Wait! You Took Color OUT of a Room?

I think some people worry that if they hire me for a color consultation, I'll push them into a crazy color scheme with orange on the ceilings (not that there's anything wrong with that) and purple for the trim (hm, can't picture it, but let me think about it...). That's not True! Sometimes less is worth so much more when it comes to choosing colors for your walls and room design. Case in point:

This client came to me about 7 or 8 years ago to help her with her living room. Full of traditional things that were still in excellent condition, but the room felt tired and, I hate to say, uninviting.

The first thing I did for color was to actually take it away trading timid yellow walls and a tired white mantel for three gorgeous creamy tones that defined the fireplace, showed off a stunning coved ceiling, and brought their art and travel souvenirs to life.

Here's a wider view so you can see that we also had grayish-blue slip covers made for the wing back chairs (she wanted to get rid of them until I showed her a simple solution), rearranged the furniture (to create more conversational areas), and brought in just a couple of new pieces (the coffee table and rug) to balance out the traditional look with clean lines and fresh materials. We also had the sofa reupholstered and installed modern window treatments in with a classic trellis pattern.

Overall, I worked with what my awesome client had in her home, starting with color to accentuate the architecture then moving onto styling to accentuate her lifestyle.

For me, here's why the project went so well. This client was:

• clear about her goal for the room (to entertain her family and husband's professional colleagues)
• knew what she liked (traditional, timeless, but eager to add a modern touch!)
• trusting of the process (she gave me free reign to move things from one room to the other to optimize each space).

In case you think the whole house is cream... no! We used plenty of color in other rooms because they called for it: soft glowing butternut colored walls in the dining room so everyone looks and feels good at meals. (notice the ceiling color- not white!)

We chose dramatic sea blue in the powder room to show off some gorgeous block prints.

And to my surprise, my client was even open to handing this console off to me with enough trust to let me surprise her with something fun! I mean, really- best client ever!

This is the wall to the right of the fireplace, the Tibetan prayer cards from Antique and Art Exchange in San Francisco, are stunning against cream walls and appropriately grounded by the playful 'Cheshire' style stripes I gave to the lanky cabriolet table legs.

You didn't actually think I'd leave this room though without having a little fun did you?

Eight years later, the room is basically the same, but my client has updated and changed things here and there to keep the look fresh. And, we went on to re-do nearly every room in her house following the same process- define the goals, choose the paint colors, style the space, fill in the gaps. She loves knowing what to look for and where to shop... these are all things we can cover in the consultation process if you want. The more you invest in your home, the more you'll love being there. I promise.

Wondering what colors we'll find for your rooms? Book a color consultation now to find out. I can't wait to see your space and have some fun!

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