MORE ANSWERS TO READERS QUESTIONS

Hard to believe Halloween is just around the corner.

I've been a little pre-occupied with plans for the halloween party this year - 

the

2nd Annual Black Hat Society party

Last year was so fun - I've been deciding what decorations to use

What food to serve.

What treats to give-away...

 I will be hoping for some inspiration at Rogers Gardens next week.

Can't wait for Halloween!!!  Can you?

QUESTIONS FROM READERS:

Hi Claudine, I came across your blog and was reviewing your suggestions for colors.  I am re-painting our house and deciding on the right color.  Our brick is light however the house is painted a darker grey.  

I would like to change the color to complement our brick and was thinking of a taupe color.  I have looked at Sherwin Williams and am debating on using Studio Taupe. 

 I was also looking at Behr colors however did not find anything quite right.  I'm attaching a few pictures of the house for your reference.  We are also replacing the roof so I feel it's the perfect time to change the overall colors.  I would greatly appreciate your suggestions.  Thank you!  

A Midwestern girl looking for help

Vanessa Lloyd

Hi Vanessa and a shout out to the Midwest!  Thanks so much for reading.  
Your brick has a very warm tone, and it may be hard to find the right color that will compliment it - which will be your task to paint the samples and hold them up there to see the effect.  Gray is actually the most popular accent to use with the orange toned brick. Not sure taupe is the way to go as it can have a bit of a purple undertone.  Possibly a beige with a gray undertone. On the other hand, a blue gray, or blue-green gray would be a perfect compliment to your house color - maybe for an accent color? or a door? -

 but here are a few colors to try:

try Benjamin Moore Raccoon Hollow

try Benjamin Moore Brandon Beige

try Benjamin Mooer SMOKEY TAUPE or STONE HEARTH

try BenjaminMoore LOUISBURG GREY

BM Louisburg Gray

Personally, I'm kind of in love with the painted brick look for updating a home these days - so I've included a couple examples of that - just because they look so awesome.  I just spend a week in Utah working with a homeowner who just purchased a red brick house.  

There are a gazillion red brick homes in her town, and the only way to update this look is to paint the brick.  However, you may be very fond of your brick - so this is just a suggestion!  Good Luck!

Hi Claudine,
I was hoping you could help me out. I am really dissatisfied with the color of the walls in my library. 

All the paint in the room is by Benjamin Moore. The walls are Pale Oak, the built-in bookshelf is Revere Pewter, and the trim is Catalina Blue. It is a large room with high ceilings and two walls of very large windows, facing East and North (and one window facing West). It goes without saying the room has a lot of natural light, mostly unobstructed, since we live on the ocean. My original idea was to keep the paint mostly neutral, because the room has a lot of artifacts and texture. I chose the trim to be brighter, shooting for the sea glass hues. I love everything in my library, except for the walls (besides, the wall paint would be the easiest thing to change) -- and for the life of me, I cannot figure out what other color might work. There is so much light in the room, that the color of the bookshelves ends up blending with the wall color. I'm thinking something warmer than Pale Oak might work, as long as there is enough contrast in the bright light. What would you suggest?
Thank you so much,
Natalia

Hi Natalia,
I think you are so blessed to live on the Ocean.  The room is simply lacking contrast.  I know you said you get tons of light, but a room without contrast can get a little 'meh', and I think that's what you are feeling.  The wall and bookcase are too close.  It needs freshening with some soft white. 

Benjamin Moore REVERE PEWTER with white.

 Revere Pewter looks amazing with white.  Try Benjamin Moore DOVE WHITE on the walls, and you could bring that sea glass trim color as an accent wall - Benjamin Moore BEACH GLASS - in your wall niche 

Benjamin Moore BEACH GLASS

and maybe even at the back of the bookcase, similar to this:

Good Luck!

Hi Claudine,

I found your website while searching for ideas on exteriors for brick homes. I saw your write up on Curb Appeal where you discovered white wash for brick homes.

Our home is half orange ugly brick and the other half is white siding, black shutters, black front door, white double garage door, and dark grey shingle roof.

. 

I really like the idea of white wash but because of the ugly orange brick I think it would be better to either paint, lime wash or German Schmear. I also like the taupe and possibly a darker taupe for the shutters and the question would be what to do for the siding and what color and what technique do you recommend.

I have attached some pictures. Let me know if you need other pictures. I’ve also attached pictures of homes that I like.

Thank you,

Carmen Carver

cmcarver@me.com

Carmen,

You are absolutely right.  A white wash over the orange could leave you with peachy pink - and I agree that paint in a taupe or gray would be an amazing look for this home.  I would consider a charcoal or navy for the accent color (shutters, etc.) and for a true update, paint the siding the same color as the brick, as the two toned look is more dated.  Here are some examples of color, and the treatment mentioned above.

 Good luck!  Contact me again once  you have decided what look you like if you need specific recommendations for colors.

BOO TO YOU! [AND REPAINTING A KITCHEN]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I know I'm a couple of days early, but I just had to share the wreath I made today  -

I love him so much!   I put it together with stuff I already had.... click here to see how...

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QUESTION FROM A READER:

Hello and thank you! 

I plan to repaint my kitchen. It's a north-facing room with pickled maple cabnets (pinkish). I'm trying to diminish the look of the 1990's cabinets and modernize the appearance of the kitchen with new stainless steel appliances as well. Budget does not allow painting the cabinets. Granite counters are Dakota Mahogany with rose/peach hues and tile floor is brownish-orange (kind of Tuscan-looking). I'm hoping to create an airy, lighter looking kitchen with a neutral color. I don't have a backsplash, but if I install one, it would probably be travertine subway tile in cream/beige/white.

Thanks for your ideas! Your work is wonderful!

Sounds like you are stuck with some orangey/peachy/rose hues - so naturally I am going to tell you to go with gray.  Gray looks amazing with a lot of colors, in fact nearly all of them, and orangey/peachy/rose is no exception.  It will also achieve the 'modernize the appearance' part of the equation.

You will want to use a nice saturated tone of gray - strong enough to become the dominant color in the room so that your peach and rose tones become less dominant. 

Here are a couple of grays to try from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.  Grays are soft, calm, and will cool down all those warm hues you have.  If you have good light in your kitchen you can go with a deeper hue.

Sherwin Williams AGREEABLE GRAY

Benjamin Moore ROCKPORT GRAY

Benjamin Moore SAN ANTONIO GRAY

Sherwin Williams DORIAN GRAY

Sherwin Williams DOVETAIL

Good Luck!!!!

THIS IS HALLOWEEN - ( AND XIMENA'S HOUSE COLORS)

END OF SUMMER - ALREADY?

Mr B and I were talking about our Summer.  Actually he said "What Summer?" - and it's true
it has completely escaped us this year...
It started with the slab leaks (2 of them)
waaaaay back in November of 2013.
With the flooring already torn up, the second one did little damage
more inconvenience than anything
but it delayed us so completely that the architect had to make revisions to the plans...
new laws...
and now the contractor is delayed because he had to take another job in the interim...

Then in June in the middle of doing a wedding for the most darling couple (can't wait to see the photos)
I ended up in the hospital with blood clot
kinda scary...
Mr. B. won't let me out of his sight - (like if he can see me, then nothing bad can happen...adorable)
but in all seriousness recovery is taking a lot longer than I ever realized...

Then my dear, sweet, 97 year old mother passed away
and the funeral will officially end our Summer.

If I can quote Mr. B again, "I don't ever want to repeat this Summer!"
Ever.
Yeah.

On a good note...

My son graduated college, AND started a new fabulous job in the Bay area.

So proud of him!

I needed a distraction, so I

hobbled through Rogers Gardens Halloween display.

RG can pick up my spirits any time of the year, 

but seeing their Halloween display is one of my favorites.  

Don't expect to see stuff lined up on shelves like Target or Michaels -

at Rogers Gardens, Halloween retail is theater.

[I took way too many photographs...

so, I'm breaking them up into two posts ]

PART I

There is always a theme - this year it is "Hauntingly Beautiful"

It was full of gold damask draperies and accents

and lots of skulls... so fun! 

 the chandeliers and spot lighting set everything aglow

( I love skellies and skulls at Halloween!)

It's impossible to see everything in one trip.

My dress form, Matilda, needs some of these...

Super cute paper medallions.  Matilda would love them!

The wall of transforming photographs - where they go from normal to creepy - was pretty cool  

especially if you walk from left to right in front of them and watch them all turn into monsters...

the whole wall of them....

(wanted to take the clock home, but didn't think I could sneak it out in my purse..)

These would look adorable on the front porch, lighted at night. 

Folk artist Vergie Lightfoot, creates these cute creepy pumpkins with the realistic eyes....

 but at this boutique, it was the skellies and skulls that ruled

softly lit by dozens of chandeliers

glittering pumpkins, crystal cobwebs, and even sparkling rats...

Gotta get me some of those glasses!

Halloween will be chaos at my house this year.

Inside will be a construction zone.

so the plan is to just decorate the front door, patio and walkway.

I have 3 new skellies still tucked in their boxes that I'd love to use somewhere

plus the cutie I found at RG...(show you my treasure in the next post)

stay tuned for more photos....

I still want to find a little 2-3 foot articulated skeleton so I can make this wreath...

I think I need it for my door..

or maybe just a skull and a few bones will do?

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QUESTION FROM A READER:

Would you be able to help me by giving me ideas of colors to paint the exterior of my house? I am a single mom and I started  to save money to paint it. When I bought it in 2011 I knew it would need to be painted  soon. 

Thank you very much.

Ximena Fernandez

Bend, Oregon

Ximena,
I think we need to make a good contrast color statement on this home, because the beige isn't doing a thing for it, right now.  Its a little to 'fleshy' looking.  I'd go with a grayed down color - or a gray - and provide plenty of contrast with fresh white trim which will brighten and lift your home - especially around the windows - reflecting a little more light inside.  Oregon - famous for its overcast and rainy days - needs a little more contrast in color to keep from looking bland.   Bring in a black or near black color for accents if you have them - and add a bold bright door.  Who can have the blues with a bright colored door?   Here are some color suggestions:  (I generally recommend Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams - but if you can't find them in your location most hardware stores can color match them.)

Try: Benjamin Moore Smoke Embers

Try: Benjamin Moore - Amherst Gray

Try: Benjamin Moore, Chelsea Gray

In the beige tones - make sure there is a healthy helping of gray so that it doesn't turn fleshy looking, and maintains that calm, soothing, sophistication.

Try:  Benjamin Moore, Hampshire Gray

(an olive green/gray)

Benjamin Moore, Bennington Gray
with Benjamin Moore, Hale Navy shutters.

Benjamin Moore, Copley Gray with
Benjamin Moore, Sea Pearl trim

Benjamin Moore, Midnight Oil with
Sherwin Williams, Dover White trim.

Now pick a door color.  One that will be cheerful even on a Pacific Northwest gray day!

Good luck!!