Simply Seleta

seeing white...

Yesterday's post was so fun that it left me a little giddy.  And I can't think of a better color to express my happiness other than white.  I know, I know, you're not surprised with my color choice.  Perhaps you'll humor me here.

White is so pure and open.  It welcomes.  It refreshes.  It calms.

Ignore the random iron pot and look at how white is layered with these pitchers full of graceful flowers.  Quite simple yet so alluring to the eye.  A classic arrangement that's easily done with a few pitchers you may have sitting around at home.  Or ones found at your nearest flea market!

Even though white can be very spring-like, I also associate it with winter.  I think of a snow-covered field, a soft cashmere sweater or fluffy white marshmallows all ready for roasting.

If you're up for a big yet affordable change, white duck fabric in slipcovers can be an easy room transformation.  You can get the fabric for as little as $8 a yard.  For texture, I'm using this on my slipcovers for my own revamp.  Love the visible weave on it.  Plus I'm such a sucker for linen.  

If slip-covering isn't in the cards at the time, consider doing a panel treatment on your windows to lighten and brighten.  That's $24 per panel if you use the inexpensive and durable duck fabric.  Making sure to add color on the walls will be key in making those panels really pop.

So to take your transformation one step further, you can pair creams + whites with a soft + subtle wall color. 

If you take the painting plunge, here are few of my favs:

CREAMS

Ben Moore Philadelphia Cream HC-30: used this once in a client's Williamsburg home.  Very crisp and clean with a strong hint of soft yellow.  She had an amazing white camel back sofa and it was lovely against this color.  Also looks glorious with blue and white.

Sherwin Williams Antique White:  great off white that I consider to be a good ole' reliable.  

Ben Moore Oatmeal 268:  cream so delicious you'll consider getting a spoon.  

OH-SO-SOFT GREENS

Ben Moore Chameleon 526:  as sweet as an unopened bud on a spring flower.  

Ben Moore Mesquite 501:  a mossy green minus the yellow.

Ben Moore Fernwood Green 2145-40:  a fresh green that's not quite apple but does the trick for adding cheer to a room.  I'm about to paint our guest room this color and can't wait.

SOFT BLUES

Farrow + Ball Pale Powder:  a hushed blue that is sure to soothe.  An example of the color in a room is right over here.

Ben Moore Woodlawn Blue HC 147:  best word I can think of to describe this is "cheerful."  You will feel happy and relaxed if you paint a room this shade of blue. 

Ben Moore Palladian Blue:  another happy client story.  We painted her master bedroom in this fresh blue and brought in crisp white bed linens.  It was a jaw-dropping combination.  Even her très masculine husband loved it!

NEUTRALS

Ben Moore Papaya 957: think pure cream with a perfect touch of caramel.  I've mentioned it before here.

Ben Moore Carrington Beige HC 93:  so soft and chic.  Really a classic look that goes just about any direction, depending upon your accessories and main colors.  Love it with chocolate tones or graphite.

Ben Moore Crown Point Sand HC 90: it's a classic that has great versatility while keeping a quiet sophistication.  I'm about to transition our girls' room to this color and bring in punches of pink with a touch of chocolate brown.

YELLOW

Ben Moore Dunmore Cream HC 29:  painted the dining room this color in our Georgia house.  A most subtle yellow, it's one of those chameleon colors that makes you do a double take when you walk by.  It's soft and creamy, and very elegant.  To spruce it up, I paired it with an apple green and cranberry toile.  One of my favorite French Country toiles I've ever used in my own space.

[photos from here]

do blondes really have more fun?

I've always wondered. 

Have you seen this article that gives we brunettes colors that are most complimentary for our coloring?  Check it out.  In the meantime, I'll take it a step further and share my perspective on what I see as lovely surroundings for raven-haired divas. 

If you think about it, we all take a great deal of time selecting clothes that look best with our coloring, complexion, and body style.  So isn't it equally important to surround ourselves with colors that make us feel comfortable and compliment our features?

Let's start with my personal favorite, hushed CREAMS and WHITES.

White can go from simple and sophisticated....

to dreamy and whimsical...

to relaxed chic.

And it's always soft and inviting when you bring in accent colors and texture.

House Beautiful likes: Benjamin Moore BRIDE TO BE 1009  [a cooler shade with a purple undertone]

 

I like:

Benjamin Moore OATMEAL 268 [the cream I painted in my carriage house, very warm.  There's no pink, grey or green undertones]

Benjamin Moore NIVEOUS 0C-36 [the wall color in our main house, crisp off-white with the slightest hint of a yellow undertone]

Moving on to LAVENDER [a noted favorite of brunette, Windsor Smith]

A color House Beautiful suggests:  C2 PROVIDENCE 6264

CHOCOLATES are a delicious delight...

Another House Beautiful color suggestion: Benjamin Moore TOPEKA TAUPE 1463 [it's in the grey family so it's a dark taupe versus a chocolate brown]

Domino likes: Benjamin Moore BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE 2114-10 

I also like: Benjamin Moore NORTH CREEK BROWN 1001

GREENS are always a hit.

Soft ones:

 

And vibrant ones:

Color above is Sherwin Williams DIRECT GREEN 6924 

A favorite soft green I've frequently used is Duron MOSELLE 8194.  It's soft without being too feminine.  For instance, your man won't mind making it the wall color in your boudoir.  Many of my clients in the past found this green to be a "happy medium" for both sexes.  Looks fabulous with off whites, chocolates and butter yellows.  Warning: it looks a little like the color of baby poop on the paint deck, but don't be fooled.  And if you don't have offspring, this thought won't even cross your mind.

How about a splash of color?  Nearly every brunette looks striking surrounded by blues of all kind.

The exact color of the room above is Benjamin Moore BLUE WAVE 2065-50.  

I couldn't live with walls that bright, but could deal with it on an accent piece of furniture like in the stunning room below.

Or this jaw-dropping room.

[thanks stylecourt for image above]

Here's a soft blue from Windsor Smith's personal dining room.

If you like a soft blue, you may consider Benjamin Moore's WYTHE BLUE HC 143.  I have that color in my bedroom and on our hallway cabinetry in the foyer.  It's soft and serene which is very needed in this busy household.

 

I also love PALLADIAN BLUE HC 144.  A little different than the blue I just mentioned, it's lighter and a touch more fresh.  For contrast, it looks great with chocolates.  To keep it light and airy, you can pair it with crisp white linens and get the effect of the photo above.

And of course, RED and brunettes go hand in hand. 

 

My standby red paint has always been Duron's ROASTED PEPPER.  It's not too dark or too bright.  Just a good classic red.  Even pretty on a front door!

In my last home, I had all of the bland white cabinets in my laundry room painted Benjamin Moore's BING CHERRY 4155A and had a black glaze applied over it.  The glaze took the edge off the intensity of the red but still left me with the tanginess I was after.  Every time I entered that tiny room I felt happy.  Of course, until I saw the laundry piles.

If you are leery of putting red on your walls, try painting a chest like this one. 

Plop a modern lamp on top of that bad boy and hang a mirror above it and you have a great statement piece for just about anywhere in your home. 

Still gun shy with red?  Try using an amazing fabric on your windows.  Simple panels are always welcoming.  Or skirt a square side table with box pleats in a wild red fabric to add some sizzle.  Pillows are also a clever way to add a punch of red.

 

[fabric by f. schumacher]

Obviously this post only skimmed the surface.  But hopefully you'll leave feeling a little more beautiful about your own coloring and excited about all of the possibilities of what hues compliment you the best.  Hmmm, maybe brunettes have more fun!