Scheme {with a splash of green}
Green is an fall color, too…
…Think Granny Smith apples, pre-ripened berries, gourds and foliage. Some trees even drop their leaves while still in a green state.
This is the perfect time of year to discover a new color palette for your home or party, and if you love green, rest assured that this hue is not just for summer!
Green, brown and gold combined create an earthy, comfortable color palette that never grows old.
{Granny Smith apples and Holly berries}
Click Here to download the free FALL Printable Labels featured in this post.
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Turquoise And Green
I know that for many of you the weather has been sweltering. It’s been pretty warm here too on the East coast. This is usually the time of year when I start to crave the watery hues of the ocean.
Turquoise and green is one of my favorite color schemes. It’s cool, refreshing and always stylish.
{alluminare}
If you’d like to try this color palette, try experimenting with different types of green. Emerald, spearmint, lime green, wasabi green and olive green are some to try.
So, if you’ve been burning up out there, I hope this post has inspired you to create a space where you can chill out and cool down.
*For more tips on picking the right green {and other great colors}, check out my column at houzz.com!
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Centerpiece: Inspired By The Colors Of India
Today, I’m sharing a ‘global chic’ centerpiece that you can use for weddings or any other special occasion.
As you may already know, I love perusing antique and thrift stores for tabletop items and accessories. On a recent excursion, I spotted these:
Vintage Indian elephant candlesticks made by porcelain manufacturer Fitz and Floyd {$5.00 each!}.
I’ve always been intrigued with elephant stands and figurines although I haven’t owned any until now. However, when I was younger I remember my mother had been pining for a rather large elephant stand. When she finally purchased it, she crowned it with a round piece of glass. It’s been an end table in her living room ever since.
I’ve found a special place for my elephants in my dining room, but first I couldn’t resist using one of them for a centerpiece.
The milk glass vases were $1.00 each {also from the thrift store}. For the rose ‘bouquet,’ I used two dozen roses; the greenery is from shrubs in my yard. My pink and gold table runner makes a nice ‘global’ finishing touch.
One of the things I love best about floral designs for home entertaining — when the party’s over, I can enjoy them in my office — at least for a little while.
You can find elephant candlesticks on eBay.
Design and photos by Kelly Porter of Porter House Designs
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Colors To Watch In 2011 – Part 1
Honeysuckle has been declared the ‘It’ Color for 2011 by the folks at Pantone…
…but I have four off-beat, edgy colors of my own that you’ll want to watch this year. In this post I’m sharing the first two:
Wasabi Green has been making a slow resurgence in the past few years — coming back from the ’60′s and ’70′s when it was called Avocado Green.
{Calico Corners}
With our world becoming more environmentally conscious, the color green is being associated with organic and earth-friendly living. Many of us are going retro as we look back towards a simpler way of life. We’re finding terrific back-in-the-day finds on eBay, Etsy and in thrift stores, where Avocado Wasabi Green is bountiful.
{Family Circle}
{decor8}
Peacock Blue made a strong showing in late 2010 at New York Fashion Week. This gorgeous shade of blue varies in between vivid Turquoise and deep Teal. It definitely makes a bolder color statement as compared to the lighter tints of blue-green.
{decorpad}
Peacock Blue also represents an exotic, global aspect of design that is becoming more mainstream as our world becomes ‘smaller.’
{Crown Paints}
{Suzy Hoodless}
Stay tuned for my next post! Part 2 will feature my other two Color picks that you’ll want to watch in 2011!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Be Seen In Green
It wasn’t until very recently that I started loving green. Not just any green, but that rich, saturated Emerald or Kelly Green.
Green is a comfort hue. However, we see so much of it in nature that we often take this color for granted. We sometimes don’t notice it or appreciate it’s soothing qualities.
It’s no secret that Emerald Green is a definite go-to color for many top designers:
{The Emerald Queen herself – Kelly Wearstler}
Green is the color of balance. It’s that great equalizer because it is nature’s neutral.
Green represents harmony, earth and our environment, luck, money — and it will always make your home feel more festive for the Holidays. Many wonderful reasons to consider adding Emerald to your home!
{The REAL Emerald City via layoutsparks.com}
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Color Inspiration from LEGO
I’m often inspired by commercial spaces, and the offices of LEGO are no exception.
I mean, don’t you wish your office looked like this? Fun colors are linked to productivity and innovative thinking. Isn’t that one reason why we all play with LEGO’s when we’re kids?
{Conference room or dining room? Love the citrine green flooring}
The entire color palette of white, black, red and green is very lively and contemporary — great hues for a home office, too…
…although, if you work for LEGO, why would you want a home office when you can go to work and do this??
All images from ihouse-designs
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Moss Green
Inspired by a patch of moss that has grown at the foot of my steps leading to the backyard, this post explores the beauty and tranquility of nature’s green.
Literally bringing the outdoors in, with this space {designcorner} the designers used dried moss to embellish the walls. They also created a room divider, as shown below.
And last, but certainly not least, famed Harlem designer Shelia Bridges’ dining room {ny social diary} boasts soft moss green walls, traditional furnishings and eclectic accessories — making for a very serene and luxurious space.
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