Posts Tagged ‘Color Is’

We all have a favorite color, that shade of green or blue or purple that just makes us feel good. But if you’re looking for Tiffany blue or Coca-Cola red for your next project, sometimes there just isn’t that perfect match in the countless options of paint chips available at the paint store.

That’s where color matching comes in handy. Experts can now take just about any item – a piece of jewelry, a blouse, even a pillow or door and copy it in paint. Consider it couture color at no extra cost.

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Raise your hand if you made a New Year’s resolution this year!

Making the resolution is the easy part, the hard part is actually following through! All month long we’ll be bringing your tips and advice to help stick to your home improvement resolutions. We’ll be covering topics such as adding color to your space and picking the best “green” products for your home. We’re kicking off our New Year’s resolution month with our best tips for getting your home organized!

Clever Storage Solutions
Shelves and cabinets aren’t the only storage solutions. Invest in pieces that serve double-duty, such as ottomans and benches that open up to store blankets, pillows and other odds and ends. Have you ever considered using a toothbrush holder to store those rampant pens and pencils laying around your home office? Or decorative glass jars to store miscellaneous kitchen and bathroom clutter? Better Homes & Gardens offers these clever storage solutions and more!

Label It
A place for everything and everything in it’s place… it’s easier to know where things belong when there are labels. Toy bins, coat hooks, kitchen canisters – all can be labeled for easy identification and organization!

apartmenttherapy.com

DIY Home Organization
Before you go running off to the store to purchase a bunch of fancy bins, boxes and shelves, look around your home and see what you have to start with. Have an old wall-mounted magazine rack you’re not using? Hang it inside your kitchen cabinet to store and organize pot lids. Use an old door-hanging shoe organizer to store cleaning supplies in your laundry room or pantry. Do you have some leftover crown molding from your latest home improvement project? Turn it into a shoe storage solution! (Via Clever and Catchy)

Lovelyish.com

Pantone

Anthropology

Remodelista

Pantone has announced their 2013 Color of the Year: Emerald!

“The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally-appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”
Will the 2013 Color of the Year will be making an appearance in your home? Or is it too soon to tell?

How is it that scuffs, chips and nicks can stay hidden, completely invisible to the naked eye, until you decide to have guests over? As soon as the RSVP’s start showing up so do all of those imperfections; the scratch on the coffee table, the nick in the banister, all of those scuffs on the kitchen floor. If you’re looking to take care of these tiny little eyesores before holiday guests arrive, here are some quick fixes that will leave your home scuff, chip and nick free!

Cleaning scuffs off of linoleum floors
Wash away scuff marks by rubbing them with a sponge or soft brush (nothing abrasive) and a solution of dishwashing detergent and water. You can also rub a pencil eraser over scuff marks to make them disappear.

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We’re all familiar with the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle – but we would like to add a 4th “R” to that list! Repurpose!

Repurposing old and outdated furniture is a simple way to help reduce landfill waste and cut down on the carbon footprint required to make and ship new furniture. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

Some tips for refinishing old furniture include:

• You can paint metal: You can paint metal, just make sure to prime the surface first!
• The more you sand, the better you’ll get: The more you sand, the more you’ll pick up a technique. You don’t want to sand so deeply that you go beyond the top layer of wood. Learning how your sander handles will also help you when you “distress” painted objects.
• Don’t take shortcuts: If a piece has hardware or drawers, remove them entirely for prep and painting. Because these areas get a lot of use, they are ripe for eventual paint flaking. Sand drawer edges carefully so the old paint is gone before applying new. Two coats of sealer should give the drawers “armor” for future use.

(Source)

Now that you’ve got the basics, here are some of our favorite repurposed projects from around the web!

Old drawers as shelves via RemodelAholic.

Remodelaholic

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Desired by many, yet achieved by few – the ever elusive good night’s sleep! November is National Sleep Comfort Month, a whole month dedicated to the importance of sleep. Everyone has their own tricks and tips when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep – eat this, drink that, do this, try that – but did you ever consider that the secret to good sleep may be as simple as good design?

Design tips for creating a relaxing bedroom

Calming colors
Did you know that colors actually have sound? Pat Verlodt, president of Color Services & Associates, Inc., says the most common calming colors are blues and greens because they remind us of calming sounds in nature – the ocean, rustling grass, a whispering breeze.

My Home Ideas

Clear the clutter
Mess=Stress. And stress can interfere with sleep. Your bedroom is for sleeping – if an item does not fit this criteria get it out of the room. This includes exercise equipment, computers, TV, and just plain clutter!

House of Turquoise

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The color black has been steadily trending on the design scene. From dramatic touches of the dark color to entire rooms blanketed in it, black is back and it looks like it’s sticking around! One of the latest trends we’re seeing with black is using it to paint interior trim and doors. And we’re liking it…

House of Turquoise

Decorpad

Dark trim gives a room depth and adds a sophisticated touch. Of course, there is a right and a wrong way to incorporate this trend into your home. Houzz.com recommends,

“For the most lustery sheen, use a high-gloss oil paint and apply it with a sponge roller for a smooth finish. Latex is fine for lower sheens, but even coating it with glossy polyurethane will not achieve the same luscious look as oil paint. Remember, high-gloss or low-sheen, paired with white walls, black casework is a perfect example of a timeless classic for the home.”

Burnham Design Project

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The Color Marketing Group has reported that blue is the color of the year, so here are ways to use it.

What is Blue’s mood? What do I put with Blue? Are you blue about Blue?

Blue is one of the most versatile colors in the spectrum; it is also the most often selected favorite color globally. Blue is a happy color coming from the cool side of the palette that also is soothing and calming. This hue has been associated with boys but not as much at present as it is considered gender friendly.

Blues on the aqua side are perfect for bathrooms since they remind us of water or even a tropical beach getaway.  This color works great with the browns and beiges in granite and wood and of course deeper and brighter versions of the color family.

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Are you paralyzed by the prospect of putting bold or unusual colors in your home? Are you wavering between one neutral shade and the next, wishing you could take the plunge and go for something more unusual?

Well, I have to say, I am not afraid of color – but I am afraid of BAD color! Over the years, I have had to do my share of repainting, either because I was too eager to paint or I chose poorly. And since I love bright and different, I have taken my share of risks in that department –and then once it’s on the wall…well, like I said, I have repainted many a room.

Since I attended the school of hard knocks, I learned many valuable lessons. Now I can use unusual colors, yet avoid the disasters that can come with the territory.

Lesson 1: Try it first!

Look for smaller quantity, lower cost paint samples at your local paint supply store. Buy a pint, quart or big swatch of the color you love, take it home and paint a patch on your wall to see it – before you buy the whole gallon and waste your time and money. It is also a good idea to look at it for a few days before you actually paint the whole room. You will know if it fits your décor and home after looking at it for a bit, and avoid the do-over. Additionally, there’s an added benefit of motivation to get the project done sooner, since now your wall has a big unmatched patch on it. (Tip: Don’t test before a big party – you might rush a decision that will land you in repaint land!)

Lesson 2: Look at what others are doing.

If you have seen a friend utilize an unusual color and you want to do something similar, ask them if you can use their color. Then you’ve seen how it looks in a whole room! You can also find unique colors used well in many catalogs – and then ask your local paint store to help you match the one you love. When I was painting the exterior of my 20-year-old house, a friend suggested looking in some new construction neighborhoods for current, unique exterior colors. I took pictures of the ones I loved, and it helped me get out of the rut and bring my house into the 21^st Century.

Lesson 3: If you love it, you’ll love it!

I used to have a red dining room, and I was looking for a change. I fell in love with a purple/blue color and was scared to make the switch. A friend and I were consulting on this decision and she gave great advice: “If you love it, you’ll love it in your room.” I kept trying to talk myself into something more practical, but in then end I continually came back to the color I fell in love with originally. Then I knew…it had to be mine. I have had more compliments on that room color than any other in my home!

If you heed these valuable lessons, you might just be able to avoid the “repaint blues” when you are ready to jump off the deep end into fabulous and unusual colors. You can still be bold, but spend less time and hassle!

The front door of your home is like the cover on a book, the wrapping on a present, or the icing on a cake – it’s a preview of what’s to come. Your front door assures you that you’ve arrived safely home. It warmly greets your guests and welcomes them in. With so much of your home’s reputation resting on your front door, we wanted to share some tips and inspiration to help you make your front door a true representation of the family and home that resides within.

Color
When focusing on exterior colors for your home, most experts will recommend going by the “70-25-5” rule:

Body color (70%)
Trim color (fascia, windows, overhangs) 25%
Accent color (doors and/or shutters) 5%

Since the paint color you select for your door will only be used on about 5% of the exterior of your home, it’s a great place to experiment and go bold!

Lighting
A well-lit front entrance not only looks lovely, it’s also practical. Wall lanterns on each side of the door will give your home a warm, welcoming look, while assuring the safety of those who enter.

Low-level path lights will brighten your walkway while highlighting nearby flower beds, shrubs and ground cover. Low-level path lights can also be used to define the boundaries of long driveways. Convert decks, porches, and patios into romantic retreats by concealing mini-lights under steps, railing or benches.

Accessories
Plants, light fixtures, house numbers, door handles, mailboxes and door-knockers can all help enhance the look of your front door. These front door accessories are usually pretty low-cost, and therefore, low-commitment pieces so have fun with them and switch them out often.

Now, let’s indulge in some front door decadence!

Shelterness.com

Fresh Home

House of Turquoise

Elemental Architecture

House Beautiful