You don’t get any more classic than the Mona Lisa. Are you drawn to art? There are so many artist from Monet the master of impressionism to Leonardo da Vinci having painted the best known portrait in the world! How cool would it be explaining to your friends and family how you designed the color palette for your home? Want a little Mona Lisa on your walls? Here you go!
This is one of my favorite ways to develop a color palette – from art. If you like a particular piece of art, there’s a really good chance it’s because you are drawn to it’s colors.
Here I have an oil painting that I just completed called “Koi Kat.” I LOVE the colors here!
I particularly love the orange and blue together, they of course are complementary and opposite on the color wheel. They just belong together. This is also one of the reasons I choose a blue wall for homes that have a lot of orange tones on their flooring. It just balances all that orange out.
There are still dozens of colors that can be found in this art that we not called out – that chartreuse for one. It too is a great color but would be a challenge to incorporate into the home.
So try something fun. Take one of your art pieces to the local box store and pick 4-5 of your favorite colors from the painting. Match it up to the color chips, bring them home and see how it looks.
Most people think that grout is easy to pick out and usually very little thought goes into choosing it. Well this little detail of grout color can make or break your entire kitchen design.
I had a virtual client purchase a Basic Color Consultation ($85) just so I could help her choose a grout color. With my Basic Consultations, I offer several color options and explain why one color may be better than the other.
Many people say, “I’ll just chose white, it goes with everything” but that would be a mistake. It may work yes but there are other options.
Do you want your grout to be an accent feature? If your home is all gray you’ll need to add some interest somewhere. Black grout may be an interesting feature IF you have your tile designed in a unique pattern.
Keep in mind there are warm grays and cool grays. If you want your grout to blend, make sure you get the undertone correct otherwise it will throw off your entire design.
JUST A NOTE: I never recommend painting or designing an entire home one color let alone gray. It’s not classy, pretty or trendy IMO. I feel this look is a cop-out for people or Designers who struggle to know how to work with color so they just choose gray and hope it all falls in place. I know this statement will get some people mad and that’s ok!
How pretty would it be to have a gray wall, gray tile or granite and perhaps a yellow sofa or color in the drapes? The area rug? The lamps? ANYTHING?
Color is hard for some people and I get that. That is why I’m here to help those who struggle even if it’s for grout color.
Do I like gray? NO but that doesn’t mean I won’t choose it in my virtual designs, I’ll just make sure I introduce other options to the client.
I have to chuckle when I get some emails that start off with “I know you don’t like gray but I was wondering …”. What I like and what needs to be in my clients home are two very different things. BUT I do show them the option of amazing color choices first.
Sherwin Williams has some colors that are just top notch and yes, Sea Salt is one of them and has been for a really long time now. Having said that, Sea Salt now has a new competitor and it’s Waterscape. What’s the different? Come take a look.
You really can tell a lot about a person by what’s on their desk. Is it cluttered? Neat? Sterile? Colorful? Here’s a picture of what mine looks like today. It has a Sherwin Williams color kit on it, some crystals and coffee. So for me, it’s the three C’s – Color, Crystals and Coffee.
I’ve given myself the hashtag #FromColorToTheCosmos which will also be part of the tile form the book I’m writing. It really captures me and my life, from color … to the cosmos.
This is a sample graphic that I send to my virtual clients for color placement. These graphics are easy to follow and are not overwhelming with fancy design jargon and hefty prices. For 2019, I have a $250 promo for *most homes. Contact me at DecoratingbyDonna@mac.com if interested.
Just like family members, we all don’t get a long and that goes for colors too. Yea I know that sounds silly but it’s true! I’m working on some virtual color palettes this week and the homeowner has carpeting, tile and trim throughout the home that has a pink undertone.
Sure he can paint the trim but he’s will he change the tile and carpeting just to get the warm color palette he wants?
If there are two hues that look HORRIBLE together it’s yellows and pinks. By this I mean tile in the home homes that have pink undertones and a warm paint that may go with it.
This type of tile is dreaded to work with! Why? Because 9/10 the client wants a warm or coastal color palette and those colors will not work with this tile. Most of the time grays with pink undertones are chosen and the walls take on a chocolate milk appearance.
Look at the kitchen cabinets. They have a yellow undertone. Now look at flooring in the kitchen, it has a pink undertone. See? They do not get along.
What are the options here?
OPTION 1 – Mauves? Cool grays and blues? Off whites and creams?
OPTION 2 – choose a warm color palette that the client wanted and have it clash with the carpeting that “may” be replaced someday OR choose a color palette that ties in all the tile and pinky undertones and have the house not look the best it can be.
Oh WHY ARE THESE PINK TONES CHOSEN FOR HOMES???????
The featured color in this graphic is pink. It’s a soft pink, not too much like bubble gum, not too peachy, not like a baby’s room – just right. This is one of the colors associated with the heart chakra and no wonder I’m naturally drawn to it, it’s the color of my office as well so it surrounds me, always. If you find it’s too much for your walls, try it on the ceiling.
Adding my 2¢ here, try come pink in your home, just a little, and see how it feels for you 💗
The other day a return virtual client had asked me for color for her two bathrooms. She previously bought a coastal color a palette and wanted to update her bathrooms. Here are a few colors I suggested for her to try.
White Bead-board will be in this room with all the coastal decor to tie it in. These colors are light, bright and perfect for a small first floor bathroom or even the master bath. For the lighter colors here, think about taking the color right up to the ceiling for some added coziness!
The Elements are a crucial aspect of our well being. To know them is to be healthy in mind, body and Spirit. They represent SO much and now for my winter season, Water is the focus.
Just bought this tapestry today. Why do I love this? As I mentioned I’m tapping into the Water Element (winter element) and these colors, although I’m not a fan of blue, resonated with me. Water is all about our ability to change and grow. Like water that flows over the rocks in a stream, it enables us to get over obstacles. THIS is why this element is so awesome!
This is a tapestry that you can put just about anywhere in your home. You can hang it on the wall, on your bed or over the back of your sofa. If you do any live posts or meetings and need a background screen, this is a great idea as well and the reason I bought this.
I will be using it today! Join me on Facebook and do a search for my CLOSED group called Angel Huggers. You’ll see it there!
