HALLOWEEN DECORATING FOR A PARTY!

DING DONG - THE WITCH IS DEAD...

HARRODS HALLOWEEN DISPLAY IN LONDON IN 2010

AND AGAIN IN 2015 - 

SIMPLY AWESOME

Meanwhile, back in Southern California - 

I'm preparing for the 1st Annual Black Hat Society

Halloween Party - at my house!

and taking advantage of the decorating, 

Mr. B decided to add a party of his own...

so with two events upcoming - I decided to pull out the stops!

Its also the first entertaining we have done since the remodel,

so, I invited a couple of friends to get into their party gear

and welcome our guests.

they were more than willing to don party hats and their best ruffled collars

and create a welcome for guests

I confess I hate pumpkin slime... gives me shudders...

so I am more than happy to go faux

an added plus is that they are reusable...

I made the wreath last year from what I had laying around.

I LOVE him...

he looks a bit cuckoo...

Welcome Witches...

what are you waiting for..

park your brooms here...

Matilda got dressed up just for you...

she's quite old but has kept her figure...

 she has some lovely accessories...

and rather good shoes...

for a witch

In the living room,  the Ravens have set up residence

pecking tediously at the old typewriter...

the same word

over and over

The dining room was the perfect spot for the witch's cupboard...

and lots of candles...

it was the perfect place for the puppeteer...

There's not much room for decoration in the kitchen...

Just enough room for a little chair and my ugly little pumpkin head doll...

and maybe

a few pumpkin votives...

and a little something for the island...

I had fun with the family room mantle this year...

 I added a tree created from curly willow branches stuck in an old crock...

and hung brightly colored paper lanterns and fans

and vintage style halloween lanterns

I added just a few final touches in the powder room...

 and some party lighting for the patio...

The stage is set...

now I just need the guests to arrive...

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT WALL COLOR II

WHY NEUTRAL WORKS...

Benjamin Moore BROXBURN GREIGE

You have only to look at the photos my reader posted below to know that the blues are way too blue in that kitchen.  I would guess that it all looked coordinated and good in the little swatches that the previous owner used to choose the color and the she didn't expect the color to intensify and bounce off the walls at her.   That much pigment may be well and good for a kids room, but it looks a little juvenile for the kitchen.

Paint color intensifies when it is on all four walls, it intensifies in a room with a lower ceiling, it intensifies in smaller rooms, and it intensifies in a southern facing room, and in the evening.  That's a lot to consider when picking a color, and why I always say 'try before you buy'.  Buy the smallest container or tester pot you can and see how it reacts to your light in your own home. I guarantee its going to look a lot different than at the paint store under those flourescent lights.

And then, back off a little from color.  Gray it down.  Make it more livable and more soothing. Neutralize it.  If you crave color - bring it in to the room in accents, fabrics and rugs.  Walls are a backdrop to the beautiful things you put in a room - they shouldn't fight for your attention.

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Hi Claudine
I love reading your blog and the advice you provide to other people and I was hoping you might be able to help provide us with some color advice for our new place.

Hi Evan!  So happy you like the blog - love to help readers!

My fiance and I are purchasing our first home at the end of the month and are in desperate need of a paint color (or colors) to replace the bright blue in our open concept living room/dining room/kitchen.

Thats so exciting!  Your first home.  Congratulations.   That blue is a little overpowering.  Blue is a very tricky color to use.  A little too much pigment and its a kids room, right?

We are thinking we want something more neutral than the blue currently there and we are not at all committed to keeping the two tone walls -- however, we do like the white trim.  We don't love the chair rail, but will likely keep it for now.

I like fresh white trim, too.  I think, though, instead of dividing the wall with a white line or separate colors, you should paint the chair rail the same color as the wall.  Leave the baseboards white and the crown, if you have it.  I would also paint any doors the same color white as the baseboards.  

We don't currently have any furniture picked out for this room, but will likely have a neutral sofa (gray, taupe or beige), a modern walnut coffee table, and a very low profile TV stand with a large black TV.  Its worth noting that there is a large black gas fireplace in the living room that can't be moved (that will likely be part of a future project!).

Oh yes, we love those 'future' projects!

Are there any colors you might recommend?  Have you come across any good examples of a single color above and below a chair rail?

The two color walls with chair rail is a bit of a dated formal look, and you are young and fresh.  There is no wainscot below, just a chair rail, so I think you should paint it out all the same for a more contemporary look - something like this... 

Thank you so much!  We very much look forward to hearing from you.
Evan.

Now, for color.  Here are a few tried and true neutrals.  These are wonderful colors, look great with warm woods and white trim, and will play nicely with almost any color you choose to accent.  

Sherwin Williams COMFORT GRAY

Sherwin Williams MORRIS ROOM GRAY

Sherwin Williams ACCESSIBLE BEIGE

Sherwin Williams ACCESSIBLE BEIGE

Make sure you try before you buy.  Get the tester size and paint a nice sized swatch on some poster board (two coats, don't forget to let it dry in between) and keep a fairly wide white boarder around the swatch so that the blue doesn't affect it too much.

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I painted my dining room Farrow and Ball LULWORTH BLUE.  

I need a color for the foyer and living room. The foyer is in the center and dining room to right living room to left . I painted the stair railings black and am adding dark wide plank floors. We are adding wainscoting in dining room and foyer in Benjamin Moore WHITE DOVE.

Regards,
lizanne 

Sounds lovely, Lizanne   White Dove is my favorite white.  The dark wood and black accents will go nicely with a neutral greige (gray/beige) - which will also look nice next to the blue.  The undertone is warm, but the gray will keep it soothing and keep the walls in the background.  Try Farrow and Ball Purbeck Stone or Pavilion Gray.

Farrow and Ball PAVILION GRAY

Farrow and Ball PURBECK STONE

Hope that helps!  Let us know what you choose!