Tips for choosing the RIGHT paint color!

With the hundred's of thousands of paint colors out there, you may wonder where to begin. And, if you are like many of my clients, picking a paint color may stop you in your tracks! How does one choose?

Instead of looking at as choosing just one color, I like to have a vision for the whole room and sometimes for the whole floor, depending on the layout of the home! Think of yourself as an artist, choosing your palette.

1. Don't pick your paint color first: I know that may seem counter intuitive, but trust me, it'll be easier to choose the right paint color to match your furniture than to find furniture to match your wall color!

Surely you have an idea of colors you like. What was your favorite color as a child? Do you still love that same color? What colors do you wear most often? Are they colors you could see yourself decorating your home with? 

Still not sure? Try creating a Pinterest board or Ideabook on Houzz, with images of rooms or paint color swatches that you like. What are the colors that are most prevalent? Click here to see my "No Fail Color Choices" board on Pinterest.

2. Find something that inspires you: It's always a good idea to start designing your room around one piece that you already love. It could be a pillow, a rug or maybe a favorite piece of artwork. I designed a whole room around this Octopus fabric! I just fell in love when I saw it! Whatever your inspiration piece may be, use that as springboard in choosing your room colors!

I loved this piece of artwork and decided to use it in one of the Maine cottages I was designing at the time. We stepped away from the traditional seaside color choices and decided to give this cottage a bit of a spunky feel incorporating unexpected pops of orange with beautiful blues.


Room designed by Mandeville Canyon Designs

Here's another great example of how this designer used the colors in this hallway rug to add a fun paint color to the door.

Found on www.houseofturquoise.com

3. Try before you buy: Thank goodness you can buy test size paint colors these days! I always recommend that you purchase one of these so you can paint a small area of your wall and really see how it looks against your décor and as the light changes throughout the day. You will be happy you only bought a small amount if your paint happens to be the wrong shade!

4. Consider a color theme throughout your home: This is especially true if you have rooms that open up to each other or if you have an open-concept type home. I'm not saying everything has to be the same color, but there should be some sort of cohesiveness from room to room.
 5. If you're still stumped, hire a designer: Sometimes it just takes another set of eyes to look at something and tell you "yes" you are headed in the right direction, or "maybe there's an even better color out there". Either way, interior designers have the education and expertise to help you make the best choice.

Just for fun click here and take Better Homes and Garden's color personality quiz. You just might surprise yourself and learn that your favorite color to decorate with is quite different than how you'd answer the question, "What's your favorite color?"

Best,

Renee Carman

There's a place for everything, and everything has it's place

How many times did your mother tell you, "There's a place for everything, and everything has a place!"? Well, she certainly had a point. But let's be perfectly honest...some days it seems virtually impossible to figure out the best "place" for everything. And if you are anything like me, that's especially true for my home office. We often refer to my office as "Command Central", however, if you saw a picture of it, you'd wonder how I get anything done! Some days it's shocking to me how much paper has accumulated on my desk, and it feels overwhelming to figure out where to begin to sort through it. So, in my effort to "be a better version of me in 2015" I decided it's time to tackle my home office.
 


It is possible to be organized and stylish.

Functional, yet pretty.

Practical but not boring.



Source: Ballard Designs

 
Who's office is this anyway? The first step in creating a usable home office is to determine who will be using the space. Is it completely for professional use, or is it a place for a parent to use the computer...until the kids come home and need it for school work? Once you determine the primary user, then you'll have a better understanding of how many work stations you'll need and what kind of equipment or files will you need to house?


Source: Houzz.com




Source: Houzz.com





Where can I put my home office? Now that we know who the primary owner will be, it should become more clear as to where your home office should be located within your home. Do you have a guest room that could be repurposed as an office? Do you want it on the first floor so that you can tend to kids and pets? I love the idea of tucking an office into an underutilized space, such as under the stairs or in a closet. But I do realize that's not always practical. So a dedicated spot in a living room, kitchen or guest room works just as well too!


Source: http://interiordecorating-idea.blogspot.com/2012/09/home-office-design-decorating-ideas.html



Source: paperblog.com



Source: HGTV.com



Source: HGTV.com

Source: HGTV.com

Source: BHG.com
 

Source: BHG.com

 

What kind of furniture and storage am I going to need? "NO!" it doesn't have to come from the office supply store down the road  (and perhaps shouldn't). There are so many great products out there to get you and keep you organized. It doesn't have to be boring! In fact, it's important that your office reflects your style and feels like a "happy" place to go to work.  That being said...there are some really cute office products from Martha Stewart and Poppin.

In terms of furniture, I recommend that you get the largest "desk" that will fit in your space, because let's face it..you can never have too much workspace! Again, your desk need not be from an office supply store. Get creative here! Is there a table you just love? Perhaps you have an old piece of furniture around that you want to paint. Just bear in mind that you will need to fit a computer, very likely a printer, and space for your files.

There is an amazing article on Houzz, that I found incredibly helpful in terms of the size of furniture you need and the necessary space to accommodate a home office. Check it out here!



Source: apartmenttherapy.com



Source: MarthaStewart.com

 


Source: swiftsorchids.com

Source: Potterybarn.com



 If you have the space, shelving is always a good idea. It provides storage and order to all of the "things" that wind up in your office. And the possibilities are endless as to how you can create a beautiful yet useful shelf. Hang some artwork on the front of you shelves. Paint or wallpaper the back of your bookcase for some added pop of color and personality! Use a less traditional style of shelving, like the one pictured below using shadow boxes. Try something different!



Source: hgtv.com



Source: themetapicure.com

Source: dejondreamhouse.com



Source: plushemisphere.com



Source: centsationalgirl.com


Give it some personality!  This is your space! In order to be happy where you are working, your space should reflect your personality. Make it cozy with an upholstered chair. Better yet, add some extra seating so others can join you!


Source: carlaaston.com

Source: quintessenceblog.com
 



It's still only January, plenty of time to make good on that New Year's resolution to get your office in order. And now you have a little added inspiration to create a pretty, yet functional workspace. Don't forget to check out my Home Office Décor Pinterest board. Just click here!

 

Of course, if you are still trying to figure out where to put your stapler, maybe you should give us a call! We'd love to design an office for you!

 

Speaking of offices....stay tuned! I am setting up a new office space for Mandeville Canyon Designs. Pictures and announcements to come soon!

 

Warmly,

Renee


 




New Year's design resolutions!

Resolutions...we all have them. Mine are aplenty, trust me! If one of your happens to be to finally get your home looking fabulous, here are some simple tips and tools that can help you reach your goal!


1. Create a Pinterest Board: Not that long ago, I would tell my clients to cut out pictures from magazines of rooms they liked or elements they wanted to incorporate into their room design. That way I could have a visual understanding of what they liked and envisioned in their home. Then, along came Pinterest! If you haven't joined Pinterest yet, I highly recommend that you do, especially if you are planning on starting a new project at home. Create a board specific to your project and pin away! You can share your board or keep it private. Either way, it's an incredible visual tool that will help you hone in on your design wants and needs. Here are a few of my favorite boards: 

http://www.pinterest.com/reneebcarman/dream-bathrooms/

http://www.pinterest.com/reneebcarman/pool-patio-design/

2. Check out Houzz: Similar to Pinterest, Houzz is a visual playground. You can spend hours perusing 100's of thousands of beautiful photos. If you are looking to redo your kitchen or bath Houzz is especially helpful. You can search by your design style and then create your own "Ideabook". Bam! Once again you have a great visual library of what you see your own project looking like!

http://www.houzz.com/projects/532090/small-spaces-big-design-under-700-sq-ft-maine-cottages

3. Get organized: Everyone knows this is the first thing you should do to start a new project, but often times it's the last! I suggest making a wish list and prioritizing your projects. List them in order of importance to you. It might not be the biggest, most expensive project that is most important to you, but you won't really know until you put it on paper, and really think about it!

4. Focus on one room at a time: We all want our whole house to look great, but that can sometimes be overwhelming to think about when you are redesigning. And aren't we all a little guilty of not finishing our projects completely?!  That was the old Renee, now I focus on one room, start to finish, before I move on to the next. Of course, I always have a plan in mind for my next room, but I love the feeling of a finished room.

5. Hire a professional: It's truly helpful to have another set of eyes look at your room and talk to you about what your needs are; does the room need to be kid friendly? do you need lots of storage? what about the furry pets in your life? An interior designer has an eye for all of these things and they have an abundance of resources at their fingertips that are not necessarily available to you. So if you want your home to be a bit more special to you, and to look just like the house next door, call in an designer! You'll be happy you did!

Hopefully these tips get you started in the right direction for the new year. If you are still struggling a bit to get on track, give me a call! Together we can resolve to create a stunning home for you and your family!

Happy New Year!
Renee

Halloween decor you're not afraid of...

 

Having a theatrical background (all time love, Sweeney Todd) and a passion for film scores (think Carlos' The Shining and Danny Elfin) has it's advantages when it comes to Halloween around our house. That and living with a kiddo who spent most of his life hoping to be Tim Burton, you can just imagine what the month of October brings us. 
Suffice to say we barely recover for Christmas.

photo courtesy of ciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com

So this week I thought it might be fun to bring you some ideas of not so scary, and not so tacky....almost tactful decorating ideas to help liven up your home and garden. Read on...

A fabulous pumpkin book by sundayview.blogspot.com

Shelterness and Ciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com
have some sweet, not so scary, fall decorating ideas that are sure to keep the little ones running up to your door.

Pumpkins don't always have to be orange. Try something a little different!

   

When it comes to Halloween, I'm a big believer that less is less, but I admit there is something about just the essence of a theme that can also be enchanting.




photo courtesy of sadiepriss.blogspot.com

My family would agree that we all benefit from keeping sharp objects out of my hands, so I am a sucker for a great painted pumpkin. 



photo courtesy of Kristen Sitton

And, like a crow, I am always attracted to shiny objects.


I love a centerpiece that, with a few quick changes, can go the distance (read: Thanksgiving!)



photo courtesy of uptodateinteriors.com

photo courtesy of shelterness.com

And of course, you need to add in some craft ideas. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I am not very crafty (see above mentioned comment about sharp objects), so the maximum impact for the least amount of effort is attractive to me when it comes to this department...



Water balloons, and stockings, and glow sticks, oh my...

Whether it's kids in cute cuddly costumes you love or frightening masks and screams that make your hair stand up that gets your blood pumping, Halloween brings out the kid in all of us!

Ever thought your house was haunted? Or that you heard a funny noise...wait, did you hear that??!! I think I just heard a door creak open...don't look back! Just kidding!

But seriously if you have a minute, Houzz.com has a fun little quiz to take to find out what kind of haunted house you have. 

And if you are anywhere in the northeast in the next few weeks, check out an incredible display of awesome frightfullness (ten years later my daughter still can't look at a chain saw the same way) of Haunted Overload




photo courtesy of hauntedoverload.com

If you can't get to them, they will gladly reside in your living room on Oct 28th courtesy of ABC's The Great Halloween Fright Night. 


For more ghostly inspiration, float on over to my pinterest and check out some frighteningly good ideas.

Eerily yours,

Renee



An old barn gets a new life!

Did you hear the news?? My 1850's barn renovation was featured on +houzz! This was one of my all time favorite projects because I felt like the barn really spoke to me! Have you ever had that feeling? It's quite surreal.

The Barn was tired of it's old ways and years of being a storage facility. But it had so much potential and it just begged me for a makeover!

Check out this BEFORE photo!

Before Photos by Exeter Interior Designers & Decorators Mandeville Canyon Design

So with much careful planning and thought, I set out on my mission to create a family-friendly space. I wanted a space that served a lot of purposes, so this wasn't going to be easy. I needed a mudroom, an eating area, and a comfortable gathering space for a family of 6...plus lots of friends! Oh, and I can't forget the pets!

I also wanted color, lots of color! A bit unusual for a barn renovation, but I'm a designer that is not afraid to infuse color into my design whenever I can! And I think the end result is quite beautiful!

 

If you are a lover of breathing new life into old barns or buildings, then be sure to Click Here to read the entire article written by +houzz and see more pictures.

I love to see what other designers can create with old homes or old barns. In particular, I loved this feature from +1 Kindesign.  Click here to read their article, 43 Fabulous Barn Conversions inspiring you to go off grid.

If your house, or barn is speaking to you, be sure to listen! Keep some of the old, but it's ok to refresh with some new.

Don't forget to read our feature article on +houzz! Just click here!

Best,

Renee