New GLAMOUR - Edgy & Elegant

I'm so fickle! Just recently (about 9 months ago) I updated my Master Bed and Bath with a blue, brown and gold color scheme. It had been years since I had used blue in my personal decor. Blue was just not a color that I was naturally drawn too. Mr. Panache on the other hand LOVES blue. It's his favorite color so I decided to update our Bedroom and Bath and add blue. Now I'm blue...it's just not getting it for me. Back in May my BFF, Bella~Mella, came for a visit and we attended a conference together. In her bag she had packed a copy of Home Depot's "Connect with Color - Design and Color Trends by BEHR". As we flipped through the booklet we talked about colors, design, personal style and what we liked and didn't like. Now, I'm not a trendy decorator but every now and again a trend will actually get it right and go from trendy to classic in a flash. I knew when I saw their "New Glamour" palette, it would eventually work its way into my house. NEW GLAMOUR is tradition with a twist, a look that's relaxing and unabashedly luxurious. Living with a house full of guys I try not to decorate or furnish our home with too much "fem" appeal but luxury isn't necessarily feminine so off I go to pull together a NEW GLAMOUR look without spend more than $100! Think I can do it? I do! Let's look at the Color Story: Here's BEHR's tips for New Glamour:

1. Popular colors for this style include natural yellow-infused greens.
2. Accents are expressive browns, soft yellows and color-touched whites.
3. New Glamour lends itself to mixing and matching traditional design elements with metallic embroidered fabric and eye popping accents.
4. Natural motifs such as flowers and leafs are popular.
5. Strong accents are added in ceramics of all shapes and sizes.
6. Walls should be clean and netural.
7. Luxury should be added through accessories and high-end, quality fabrics such as damask and brocade.
8. Subtle contrasting tones can be introduced through fabric, wallpapers and accessories.

Here's my plan:

1. I plan to start in the Master Bath and work into the Bedroom.
2. I am going to re-stain the maple vanities in a rich Espresso polystain.
3. Replace the cabinet hardware with Brushed Nickle.
4. Replace the blue and beige fabric curtain with a pair of green, silk taffeta panels.
5. Refinish my Mother's antique chandy in Hammered Silver and hang it over my garden tub.
6. Shop the house and add a few accessories to glam it up.
7. Stay within a $100 budget.
   

Here are a couple pics from the former bathroom re-do.

Yes, the cheetah print stays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow I will start working on the vanities using some great tips from Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality. Next, I will refinish that old chandelier and get Mr. Pananche to hang it up. I'll finish up with painting those walls and accessorizing the space. If all goes well I will have the reveal posted next Monday. Until I see you again,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa

Monday Moments

Mondays have become crazy days for me lately! It just seems that the first day of the work week is just packed with "To Do's". Every now and then I have to remind myself to just slow down and breathe. It's nice when something unexpected happens like these lovely ORANGE Roses I found at the market for $4.00. ORANGE is one of my favorite colors. I am using it in my sunroom with soft green and yellow - a very citrus inspired room. I am using it in my family room with turquoise - inspired by my BFF, Bella~Mella.

Many studies have been done on the power of color. A study from the University of Georgia found an astounding 94% of people who viewed ORANGE felt happier in seconds! Warm colors like orange, yellow, mango, peach and coral convey friendliness and warmth, making everyone who sees them happier. Research has proven that the brain's "happiness centers" are actually activated by exposure to warm, bright colors.

So, if you need a moment of happiness in your Manic Monday, try a liberal dose of ORANGE.

Hope your day is filled with happiness and sunshine! Until I see you again,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa

Ebony and Ivory: A black and white color story

Hello there! Welcome to my Black and White color story! You can probably tell from my blog design that I have a thing for Black and White. To me B and W go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly or French Fries and Ketchup. For me there is just no better combination. I have threatened more often than once to completely redecorate my entire home using nothing but this fabulous duo. Perhaps once the boys are a little older (or neater)! I am even contemplating giving away my entire wardrobe and replacing it with things from WHITE HOUSE Black Market. How delightfully easy would it be to add punches of color for seasonal flair if your pallet started with Black and White? So let's go for a tour of 12 stylish rooms that don't whisper but SHOUT panache! Love, love, love this living room. Can't get enough of that big B and W checked chair! The lantern is just up my alley. I actually have a table-top version. Look at that little sheep on the coffee table. Too cute!
What family wouldn't love to come down for breakfast in this cheery kitchen. The way toile, checks and stripes are combined is very charming.

What a gorgeous bed! I've never thought of painting walls gray but in this room they look fabulous!

This charming vintage bath is brought up a notch by the black and white checker board pattern painted on the outside of the slipper tub. Here, again multiple patterns of checks, polka dots and florals add charm and whimsy.

This bold black and white harlequin design wallpaper is the bomb! Lots of folks are afraid to use bold or large scale patterns in small spaces. I think the key is to keep the color pallet simple and the accessories elegant and refined. I love the little crystal "chandy" and the white lilies.

For some reason I think of Audra Hepburn when I look at this bedroom! I immediately think of her little black dress in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". The graceful curving lines of the headboard just scream Hollywood starlet to me!

This modern bath has a touch of retro glam! Love the round lighted mirror.

I think that a good dose of texture is always needed when working with a strictly edited color scheme. The rug, baskets and tri-pod lamp add just the right amount to this mostly white room.

Usually, I am not a "white cabinets" kind of girl but I can't deny that this kitchen has all the right stuff! The punches of yellow and red against the black and white just send my heart into palpitations! The window treatments are divine!

You don't have to go with black furniture to create a wonderful design using black and white. This lovely bedroom incorporates black and ivory in the bedding in a most complimentary way to these warm wood tones.

In this dining room, the focal point is the solid black draped table sitting beneath an elegant silver and crystal chandelier.

Another wonderful example of a vintage bath that outshines many modern counterparts. Dressed in ivory and black, the baseboards and crown molding just define this elegant space. I love the heavy framed mirror and the sisal rug bordered with a band of black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my Black and White color story. Who knows, maybe one day you will see a totally redecorated house on CP that features rooms bedecked in this classic combo.

Until then,

Happy Decorating!

Alisa

An Apple A Day... A color story

I'm sure you've all heard that "an apple a day, keeps the Doctor away...". Well, one of my goals for 2009 is to eat more natural foods so I decided that after the holidays were over, I would clear out the refined sugars and replace them with delicious fresh fruits. After my trip to the local grocery store's produce department, I had a dilemma - what am I going to do with all of this fruit? A pretty footed glass bowl became home to my Red Delicious Apples! Don't these look yummy? I love the deep saturated color of the apple skins and the touch of gold seen a the top and bottom of the apple. I thought this would be a perfect accent in my living room. All the Christmas decor has come down and things were looking a little bare so my bowl of apples found a home on the coffee table. I'm not sure how long they will last though ; ) I have had a love affair with RED for many years! Once I even purchased a RED sofa, club chair and ottoman! Red as a primary color is HOT, eye-stopping and a little risky. Because its so visually demanding, intense red should be used with care. Subtle variations of primary red works much better in interior spaces. For a traditional color scheme apple red or cherry red works wonders with navy or Cadet blue. For a modern and contemporary space try adding lipstick red to pink or even hot pink tones such as fuchsia.
In my living room I use liberal doses of deep dark red. My living room walls are painted a warm golden hue so the red accent adds an element of depth and authority to the color story. Here is a picture of a table scape in my living room. A table runner from Pottery Barn - Spice Trade - covers the table, a black and gold wrought-iron tray holds two palm tree candle holders, an antique clock and a red pottery vase of deep purple, red and orange blooms.

This is an accent chair that has recently been given a make-over. Before, this chair was a light, bleached wood and covered in a mauve fabric from the early 90's. We rescued it and put it through several makeovers before this one. Last month I decided I wanted to move this chair to the living room. In order to make the chair fit the color scheme, it had to undergo a little "surgery". (I am sorry I don't have a before shot of the chair :( ). As you can see the frame was painted glossy black, the upholstery was updated with a rich mustard yellow silk with a red, rust and teal blue floral pattern woven in a chenille thread. The black frame of the chair pairs well with the black and gold picture frames on the wall art above. I added a punch of color by using the red silk decorative pillow. I love how the black, gold and red come together for a classic trio of colors. True neutrals - black, gray, white - balance the vibrancy of reds and make them safer. Updated neutrals such as khaki, camel, cocoa, ecru, linen, charcoal, coffee bean, and chestnut pick up energy from reds such as cranberry and Bordeaux while calming the shades of ripe tomato and Chile pepper red.

In this shot you see a pair of framed prints with a full-bodied deep RED background.

These two prints were the inspiration for the color scheme in the living room and dinning room - gold, RED and black with just enough touches of white in the trim and woodwork to add balance. Here I've featured a mosaic plate in shades of rust, orange, red, gold and ruby.

Warm colors - and RED is the warmest of all - appear to advance, and pull in the space.

Rooms where red is used in liberal doses seem more intimate and cozy.

My dinning room and living room are open to each other and somewhat large, only separated by two white columns. When choosing a color story for these two rooms, I knew I wanted them to be warm and inviting. Using the framed prints as my guide, I chose a cheery complementary gold color for the walls and let the red accents take center stage.

Do you have a love affair with red too? I'd love to hear about how and where you use RED in your home. No matter what shade of RED you choose, let it warm up the interiors of your home this winter! Even small accents can add warmth and cheer!

Happy Decorating!

~ Alisa