Benjamin Moore Paint Hale Navy & Alexandria Beige

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77
Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17
Front Door BM Hale Navy HC-154

Every once in a while I work with a client that has natural design savvy.  I knew this was the case the moment I walked up the entranceway and recognized the door as Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy.  I smiled, and could not hold back my enthusiasm.  When my new client opened the door, I exclaimed  "Hi, I'm Cathleen, the color designer, pleased to meet you, IS THIS HALE NAVY, it's such a BEAUTIFUL COLOR!"

Door BM Hale Navy HC-154

She was kind enough to go into the basement and look for the paint container, and indeed confirmed the Hale Navy.  I smiled, brightly.

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77
Trim & Woodwork BM White Dove OC-17

My client was on a mission to transform the existing bright light yellow foyer to something more dramatic, gracious, and sophisticated.  She had a wonderful vision but needed a color professional to bring it to fruition. After sampling several colors that did not work, she called me in to help.

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77

Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17

The homeowner has a great eye for color, but it's difficult to translate tiny chips of color into gigantic walls, as color changes and is all about context.  Selecting paint colors is an art, it takes experience, talent, knowledge, enthusiasm, persistence, the right color tools, and often guts.

If you are having color anxiety, know you are not alone.  Simply call in the color professionals, that is what we are here for.

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77

Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17

Front Door BM Hale Navy HC-154

Notice the deep blue dining room above.  It was a burnt red!  (Oh I wish I took a before picture)  My client wanted a blue dining room and had several wallpaper samples for me to look at.  I said "Blue, BRILLIANT, especially with the Hale Navy Door and the blue accents throughout the first floor".

Unfortunately the photo does not rendering the blue wallpaper correctly (computer colors are inaccurate), but it absolutely looks stunning in real life.

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77

Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17

The foyer was a bit of a challenge.  The mission was to go dramatic, with richness and depth, but not too dark.  The home is used extensively in the daytime, as well as in the evening for entertaining.  Plenty of natural lighting is provided by a large window, causing the colors to lighten in the day, and darken in the evening.  The dilemma was finding a color that the client loved both day or night, that simultaneously looks beautiful with all the elements in the foyer and adjacent rooms (including their lovely art collection and stunning blue-green living room).  Oh, and of course, we needed to find a color to go with the Hale Navy door!

Always, always, always consider how the paint color of the foyer looks with the exterior of the house.  Doors are frequently left open, and the front door and foyer are the first things we experience when we enter a home. 

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77

Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17

So I brought in my large paint boards, and we worked together as a team, finally narrowing it down to two colors.   As always, I moved the boards around to different areas of the grand foyer, up and down, and all around, because color changes depending on its immediate surroundings.   I left the boards overnight, because color changes throughout the day and evening.

My client called me the next day and informed me that one color is too dark at night, and the other color not dark enough.  I knew we wanted the sensibility of those particular colors, because we explored many options already.  So I simply had the paint store lighten one color up and darken the other. I painted up two new color boards, and left them for viewing overnight.

Walls BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula HC-77

Woodwork & Trim BM White Dove OC-17

Bravo, we did it.  My client loved one of the modified colors!  It was exactly the look and feel she desired,  and went beautiful in the space.  The color is Benjamin Moore - HC-77 - Alexandria Beige lightened to a 50% Formula.  

Beware, computer photos do not render color accurately.  My monitor is showing more red undertones than in reality.   Be sure to look at the paint colors in the actual space during different times of the day.   And always test the colors on the walls before you commit.

Must sound like a broken record but I'll say it again - color is all about context, and naturally changes.  It looks differently on one wall than it does on another.  Once you accept this fact, and embrace it, you will love the creative process of choosing colors.

Ahh, BM Alexandria Beige 50% Formula, warm, gracious, and sophisticated  (just like the homeowners personality) with just enough drama - intriguing in the day, and at night.  Nothing makes me happier than knowing my clients are delighted every time they enter their home.

Especially when they walk through that fabulous Hale Navy door.  :-)

Natural Paint Color Palette for Homes on River

I did a color consultation for Gyesky Devolopment and Design project of 4 homes located smack on the beautiful Miamus River in Cos Cob Connecticut.

Breathtaking water views, natural landscaping, earthy stone, and tall trees surround the homes.

Love how the water and trees are reflected in the windows and doors in the picture below.

As always, the Gyesky signature fine woodwork flows throughout.

Contrasting light and dark colors, play of textures, architectural details of height changes and protruding/receding spaces, echo the natural elements of the outside terrain.

Because the homes are enclosed in Mother Nature's glory, natural colors like muslin and linen, earthy taupes, warm wood, stones and metals, were chosen to harmonize with its environment.

Notice how boldly the rainforest marble countertop brings the outdoors into one of the master bathroom suites.

These pictures were taken when the job was still under construction during the colorful fall.  Looking forward to visiting the site, and taking new ones before this incredible snow disappears!

I can only imagine how awesome it would feel to be sitting on this stone dock wrapped warmly in my cozy wools, sipping a hot chocolate, listening- watching- experiencing this wintery white wonderland.

Paint Color Consultation in Greenwich Connecticut

The construction of this lovely new spec home by Gyesky Development & Design, is now complete.   As promised, here are updated pictures of my color consultation with these fine builders.

The design concept is LIVABLE ELEGANCE.  And that is exactly what this home is all about.

A rich, warm, and serene atmosphere literally glows from within.


(Those mahogany floors are drop dead gorgeous!)

From the moment you enter, you are surrounded with sophisticated workmanship and design. Cannot escape the awe.

Fine woodwork and attention to detail is everywhere.

Graceful lines, classical elements, and rich neutral colors,  weave the elaborate details into one harmonious theme.

Contrast is a powerful design tool.  Black and dark colors ground this design, and breeds regal substance.

(Beware, in general, too much color can take over and make a space brood; not enough color can be wimpy, and tantalize the space.)

I love how celestial colored ceilings not only make the ceiling soar, but lift our spirit as well!

And notice how magnificent the crown moldings look when the ceiling is painted a different color from the molding.

It is interesting to note that although the walls are painted the same color as the ceiling, the color on the ceiling appears darker due to shadows.  (This is typical, so if you want both to match, you must lighten the paint formula.) 

But I recommend  the color difference.  Adds interest, and makes the design feel alive.  Think about it; nothing in nature is perfect, nor stays the same.   Our eye is use to seeing shadows and variances. Natural  beauty.   So I don't strive for artificial perfection!

The colors on this project were chosen specifically not to overwhelm the architectural elements, but to enhance.  There is enough visual stimulation in the fine detailing and woodwork.

Note:  too many colors would have caused chaos.  Not enough colors would have been dull.

Color design is like writing music.   All the elements of the space must work in composition with each other, to create harmony.  

Color and design must incorporate several concepts into one theme.  The three most important being: beauty, function, and meaning.

A color should not only look beautiful, but echo the function of the space, and have a meaningful connection to the overall theme, as well as the client's tastes.

Because this job is a spec house, warm neutral colors were chosen to appeal to a wide range of personalities and decorating styles.  Yet, these neutral colors are rich and interesting enough to intrigue  on their own.

Ahh.  The magic of color and design has won again.   Livable elegance has been achieved.

HONEYSUCKLE (Color of the Year) is FLIRTATIOUS

A personal mantra of mine is "FLIRT WITH LIFE, ALL OF IT".   It's my philosophy, my mission, my religion.

So when Pantone, a leading color forecaster, recently announced HONEYSUCKLE is their 2011 Color of the Year, I celebrated.

HONEYSUCKLE makes me smile and feel vivacious.  It's naturally a flirtatious color!
Playful. Delightful.

There is something whimsical about it;  a nice balance of sophistication and fun.

Here is what Leatrice Eiserman, Executive Director of Pantone, has to say about the color HONEYSUCKLE:

A Color For All Seasons

Courageous. Confident. Vital.   

A brave new color, for a brave new world.  

Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year.  

It's a color for everyday- with nothing "everyday about it.

I couldn't agree more.  Here are some wonderful examples I have found:

from Fritz Hansen at Karkula

Betty Murdock Interiors from Traditional Home

by Jonathan Berger (House Beautiful)

Laufen Bathroom

So don't hesitate to color your world with HONEYSUCKLE hues.  You can control its powerful effect by the amount used, the value variations, and the color combinations.  In general, whites, creams, beiges, and grays will calm in down, while oranges, reds, and blacks will excite it even more.   Hot pink speaks loudly (beware it can scream at you), while light pink whispers softly.  The possibilities are endless.

I have a feeling, that 2011 is going to be a very good year!  We are off to a good start with HONEYSUCKLE.

Thank you Pantone.

Benjamin Moore Paint Color Consultation with Thunder AF-685

If thunder had a color, I suppose it would be a mix of the sky during a summer storm;  dense grayish clouds with a spark of the sun hidden in the background.

Amusingly, thunder is a color in the Benjamin Moore Affinity paint collection AF-685.

Walls Benjamin Moore Thunder AF-685
Woodwork Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65

And indeed, Thunder turned out to be the perfect color for this living room.

The homeowners hired me for a paint color consultation after their many sample paints did not work.

It is a traditional old house, with a beautiful collection of modern colorful art. The aim was to transform the old into the new, without losing the homes integrity and character.

Thunder, a sophisticated neutral, works wonders to add an avant-garde spirit, and unlike its name, does it in a soothing and tranquil fashion.

The juxtaposition of the lightning white trim and woodwork painted Chantilly Lace OC-65 (Benjamin Moore Off White Collection) sparks just the right amount of drama.

BM Thunder AF-685 Living Room
BM Van Courtland Blue HC-145 Dining Room

The color for the adjacent dining room, is Van Courtland Blue HC-145 from Benjamin Moore's Historical Collection.   It's a dusty gray blue, and adds depth and warmth to the dining room.

The homeowners preferred white ceilings, so I specified Benjamin Moore White Dove 0C-17, a darker white than the Chantilly Lace, to emphasize the crown molding.

BM Thunder AF-685 Living Room
BM Kentucky Haze AC-16 Sitting Room

The other side of the living room opens into a sitting room.  We chose a smokey blue, Kentucky Haze AC-16  Benjamin Moore American Collection.  I always had a crush on this color, and this was the first time I specified it out.  Forget the crush, I think I'm now in love.

BM Davenport Tan HC-76 Cabinets
BM Pashmina AF-100 Wall

The kitchen was a challenge.   The cabinets were painted a 2 tone bright light and dark green.  Meanwhile, the  pinky beige backsplash did not get along at all with the earthy granite. The floor tile did not relate to anything.  The wall color was a saturated yellow with orange undertones.  It was a colorful train wreck!

BM Davenport Tan HC-76 Cabinets
BM Pashmina AF-100 Wall

I had to be a magician, and come up with a bold statement.  I needed a color that would tie the granite and floor together with the cabinets, overpower the pink undertones in the backsplash, and flow with the overall theme.

Mission accomplished with Davenport Tan HC-76 Benjamin Moore's Historical Collection.   This rich complex color creates a cohesive color scheme, and reflects the homeowners refined taste at the same time.  

BM Pashmina AF-100 Wall
BM Chantilly Lace OC-65 Trim

Once the cabinet color was chosen, the wall color came naturally.  A rich neutral Pashmina AF-100 in the Benjamin Moore Affinity Collection proudly took its place.  It looks great with the BM Chantilly Lace.

My clients worked passionately with me in my interactive approach to choosing the paint colors.   Together we picked colors with meaning that expressed their personalities and lifestyle.

I am now involved in decorating the living room.  Looking forward to visually balancing out the existing flooring/fireplace, and the new paint colors, with decorative furnishings.  More pictures to follow.

Just had a thought about Thunder.  The color that is.  Perhaps BM named it Thunder because they knew it would go beautiful with so many other colors.  Kind of like the rainbow after the storm.  And speaking of storms, the Affinity collection has a beautiful color called Storm, but that is another whole post that I will save for a rainy day.

Paint Color Consultation for Gyesky Development & Design

I am delighted to work with Gyesky Development & Design as a color consultant on their Greenwich Connecticut projects.  Their superior workmanship is evident in every detail, providing a phenomenal canvas for a color palette.

They are currently building two developments; Orchard Place project with two homes in Bruce Park, and Swan Cove project with four homes on the Mianus River.   Additional posts and pictures to follow.   (These gorgeous spec homes are for sale)

The following home is part of the Orchard Place project.  

Wall Paint Benjamin Moore Dinner Party AF-300

So, lets start with my favorite, the dining room.  Although this a spec home, a dining room is still a wonderful place to introduce color and drama.

This sophisticated, deep red paint color, warms the entire space, and goes beautifully with the rich mahogany floors. Notice the red is carried through to the adjoining butlers pantry to the left. And to the right through the living room, you see a glimpse of red from the entry doors in the foyer.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

Here is a view of the fabulous kitchen looking past the butlers pantry into the dining room.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

A creamy yet vibrant yellow paint warms the elegant kitchen. (Notice the soft grayish blue paint in the hall)

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

The kitchen is filled with high end stainless steel appliances, painted wood cabinets with inset doors, and granite & marble countertops.   Notice the elaborate crown molding above the cabinets which continues around the entire room, adding warmth and interest to the high ceilings.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

Exquisite woodwork is everywhere.  I love the repetition of the arches and columns throughout.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

Here is a close up.  Once again, notice the light grayish blue paint in the hallway.  It whispers serenity, and harmonizes lovely with the yellow walls.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Horizon 1478

 Rich double doors, stained in a deep red color, welcomes all graciously into the home.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36

The stone fireplace adds to the warm ambiance of the home, and anchors the space with its weight and earthiness, making the room feel stable and timeless.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Cedar Key

The living room wall is painted is a warm neutral taupe. (I just love taupe colors, and spec them out frequently)  Notice the beautiful coffered ceiling, and marble fireplace to the right.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Marble White OC-34
Fireplace Benjamin Moore Mink 2112-10

And speaking of fireplaces, there is a third fireplace in the master bedroom.  The wall color was kept neutral as a creamy off white, while the fireplace makes a statement with its deep mink color.  What a wonderful large balcony to wake up to!  Once again mahogany floors throughout the second floor.

Wall Color Benjamin Moore Dinner Party AF-300

I must end this grand tour with my favorite.  For I am helplessly drawn into the dining room whenever I catch a glimpse of its radiance, like a deep dark ruby, calling my name.

Oh how I wish I could experience it in candlelight.  With the fireplace roaring, Bach playing, and the smell of a homemade peach cobbler pie warming up in the oven.

Yes, color consulting with Gyesky Development & Design on their fine projects, is a sheer delight.