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Color Love: Neutral Kitchens

Aug 01, 2010

There's a real movement toward neutral color palettes right now. After years of hearing TV designers talk over and over about making things "pop," perhaps we're craving a little calm. Inspired by the first image below, I went hunting for more gorgeous examples of kitchens that pull off a warm, interesting look without using intense color to do it.

Be inspired, then read my tips for keeping a neutral kitchen interesting. —Diane

This kitchen may not have juicy color, but it has tons of texture: the stone wall, corrugated metal ceiling (love!), thick butcher block, wicker chairs, and polished concrete floors. Photo: Better Homes & Gardens.

Look at the beautiful proportion here. Tall ceilings are done right with custom to-the-ceiling cabinets, extra-tall doorways, slim fixtures and furniture. Several neutrals plus green accents and a mixture of metal finishes create a layered and interesting color story. Photo: Canadian House & Home.

This is a look anyone with a modest budget could pull off. Dark floors, white cabinetry, black and chrome accents. Simple stock cabinetry is given a custom look with serious mouldings to the ceiling. Industrial accents add interest, and a large, unadorned window gives the impression of spaciousness in a smallish kitchen. Photo: Canadian House & Home.

Gray and white get warmed up with a pale but taosty neutral on the walls. This looks a lot like the color on my kitchen walls: Sherwin-Williams Ramie. Photo: Canadian House & Home.

Rustic elements shine amid a mostly white kitchen: brick floors and a pine harvest table. The black door adds a nice bit of "punctuation." Photo: Lonny Magazine.

Tips for Working with a Neutral Color Scheme in the Kitchen

Choose several neutrals. Don't forget that elements like appliances and fixtures have color, too.
Play up texture. Without it, the room will look boring. Add it with rough tile, cork flooring, slubby fabrics, a butcher-block top, or a tin ceiling.
Add an element of interest or two, but don't overdo it. Easy places to express your style: light fixtures, quirky barstools, cabinet hardware, accessories.
Invest in lighting. Neutral or not, any color scheme can fail if its not lit in an effective and appealing way.
Keep surrounding spaces neutral, as well. Now that open kitchens have become the standard, it's important to integrate the look of your kitchen with its surrounding spaces.
Cook! Nothing makes a kitchen more interesting than what's created within it. Let your colorful food take center stage.

Need help making your kitchen look better without a total overhaul? My "Spiff It Up" eDecor Plan gives you a complete plan for a cosmetic redo of a kitchen or bath for $400… and during the month of August, take $50 off any eDecor Plan at Dwelement! For $350 you get a color plan, 3D Views of your finished kitchen or bath, an Inspiration Board that shows all the materials, fixtures, furniture, and accessories with live links to buy them with a click, a To-Do List that guides you through the project, and 14 days of unlimited email consultation after delivery. You can take your time finishing things as your budget allows, and I won't try to sell you anything. Questions? There's never an obligation (or an onslaught of spam) when you email me. —Diane

TAGS: kitchen neutral color scheme palette palate pallet rustic industrial modern beige gray grey white off-white cream tan how to make neutrals interesting edecor edecorating e-decorating

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Color Love: 100 New Complex Neutrals from Pittsburgh Paint

May 26, 2010

If I could give out one piece of color advice for the walls of your home, it would be this: Choose the color you think you want, then pick a grayer version of it. Colors that appear to have more gray in them are less saturated. They can still have plenty of mood-changing power, but they're much easier to decorate with and generally more flattering and appealing in a room. And by the time Foggy Day is covering four walls, you'll be glad you didn't choose Blue Sky.

I've always loved the setup of the Sherwin-Williams palette for this reason. It's easy to slide up or down the saturation scale standing in front of the display or using the fandeck. Now Pittsburgh Paints has added a scrumptious new line of complex neutrals called Atmospheric Colors. The palette comprises 100 new colors that run the gamut of hues, but keep the saturation at a pleasantly low level.

“Sometimes you are looking for a soft, ambiguous color— like a veil across a fresh green or a mist filling in a lilac hue to give it that smoky appearance, or a gray to soften,” said Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager for The Voice of Color. “Atmospheric offers homeowners and designers a full range of veiled tones and misty shades that bring that elusive, refined elegance to a space.”

It's true. Desaturated colors tend to change more throughout the day to reveal interesting undertones. That makes them more flexible in a space, requiring less fuss when it comes to coordinating fabrics and finishes throughout the room. Take a look at a few rooms that showcase the new palette, or see it firsthand by finding your nearest dealer here.

Amethyst

Stormy

Thicket

Winter's Breath

Still stuck when it comes to color? Hit me up for a Color Consultation, in your home or online. $75 for the first room, $30 per additional room in the same house. It'll save you time, frustration, and that extra couple of gallons of paint! Just email me or order the Focus on Color eDecor Plan. —Diane

TAGS: pittsburgh porter paints ppg atmospheric color neutrals how to choose paint for walls neutral shades room photos

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Color Love: Kitchen Cabinets in Surprising Colors

May 05, 2010

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Maybe you're celebrating in your kitchen, and maybe it could use a little festive makeover. One of the fastest and cheapest ways to update a kitchen is to paint the cabinetry. Most people who get past the old adage that "you can't paint wood" choose white or off-white. It's crisp, clean, and classic. It's also safe, which is smart if you're planning to sell within a few years. But if you really want to live in this kitchen and love every minute of it, why not express your personality with an unconventional color on the cabinets?

Here are a few photos to inspire you to go for it! In ROYGBIV order. :)

Red is energizing and in this distressed finish creates a vibrant country feel that works nicely with the oak flooring. Photo: twiceremembered.blogspot.com

Orange cabinets? Yes, in small doses. Amid the white walls and dark grey flooring, it's just enough of a pop of personality. Photo: Kearch.

This soft buttercup yellow creates a welcoming glow in a narrow but well lit galley kitchen. Note the color extending halfway up the walls to create an enveloping effect. Photo: Living Etc.

Paint it like you mean it! Leaf green works with white subway tile, natural wood tones, and a wallpaper effect on the ceiling. Photo: R. Lemermeyer for Canadian House & Home.

Grey-green is a more subtle option that looks fabulous with stainless steel and marble. Check out the stainless mosaic backsplash. Natural textures like the raw wood on the ceiling and sisal rug create an interesting counterpoint. Photo: S. Upton for House Beautiful.

Turquoise base cabinets paired with white up top is a way to enjoy color without totally committing. Accessories displayed in open cabinetry above (hint: just take the doors off) carry the palette throughout the space. Photo: leannhuntington.blogspot.com

Especially when cabinets are few, a powerful color can have just the right amount of impact. Deep grey-blue works nicely in this modern kitchen with a commercial feel. Photo: L. Moss for House Beautiful.

Indigo. You'd have to love it in this kitchen, but what a gutsy move. Navy would be a more manageabe choice. Photo: Q. Bacon for House Beautiful.

This purple-based grey has a very soothing effect in a mostly white kitchen. Photo: M. Burstyn for Canadian House & Home.

French grey sets the tone for a sophisticated monochromatic look. Photo: E. McDermott for House Beautiful.

Black is an adaptable choice. It works with modern, traditional, rustic, and in this case, a French country design. A sage green ceiling keeps the room from feeling too serious. Photo: Country Living.

Designer Tip

Remember, you aren't limited to the millions of colors in the rainbow, either. Metallics can create an interesting effect, too. Check out how Theresa used them to fine effect in her kitchen.

How to Choose a Paint Color for Kitchen Cabinets

Choosing the right shade of paint is usually the most difficult part of the any painting project. First consider which elements of the kitchen cannot change. That might be countertops, flooring, backsplash, or appliances. Take a look at those permanent colors and choose a color for your cabinets that either blends or pleasantly contrasts. Do not ignore the colors you're stuck with, even if you hate them. The idea is to have a harmonious palette for the whole room. It can be overwhelming, for sure. If you don't have a natural eye for color or you just can't make a decision from dozens of options, I can help. I offer in-home and online color consultations for $75 first room, $30 per additional room in the same house. It's fast and simple, and my color plan is based on your style and preferences. Want more info? Just email me. —Diane

TAGS: painting kitchen cabinets how to choose color for cabinetry color consultation consultant online traverse city leelanau northern michigan

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Color Love: A Crocus Combo

Apr 06, 2010

PHOTO: Diane Kolak, dwelement.com

Spring came early to Northern Michigan, and my crocuses are in full bloom right now. Generally, they're covered in a deep pile of snow until mid-April. I was inspired by their brash, devil-may-care color combo to do a post featuring rooms that successfully combine purple and yellow. The colors are complementary, in the color-theory sense of the word, but not always easy on the eyes when juxtaposed in a room. But it can be done.

This rustic yellow table provides color and textural contrast in an orchid-hued space. Photo: decorpad.

This bedroom proves that you need not commit to experiment with this color combo. A yellow coverlet cozies up to a lavender blanket with beautiful results. Photo:Traditional Home.

Small touches of yellow appear throughout this house whose color scheme is anchored by deep blue-purple walls. The home was designed by Emily Walker of H&H. Photo via Odi et Amo.

The living room from the same house showcases the color scheme's inspiration, a Donghia fabric beautifully framed in duplicate.

A neutral black-and-white backdrop in the bedroom brings bright yellow and violet accessories to the fore. The color punch from these three pieces is magnified by the monochromatic surroundings.

Are you inspired by something coming up in your garden right now? Need a little help creating a room that showcases it? I can help. Just email me. eDecorating is fun, affordable,and perfect for the do-it-yourself decorator.

TAGS: interior design decorating purple yellow rooms pictures photos inspiration

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Inspiration: Andrew Wyeth's Color Palette

Feb 26, 2010

{Short & Sweet Friday}

The weekend is here! I can say that because I'm posting this way late in the day. And if you're still at work, I know you've already mentally checked out. I have a number of exciting projects happening now and well, the blog takes a back seat to clients.

Meanwhile, some dear friends of ours (Hi, Tim and Lisa!) are spending the day at the Greenville County Museum of Art in South Carolina, where a large body of Andrew Wyeth's work is on permanent display. "Andrew Wyeth: The Greenville Collection" includes thirty-five paintings from every major period of Wyeth's career. So I thought I'd provide a late-day visual rest from the digital haze with a few of Wyeth's interior paintings.

Using An Artist's Work as inspiration for a Home Color Palette

I've long been a fan of Wyeth's work, and his palette has influenced the color plan inside my house. He's a master of neutrals, creating a full, though restrained, spectrum without resorting to saturation. It allows intense color to be a sensory surprise when it makes its rare appearance. Greys, browns, and whites are the anchors of his palette. Variations are muted and beautiful. The effect may be too somber for some, but it feels right to me. And just like in Groundhog Day (second image below), when the sun shines through the windows there's no denying the warmth and depth of his color palette.

Using a favorite artist as inspiration for your home's color palette can create continuity and flow, and it makes color decisions that much easier. If you're having trouble finding a palette that feels right, don't look at your walls. Look at art. —Diane