standing room only for

don't be afraid of color

Linda spoke to a packed house at Sonoma Country Antiques last month on a sunny afternoon in the Wine Country. "In these challenging times, it’s so important to feel good about where we live, especially since many of us are spending more and more time at home," she told the assembled guests. "Color is the easiest and most economical way to change, update or embellish your home. Often, some colorful, carefully chosen accessories are all you need.”

In her Power Point presentation, Linda teaches the basics of the color wheel and color descriptors (how colors relate to each other), plus how to develop your personal color palette and select colors that work together within that palette. The before-and-after slides of her historic Santa Fe adobe are a striking example of how color and good design can transform cold, dark spaces into warm, life-enhancing rooms that reflect your own aesthetic, whether your style is traditional, contemporary, Mediterranean or Southwestern.

Our thanks to Patty and Sharon and everyone at Sonoma Country Antiques for hosting this terrific event!

Guests take their seats in one of SCA's many spectacular showrooms for Linda's presentation.

before & after

right before our eyes

After the slide show and Q&A, Linda put her principles to work on a sofa and coffee table right there in the showroom. Starting with a neutral-colored sofa that had throw pillows made from the same fabric, she removed the existing neutral-colored pillows and replaced them with larger ones made of colorful fabrics in varied textures. She used five pillows – no two exactly alike - with whimsical designs, fun ruffles and appliqués in shades of salmon, pink, gold, and black and white to ground the colors. Next, she accessorized the coffee table by picking up (but not matching) the pinks in the pillows with some red balls nestled in a black tray, then added texture with wood and metal objets in neutral tones, and a white ceramic pitcher with tall flowers to relate to the white in the pillows and add some height to the arrangement. Finally, the yellow color of the table relates back to the bits of gold in the pillows and the centers of the daisies in the pitcher. In minutes, the plain sofa and table - which seem at first not even to relate to each other – are living together in perfect, colorful harmony!

Before - a neutral sofa with small, matching throw pillows.

After - Colorful accessories create a warm and inviting room.

Linda signs copies of her book, Architectural Interiors, for guests.

Guests came from all over the Bay Area, and as far as Ukiah, Los Angeles, Central Valley, and Arkansas to watch Linda in action.

We are so grateful to everyone – over 100 of you – who generously took the time to respond to our survey about Linda’s next seminar. Your suggestions and input will play an important part in planning our event. Unfortunately, Linda’s calendar is so full through the end of 2009 that we decided we are not able to schedule anything right now, but we will continue to keep you posted and will let you know as soon as that changes. The good news is that you will see more new projects of Linda’s in the very near future!

 sensible chic classics

Two episodes of HGTV's original series featuring Linda's Inspiration Rooms will air this month:

Monday, July 13, 8:00 a.m. Eastern and Pacific

Episode 809 "Mediterranean Dining Room"

Monday, July 28, 8:00 a.m. Eastern and Pacific

Episode 512 "California Country Dining Room"

Mediterranean Dining Room airs on July 13

California Country Dining Room airs on July 28

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”

- Claude Monet