Orange Twist to the Red Revival
September 18, 2017 § 2 Comments
Apples, pumpkins, falling leaves — there’s something about Autumn in New England that, despite our recent warm temperatures, makes us cozy up to the changing seasons. Maybe that’s why some of us live here.
My newest door color obsession is a revival of the orangey red of another decade, and that may signal the end of the light, neutral, blue and even light lemon yellow door color trend I’ve focused on for the past several years. This red, Million Dollar Red (Benjamin Moore 2003-10) is as perfect on a traditional white colonial as it is on a black modern home. There is no mistaking where the door is — it screams Welcome!
What I love most about it is its “orangeyness.” Orange is a happy color no matter what. So a red on the orange side (versus pink) says this is a happy home. The color also has an updated, contemporary feel as opposed to the more traditional burgundy red (also great, of course, but more serious and refined).
Adding an orangey red as an accent color on the interior is also a great way to torque up the energy. Try it on the back of a white bookshelf, or on a pouf ottoman in the family room, or even on a focal wall in the front entry. A little bit of red warms up a room a lot. So before painting an entire room red, make sure you want to amp up the temperature in there. Using red on items that can be removed in the hot summer makes sense to me: pillows, bedding, throws, and art. Then I look forward to my seasonal exchange when I swap out the cool blue accessories for red.
Enjoy Autumn… whatever it means to you and wherever you are. And love how the color orangey red makes you feel. Warm and Happy.
Light Up Your Front Door
December 12, 2012 § Leave a comment
Why wait for the holidays to light up your front door? You spent enough time choosing the color — show it off all year with a boost in your exterior lighting.
Choose properly spaced recessed fixtures that will wash light down on the door color and other parts of the porch as in this photo (lighting by Illuminations, Inc.). Or add a large pendant over the door and sconces on either side. Make sure the lighting fixtures are big enough that they don’t look skimpy from the street. Bigger is usually better when it comes to lighting.
While you’re choosing your new light fixtures, take advantage of all the different metal color options you have now. Don’t settle for wrought iron if another color would update your house and make it look fabulous.
So when the holidays are over and you take down the hanging twinkle lights and box up the spot light from the front door, take a close look at what lighting is left. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
Let there be light!
Have a Vintage Holiday
November 29, 2011 § Leave a comment
Tradition is a huge part of any holiday — whether it’s Christmas, Hannukah, or any other special time of year. And carrying on the traditions of the holidays can mean digging out old family recipes, recreating family outings, and certainly decorating. These figurines, from my mother’s collection (circa 1950 at the latest) are part of our holiday decorating. Just seeing them brings back all the wonderful childhood memories surrounding Christmas.
I hope you have something old to bring to your holiday decorating this year. Although it’s fine to buy an artificial tree, cover it with twinkly lights, and install a giant blow-up Santa in the front yard (the children love all the over-the-top magic and color — go for it!), it will be nice to reach back into the past for a piece of nostalgia that will make your own holiday a richer experience.
If your family heirlooms are long-since broken or distributed to other family members, check out consignment stores and antique shops. You’ll be amazed at what treasures you can find there, particularly around the holidays. Some of the vintage items may indeed transport you decades back to your youth. Embrace them. Bring them and their character into your home. And enjoy.
Southern Style Christmas Tree
December 7, 2010 § Leave a comment
When it comes to decorating for Christmas in the South, more is better. And bigger doesn’t hurt either. The Celebrity Holiday Homes 2010 special on HGTV featured Trisha Yearwood’s home decorated with big wreaths made from cuttings from her yard, a rainbow of ornament and ribbon colors, and beautiful hydrangeas perched between the boughs of the Christmas tree! Now that’s an idea that never would have occurred to me so I decided to try it on my own Christmas tree.
I hauled out some silk bouquets I had put away in the closet and selected the reds and creams for the tree. What a terrific pop of color — similar to oversized ornament balls but more textured and interesting. I kept all my other red glass Christmas balls and the children’s ornaments from Nana as well as the little plaid bows. But the silk hydrangeas really make the tree look special even way up here in New England. I’m hooked.
So for those of you who celebrate, y’all have a colorful Christmas!
Inspirations from the Top of a Paris Bus
July 28, 2010 § 2 Comments
Cruising down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and under the Arc de Triomphe in a double-decker bus is quite a thrill. Especially the day before Bastille Day in Paris. Tons of people everywhere (and I was glad someone else was doing the driving). Taking a bus tour was a great way to see the city especially on a short timeframe. From the grassy-roofed sports stadium to views down the River Seine, the bus gave us average American tourists a snapshot of Paris highlights without the lines.
Color Your Holidays
December 2, 2009 § Leave a comment
If you yearn for a fresh holiday look this season and prefer to leave the traditional decorations in the attic, try a more contemporary color scheme: apple green and silver; coral and gold; robin’s egg blue and white. As long as you add sparkle with shiny metals and twinkle lights, almost any color combination will look festive.
If your neutral or pastel color palette is soft and calming, and bold traditional colors seem to clash with your home’s style, then try using whites for your holiday color scheme: white candles, white ornaments (like the ones in the photo available from Amazon.com), white dishes, white wrapping paper, and white lights. All the winter whites against your pastel palette will look quite striking.
If holiday memories are most important, then haul out the boxes and baskets of ornaments and figurines and revel in the nostalgia of your own traditions. No picture-perfect holiday décor can replace the fun of reliving childhood experiences and sharing stories from one generation to the next. Who cares if Grandma’s favorite tablecloth is a little worn around the edges. Use it anyway and enjoy this family time.
Happy Holidays from Your Home & Color Coach