Unique Unique Design

When I was a little girl, I would eat all the other M&M’s first and save the green and yellows ones for last. That was because I loved to look at those two colors. I have a confession….I still will do that. Now in my house, we use color like that (but not limited to those 2 colors) as accents, when we want to add color. Our color palette is much more subdued. We love the gray metal of old zinc corbels, the rough texture of burlap, the white linen or washed white denim of slipcovers, the old concrete bowl with a myriad of subtle colors brought on by age, the cool look of stainless steel mixed with stripped wooden pieces, or sparkly glass containers. Besides loving the serene, peaceful look of all this, it suits our customers better. If they desire they can add their own punches of their color of choice when they take their treasures back to their shop or home. So whether your style is “industrial meets farm girl”, “cottage by the sea”, “elegant modern”, “traditional with a french flair”, or whatever look that pleases you, sometimes a good place to start is those very natural neutral colors.

so many grays to choose from

quite a range even in these subtle colors

photographer: victoria pearson   house beautiful

The striped floor is just an extra touch

photographer: peter vitale veranda

Scandinavian flair with a fabulous stone fireplace. The touch of purple in the delphiniums and hydrangea is beautiful.

photographer: jonn coolidge veranda

linen, silk, iron, wood, greenery, GREAT

If you haven’t already done so, check out Joni’s site at Cote de Texas. She did a fabulous job (as usual) on the Belgium influence and Restoration Hardware’s new direction. She has some absolutely beautiful pictures and many with a very neutral palette. This is her August 25th post.

photographer: roger davies elle decor

If you like a more sleek modern look, this is stunning. Note the amazing lucite table base and gorgeous mirrored console under the black and white photos. Mayron’s favorite is the large piece of quartz on the table.

photographer: simon upton elle decor

The owner of this house calls this style “modern barn”. Wow, what a barn. Its both refined and rustic.

Now for those of you who like a bit more vibrant color in your rooms…

Aren’t these fun. These artichoke lamps (30″ tall) are by Straw Dog Designs.

And to liven up your kitchen, how about these “Switchit” utensils by Chef’n.

Here’s some great spaces with some of the above colors.

sweet home style blog

Spanish style entry looks like they just cut open a fresh cantaloupe.

photographer: james merrell house beautiful

More subdued shades of lilac with Venetian touches

sweet home style blog

Yellow, black, gray, always great.

sweet home style blog

Green and white is so crisp and fresh.

photographer: james merrell house beautiful

Perfect for entertaining with duck egg blue walls.

photographer: eric boman elle decor

If you like pink, this sitting room is for you. Quite unique.

If you really want to read about color and all the intricacies involved in picking and using color, you need to check out Maria’s blog at Color Me Happy. She is a color consultant and designer that really knows the whys and wherefores of using color…or as she says the “becauses”, one of the 3 most important words in color consultation. She, also, teaches color theory. That’s a class I would love to attend, If only Texas was closer to Vancouver. Check out her blog if you haven’t already found it. There is a wealth of information there. If you are not about to change colors in your home or trying to match shoes and a dress, her header alone should make you smile.

As for me, I have a room I need to go arrange. BTW, it’s all white and mirrored. Haven’t decided yet about a single pop of color in there. Any suggestions?