At Home With Color

This weekend, I'm heading to the Garden State Home Show to give a series of presentations on color, and the timing couldn't be better. For me, it's right about now, when the excitement of a new year starts to wane and the snow continues to fall, that my mind turns to warmer days—and brighter hues. Of all the elements we use to design our homes, color has such an incredible way of uplifting the spirit. It soothes as much as it stimulates, and on winter nights especially, going through old magazines by the fire, I'm drawn to the lush, warm tones of citrus, dreaming of days—and rooms—yet to come.  

The way I see it, color inspiration is everywhere, but sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper. Peel things back—skins, pages, memories—revealing colors and combinations of dazzling beauty. This image from Living has been a favorite of mine for years. The pixie tangerine alone (white flowers, green leaves) could inspire the palette for an entire bedroom: dark wood floors the color of the stem, white wainscoting, tangerine walls, and a linen roman shade in stripes of the two. For the bed, green tufted headboard, tailored box pleat skirt (inner white, outer green), with bedding all in shades of tangerine. Flowers, too, reveal beautiful palettes. Here, zinnias and phlox from last summer's garden inspired fabrics and paint for another cheery bedroom sure to warm up the winter.   

Being bold with color takes courage—believe me, I know—but the rewards are many. For a story I did back at Martha, we painted the walls of a loft-like guest room a vivid peony pink, then kept the furniture and fabrics neutral. For a small space, the color feels bright and happy but not overwhelming. To the right, from Southern Accents, tangerine walls are a fitting choice for a Palm Beach residence, but how warm and inviting would it feel to paint a living room in a cold-weather region a similar hue?   

Of course, wallpaper is another way to add rich color to a room. Splatter pattern aside, I love using textural solids in unexpected ways. For a bedroom story I did back at Martha, I used a pretty green grasscloth, cut into 24-inch squares and rotated for a more dimensional checkerboard effect. The pale blue ceiling, paired with the periwinkle velvet on the bed, felt calming enough for a bedroom but still with a hint of Hollywood glam. Speaking of, how glamorous would it be to throw open the doors of your closet to reveal a color of surprising beauty? In this image from Domino, a turquoise and cream damask wallpaper feels fun, flirty, and sophisticated. 

Anyone who's accompanied me to the flea market knows I love freshening up old furniture with paint. All wood isn't created equal, especially when it's merely the veneer of pieces mass-produced in the 20s and 30s. When in doubt, paint it out! These shield back chairs I found at a Goodwill last year. They were a great size with pretty lines but the finish felt dusty and dated. Inspired by a vintage pair of Tiffany playing cards from the flea market, I painted them a punchy turquoise, then covered them in a woven homespun silk in the same palette as the cards. Now they feel fresh, happy and so much more modern. 

A staple of antique stores and Salvation Amries alike, secretaries showing their age can benefit from a splash of color too, whether a crisp, clean white or a more daring hue. In the bedroom of our city apartment shot for Domino (two things I miss terribly), we painted an old secretary white, then replaced the glass with mirror. Later, for a story at Martha on pairing opposing colors and patterns, I painted a similar piece a cheerful yellow, then wallpapered the interior a watermelon faux bois from Alpha Workshops. For the more timid among us, painting or wallpapering the insides of furniture is a fantastic way of adding color without a lot of commitment. 

Another great place to add color is the inside backs of bookshelves. Do you remember this living room makeover we did for friends out on Long Island, featured in Country Living?    

To update the room with a fresh, more modern look, we whitewashed all the walls, then painted the backs of the built-ins a pretty pale blue for added depth. Another stylist's trick is to remove unsightly jackets, grouping books both vertically and horizontally by color. Accessories in pale colors and natural textures like driftwood and sea glass kept the bookshelves light and airy. Finally, we layered in punchy touches of hot pink in the pillows. On neutral sofas especially, colorful throw pillows are one of my favorite ways to rev up the color in a room, swapping them in and out by season. Speaking of, here's a taste of spring from a story I did for House Beautiful years ago.     

After a trip to Braswell's one of my favorite stores for antique furniture and tabletop, I turned inexpensive silk scarves into fun, fashionable pillows. They're a great way of repurposing vintage scarves while adding color to an old sofa. For more inspiration and ideas on enlivening your decor with color, join me in New Jersey at the Garden State Home Show this weekend, then in Richmond for the Home Show later this month. I'd love to see you! And in the meantime, a question: What color combinations are you loving right now?        

Comments

[lilai@foammattress]

thanks for the helpful tips! It's very informative.

[irishguides]

Unthttp://www.irish-guides.com - .il orbit right-minded at the present time, the ruminate on of Irish notional voice-over in every now most American universities was uncommunicative field of the turn over of B potent of flawlessness yesterday's newsflash . This was in so deteriorated as Ireland was until 1922 u. w. Britain (and the northeast tutor of the i. remains linked to mistaken this d.) and as valid multitudinous as 1949 unusually a associate of the Commonwealth. In a stately adding the American niceties ideational topic tended on occasion to instantly contain an Anglophile bias.

[Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels]

Your blog is an amazing, endless source of inspiration. After a month of nearly non-stop snow, I find myself reaching for bright colors too, and thinking of spring. I was fantasizing about a tea party, but this post has sparked more ideas!

[Jen]

OK, this blog is going to be my new guilty pleasure once the 3 kids are in bed. LOVE HB, have all the issues, don't know why I didn't know you had a blog. The painted secretary idea is just what I need for the new kitchen I'm putting in this summer in our 1799 Federal. Right now I'm really into pale gray with a dark wood floor, white trim, and a fantastic punch of color somewhere, like a yummy Hermes orange painted table next to a belgian linen couch with avocado and blue pillows. Something like that.

[Colette]

...sigh...I loved that Cottage Living room you did.
Gorgeous post on color- you have me wishing for Spring!

[Janet]

Absolutly love the coral/sunny yellow combination. But, are you o.k. were you in some sort of accodent this weekend? Where are the winners from the giveaway??? All in fun!

[Lee]

These are great ideas. I want to freshen the inside of my closet and like the idea of color on the closet side of the door. I've considered something similar for the kitchen - painting flowers on the inside of the doors because my husband's reaction to painting them on the outside of the doors was less than warm. Great post.

[Kimberly]

I am inspired by the painted hutch. I have a round oak table from 1865 (still on its little rollers) and I just have not had the guts to paint it. But I am inspired to do this. Again, you always inspire me.

[black eyed susans kitchen]

I am loving those tropical colors right now. This is the perfect time of year to bring in something that reminds me of the summer...it is just so wintery around here. The turquoise in the chair was so unexpected and the painted secretaries changed their vintage/antique feel completely.
♥, Susan

[Victoria Zlotkowski]

Great inspiration, as always! Love gray, yellow and red right now, lot's of blue with white and silver, all above sprinkled with some elegant black.
Pink and orange for a bit of spring infusion...
Love to see you!

XX Victoria

[Jennifer @ Fiddle Dee Dee]

Oh how I love the color combinations. You have such a great eye for making things work. I am not so much a color on the wall person....I love whites and grays, but I do love to add color in the form of a throw, or in my furniture. Right now my color is in the our kitchen as my walls are a deep blue and accented with red and yellow. Those colors just make me smile as they are so cheery.

Hope you enjoyed the home show...and thank you for the help last week. Hopefully it'll all be pulled together in just a couple of days!

xoxo,
Jennifer

[Annabel Wrigley]

Eddie, I am so inspired by your blog, Thanks for showing us that creativity is not something that costs a ton of money. I love my local Goodwill all thanks to you!!!!

[Anna Ullman]

Eddie you are so creative. I love the chairs

[michelle]

I think I have a secret "orange crush". The colour has so many faces...persimmon or rust, reddy-yellows. Yum...love that image from Living.

Congrats on your win a Bloomingdales!!
Best,
Michelle

[JeanetteS]

I've always favored neutral colors but have begun to break out of my safe zone and expand my color palette. Lately, I have been inspired by Suzanne Kasler's book where she featured a dining room with pink accents. And there was another dining room with, I believe, Farrow & Ball's Orangery. I LOVE it.

And I love all the colors you featured in this post. Very inspiring.

[cj]

Count me as another who loved this post! Maybe its just the thought of upcoming spring colors, whatever, it made me want to CHANGE THINGS AROUND HERE.

[melissa lee]

I love muted tones....
Not so much into color other than for accent!!!
I do love other peoples homes that use color!
I love linen color,greys,browns,beige,or all white... every thing....
Funny, I love to wear color...if you look around most people wear, black, brown, greg and that's about it... So, I live more in muted tones and wear color....

Can you give me any colors to try in decorating if you know I love muted colors???

xxoo
Melissa

[carlee @ deliciously organized]

I'm not sure how I missed the article in HB, but I love the scarf idea. Beyond creative!

[Jesse]

I LOVE that wallpapered closet and it has been the to do list of mine for some time. Thanks for all the inspiration.

[Joyce Bentley]

I love all things in coral and orange tones, but my furnishings have evolved around wheat yellow with browns and burgundy, It is all pretty, but I long for ORANGE. Maybe in my next life! Loved your post with all the possibilities you presented.

[Splendid market]

What great inspiration! I've always loved that citrus shot too. Keep trying to get the courage to paint ny guestroom wallls turquoise--or maybe tangerine!! Is turquoise too trendy???
T

[Zim Loy]

Speaking of going through old magazines by the fire, lately I've been revisiting all my old House Beautiful mags and have been enjoying your columns all over again.
This is such a gorgeous post!

[daily decorator]

Hi Eddie!

I have been gravitating towards turquoise & lime green lately. Definitely cheerful colors! Maybe I'll see you at the Garden State Home Show if we don't get snowed in! ~Tracy

[kathysue]

He's baaaaack!! This is the Eddie I fell in love with. This is a wonderful and inspiring post. I just love the way you take a color and describe a whole room. You paint pictures with words. I want more!!! You are so inspiring and you make me want to freshen things up around the house. Color combinations I am loving right now are pretty much what I always love but I am like Kelly green punches. They won't work in my home but would love to be able to use some with black and white or turqouise and white. OOOOH! that would be pretty. xoxo Kathysue

[pve]

You have a way with color!
pve

[hamptontones]

Eddie, those shield back chairs are fabulous! What a great eye you have! Have fun this weekend and I'm sure you'll make many fans happy!

[Karen@Mignardise]

That peony pink room is perfection!

[honey living]

i am working on adding color to our new apartment which was white white white. we just painted our kitchen a lipsticky shade of red (more raspberry than brick, though) and here are some pictures.

http://honeyliving.blogspot.com/2010/01/sneak-peek-at-paint.html

would love your thoughts!

[Karena]

I move around in my favorite color palettes. from the full range of Blues to the hot pink, oranges, and rads! Great examples, something appealing to everyone.
Karena

[Patti Davis]

My Dear Eddie + Jaithan - I was going to comment on the spectacular zinnias, but then I saw the wallpapered closet and then the chairs and those scarves repurposed as pillows...and Oh My! I love it all. I am sitting here in Atlanta with the rain beating on the roof and this was just the punch of spring to inspire me until the weather gets warm. You all are a treasure to me! xoxo, Patti

[Kristin Gilbertson]

now that was a blog post.

[Tracy@comfortandluxury]

Thanks for this fun compilation... so many good ideas! I'll be back later to study up and visit all the links. Happy Friday!

[Katie]

Loving it!!

[Sara Jane]

I adore all things citrus! I've been slowly working some orange into my house that's primarily done with robin's egg blue, creams, and navy.

[gina]

love this post- I'm needing to breath some (colorful!) life into my stuffy "winter" rooms!

[Emily]

Awesome post! So inspirational and it's true, you can find it anywhere. I love it!

[Acanthus & Acorn]

I used to loathe yellow...until I started pairing it with colors other than blue. Lately, I find myself drawn over and over to tan and gray. The look of my Golden Retriever against my favorite gray sweater. A man wearing a camel coat with a gray flannel scarf...ahhh!
xo,
~Rebecca

[Marija]

Totally informative post - and such eye candy. That wallpapered closet shot is one of my all time favorites for some reason! This has me inspired to hit the flea markets!

[The Zhush @ thezhush.blogspot.com]

The chair transformation is incredible! Funny how we can so easily envision color in a warm climate interior,(the Florida house), but in truth its the northern cold climes that could really benefit from the emotional lift color provides, (certainly during this time of the year).

[Lori]

Thanks for the color inspiration! Those citrus colors just grabbed me out of my early-morning huge-snowstorm-on-the-way stupor! Looking forward to seeing you at the Richmond garden show.

[Susie @ Maddie's Nest]

Love it all...but particularly love the cheery room and the secretary. With 2 feet of snow headed our way....this cheerful and colorful post was just what the DR ordered!

[Tina]

I love this post Eddie. I am someone who feels more comfortable decorating in soft neutral colours. However, as I have three daughters, I have had to come out of my cofort zone as they all like strong colour and have 100% free range to choose their bedroom colours. I still would personally decorate with more neutral colours, but have learnt to love the green and pink combination of one of their rooms. We are now decorating our 14 yr old's bedroom in white, with accents of Tiffany blue (love your shield back chairs) and tiny pops of raspberry red. Thanks for some lovely inspiration Eddie. Have a great day - Tina x