Five Star Design Tips

“Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night’s gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by petal, leaf by leaf.” ~Susan Coolidge

I look at a lot of color in preparing for this blog. As I was perusing pinks this week, I was filled with excitement! It turns out there’s a reason for this.

A combination of red and white, pink contains the need for action of red, helping it to achieve the potential for success and insight offered by white. It is the passion and power of red softened with the purity, openness and completeness of white. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exhibits.

In my youth, there was a certain pink we called hot pink. These days most call it fuchsia. I really don’t care what it’s called, I love it! This will be the shade of one wall in my office. Apologies in advance to my son and husband, who also use the office. I’m going pink!

Pink, or magenta or cerise or fuschia, take your pick, is a surprisingly versatile color for many rooms in your house. And if you go deep and not pastel, it doesn’t have that girly, childish feel to it. Here are some gorgeous living rooms that spell passion, vitality, and fun.

If you’re not ready to have a wall or two with this deep, powerful shade, perhaps a piece of furniture or an accessory will do the trick.

You may not think pink would work in the kitchen, but it works beautifully! It inspires cooking new foods with new tastes and spicy aromas. Maybe it’ll even inspire your family to clean up quicker, so you can enjoy the beauty of your new, gorgeous kitchen.

A couple of other pink ideas. This mural is definitely pink, but the white in it tones down the power a bit. And this bathroom? Love the combination of pink, black and gray!

Now, did you know some say pink is not really even a color? Here’s a little information about it. Yes, don’t dismay, pink really exists. But this is some fun information you can take a look at it that sheds a new light on pink.

Magenta Ain’t a Color

Then again, looking at this photo, you have to say – it may not be a “real” color, but it’s really really pretty!

Consider using pink where you want an unexpected pop. It may surprise you the effect it will have on  your space.

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca

In a recent, very unscientific series of surveys I conducted, the answer to “What is your favorite color?” was not what I expected. I thought it would be blue. It was not. It was green.

Since I love green and since my kitchen, dining, and living room are painted green, I heartily approve of this epic win.

The color green is the color of balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating equilibrium between the head and the heart. Green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy.

Because it is a color that can be used in any room, it makes a good base color for your whole house. If you do make it your base color, consider a more subdued or taupe green. Bright, bold greens really freshen and liven up a room, but may be too strong for a whole house.

The kitchen is often the hub of the home, and green walls or cabinets only enliven this homey, cozy space even more.

Green and white in the bathroom can be either modern or country chic, depending on the furnishings. But both rooms are vibrant and clean-looking.

Green brings in a sense of balance that can be paired with pops of color that either create a sense of serenity or fun. The living room on the left, with its green and white theme, looks peaceful and soothing. The pops of red in the living room on the right makes the statement that this family is up for anything fun – even with the more traditional furnishings and decor.

Bedrooms are a sanctuary for hard-working folks to go to rest and recharge. What better color to paint your walls than The Color of Regeneration?

Consider green for your next painting project. With its natural feel and energy-building qualities, it may be just what you need to give your family a little boost.

Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.  ~Malcolm S. Forbes

As the weather cools a little, there is a vibe in the air. Children, whether they want to admit it or not, are getting bored with summer and secretly start to look forward to seeing friends they haven’t hung out with since last spring. What does this mean? School’s back in session!

When people think school, they think red – red apples, little red schoolhouses, red bows on little girls, red lipstick on teenagers, cool red sneakers for boys. And what better accent color to be focusing on right now than red? In kids’ rooms, it brings energy and fun – something that is a wonderful boost when sleepyheads might be having a hard time getting out of bed.

Blue and red is a great combination for boys -for younger ages and through the teen years. Practicing the 60-30-10 rule, red especially pops. 60% Blue – 30% Neutral tone – 10% red works well without looking feminine or overpoweringly red.

What is cuter and more girly that pink and red? When girls are small, you can’t really have too much pink. But pink and red can transition to teenager with some interesting, more bold ideas.

Red lends itself to wonderful color combinations that energize and inspire a child who’s ready to learn. Red and orange and yellow brings red’s energy, orange’s warmth, and yellow’s cheerfulness.

As you look ahead to those crazy school days, with homework schedules, football or band practices, after school activities and busy evenings, consider using red in your children’s room. This just might give your kids that extra boost to make school fun.

Truth is the torch that gleams through the fog without dispelling it.
Claude Adrien Helvetius

London’s 2012 Summer Olympics has viewers from around the globe who enjoy this amazing event. One thing that may surprise those spectators is London’s less than summery weather. If there’s one thing London has – it’s fog!

“This is a London particular . . . A fog, miss.”~Charles Dickens

Gray, the hue of fog, sometimes isn’t considered as the great decorating color it can be. And indeed, it can be boring or sterile or too masculine. However, the great thing about gray is that it is an excellent backdrop for some interesting, vibrant color schemes. Check out these photos of London and the Olympics and visualize the color combinations that you can use in your own home.

These familiar red British images are fantastic against the gray. Similarly, red accents with a basic gray background are amazing. This is how to use red – in pops – as using too much of it can not only overwhelm the space, studies have shown that too much red in a room make its occupants stress out!

These images of the Olympics show gray with blue as the accent color. This combination is peaceful and reminiscent of water, sky, and summertime.

The calming, peaceful influence of the blue/gray pairing looks fantastic in a bedroom or a comfortable living and dining room.

With all of its moisture, England is green green green. Gray with green is a gorgeous combination, showing the vibrancy of green with the calming effect of gray.

One of the most pleasing combinations that brings gray to a gorgeous pearly strength is to pair it with orange. Each color begins to glow, warming the space with an incredible energy.

When the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremonies are just a memory, seeing the colors of London’s fog combined with tones that make it pop will bring you the same fever you feel right now as the amazing athletes compete every day.