This entry hall was transformed
by painting a corner wall.
We selected a shade of apricot
from the prints on the wall,
and added a colorful rug
as a table cover.
Big, bold stripes create
a dramatic backdrop
for an artistic cabinet
and a small painting.
Pale yellow paint glazed
with ochre pigment creates
an old-world look on the walls
of this country kitchen.
The dishware in this whimsical
wet bar is a mix of
shapes, colors, sizes
and patterns.
Linda's own dining room was
the inspiration for HGTV's
Sensible Chic episode #809,
airing on February 14.
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A New Winter Coat
It's a new year - are you ready for a change? Why not pick a wall, or a room,
and paint it? Color is the fastest and cheapest way to totally transform a room.
For inspiration on what color to choose, look around the room for a color that
is represented in a small way rather than a prominent one. Maybe there's a little
apricot in a print that's hanging on the wall (as in the photo at left), or a
bit of deep red in a throw pillow on the sofa. You don't have to match the color
exactly - experiment with different hues and shades. Then, make some samples.
You can buy two-ounce paint samples to experiment with (Benjamin Moore has lots of colors for about $5 each, and our November 2005 newsletter listed some of our favorite shades). Look for white "brush-out boards"
at your local paint store, or white poster board at a craft or art supply store.
They come in different sizes, so use the biggest one you can find - 24"' by 24'
is a good size - you will need to see it from across the room. Paint your boards
out to the edges using inexpensive, disposable foam brushes for convenience. Let
them dry completely, and tape them to a wall using blue construction masking tape
that won't mar your paint or wallpaper. Then look at the colors in different lights
- morning, afternoon and night - and always from across the room, with the lights
both on and off, on sunny days and cloudy ones. Move the boards around on the
wall you want to paint to see the color at various heights, and from wall to wall
if you're painting the whole room.
If you're a risk taker, consider painting big, bold horizontal or vertical stripes
on a wall. Try out different colors using your brush-out boards, then tape the
areas off using a level and extra-wide blue tape. Wait for the first color to
dry completely, remove the tape, and repeat the procedure for the second color.
If you're feeling artistic, use a sponge to create texture on one or both of the
colors. Have fun, and remember to go for the glow!
Linda Loves Letters
!I saw one of your kitchen designs in a Lowe's "Complete Home Decorating" book. The walls were done in a Tuscan yellow (according to the book), but no one has been able to find the color for me. Can you please help me? I have been looking for months to find the right paint for my kitchen and fell in love with it. Thanks so much.
I used an old Kelly Moore color called Bridal Wreath #OW16, which is a pale yellow
with tones of red and burnt sienna in it. Then we glazed it with an ochre pigment,
which you can buy at an art supply store. Get a bucket of water and a sponge,
get the sponge wet, squeeze out half the water, put a dab of the pigment on the
sponge, and work it into the sponge by squeezing it. Then run the sponge over
the walls to glaze them with the diluted pigment. See the photo at left for another
photo of that kitchen. There are many more photos of that house on our website - look in the Portfolio under "Colorful Cottage" and in the Media section in
Better Homes and Gardens, California Home & Design, and Creative Home.
!In the picture on your website under Architectural Design/Large-Scale Luxury, can you tell
me where you got the pottery?
Some of them are hand-painted English pieces from Summer House in Mill Valley, California; some from Columbine in Corte Madera, California; and some belonged to the homeowners. I don't know
if those stores still carry those exact pieces, as the photos were taken several
years ago. To achieve this eclectic look, use a variety of pieces in complementary
(but not all matching) colors in a mix of solids and patterns, and look for unusual
shapes to put together.
!We recently stayed at The Cottages in Napa Valley and admired those black bookcases with the red background. Where are those available?
Compliments to you on the interior design!
Thanks - I'm glad you enjoyed the cottages. The bookcases were custom made to
our specifications by a manufacturer that sells only to designers and retail stores,
so they're not readily available. However, you could try to emulate them by choosing
a bookcase of a similar size and shape, and paint them a satin black on the outside and
satin cranberry on the inside. Some unpainted furniture stores have large selections,
and will make pieces in custom sizes and paint them in the colors you choose.
HGTV Dates for January/February 2006
Sensible Chic
California Country Dining Room #512
January 04, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Country Chic Family Room #710
January 16, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Antiques-Filled Bedroom #613
February 02, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Contemporary Country Bedroom #505
February 06, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Mediterranean Dining Room #809
February 14, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Rustic and Colorful Wine Country Living Room #607
February 16, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Modern Whimsy Living Room #713
February 21, 2006 1:30 PM ET/PT
Curb Appeal
Rental Curb Appeal #706
January 13, 2006 7:00 PM ET/PT
Color Change #713
January 24, 2006 7:00 PM ET/PT
Escape From 1950 #1305
February 05, 2006 12:00 PM ET/PT
1960s Contemporary #1109
February 06, 2006 7:00 PM ET/PT
We wish you all a happy, healthy and sparkling New Year!
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