Top Taupes

Taupe is the Pharrell Williams of paint colors. It's hot on the charts right now and oh, so happy! 

When I think of taupe, I think of the color that is formed when coffee is mixed with milk. 

Photo from Google.

Taupe is a whisper of a color - soft and warm and very much chameleon like in nature. It offers color without being too heavy or dark and offers sleekness without being too cold and sterile. It's a happy color that brings a touch of softness and elegance to a space. Of course like all things, there are many versions of taupe. Like grays, taupes can be tricky and the road to the perfect taupe can be a painful one. The undertones play a big part in how pink/yellow/brown the taupe you choose comes out.  I've dabbled a lot in the taupe world as of late so I thought I would share my favorites with you.

Benjamin Moore -  Indian River 985

Photo by Barbara Brown Architectural Photography. 

Indian River was the cabinetry color in my Homes of Distinction Tour Kitchen. This color is everything taupe was meant to be and more. It possesses the perfect amount of gray in the undertones which keeps the color light and airy but enough brown to darken it up just enough to add a touch of warmth. I love how this taupe contrasts beautifully with the white backsplash as well as the brown hardwoods. So, so good.

Benjamin Moore - York Gray CW-45

Photo by Barbara Brown Architectural Photography. 

We used York Gray for the perimeter cabinetry in the 2013 Holiday House Kitchen. While the word gray is in the name of this color, I'm still filing this color under taupe. A very light taupe, but taupe nonetheless. This color is about as close as you can get to having a white kitchen without in fact having a white kitchen. There is just enough color - created with very light yellow/brown undertones.

Benjamin Moore - Smokey Taupe 983

Photo by Jen Wunderlich Photography.

Out of all the taupe's I've played around with, this one is probably my favorite. Smokey Taupe is just a really good color. I've used it numerous times including the wet bar pictured above, which was part of my #Northcliff Kitchen, and I've never been disappointed.  I call this color a whisper, because it's just so elegant and soft.

Photo by Jen Wunderlich Photography.

Here it is again at one of my more recent kitchen remodel's - Bridgett Court. I love how this color instantly becomes so much more present when used next to white. It just pops. There are slightly red undertones in Smokey Taupe so depending on the light it can have a very light pink hue which you can see a little bit if you compare the base cabinets in the photo above with the wet bar shot. However, it's never overpowering thanks to the also present light brown undertones.

Colors are always fun to explore and I've really been digging the way our taupe selections have turned out. There are some others I've come across that I haven't tried yet like Sherwin William's Balanced Beige which looks like it might be nice. What about you guys, any favorite taupes to pass along? I'd love to add to my list!

Unless otherwise noted all photos are my own. 

My Kitchen Part 2 - Countertops

As is often the case, you can only remain topless and classy so long. Cabinetry speaking of course....:)

Last we talked the cabinets had been installed and we were ready for our countertops to be templated. Weeks earlier, while we were finalizing the designs for our kitchen, we took a break and headed to Construction Resources for a little countertop shopping. 

Lord knows there are a lot of countertop options out there, from natural materials like granite and marble to man-made materials like quartz and solid surface and Construction Resources has them all.  We went in with an open mind, not overly committed to one type of countertop, only to the idea that the top we chose needed to aid in opening up our space and add an additional layer of interest to the room. As we walked the isles contemplating all of the options we found ourselves being drawn to the marble slabs. The white marble slabs.  GASP!!!! As most of you know, marble is a natural stone with a bad rap for being porous and staining. Being in the design industry I've heard the horror stories and I was aware of the cons associated with marble, especially white marble. But, even with allllll that knowledge we couldn't shake the fact that the white marble would look the best in our small space.  We knew the white marble would blend in nicely with the cabinet and wall color (Benjamin Moore's White Dove OC-17), but would add drama and depth through the veining.

We were torn. Pretty vs. Practical. What a beast of a dilemma. 

And then boom. A halo formed around the marble with a simple phone call from my sales rep. A 15 year warranty from DuPont was available that would protect the countertop from food and liquid stains. It was an additional cost, of course, but SO WORTH IT. So, we signed on the dotted line and a few days after the cabinets were installed they came out to template.  Then a week later this load of awesomeness arrived in my driveway....

It was literally like Christmas morning watching these bad boys make their way into my house. 

I held my breath as they lifted and maneuvered the heavy tops on and around the new cabinets. Yes, I was THAT client that was watching the whole process like a hawk. I was everywhere, snapping pictures acting like this was my first rodeo. But you know what, this is my first house, so I guess I have an excuse to be a little nutty and overly excited. 

I mean, does it honestly get prettier than this? The movement and colors in this top are insane. It's literally so beautiful and the guys from Construction Resources did such a great job lining up the seams so the veins flow with such a fluid movement. 

A few days after the tops were installed the guys came back out to apply DuPont's StoneTech sealer. 

DuPont's StoneTech Professional Warranty
Photo from Dupont's website. 

The literature that came with the product says, "The beauty of natural stone with true peace of mind." Doesn't that say it all? Like so many people, Brent and I really plan to (already are) use and entertain in our kitchen and we did not want to be haunted by the possibility of ruining our beautiful countertops on a daily basis. A coffee spill and a red wine drip will no longer haunt our dreams. This sealer offers us true enjoyment and usability in our space. 

Needless to say the addition of the countertops really took the room and the house to a whole new level of awesome and beautiful. But, what happened next and then what happened after that. WHOA, yeah it could make your heart stop. Stay tuned.....::evil laugh::

Unless otherwise noted all photos are my own.

Meet My Kitchen - Part 1

So...My house. Remember that project? Yeah, a  LOT has happened since I last updated you. In the midst of final wedding details, the actual wedding, the Luxury Living Show Kitchen and the two weeks in Italy for my honeymoon, the house has be-bopped along and a whole lot of progress has been made. It's officially a home. Not a dust pit, not a construction zone, but a home, our home.

With that being said I am WAY behind on updating you all and if I put all of the updates in one post you may be reading for a few days straight and that just can't be good for your eyes. So, I'm going to break it up a little, starting with the kitchen. WARNING: even within the kitchen itself there are many layers of progress, so this will definitely be My Kitchen part 1.  I could go to part 10, but I'll try to consolidate and hold back my long winded tendencies.

Last time we talked about the kitchen it looked something like this...

It stayed like this for weeks while we worked on other parts of the house and tweaked this space preparing it for it's new cabinetry. We had to paint, add some electrical, slightly rearrange the plumbing, add a gas line for the new range and have some HVAC work done to relocate a floor vent and prepare for the hood that would vent to the outside. You may also remember the addition of the picture frame moulding in the dining room that Brent installed in this post, it too was part of this prep stage for operation new kitchen. All of these tweaks and modifications were necessary, but other than the addition of the moulding and the painting not too much pizazz was added to the space during this period of renovation. So, while we were making progress, it didn't really feel like it, because there was a whole lotta work with no added pretty. It was more like added dust and backaches and then some more dust.

Finally after much sweat, dust and tears (Brent gets really emotional when he is able to successfully wire a new outlet) we found ourselves at the eve of our cabinet installation. We FINALLY got to take up the plastic that had been covering our newly refinished floors and the kitchen looked like this the night before the big install.

As some of you know I'm a designer at Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios and we make custom cabinets. And Thank God we do, because as you can see, and as I have said before this kitchen is small. Of course removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen as well as closing off the random door to the outside significantly increased the opportunity for functionality and really opened up the space, but still the space is small and the design had to be carefully considered (obsessed over) to ensure we made every bit of the space as functional as possible. We schemed and tweaked and literally thought through every single cabinet determining what would be stored inside. I will post a whole cabinet innards post at some point, but for now just know no cabinet in our kitchen just happened. It happened because we deemed it worthy or necessary to take up precious real estate in our small space.

It was D-day. The install team rolled up and got to work.

Our cabinets are from Bell's Studio frameless collection. The cabinets are maple and painted Benjamin Moore's White Dove, OC-17. We painted the walls the same color except for the under the chair rail which we painted Sherwin William's Caviar, SW6990. The existing crown molding was removed and replaced with new crown molding around the cabinets and into the dining room so everything was the same and there was no weird transition.

 

The kitchen and the dining room are now divided by a peninsula that houses the microwave, trash/recycling, cutlery divider and a few rollouts on the front side and a hidden cabinet on the back. 

Love the happy little corbels. 

By the end of the day...POOF - the beginnings of a kitchen! Stay tuned, the countertops were templated a few days later, more on that soon!

All photos are my own. 

Bye Bye Tangerine Tango, Hello.......

Several big announcements have been made as of late regarding the color of the year for 2013. In January (2012) I posted about Tangerine Tango, 2012's Color of The Year. Tangerine Tango had good run, but there's a new color on the block and this one is a beauty!

Allow me to introduce...

Emerald Green

So, why did Pantone choose Emerald?

According to Pantone, “Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Call me a psychic, genius, or whatever, but I had a feeling this color would be chosen as the next Color of the Year, in fact I blogged about it during the summer :::pats on back::: I think Pantone hit the nail on the head regarding the emerald color translating easily to both fashion and home interiors.  This color has been all over fashion this Fall. Go in any department store and you will see everything from dresses and shoes to sunglasses and jewelry sporting this hot hue.  In my opinion this years choice is more relatable than colors chosen in years past. Last years Tangerine Tango was fun, but most were not daring enough to paint a wall or agree to window treatments in this semi-bold color. Emerald green however is a different story. Many people are going to be more apt to jump right into this trend because green is a friendly, happy, beautiful color that can fit into almost any decorating style in some form.

 

These emerald accent pillows and curtains bring warmth and richness to this sitting area. I also love how the black and gold in the lamp play off of the emerald.

 

 

BOOM - there's a emerald front door. It's bold but not too much so. The bricks and moulding around the door make for a traditional vibe with a pop.

 



 

The green in the above photo plays well with the light yellow walls. While the chairs are traditional the fun fabrics on both the curtains and the chair add a layer of interest and a bit of funk to this space. Also, green and yellow....................whoever designed this space was ahead of their time....

OK, hold on, I'm getting ahead of myself. See, what happened was,while Pantone was busy making their announcement, Benjamin Moore dubbed their own Color of The Year. While their choice is the neighbor of Pantone's green on the color wheel, the two colors are distinct in their own right.

Allow me to introduce...

Lemon Sorbet 2019-60

Yellow. Hmhmhm.....interesting choice. I'm not sure I saw this one coming quite as much as the Emerald but I think it's got a nice airy vibe that could work in a lot of spaces.

Benjamin Moore explains their choice by stating: "This beautiful yellow harmonizes with other trending pastels in the mint, coral, pink, blue, and vanilla families. Uplifting without being overpowering, lemon sorbet (2019-60) complements almost any color palette and provides a unifying element for diverse spaces."

I agree with BM, this color has the opportunity to make a statement without being too in-your-face. Neutrals are big right now and this is an interesting play on that concept. It's a neutral and it's a color, essentially it could be the pizazz in the room or it could be the backdrop allowing other elements to shine.

Here we see the lemon sorbet light yellow hue playing nicely with the ever popular gray.

 

I LOVE this combination. The yellow, the gray, the magenta...it's fun, it's sophisticated, it's beautiful.

 

 

Interestingly, I have a client who loves some yellow in the kitchen. This color might just be the color for her space. The lemon sorbet color is soft but has nice contrast against the white cabinets.

So, it appears we have a bit of a color battle on our hands. Green and yellow - which is your favorite? I think green is a bold yet relatable choice, while the yellow offers a new twist on the neutral trend. Colors are emotional, so remember, love it or hate it in about twelve months we will have new colors in the spotlight. In the meantime have fun incorporating these colors into your 2013!

All photos are from google search.

Three Shades of White

I love colors - paint colors, nail polish colors, Prismacolor marker colors, basically if a color comes with a name I'm all over it. In truth - sometimes I fall in love with the name first and the color second, example: cinnamon toast (Prismacolor (rendering marker)) or Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore paint color), or "You Don't Know Jacques" (OPI - nail polish color), what can I say, some names just make me happy.

As fun as colors can be, they can also be tricky, especially when it comes to paint. Earlier this year I talked about my long and painful journey to find the perfect gray. During that process I quickly learned a few key things: one, not all paints are created equal and two, sometimes the most basic colors can be the most complicated.

Over the last year or so I've become increasingly color conscious due to my close workings with Bell Cabinetry. Bell Cabinetry is a custom cabinet company where all finishes are custom. Because of this I've become very aware of the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to paints, but more importantly I've realized possibly the most complex color of them all is white.

White is an important color for interiors. Not only are shades of white the most popular hue of choice for house trim such as door and window casings, baseboards, house crown, etc...,but white is - has been - and will likely continue to be a hot, classic trend for cabinetry, specifically in the kitchen.

So, why is white so complicated? Easy - like most colors there are an abundance of white options, all of which differ slightly. Do you want a white-white, a gray white, a creamy white? So many options, it can make your head spin!

Above are just some of the paint samples I have around my office. All of these are in the white family. As you can see they all have a little something different going on and their difference really stand out when placed side by side.

White becomes especially complicated when it needs to marry up to something else white. This has had a tendency to be problematic because one of the hottest trends in kitchen and bath design is the forever lust worthy white cabinets with white countertop trend. So many times clients pick out their white marble and choose a white paint only to find that the white paint makes the marble look yellow, or even worse, pink... oh the tragedy!

To aid you all in your personal voyage to the perfect white for your projects I've put together a little collection of some of my favorite white options. One is my go-to ol' faithful, and two others are actually new shades recently introduced to me by clients.

Let's start with the bees knees of white paint. Not only does it marry well with most white countertops/tile but it's crisp true depth whiteness makes for a great great choice for trim as well.

White Dove - 


Benjamin Moore''s White Dove - OC-17

See it here on the cabinetry of this kitchen. Notice how it creates a nice backdrop for the Calcutta marble tops and backsplash. It's like a white dream - lovely. 

This photo is my own.

 Above is an example of the White Dove on the trim in this dining room. Notice how the color really pops against the gray/green color of Benjamin Moore's Sea Haze (I'll have to write about the journey to this color one day - another doozie!) So crisp - love it!

Shoji White -




Sherwin Williams' Shoji White - SW7042

This photo is my own.

Here is a sneak peek of my #ChattanoogaProject which showcases Shoji White on the perimeter cabinets as well as on the trim throughout the kitchen. This kitchen doesn't have it's countertops yet, but you can see this shade of white is pure with a hint of beige - no yellow, no gray.

Frostline -

Benjamin Moore's Frostline AF-5.

You may recognize this color from last weeks post. Frostline was the paint color for the mud/bench area.

This photo is my own.

Frostline has a more icy blue-green undertone which makes for a cool wintry white.

Obviously there are a bazillion other white paint options out there, but these are three that I've had success with recently. If any of you know of other great go-to options or better yet, paints that should have a skull and crossbones on the can do tell. Lord knows we can all use all the help we can get in this crazy, options galore world of paint.

Unless otherwise noted all photos are from google search.

Details are a Rooms Best Friend

I've got a lot of projects rockin' and rollin' right now. It's been a busy summer and it doesn't look like it will be slowing down anytime soon. The jobs I'm working on at any given time can range from new construction projects where we are doing cabinetry for an entire house, to remodels where we may be working on a powder room vanity. Regardless of the type of project, those projects with heart and consideration ALWAYS turn out the best. Earlier in the summer I talked about the importance of details and with every project I start and finish I'm reminded of what a difference the details can make.

We recently completed a fun laundry/mud room project that takes functional to a whole new level. The project consists of new laundry room cabinets and the addition of a mud bench right outside the laundry room. The space is not very big, but the homeowner is SUPER SAVVY and was determined to get as much functionality out of this space as humanly possible. Every square inch of these spaces was considered. Countless items such as the ironing board, iron, laundry detergent, spray bottles and baskets have been measured and re-measured to ensure they will fit in their designated areas. We have literally squeeeeeeeezed every last drop of usable space out of this room and it turned out great.

Is this not THE cutest little mudroom/bench area? In order to create this space the contractor, Chris Pfahl of Dreamweaver Properties, had to modify the wall to the right of the door by pushing the wall into the garage to create this niche'.  This space is just big enough to house the little backpacks and jackets on decorative hooks. Additional storage space was captured in the drawers under the wooden seat and the open shelving at the top of the unit is the perfect place to house baskets. 

What you see above may seem like a pretty, updated shot of a laundry room, but it's oh so much more....

This wall of cabinetry literally explodes with storage! As I mentioned above, every inch of this space was considered to ensure that as much storage was captured as possible. We installed a partition in the far left tall cabinet to house the ironing board. Adjustable shelves were installed to the right of the partition. The partition as well as the shelving sit back 4" from the front of the door so the broom, mop and other items hung on the back of the door have a place to land when the door is shut.

 
 
The tall cabinet to the right houses three adjustable rollouts, adjustable shelves and a pullout trash can. As you can see the homeowner is utilizing baskets both in the mudroom/bench area as well as on the adjustable shelves. It's a great way to store miscellaneous items in a drawer like setting without having to actually have the drawer or rollout. Also, the adjustable shelving lends itself to a lot of flexibility in that the shelves can be moved or removed to accommodate stored items in various shapes and sizes.

A countertop was placed over the washer and dryer which creates a nice uninterrupted folding area.

 Wall cabinets & a hanging rod were installed above the washer and dryer. This addition offers plenty of drip-dry hanging space and even more storage.

 The washer and dryer take up most of the space on this wall, but it should come as no surprise that leaving valuable storage space on the table just wasn't an option. The homeowner gets 100% credit for thinking up this smart little cabinet sandwiched in between the washer and dryer. This cabinet serves as the perfect space to house laundry detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener, etc...

The adorable shirt/short hardware was another customer find and really adds another layer of personality to the space.

All cabinetry for this project was Bell Custom Cabinetry and was constructed in Paint Maple. The Mudroom/Bench area was painted in Benjamin Moore's Frostline AF-5 and the wooden seat was stained to match the floors. The laundry room cabinets were painted in Benjamin Moore's Metropolitan AF-690.

There is no doubt about it - this client had done her research, she had talked to friends, surfed the web and utilized sites like pinterst and Houzz to find inspiration photos of what it was she was looking for. She gathered all of this ammunition and then set out to make her space work for her and her family. All of her hard work paid off because she has a truly functional and aesthetically beautiful space that others will be pinning and adding to their idea books for years to come!

All photos in this post are my own.

Mixed Greens

This weekend was Georgia's tax free shopping weekend! I was very excited as this is always a good time to make some Fall purchases. Even though it's only 7 -8% off, every little bit helps make certain pricey items a little more obtainable. I can rationalize anything... "it's a gift!" :)

As we all know, Tangerine Tango is the "color-of-the-year", but I'd say green is one of the hottest colors of this upcoming Fall season. We all know fashion and interiors are very much intertwined, so I set out to do some research this past weekend. As I was perusing some of my favorite stores (preparing my Fall wish list), I noticed the most beautiful shades of green showcased in everything from clothing to accessories.

This shade of green...........

2012 Tory Burch
Marianne Pump
in Malachite Green.

... and these shades...

Kate Spade jewelry display showcasing various shades of green.
Photo my own.

And this shade.....(no pun intended here, haha)

2012 Tory Burch
Classic Sunglasses
in Lagoon Green

The green hues are so fresh and exciting and have the potential to add a pop of warmth and elegance to any backdrop be it an outfit or a room.

After a little digging  I believe I found a few paint colors and interior versions of this hot trend for you to consider for your space.

Benjamin Moore's Lafayette Green HC-135

This color would require a good deal of light in the room to keep it from getting too dark, but I think it's got a rich softness about it that could add an unexpected pop to any space. 

How pretty is this? Bold, but pretty. Before taking the plunge with a color like this for all the cabinets in your kitchen, you want to make sure you really really really love it. With that being said, it's beautiful, different and fresh. I could see this color on an island with a contrasting perimeter - maybe a white.  

Notice how nice this green pairs with black, silver, white and gold.

This photo is via HouseBeautiful.

The perimeter cabinets in this kitchen are painted in Benjamin Moore's Sherwood Green HC-118. I think the space is light and airy. This green is not too in your face and really works nicely with the stained finish on the islands.

Benjamin Moore's Surf Blue 2056-30.

The wall color above comes across a bit more teal than the others but I think it's vibrant and beautiful.

This photo is via HouseBeautiful.

I really like this shot. The pops of green really create a funky, fresh look in what would otherwise be a very stark and sleek space. I love the pattern of the wallpaper & the mirror over the tub.

Green with envy yet?  It's never healthy to wish one's life away, but between the fashion taking over the racks as we speak and the photos above I'm itching for a time and place to play with a little green myself. Stay tuned!

Unless otherwise noted all photos are from google search.