What hue are you?

Remember when you were a kid and you got one of those big boxes of crayons, like the box of 64, and there were so many shades of the same color? For a girl like me, that was true bliss! Give them a little scribble on your paper and voila! you've got a new shade of purple!

And don't even get me started on the names of the colors!!  Blue is no longer just blue...you've got everything from Cornflower, to Aquamarine and Blizzard Blue...what about Indigo and Cerulean? Well isn't that true about paint color these days? It feels like there are about a million shades of the same color.

Its seems like so many of my clients are looking to incorporate some sort of blue into their design. Maybe it's because we are near the coast, or maybe it's because there are so many shades that can appeal to both men and women without feeling too feminine or too masculine. I'm not sure, but whatever the reason, I am loving the latest color combinations!

So how do you keep it fresh and current? I don't tend to try to stay on trend, but I do keep one eye on it! Understanding your clients preferences and how the colors make them feel sometimes outweighs the need to be "trendy"  I also like to get a feel for what's behind the colors my clients choose. Are they looking for a coast feel or a more of a morning in the redwoods? Knowing this helps to create a lasting mood.

I do think it's fun to pair your colors with a little bit of "unexpectedness"! Right now I am seeing, a lot of turquoise in the fabrics, wall coverings and accessories I am finding. It's been paired with everything from red  to black and even orange! Add a neutral like grey and you've got a stunning new look.


I recently used +Sherwin Williams Indigo (SW 6531) for a seaside cottage in Maine. It was love at first sight! 

I paired it with +Sherwin Williams   Scanda (6529), Passive (7064) and Ellie Gray (7650) to create a stunning backdrop for my orange and teal accent pieces! 


To mix things up a bit in another seaside cottage, I used +Sherwin Williams Kind Green (6457). This time I paired it with +Benjamin Moore Paints Soft Glow on an accent wall in one of the bedrooms.



To round out the color palette in this cottage I used +Benjamin Moore Paints Hush. It's still a coastal color palette, but a little different than sticking with just the blues and tans you often see.

I love to think outside the box and dare my clients to paint their ceiling something other than white. It's sort of like the fifth wall in your room, but often it's not even considered when selecting paint. Take a look at this dining room in an 1850's Farmhouse in New Hampshire.

Here it really highlight some of the details in this room that otherwise would have been overlooked. So don't just look at the 4 walls that surround you, look up too!

As always, I highly recommend purchasing samples and trying them out on your walls in your home. What looks great in the store may look totally different in the light of your home.

 

 

Until next week!

 

Renee

What does your favorite color say about you?

www.mandevillecanyondesigns.com

How many times have you been asked, "What's your favorite color?" My guess is that it's probably been quite a few times! And through the years your favorite color may have changed. As a child you may have loved the color pink or blue, but as you got older it changed to something else, like yellow or red. Why is that you wonder? Have you ever thought about what your favorite color says about you? It's really quite interesting and quite fun if you think about it!

Take a look in your closet. What color(s) do you see most repeated throughout your wardrobe? Does one certain color rise to the top of the heap? Are you colorful or very muted?

If you ask me what my favorite color is, I'd quickly respond with "red, of course!" It's the color I wear on the inside. I don't tend to decorate with it much, but it is my motivator! When it comes to decorating I lean more towards red's more playful and gregarious sister, orange!

So what does this say about me?

To find out what your favorite color says about you click here and you'll be taken to the I love color! Board on Pinterest.

When it comes to decorating are you a little bit more "color-phobic"? Or do you find yourself infusing you home with your favorite color too! 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 what you'd answer the question, "What's your favorite color?" with. 

So often I hear people say that they are tired of decorating with the same old beige or off-white, but are too nervous or don't know how to add some "pops" of color without "overdoing" it, or without making an expensive mistake.

Fear no more! I am a certified Dewey Color System Design Consultant. Working together we can identify what colors are you "comfort colors". These are the hues that sooth and inspire you. From there we can mindfully select a paint, fabric and accessory color palette.

California Paints has an excellent section on their website about color theory and how colors make you feel. Take a look and see if the color of the room you are sitting in sets the mood you wanted to achieve. California Paints Color Theory.

Before I select a color for a client, I ask many questions so that I can understand how they want to feel in the room we are working on, serene in a bedroom, lively in a playroom, creative in the kitchen.

Don't be afraid of taking a walk on the wild side, or at least crossing the street to a new color scheme. And if you need someone to hold your hand and guide you through it, I'm here for you!

Colorfully yours,
Renee

Is it Spring yet?

March is a tricky month for New Englanders. We can hear the birds begin to chirp early in the morning, days are longer, the sun (when it decides to join us) is brilliant. However, it's still cold. The snow is no longer bright white, but an unappealing brown. We long for the buds to start to appear on the bare branches in our yards. Yet we all know, it's still weeks away.

So, for the moment, I'm hanging on to this poignant quote by Hal Borland, as I await springs arrival.

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips it's turn." 

Hence the reason I am so happy that one of the hottest design trends of 2014 is Window Sheers! Let the sunlight shine in without compromising your privacy! Try a different kind of window sheer, but using some of the new fabric options out there, like woolen and linen.



Photo from Fresh Home



Pop on over to Fresh Home's website to check out all of the predicted trends for 2014. 2014 Design Trends

What to do when the sun just won't shine through? Add your own pop of color.

Turquoise is one of the hottest color this season. And if there's any color that would remind me of warm sunny days, like the ones spent on a tropical beach, it's the color turquoise! And I especially love it when it's paired with pops of orange! A few years ago, I worked with Stephanie Morrison of Morr Interiors to design a model home for Seaglass Village in Maine.  We used lots of oranges with a pop of turquoise for a really fun and bright interior.






To see more pictures of this model home click here:  Mr. Drew Photography


So put a little spring into your step, and some color in your life. A new season is upon us!!

Thinking warmer thoughts,

Renee