Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
After writing all about the new brights trend (see the post here), I couldn’t resist creating a bedroom concept to prove how doable this look is. Remember how I compared an outfit to a room:
“Kelly green jeans and a turquoise t-shirt with a grey cardigan and a skinny belt in brown leather over it could be bright but still have the safe touches to make it feel comfortable. The room equivalent: a bedroom with a kelly green bed frame, turquoise sheets, multi-colored throw pillows, light gray walls and a leather slung chair.”
Well, here’s the room example, with 2 different bedding and throw pillow combinations to chose from.
Start with the Piper Bed in Green from Room & Board. Paint the walls a soft gray, like Sherwin-Williams Argos (SW 7065). Add a leather safari chair for a timeless worn-in element that grounds the bold elements you’ll add next. 1st Dibs is a good source for these vintage chairs. A chunky cable rug in Charcoal from Room & Board adds texture and softness when getting out of bed or doing homework.
The room could start out with an updated preppy look. No turquoise, instead the blue is a crisp, classic navy. Key elements (clockwise from bedding):
Ronan Duvet from Serena & Lily
British Flag pillow from Jonathan Adler
Green and Natural Zebra needlepoint pillow from Jonathan Adler
Positano Helix pillow in Blue from Jonathan Adler
Amanda sheet set in Gray from Bliss Living
This could work for either gender, it’s really about personality! The subtle pattern on the sheets in a soft gray adds some interest while tying in the wall and rug color.
Or take the room in a global chic direction (clockwise from bedding):
Shangri-La duvet from Bliss Living
Diamond Ikat Azure pillow from Dwell Studio
Samsara Multi throw pillow from Bliss Living
Bargello Jungle Road pillow from Jonathan Adler
Masala Citrone sheet set from Dwell Studio
The duvet cover has great pattern and lots of colors to work with for accent pillows. Adding in the Ikat pillow is a no-brainer for the global look, as is the Samsara pillow with a Suzani-esque print. Both are right on trend with the current movement to incorporate native ethnic prints from around the globe. What I love is adding in the Bargello Jungle Road pillow with the crazy zig-zag Italian company Missoni is known for. It’s unexpected but still very global and the colors work perfectly with the other pillows. The Citrone sheets pull that color from the duvet cover and add a small scale pattern to the mix to balance all those large patterns.
Which would you go for? Preppy or global chic? Or would you rather have the bed in pink…red…yellow…orange…white? So many color combinations, so little time! Have fun creating your own layered look. I’d love to see what you would create!
On that note, check out West Elm’s new mix-and-match bedding interactive program where you can see how sheets, duvets, and shams from their collection will look together with your wall color. (They don’t have a ton of paint color options, but it’s nice that they included this element in a room.) It’s a fun way to spend your lunch break. =)
Tags: 1st Dibs, bedroom, Bliss Living, Blue, brights, cable rug, Dwell Studio, gray, green, interior design, Jonathan Adler, Room & Board, Serena & Lily, Sherwin Williams, West Elm
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Friday, April 1st, 2011
Why is that when the weather is gray outside, people say they feel “blue”?
I’ve been noticing that saturated blues are experiencing a fresh surge of popularity in everything from home decor to fashion. To me these colors are far from bummed out, melancholy mood inducing tones. Instead they are strong, assertive, and yet classic.
For another perspective on the trend, check out the article Sherwin-Williams recently ran in their magazine, Stir, about the color indigio as a trend for 2011. See the article here.
To start with you can see how the concept of the ocean, white sands and fish is playing out in West Elm’s new collection (top left corner). Oscar de la Renta has used saturated blues in his latest fashion collection and in his home (middle top and bottom) Yves Klein Blue is even moving from the runway to make up collections. Wallflowers need not apply!
The richness of these shades of blue shows confidence and sophistication when integrated into your wardrobe, as shown above in a feature from Oprah magazine. The center photo shows how this color can be integrated into your summer wardrobe with all those colorful brights we talked about last week. Even your table settings can be bold and playful as this mix and match table setting highlights.
Finally, West Elm’s vision of a weather bleached dock with a lounge surrounded by endless blue waters evokes a calm peacefulness in me. If it was all white it would be boring to me. But those indigio pillows in a variety of patterns and textures and the blue stool in the background add the interest I need. The thatched roof and woven tote bag add great texture too. The principles of design here can just as easily be brought into your living room.
As always, I’m happy to help you get there.
Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope you only feel “blue” in a bold way!
Tags: Blue, Dwell Studio, indigio, interior design, navy, Oprah, trend, West Elm, Yves Klein blue
Posted in Color Pulse | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
Well, this month Elle Decor has redeemed itself. There is a lot of good content to inspire this month, so let’s get right to it!
White kitchens continue to be universally appealing, judging by the countless versions I see each month in various publications. And this house is no different. But the designer Miles Redd convinced the client to trust him with a bold color choice in the adjacent butler’s pantry: marine-blue! It reads almost teal in photos, but I love it regardless. Obviously this would be too much for most people’s main kitchen, but in this secondary space it glows in the most brilliant way. The natural light from the window (which some butler’s pantries don’t have) allowed him to use this darker color.
In contrast, this Valcucine kitchen features minimal dark cabinetry balanced by the open structure of steel shelves against light walls. The color of the glass in the Niche Modern pendant over the island references the glassware on the open shelves beautifully.
The restrained modernism of the kitchen continues into the bedroom of the same home. Natural elements (branch, basket under bed, shearling throw on floor) add texture to the crisp narrow lines of the bed and nightstands. The crystals on the small bedside lamp is a fun pop of feminity in what I would consider a rather gender neutral room.
This dining room has a similarly neutral palette with a splash of sparkle thanks to the C. Jere sculpture over the fireplace. The floating box shelves on either side of the fireplace are a fresh update of the usual built-ins you see surrounding fireplaces in most homes.
Finally we have this living room in Ossining, New York (not far from where I went to college… I always remember the conductor calling this station on the train ride from NYC.) This room features a lot of mid-century modern classics, but the textured walls and corner sofa keep the space from feeling like a DWR catalog come to life (which was the case for many homes featured in Dwell magazine in the past.) The swing arm lamp to the right of the fireplace makes me want to curl up in that corner with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows, and a cozy blanket.
Tags: bedroom, Blue, bookshelves, dining room, fireplace, Kitchen, living room, midecentury modern, texture
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Thursday, July 1st, 2010
Getting in the spirit of the 4th of July can take many forms.
You could decorate a bedroom in a patriotic color palette, complete with the American Flag.
You could give yourself a camp flashback and grab some colorful arrows, and do a little target practice with your bow and arrow. (Don’t forget the arm guard. I always scrapped up my arm in archery class… I probably wasn’t the most gifted archer.)
You could go to the local zoo, petting zoo, or farm and commune with the animals. Imagine what it was like back in the days of our Founding Fathers.
Or maybe you just want to turn an oversized image of an animal into a new work of art.
In Minnesota, going up to the cabin is a popular weekend escape in the summer. If you don’t have one of your own, maybe friends will invite you to join them. Sweeten the deal with some good homemade (or store bought if that’s all you can manage) treats. S’more bars (made with Golden Grahams) would be rather appropriate fare.
But if the city is your final destination, perhaps a relaxing evening around a fire pit in the backyard with good friends is all it takes to appreciate how blessed we have been this year. I’m certainly grateful for my independence, and I hope next year to have even more good times to remember and celebrate.
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Photo credits:
1. Unknown – possibly Cottage Living 2. Valerie Shaff 3. Francisco Costa designed bedroom in NY Times 4. Sweetshorn Etsy shop 5. SALA Architects 6. Unknown
Tags: animals, arrows, backyard, bedroom, Blue, cabin, fire pit, flag, Red, zoo
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Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
We are now only four days away from the opening of the 2010 ASID Showcase Home Tour opening to the public! This has been such a fun, challenging, rewarding process and I’ve really enjoyed working with all the team members. The staff at Vujovich Builders was a pleasure to work with, as were the staff at Mpls.St.Paul magazine. It’s amazing to see how much work everyone has put into making this house and the condo amazing over the course of five months (plus months of additinal preplanning).
This is what the bedroom looked like before I got my hands on it.
It was the older sister’s room, and she has very different interests than her younger brother.
He likes sports, sports, sports.
So the challenge was how to create a space for a 12 year old boy that likes all different types of sports, that can evolve with him as he gets older, and doesn’t become dated or too young looking.
Solution #1: A sophisticated masculine color palette of grays, deep indigo blue, crisp white, and accents of orange to keep it light and playful.
Solution #2: Incorporate art that references all his favorite sports, without utilizing posters of specific athletes. Large wall stickers, custom framed vintage baseball card art, and a spot for a rotating display of his current favorite athletes achieve this goal.
Aren’t you excited to see it?! I know I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of the finished product.
Be sure to get your tickets soon so you can be one of the first to see all this great design 26 interiors designers created in two different homes (available at lots of area retailers as well as on the Mpls.St.Paul magazine’s website).
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Tags: art, ASID Showcase Home, bedroom, Blue, blue zones, Grey, orange, white
Posted in Industry Updates | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
Well folks, I’m getting awfully excited as the start of this year’s ASID Showcase Home Tour kicks off in just over two weeks from now. What makes this year’s tour even better than usual?
Two key reasons:
1. This year the tour includes two separate homes that you get to visit with one ticket!
2. I designed a room in one of the homes!
Remember that post about the Blue Zones? Well, the owner of the home I worked on is Dan Buettner, adventurer-explorer and author of “The Blue Zones.” It has been a priviledge to be part of the team working on transforming this home on the Lake of the Isles Parkway in Minneapolis into a masterpiece.
The tour begins May 15th and runs through June 13th, with both homes open Wednesdays through Sundays 10am to 4pm. There are also several special events throughout the month, so be sure to check out the calendar on the Mpls StPaul magazine’s website.
Be sure to pick up the latest copy of Mpls StPaul Home magazine for lots more information on both homes, tickets, sponsors, etc. Be sure to flip to page 66 for a sneak peak at Son’s Bedroom, designed by yours truly! (Ok, I can’t resist sharing this with you now.)
There have been some changes to the design since the magazine went to print, so you’ll have to come and see it in person to see how it all came together in the end.
I’ll be at the house as much as I can fit in during the month, but if you would like to meet me at the house and get a personal tour, just let me know! I would be happy to show you through the house and describe all the details that went into transforming this home.
I’d love to know what other rooms catch your eye as you flip through the magazine. Are you more of a “Calhoun Chic” or an “Isles Eclectic”…. or something all together different?
Hope to see you at there!
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Tags: ASID Showcase Home, bedroom, Blue, blue zones, Grey, Mpls StPaul magazine, orange, Wood
Posted in Industry Updates | 2 Comments »
Colleen Fox Slack | email: colleen@colleenfoxinteriors.com | phone: 612.868.0348
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