No White Trim!!!

Hi!, Anne here.. I have strong feelings about the painting rules that seem to be pervasive regarding trim color in homes .I have found that white trim and ceilings are a safe plan for most, but truly what it results in is many contrasting outlines. This is fine, even amazing, in very large, high ceiling traditional estates. In our typical urban dwellings with many windows and doors and low ceilings, what this does is make a lot of visual tension for the eye and soul. 

Do you want your home to be a peaceful place? Step one would be to paint the trim to match the wall it is on, just simply change the sheen. It seems nutty maybe, but what you will find is that your attention is brought more to the view out the window or the lovely items you have in your home. Isn't this better than your eyes always looking at walls ?

      I firmly believe that we are subject to a ton of visual stimuli all day, and we replicate that in our home with clutter and paint contrasts etc... take a few steps toward simplifying your paint palette and see how it changes your mood.

RED RULES

Hi, again.
I wanted to elaborate on red for a minute. Red takes guts. When I use it in a client's home or business I know the basic rules and I stick to them. You should too. So here they are starting with the most important one:

GO BIG OR GO HOME.
Never whimp out on red. This means, do not just put it on one wall, do not keep going lighter up the color sample strip at home depot until you get to the less gutsy version of the red. Always use a red primer before painting red in your home. Always make sure the wall is flawless before priming, meaning smooth and perfect. Do not use the purple-y reds or you will have the look of the 1997 accent wall/ front door craze. Do not have SHEEN on the red paint you use unless very deliberate as in LACQUER high gloss red. There is no other reason for adding sheen to red, use eggshell or flatter to really let it absorb and be sexy and yummy. I even suggest that in bedrooms you paint it on the ceiling as well, yes it is true.... the corners of the room will disappear and you will be cozy in a boundary less ethereal nest for sleeping and inspired toward other activities:)


OK, there I said it.
I will be issuing you a "license to red" if you comply with my rules.
There will be a test.--Anne

Orange you glad it's fall?

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics.Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction,success, encouragement,and stimulation. To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance. Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.

Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.

Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure,
domination, aggression, and thirst for action.

Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is
illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality.

(www.color-wheel-pro.com)

Armoire Amore. Seattle, WA

Ok, so Malina does things simply, like the shell in the white bowl. Her entire interior is based on white, mirrors and natural objects. If you pick three elements and never stray too far from them, you will always have a successful design. Even if you decide to pick green as your color, use as many versions of green as you can find. Don't worry yourself with whether they match. Malina is committed to white, but notice that her couch

is a subtle heather gray wool. She strays ever so slightly away to add some depth/layers to her palette. In decor, as in nature, a color never exists by itself.

For example in a seashell the white looks so pure

because the pink is there. In a flower the pink petals look so bright because of the green stem....etc.

Happy Rainbow Land

Here's a bird's eye view of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, with homes in all the colors of the rainbow.

Well done, Iceland.

ringring, "Yello? Anybody there?"

Oh, how we long for yellow here in Seattle when things start to get grey. It is a beacon, a reminder of summer heat waves, makes the heart beat a bit faster, it has passion. Yellow can sometimes YELL at you... (perhaps that's why they call it "yell"ow but I digress.) Here is my point; if you want this delicious color in your home, don't be scared, just use it in its purest most saturated form . Sunflower, saffron, sunshine etc... you won't be dissapointed.

In fact you will probably take a deep breath and say to yourself,

"Well Done!".

Opposites Attract

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered to be complementary colors (example: blue and orange).

The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant look especially when used at full saturation. This color scheme must be managed well so it is not jarring.

Complementary color schemes are tricky to use in large doses, but work well when you want something to stand out.

Drama

This adorable couple is well traveled. They are not scared of color and it's effects on the psyche.

They may even do things like dance when no ones watching and love like they never been hurt before. This is what color can do for you, Seattle.

Go ahead do something crazy, I dare you... oh dwellers in the land of mild weather and manners. I dare you to do something that'll make people talk about you.

Stop being so flippin nice.

Let's have some well done drama.

Quick Study

Anne's Sunday project.