New Color Trends

I had an opportunity recently to listen to a webinar (seminar on the web, for you non computer people) called Color Pulse 2011 by the paint manufacturer, Benjamin Moore. I find it fascinating to see what the color trends will be for the next few years. I'm sure many of you may be thinking "who cares what the trends are?" Well, paint companies do, that's how they sell paint, by updating and changing the palettes every once in a while.
Interestingly, these paint colors are not chosen randomly. The major influences in color for your walls come from fashion and industrial design and even nature. This webinar was quite informative about the trends coming in the next few years. They talked about Farm influence: where the whites will be more creamy and the yellows will be cheesy. The Urban and domestic farming influence will include soil rich naturals (like brown), with a splash of tomato green and orange for a pop of color.
The creation of Order will be seen in rooms with a black, white and grey color scheme where a random punch of vibrant purple or royal blue like this image from livingpod.com will bring whimsy. Red and black will make a return as a pair in decor with geometric shapes.
Patterning like the photo of the graphic green shapes from the fox hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark, will be key while fractal designs and irregular, almost 70's stripes will make retro modern again. Metallics are staying in style with entire rooms done in metallic leaf or just a few accents in furniture and fabrics. This photo is from Jeffrey Bilhuber Interior Design and shows fabulous all-over wall treatment in various metal leafs.
My favorite category talked about in this webinar was the Escape. These colors will be femine and translucent. A pale pearl or cosmetic pink will be done in light metallics, giving one a dreamy, and relaxed feel. These colors were actually inspired by the designs of Armani found on the runways of New York and Paris. Walls will be given a pearlized effect with crystals for drama.
If you're ready for a change in your decor, look to nature or even the runway for your inspiration this year and you'll be right on trend.

Easy painting tips
Personalizing a child's room on a budget
My son was four years old when we moved into our new house. He was used to his old room and he had only just adapted to sleeping by himself. This new room in a strange house was very intimidating. He had a hard time sleeping in it until I painted a room full of dinosaurs for him.

You don't have to be an artist to create a comfortable and familiar place for your child to feel at home. Here's a few tips that can create that space that they'll want to be in.

1. Have them help choose the paint color. I realize that your daughter may go for Pepto Bismol pink, but with a little coercion, you can direct her toward the lightest pink on the swatch stick and she'd still be happy.
A great way to choose colors is to find them in her favorite comforter.
2. Don't be afraid to paint a stripe or two in bright colors to add some interest. It's easier than you think and if you check this blog there are some great tips on how to paint a straight line. Even some polka dots in different sizes are totally easy and way fun. An even better idea is to take simple elements from that comforter and mimic them on the wall on a large scale like these flowers.
3. Go to a thrift store and find a side table, dresser, or even headboard and give it a good paint job. You'd be surprised how an old, seemingly ugly piece can be transformed.
4. Get frames half of at the craft store (ours seems to always have a sale) and put your child's artwork in it.
5. Again, go to the craft store and buy your child's name in wood letters. Spray paint them, put some stickers on them, or leave them plain. Have them help you paint and hang them and they'll love it.

The great thing about paint is that it's cheap. Don't be afraid to put those colors on the wall. Who cares if it doesn't go with the rest of the house.

To Faux or not to Faux

The notion that faux finishes are either in or out of style is a topic that tends to come up in conversations about decor from time to time. When I hear someone state simply that "faux finishes are out of style" I tend to look at that person as one who is merely uninformed as to the history of decorative painting. Term "faux finish" actually gets used a little too often and most of the time incorrectly.
A "faux" finish is one that is replicating, or "faking" something else. For example, if I were to paint your builder's white columns in your home to look like Carrera Marble, that would be a faux finish. Throughout history artists were employed to replicate different stones or wood grains in order to save the cost of installing the real thing. A simple wall glaze today can be used to replicate the aged walls of old Italian villas.

Many wall textures or paint treatments today are not trying to "fake" anything. They are actually custom, high-end designer finishes meant to add ambiance, depth and interest to a room that may other wise be very simple. Is that to say that every room needs a custom decorative finish? I suppose considering what I do for a living, I should say "YES! Absolutely I can come up with a finish for every room in your house!" Well, I can, but I certainly wouldn't think that to be the best idea in every situation. I certainly don't have different finishes in every room of my house. I think a little can go a long way in most cases, although, I have done homes in which we did almost the entire house in custom finishes......subtle, custom finishes that flow together seamlessly.
The point is that every person has different taste, every home has different architecture and every era has different trends in decor. The heavily textured terra cotta finish of a southwestern home would not work in the dining room of your colonial style Virginia home, but a fabulous silver metallic glaze over steel blue paint would be divine! If your taste is Tuscan (which has been and continues to be VERY "in style") then a fresco mural in the niche on your staircase is definitely in order.

The so-called trend right now happens to be metallics and they are popping up on ceilings, in niches, and in fabulous Venetian Plasters. The metallics of today go with many different decor styles, from traditional to Tuscan.
Simply put, a well chosen flat paint color can definitely be the right choice in many situations, but not only are Decorative Finishes in style now, they have been for centuries. Look at magazines, get inspiration from your vases, fabrics, rugs, etc and let a trained professional show you the many possibilities that custom "faux" finishes can give you.