Mood Board Monday: Bold and Bright Kitchen

Today is Mood Board Monday over at Room Remix and PK's challenge to the design blogosphere was to design a mood board using the lime trellis fabric shown above (which, at less than $9/yard, is a wonderful and much less expensive alternative to KWID Imperial Trellis). Over the past few days I've been pulling together a post on decorating with turquoise (to come later this week!) and I noticed that quite a few of my inspiration photos paired the bold hue with a more muted shade of lime or chartreuse. Since I love how fresh and youtful this combination feels, I thought I'd create a mood board that incorporated the lime trellis fabric, together with lots of turquoise accents, into a modern cottage-style breakfast room.

But first, a few of my inspiration shots:

Sally Markham

Katie Ridder

Ashley Whittaker

Frank Roop

Diamond Baratta Designs

Using these inspiration photos as a jumping off point, I designed a breakfast nook with a predominately white/neutral palette, but with strong hits of both turquoise and lime to keep things interesting. Style-wise, I'd describe the design as modern cottage, with classic cottage elements like wicker, sisal and plantation shutters sharing space alongside modern classics like the Saarinen table and the trellis print.

Sourcelist (clockwise from top left): 1. Bucharest Turquoise prints by Amy Butler ($166 for 24" x 24") 2. Blue Beaded Globe from Pieces Inc. ($695) 3. white plantation shutters 4. Saarinen round dining table in white laminate from Design Within Reach ($1543 for 35" diameter) 5. Sisal beige rug from Overstock.com ($76.49 for 5' x 8') 6. Captiva Side Chair from Crate&Barrel ($269) 7. Gwinnett Lane Turquoise china by Kate Spade ($12-$70).

Let's imagine this breakfast nook to be just that: a nook with just enough space for a small table and four chairs, and not a full room unto itself. Since this is all just pretend I'll play interior design god and ordain that the adjoining kitchen be white, traditional and not too formal. Think white subway tile backsplash, farmhouse sink and white Shaker cabinets. We'll then start our makeover by painting the kitchen a pale (but still bright) blue, like Farrow & Ball's Skylight. I'd keep the table and four chairs neutral and white, but keep things interesting by mixing the modern Saarinen table with streamlined (white) wicker chairs. Seat cushions would be upholstered in the trellis print, which would be an easy enough DIY.

Overhead I'd hang a fabulous turquoise globe pendant from Pieces, which is sized appropriately for a small dining area like the one imagined here. For some warmth and texture, I'd bring in a neutral sisal rug, which is a great option for a dining space as its inexpensive and easily cleaned. A triptych of Amy Butler's Bucharest Turquoise prints would help unify the turquoise and lime color palette. And finally, Kate Spade's fabulous Gwinnett Lane Turquoise china would be the perfect tableware to punch up the breakfast table (and the more ornate, traditional pattern speaks to Butler's damask prints).

Be sure to check out all the other participants' mood boards here for some more great inspiration on how to incorporate this versatile fabric into a variety of rooms and decor styles.

Colorful Backdrops

Mary McDonald

In the past 18 months, I've managed to build up quite the collection of virtual tear sheets -- rooms and vignettes that have caught my eye as I've embarked in the past year or so on my design self-education. Looking back over my many images (and trying to organize them in some useful way), I've begun to notice themes emerging, perhaps my own elements of style. Colors, patterns, styles and ideas that I've found attractive over and over again. One of the biggest recurring elements is my love of bookshelves and built-ins with colorful interiors (particularly in bold/high contrast colors). Perhaps these are the interior design equivalent of colorful linings in coats and bags, but I love how this simple trick can highlight art or beloved objects and tie together a room.

Getting this look yourself is an easy enough DIY for a weekend when you've got some extra time and some extra paint (and how often can that honestly be said about much of what we see in shelter magazines?!). I know that as soon as I get the funds to have my own built-ins installed I'll be in hot pursuit of the perfect background color to really make them pop. That said though, as many of these images show, there's absolutely no need to limit yourself to built-ins. Bookshelves, curios, china cabinets, entertainment centers (indeed just about all casegoods) can benefit from this easy upgrade.

Rob Southern

Here, a chocolate brown serves as a wonderfully rich backdrop for the owners' collection of white pitchers. The rich tone works equally well with the pale blue vases in the bedroom designed by Mary McDonald at the beginning of this post.

Mary McDonald

In this dining room, designer Mary McDonald uses a bold apple green to highlight the beauty of the historical built-in. This sole shot of color in an otherwise neutral space is a great modern touch in a traditional room.

Ruthie Sommers

The blush pink backdrop in these slender bookcases is a nice shot of femininity in this office space and ties in to the pale pink accessories and rug.

Canadian House & Home, October 2009

Four IKEA Billy shelves were given a built-in look with inexpensive moldings painted the same color white. The royal blue backs give them added weight and are a fun contrast to the chartreuse walls.

Elizabeth Martin

I actually don't subscribe to Elle Decor but when this living room appeared on the cover earlier this year, I instantly bought the issue off the newsstand. The rest of the house didn't disappoint but the gorgeous gray walls and muted blue in the bookcases is still my favorite moment in the house.

Amanda Nisbet

Like chocolate brown, black is a great choice if you have a lot of white or light colored objects or china to show off.

Erin Gates from Elements of Style

The peacock blue (especially with the orange upholstery and curtains) is utterly bananas. I want.

Diamond Baratta Design

I love the turquoise in these kitchen cabinets. Sure, with the backsplash and countertops, it's all a bit "matchy-matchy", but I'd argue that this is mid century modern at its best and most exuberant. That said, with less colorful countertops and backsplash, this would be a great way to bring a shot of color into a white kitchen.

Martha Stewart

As far as bold color choices go, I think coral might just be my favorite for the backs of bookcases. It's also a wonderfully warm contrast to cool blues and grays.

Amanda Nisbet

If you've got open-backed shelves a similar effect can be achieved by simply painting out the wall behind the units. I also like how Nisbet extended the bold pink to the area behind the sofa, creating a nook of sorts. This would work wonderfully in a loft or large great room where you're trying to delineate smaller, more intimate areas.

Paint Your House Blue

As regular readers of this blog know, I've become a big fan of blue in home decor (and not just because it's a color I can get my husband to agree to). I think blue is an incredibly versatile shade of paint color. In its paler forms it reads as a cool, soothing neutral, which is lovely when paired with similar cool tones like grays, whites, greens and other blues. These tones are ideal for bedrooms, bathrooms and any darker room that you want brightened up a bit. In bolder iterations, blue can read as happy, beachy, sophisticated or even sexy, depending on the shade and the other colors you bring into the room. I love these bolder choices in dining rooms, kitchens, studies, entryways and dens.

But which blue should you use? In the world of paint, there are an almost infinite number of color choices -- and nearly as many in shades of blue. Accept from the outset that there is going to be more than one perfect shade of white (or blue) that will work in your space and to cut yourself some slack. And remember, even if you do end up hating it in the end, just repaint it. It's that simple. Ultimately though, I find my favorite color choices have been those that scared (and excited) me a bit. Remember, great design always takes some risks. Be brave and go with your gut instinct. Don't let your brain talk your heart out of anything it loves.

I'm a firm believer in not letting yourself get overwhelmed by too many options. To help manage your options, I think it's best to start with an artificially limited selection so as to avoid a complete brain overload (and the inevitable indecision that accompanies it). You can do this by culling your favorite magazines and blogs (both of which, alas, all too frequently fall to mention which paint was used), asking friends and family members with particularly good taste, or even limiting yourself to a particular brand (some of which, like Farrow & Ball, Benjamin Moore's Affinity line and the new Glidden, have a rather narrow range of color choices). To get you started though, I've pulled together my favorite shades of blue, many of which I have used in my prior home or have already used in this house.

And because teenie tiny paint swatches on a computer screen should never be trusted, here's how the colors look on the walls (some of which were/are my own!). That said, never trust a computer image or one-inch square swatch. Invest in sample pots and test it on your actual wall, which will help prevent most forms of painter's remorse.

Feather Gray by Benjamin Moore

(my old guest bathroom)

As the name suggests, Feather Gray is predominately gray in hue, but with enough blue pigment to make it appear blue in the right light. I used this in my old secondary bathroom and I thought it was a wonderful complement to the natural slate floors, warm white cabinets and black granite counters. I used Nantucket Fog in my master bath, which had identical fixtures and can honestly say both worked equally well. If you prefer a lighter, more gray blue, go with Feather Gray. If you want a truer blue, then Nantucket Fog is your best bet.

Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball

I like this color enough for its name alone, but I also love the softness that it gives a room. In every room I've seen it used, it manages to blur the lines between the walls, creating the perception of an endless expanse of space. When used alone, the color reads as a cool white, but when paired with warmer whites (as shown above), it takes on a lovely soft blue appearance. Use this anywhere you want to feel light, bright and positively huge.

Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball

This is the color of my current bedroom and it's a lovely blue gray. It's soft enough to be just about the perfect backdrop for any decor and any color scheme. Treat this not so much as a blue but as a neutral. It looks stunning with whites, silvers and grays but would be equally fabulous with bolder, complementary colors (like orange).

Riviera Azure by Benjamin Moore

I think this is just about the perfect tone of periwinkle. Blue enough to be sophisticated and grown up but still retaining that hit of purple that makes periwinkle so lovely and fun in the first place. This color works beautifully in a bedroom, but could also be used to great effect in bathrooms or any small room that could use a bit of lightness (and light heartedness).

Nantucket Fog by Benjamin Moore

(my old master bathroom)

Nantucket Fog is rather similar to the Feather Gray, though a touch darker and with a smidge more blue. This bathroom was originally a very dull medium gray and it was amazing how this color managed to brighten up the entire room. This color also worked gorgeously with the Philipsburg Blue in the adjoining master bedroom as they are very similar in tone.

Buxton Blue by Benjamin Moore

This is the perfect shade of Williamsburg blue, with all the green-gray undertones you'd expect that make it far more sophisticated than a "baby blue" has any right to be.

Gulf Stream by Sherwin Williams

Bold? Absolutely. But this is a real statement color. I'd use sparingly as an accent for an alcove or behind a built-in or bookshelf. Would also be fabulous in a powder room if you used a high gloss finish to mimic the look of lacquer. Another great option for a true teal is Glidden's Peacock Blue, which stopped me in my tracks the last time I was at Home Depot.

Chinese Blue by Farrow & Ball

(photograph of Beth's shed via Chinoiserie Chic)

Quite possibly the best color for a front door, no? Very reminiscent of Miles Redd's famous door. This color would also be stunning as an accent color or -- even better -- as a ceiling color. In fact, I'm contemplating painting the ceilings of our back porches out in Chinese Blue.

Philipsburg Blue by Benjamin Moore

(my old master bedroom)

I can't tell you how much I loved having a bedroom this gorgeous blue-gray-green color. It's saturated but still soothing (I'd use the term "cave-like" but that sounds derogatory and it's not meant to be). Also very sophisticated, Philipsburg Blue is a great color for people who want to go dark but are afraid to.

Slate Teal by Benjamin Moore

(Dave's new -- and then empty -- study)

Peacock blue is definitely having a moment and while it's a wonderful color for accessories or even a bold accent wall, if you're going to do it all over, I think you need to take it down a notch by adding in some gray. This color is the perfect blend of teal and gray and changes wonderfully with the light.

Drawing Room Blue by Farrow & Ball

This is actually the picture that sparked my obsession with blue and white for my dining room and it's what drove me to pick this color (and special order it -- there are no Farrow & Ball stores in Houston!). In person, this color is a wonderful royal blue, without any of the darkness that can come with painting your walls navy. And it looks absolutely sublime with white. And speaking of white, if your looking for the right white to pair with your blue, I'd suggest any of White Dove (by Benjamin Moore), Simply White (by Benjamin Moore), Blackened (by Farrow & Ball) or Strong White (by Farrow & Ball).

Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball

This Miles Redd room is downright showstopping and not least of which because Redd lacquered the walls in Hague Blue. Deeper than Drawing Room Blue, this is more of a navy, but has a hint of green in it that gives it a lovely deep peacock blue color in certain lights. This room is also a great illustration of how using a high gloss finish with a dark paint can really bring a certain brightness to the room as light is reflected off the surface rather than absorbed by it. If you don't want to go with a high gloss (which isn't recommended if your walls are anything less than perfect), even a pearl finish can achieve a similar (though perhaps less bold) effect.

So what about you, do you have any tried and true blue paint colors? If so, please share!

It's Greek to Me

This past weekend found me hosting three out-of-town guests and no big plans other than a birthday dinner on Saturday night. And so we decided to spend Saturday afternoon at the Greek Festival, one of the largest of its kind in the country. We spent the day gorging ourselves on spanakopita, gyros, and baklava and even sampled some Greek wine and coffee (very sweet!). And, while there was little to do at the Greek festival aside from, well, eating Greek food, we still had a wonderful time. In honor of that, I thought I'd bring together a round up of my favorite items featuring perhaps the most iconic of design motifs: Greek key.

A popular explanation of the Greek key motif is that it's meant to recall the Greek myth of the labyrinth that imprisoned the minotaur on the island of Crete. While the idea is loving (and indeed fitting), the origins of the interlocking right angles and vertical lines (also known as Meander), the origins of the pattern are unknown and are probably not exclusively Greek. In fact, the Greeks (or rather the Minoans, the early inhabitants of Crete) probably borrowed the design from the ancient Egyptians, with whom they frequently traded. In truth though, there are probably multiple, independent origins of the design as it was used all over the ancient world -- for example, the motif has been found on Aztec sculpture, Peruvian crafts and Chinese architecture. But, since the Greeks (and the Romans after them) used the design liberally in their architecture, pottery and sculpture, the term "Greek key" has stuck.

And, while it's debatable whether or not the repeating pattern is a universally-recognized symbol of eternal life, it's certainly one of the oldest and most enduring patterns in human history. If you're in the market for home decor that can stand the test of time (and who isn't in this economy?), then just about anything with Greek key is a safe bet.

Source list (clockwise from top left): 1. Greek Key accent table ($330) from Global Views. 2. Greek key personalized coasters ($80/set of 100) and stationery ($60/set of 100) each by Dabney Lee Stationery and available at Saks Fifth Avenue. 3. greek key pillows ($375 each) from Jayson Home and Garden. 4. "Frank" white lacquer dining table ($2,750) from Revival Home and Garden. 5. abbott single arm sconce ($210) from Circa Lighting. 6. Greek key settee by Eric Cohler for Lee Jofa. 7. Greek Key frame ($78) from Jonathan Adler.

Source list (clockwise, from top left): 8. Byzantine barware ($175) from Pieces. 9. Greek key letterpress mini cards/enclosures ($6/set of 8) by Missive. 10. Greek-Key scroll jacquard bedding ($79-$399) from Williams-Sonoma Home. 11. Clay Very Stoned Carpet ($75-$1400) from Madeline Weinrib. 12. greek key border tile from Ann Sacks. 13. Suzani upholstered ebony toned greek key chair ($245) from Material Recovery. 14. Cypress cocktail table from Hickory Chair. 15. Radcliffe etagere ($2,500) from Jonathan Adler.

The Factory Cart Table: Yea or Nay?

Design insiders have been touting industrial chic as the next big thing in home decor for a year or so now, but until fairly recently I'd been ignoring it as a passing fad that I didn't particularly have a great deal of interest in participating in. After all, metal chairs like the Lyle chairs from Crate&Barrel don't strike me as particularly comfortable and the rusty, dirty look has just never really been my thing.

But never say never, right? Despite my better instincts I keep finding myself surfing on over to the factory cart at Restoration Hardware. I can't get it out of my head. Made of white oak and iron, these tables are the real deal as they're all refinished factory carts from early 20th century factories in North Carolina. These carts aren't just made to look old (and there's little in design that I dislike more than "fake old"), they are old.

But as I continue to search for the "perfect" ottoman for my family room, I keep coming back to this piece. There's just something interesting about it that I think might really help shake things up in my otherwise brand-spankin' new space. That said though, I can't bear the thought of ponying up $1295 (not including taxes or shipping!) for what is essentially a wood crate on wheels.

At $599, this factory cart table from ZGallerie is less than half the price of the Restoration Hardware piece. And, while the ZGallerie version is not an actual antique from the early 20th century, it is still made from reclaimed wood from mills and warehouses making its industrial charm not entirely contrived.

Another great option online is Antique Factory Cart Coffee Tables, which has a large selection of original factory carts that start as low as $399 (though bear in mind shipping will run you over $100). With a little sand paper, Murphy's oil, and some serious elbow grease, I could refinish the table myself (or, for an extra $300, Mike will refinish the table for me, but then I'd be only a few hundred dollars less than the RH version). Of course, I might be able to snag something similar at the Urban Market in November, which would save me the cost of shipping such a heavy object.

So what do you think of the factory cart-turned-coffee table or the industrial trend more generally? Is this a great way to add a bit of character and earthiness to a room or is it doomed to become this decade's equivalent of Shabby Chic?

Halloween Crafting

I know it's a popular thing to say, but Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I've always loved the fun traditions surrounding the holiday, its religious roots, the folk lore -- and of course, getting a free pass to dress up and play pretend as an adult. There's also something about Halloween that just makes me want to bust out my Mod Podge and glitter and start crafting. Perhaps it's because the majority of ready made decorations available are either (a) heinous, (b) cheap looking, (c) overpriced or (d) some combination of the above. As a result, I'm often left thinking "I could make something cuter myself". Okay, well, maybe I couldn't, but Martha Stewart certainly could. And so, I thought I'd bring you some of my favorite craft ideas, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

I'm not generally a fan of Martha Stewart -- she's a bit too stiff, serious and unattainable for my tastes. That said though, I buy the Halloween issue of Martha Stewart Living every year. Because, if there's one thing Martha and I could bond over, it'd be our shared love of Halloween. Martha's website is a veritable smorgasbord of ideas for Halloween and while I've featured a few of my favorite below, there are literally dozens of other crafts, recipes, arrangements and even costumes to get you inspired.

I love this arrangement -- it's so dark and moody. Just goes to show you orange isn't the only color pumpkins come in and I love these gorgeous inky green beauties (according to Martha, they're Australian heirloom varietals called 'Jarrahdale' and 'Queensland Blue' ). And there's no need to try to improve upon nature with these pumpkins -- I wouldn't dare besmirch them with carvings. When Dave and I hit up the pumpkin patch (i.e., the local grocery store), you can bet we'll be looking for some of these to take home with us.

I love an easy craft project and boy are these candles easy. Simply light a red candle and drink the red wax down a white taper. For extra credit, why not try this with black tapers?

Think beyond a jack-o-lantern face when it comes to carvings. I love how eerily beautiful this moth and flame look. Another good tip is to let the shape of the pumpkin dictate the design. Here, the bell shape suits the shape of a candlestick.

While I love the look of a beautifully carved pumpkin, I'm not a huge fan of carving pumpkins -- it's just such a mess and I'm not a huge fan of the smell of uncooked pumpkin. Plus, I'm not so adept with a knife as to do some of the really gorgeously elaborate cut outs that Martha showcases. So for those of us who aren't so into carving, these glittering pumpkins are a wonderful alternative. A little Elmer's glue and a few coats of the glitter of your choice and you've got some beautiful pumpkins that will easily transition to Thanksgiving. Unless you want to purchase glitter by the bucketful, I think this project is best left for your small pumpkins.

Another candle idea but this one involves taking ordinary frosted glass hurricanes and decorating them with glittering spiderwebs. All this project involves is some glue and glitter. I'm fairly certain drawing a spiderweb is fairly fool-proof, but if you're nervous about free styling, Martha even provides a handy template that you can print out and trace on.

These paper lanterns are definitely the most complicated of any of the craft ideas I featured here, but I love them and think they'd look so fun hanging over your next Halloween spread. Don't let the multiple steps involved here daunt you though, Martha will hold your hand through the whole ordeal and even provides templates for all three of the lanterns and graphics.

For as simple as this idea is, it really makes a great impact. To make the tree, simply spray paint a branch a glossy black, use Styrofoam to secure it firmly inside the vase of your choice, hide the Styrofoam with moss (I think dead leaves would work nicely, too, though). Et voila! To finish off, just hang ornaments on the branches as you please. As for ornaments, you can either buy some or make your own (see Martha's directions on making the ones above here).

For your Halloween party, why not try whipping up some gorgeous black and silver pompoms? For less than $15 for the kit, you've got some seriously chic party accessories that will far outshine ordinary crepe paper.

If you're more of a baker than a crafter, Martha has a slew of ghoulish dessert ideas -- I particularly love all her cupcake options. So you can get to the fun part (decorating them!) faster, I'd recommend whipping up Nigella's Fairy Cakes (which you can make in a blender and cook/cool quickly) as a base for all that colorful icing and candies. Directions for decorating the cupcakes shown above are here.

If you lack the time and/or inclination for a little DIY, Martha Stewart's new Halloween collection over at Grandinroad has some really cute stuff (much of which is already on sale). Another great online source for creepy-but-still-cute Halloween decor is ZGallerie.

Happy Halloween crafting!

All photographs courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.

There Goes The Neighborhood...

A few weeks ago I looked out from the window to see this staring back at me:

One of the most basic tenets in microeconomics is de gustibus non est disputandum (there's no accounting for taste). And yet, I still can't help but shake my head in wonder. Who on earth thought that red brick, yellow stucco and white stone would work well together? I believe this is one of those examples of more being just way too much.

Fortunately though, there are two empty lots between us and them and in but a few short years (perhaps even less), I won't have to look at it. After all, even if I advocate a live and let live attitude towards design, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed that I also have to live with it.