SMALL CHANGES, BIG IMPACT

UPDATING YOUR HOME CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS CHANGING OUT A LAMP.. OR TWO

(just a little at a time)

CBID Design

CBID Design

Or the cushions on a sofa...

CBID Design

A change of artwork...

CBID Design

CBID Design

Or some paint...

CBID Design

CBID Design

 and a little window dressing...

CBID Design

CBID Design

 small changes....

HUGE impact...

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Hi Claudine,
I love your style and need your advice. I'm in the midst of remodeling my kitchen to white cabinets, Calcutta marble counters and gray wood floors. 

I've knocked down a wall from kitchen to open into the dining room. 

My question is what paint color to use that will pair well from kitchen, dining rm to living rm. 

I'm keeping the red sofa and want a different look from the country French that isn't austere, but clean and casually refined. Replacing old table with a round one from Restoration Hardware. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,

Diane

Hi Diane,

Your kitchen sounds yummy.  I have a friend who recently did her kitchen in the same tones - 

 Looks great, doesn't it?  I helped her repaint the yellow pine cabinets to this - finished with a hand buffed antiquing wax (Brie Wax).  

The palette you have chosen is very soothing.  You should keep it that way throughout these rooms that flow together.

For the Kitchen/Dining Room area, I would use a greige or medium gray toned paint....

Find one that looks great in your kitchen and that will flow into your dining room and be elegant there as well.  

Grant Beige, Benjamin Moore

Agreeable Gray, Sherwin Williams

In the living room, your sofa is going to dictate the look.  If you can replace the toile pillows with another plain fabric pillow, it will take away a lot of the country french look. 

As for wall color, a light gray works...

as does white...

but I'm thinking a white with a touch of color, or a near white

would be more calming and contemporary

I love Crisp Muslin by Dunn Edwards/California Paints

and Whisper Gray by Dunn Edwards/California Paints

There is also Gray Owl, Edgecomb Gray and Titanium from Benjamin Moore

Gray Owl

Edgecomb Gray

Titanium

but I would definitely go with one of these lighter colors in the living room with the red and white of the sofa and wanting to make it look less country French.

WORKING IN COLOR COUNTRY - HOW PERFECT IS THAT?

I just returned from working with clients in St. George, Utah.

ST. GEORGE, was always a town we 'passed through' 

or stopped to gas up on the way from California to visit family in Salt Lake.

I am not a fan of the desert, 

but our glimpse of the town was limited to the gas station with the easiest freeway access.

Mostly it was hot.

Like a furnace.

MELLOW YELLOW

Yellow is a popular choice for walls and for warming a room.  However, it isn't always the best choice to lighten a room - or to make it feel more spacious.

CRAVING A CHANGE OF COLOR

NEEDING CHANGE

For me it means going from an abundance of rich warm color to a more neutral palette, cooler tones, fresher colors, more light, more contrast, less stuff.  

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL COLOR...

ARE YOU COLOR CLUELESS?

via

Well then, let me introduce you to some of what I consider the most beautiful paint hues out there...

CURB APPEAL: What is it?

What constitutes curb appeal?  

REBIRTH

Keep Calm and Carry On .... turned out to be good advice.  Our first day in London I injured my knee.  The question became: stay there injured or go home...?  We applied ice packs, Advil, and anti-inflammatory medication - and prayer - and decided to stay.  We rented a wheelchair and changed a few plans.  My DH was amazing - pushing me all around London, which is not that wheelchair friendly and was definitely an adventure.  It could have been a disaster - but the group we were with was amazing, DH was amazing, and how can London NOT be amazing?  Even in the snow.  In a wheelchair.  

CREATING MAGIC WITH TAN

BUCKSKIN... WARM TAN

I like it when I get questions about a specific color.  No second guessing - they already know the color they want to use, just need a little help with the rest of the palette.  I received just such a question from this reader:

REFRESH

TIME FOR CHANGE!

HGTV

It may just be that a brand new year is here, but I have a tremendous itch to feather my nest
a little.  Everywhere I look I see things I want to change - for instance the interior paint I've been living with for about 10 years. (This is where my sweetie looks up and rolls his eyes).

I find that making a list helps me focus my priorities. It's more just the act of making a list - putting thought to paper - sometimes I don't even look at it again until months later.  (Sometimes that's because when I look at it I hyperventilate a little) - who knew a list could get so looooong.

MORE ANSWERS TO PAINT COLOR QUESTIONS....

QUESTIONS ABOUT COLOR

Hooked on Houses
Pink bedroom

Can I just say 'thank you' to my readers and followers?  Your comments and questions keep me on my toes and make me feel like I'm contributing a little bit!  I hope I am helping you