{ Posts Tagged ‘expert advice’ }

the essential earth tones

Our designer secrets special issue is out on stands now and I love all the tips inside from some of our fave design experts. I always get stuck trying to choose the perfect paint {hey, some shades just look too darned alike}, so I really enjoyed the paint section of the issue with designers sharing their fave shades. Here are the earth tones that are making the experts swoon.

earth tones the essential earth tones
1 Split Pea 16-28, Pratt & Lambert
“I use this yellowy green in bathrooms and bedrooms to create a serene ambience.” -Michelle Mawby, Lucid Interior Design


2 Floating Islands P5127-34, Para Paints
“”think Florida home circa 1990 meets Mies van der Rohe. This ‘blush’ adds a light, soft hue to any space and looks amazing when paired with charcoal, cream, navy or white.” -Angela Robinson, AR Design


3 Never Land P5026-85, Para Paints
“I’ve always had a weakness for jewel tones! I recommend painting this green on walls in a semi-gloss finish to create drama, elegance and sophistication, then accenting the colour with accessories in burnt orange, electric blue, eggplant, black or white.” -Angela Robinson


4 Granny Smith SD008, Style at Home Collection, Beauti-Tone Paint

“When used to create a feature wall, this shade provides a gorgeous pop of colour that doesn’t overpower a room. It’s a huge trend right now to use a chartreuse or citron.” -Jessica Kelly, Jessica Kelly Design


5 Folly Green 76, Farrow & Ball
“This green, one of my most asked-about colours, looks great on library walls broken up with lots of bookshelves and neutral elements.” -Stacey-Litwin-Davies, Litwin-Davies Design


6 Willow CC-542, Benjamin Moore

“This rich wall colour adds dimension to any room. I’ve used it on the walls in a panelled library, a dramatic dining room and a tiny jewel-box powder room. I love pairing it with brilliant colours like indigo blue or saturated colour.” -Samantha Farjo, Farjo Design


7 Rockies Brown 2107-30, Benjamin Moore

“This colour, best in a pearl finish, pairs well with one of favourite David Hicks wallpapers called The Vase, which was actually inspired by his famous Coca-Cola-coloured walls.” -Timothy Mather, TM Design


8 Kendall Charcoal HC-166, Benjamin Moore

“We’ve used this warm grey to make a bold statement and give rooms weight and depth. Whether it’s used on a piece of furniture, built-ins, interior doors, or to accent a handrail, that bit of darkness creates a layered effect.” -Cindy Bleeks, Feasby & Bleeks Design


9 Black Blue 95, Farrow & Ball
“This paint colour, which has a hint of blue, looks great on exterior doors.” -Cindy Bleeks

debbie travis paint picks

passage debbie travis paint picksIf you snapped up the January 2009 issue of STYLE AT HOME, you might remember the paint colour forecast for 2009 that I produced for the “Home & Style” section. Debbie Travis has weighed in on her predictions for the new year’s palette, and came up with a stunning combo of four of her paint colours — a combination she’s referring to as “Passage” — that she says fits her “Dramatic” bill for Fall 2009:

“The borderlines between vintage and current, past and present, blur with a wide acceptance of global culture and quest for originality. These earthy, timeless neutrals provide a backdrop for treasures and accents of leather and rich woods. Warm, intense shades in this mood evoke feelings of solidity, quality, durability and authenticity.”

From left:

D3A – Cloud Dance (A wonderful lavender grey – one of my favourite colours right now.)

D2A – Sultry Satin (SO sexy… I’ve always wanted to do a dining room in this colour!)

CM22N – Silent Mist

D5A – Truffle

Price: From $45 per gallon

Available at: Canadian Tire, 866-746-7287

getting white right

whiteroom getting white rightDoes the code “CC-40″ mean anything to you? Chances are, you’ve painted your ceiling and/or trim in this colour — better known as Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White — at some point over the past 20 years. The iconic warm-white was, for a very long time, the *only* white in the Canadian design community, and a staple of any design show’s “Ask An Expert” solution to your decorating dilemmas. But why this particular white, amongst the hundreds of options out there? Maria Killam, a Vancouver-based colour designer, addresses this very question in her lovely blog, “Colour Me Happy”. Check out Maria’s tips on how to get white right, and exactly when in the design process that white should be chosen.

What’s your fave white? I’d love to hear from you!

inVU inHOME consultations

showsuite inVU inHOME consultationsOne of the highlights of the Dream Master Bedroom Suite that we created for the STYLE AT HOME Show back in October were the sumptuous silk drapes by inVU Drapery Co. They added so much to the space with their luxurious silk sheen and cosy neutral palette! Now, in addition to their trademark window treatments, inVU is offering the inVU inHOME consultation service. For a flat rate of $75, an inHOME drapery and design consultant can visit you at home to offer guidance on window treatments, custom furnishings and reupholstering services, furniture placement, and even paint selection! What’s more, once you’ve paid the flat rate, you can call back for assistance down the road — for free. What an amazing resource!

 

Price: $75

 

Available through: inVU Drapery Co., 800-665-9227.