Color

How to Pick a Paint Color

We settle on the new (new to us) house next week and the very first thing that has to happen is FRESH PAINT.  And I mean everywhere — all rooms, main areas and even the kitchen cabinets.  So here’s the age old question (and one I hear literally every day) — How do I know what color paint to pick?

Just follow a few simple tips (I was going to says rules of thumb – but in design rules change for every situation):

1st – ask yourself what colors make you happy – go with what you love vs. what the trend is.  You may need to look for photos of inspiration rooms to help with this.  Or you may have a piece of art or furniture that’s your starting point.

2nd – consider using the same color throughout your main areas that connect all of your rooms.  This will make your home look larger and more unified.  If you want to paint rooms off of your main areas a different color – go at least 2 shades lighter or darker – this will give you a great visual transition.

3rd – paint a test square.  Make the square big enough so you can really get a good feel for the color – at least 2’x2′.  Look at the square morning, afternoon and night.  Trust me the color will slightly change throughout the day.  What was grey in the morning, could be lavender at night.

4th – trust yourself – the great thing is that paint is not permanent

 

A Few Other Tips

When it comes to trim – keep it white.  Benjamin Moore’s Simply White is a great choice.

I typically paint my walls in Eggshell and my trim in Satin or Semi-gloss.

Don’t forget the ceiling – as soon as you paint your walls your trim and ceilings will immediately look dingy.  If you want to keep your ceilings neutral consider going with a ceiling white.  Or in many cases, I will take the color of the paint I’m using on the walls and cut it down to 25% of the wall color.  It gives a wonderfully easy transition from wall to ceiling.

Stay tuned for next week when I show you how my painter and I make selections for every room in my house.  It should be excitiing!!

Design Tips

Paring Down

Downsizing Can be Painless

Not only am I reducing the size of my home by 1000 square feet, we’re also going from an open concept floor plan to a floor plan that has more defined and smaller rooms.  This means downsizing in all areas is a must.  So I don’t make myself a crazy person, I’m sticking to a few downsizing rules that will make this entire process easier.

**Determine Your Lifestyle in your new home — how does your family live and how is each space going to function for you.

In our family, we need a crafting, creative space for the girls, a space for playing the piano or just having some quiet time, a space where we can lounge on our sectional sofa, office space for both Chris and I and an awesome outside space as we love being outside as much as inside.  So now I:

**Start by Taking Stock – ask yourself:

“what are the things we absolutely can’t live without &

“what are the things that I haven’t used in the last year &

“what are the things that I need to fulfill our lifestyle needs”?

Then…

**Start Editing  (that’s fancy talk for Declutter)

In the Kitchen ask yourself:  “do I need 3 sets of dishes?”  “do I need 37 coffee mugs that don’t match?”

In the playroom:  Do one cut without your kids and either throw away or donate those toys you know the kids are grown out of.  Now do a 2nd cut with the kids and let them decide–of the toys that are left, which are ones that they really don’t want any more and can donate to other children.

In the storage room:  If you haven’t used any seasonal decorations in the last year — get rid of them.

In your closets:  If you haven’t worn it in the last year – donate it!

**Lastly, re-edit when you unpack

Your perspective changes a little when you are in your new home.  You’re not under as much stress — you know the stress when you are so sick of packing you just pack everything anyway?

As you’re unpacking take a fresh look at each thing and ask yourself – “does this fit into my new space and my new chapter in life”

Change is hard in the Beginning,

Messy in the Middle and

Gorgeous at the End.

How to

Packing Tips for Moving

As excited as I am about our new home, our new neighborhood and a whole new design plan — I am not so excited about the packing process.  But having moved 6 times in the last 7 years, I’ve come up with a few packing tips that make life easier, help you reorganize and get rid of clutter.  So here we go:

1 – Start Early – there are always things you can pack early — seldom used kitchen items, off season clothes or off season decorations

#2 – Don’t Mix Items from Different Rooms – start in one space and only pack items in each box that will all go back in that space.

#3 – Label all Boxes as You Pack Them – and be detailed about it.  Write the room and what’s in the box.  If you can, it’s also helpful on move in day if you color code the labeling on each box.  Pink for your daughter, Green for the Kitchen, etc.

#4 – Electronics – When it comes to all of your precious electronics, bubble wrap the cords with the piece it goes with – don’t just throw all of the cords in a box.  And if you have several cords that all plug into one piece, take a photo on your phone of where each plug goes.  You’ll thank me for that one.

#5 – Consider Plastic Bins – this is great, especially if you are moving locally.  Take your hanging clothes and put them in bins,hangers and all.  It is so easy to go from the bin to hanging your clothes right up.

#6 – Don’t Use Newspaper – newspaper is dirty and can bleed onto dishes or important documents.

#7 – My Personal Favorite Tip – You need 3 things with you at all times in each room:

1 garbage bag for trash

1 garbage bag for donations

1 box for packing

Ask your yourself if you’ve used an item in the last year.  If not throw it away or donate it.

Now’s your chance to pack yourself into organizational bliss!

Design Tips

Olivia the Cat is Moving

Olivia the Cat is Moving (and so are WE)!

The search is over!  We’ve found the perfect neighborhood home that’s closer to our girls’ friends and school.

And while we are all so excited for the new adventure,  our new home is about 1,000 square feet smaller than our present home.  It’s also an older home which means a floor plan that’s not quite as open as I’m used to.  This is presenting some exciting challenges for us as a family and for me as a designer.

Tag along with me (and of course Olivia) as I share our journey through moving, renovating and designing all of the special spaces in our lovely new home. Our closing date is mid June and the work immediately begins on that day!

Oh, and watch out for Olivia — You never know where you’re going to find her.