Marin Home Magazine: Make the Most Of Your Space

Hello! How is everyone this beautiful Friday? The sun is shining here. The birds are chirping. And business is BUSY. It is definitely the season of home improvement.

I'm happy to share

my latest article

in Marin Home Magazine on space planning. The digital issue just came out on Tax Day (hopefully some of you are getting refunds???) and local peeps should see the print version in their mailboxes any day now. 

If you're struggling with space planning challenges - for a Great Room or any room -  this story's for you. So head on over and take a peek. There's lots of other good stuff in the magazine, too! And don't forget - I offer space planning as one of my design services. So if you need some help getting out of a layout rut, give me a call. I just might be able to help you see your space differently.

Tips for Using Radiant Orchid and Exclusive Plum: My Full Interview with Better Homes & Gardens

I haven't yet weighed in on the whole Pantone Color of the Year thing. And to be honest, I wasn't sure if I had too much to say about it. But, apparently I did back in January 2012 when Better Homes and Gardens interviewed me about violets! I was doing some file purging on my computer this past week and was kind of excited when I realized how ahead of the color game we were. Kudos to BHG for featuring a hue that was just a hair before its prime. (See the orchids in the styling? Kinda makes you wonder where Pantone gets its inspiration...)

In case you have been living under a color-deficit rock, Pantone crowned Radiant Orchid as the official 2014 Color of the Year in December. And shortly after that, paint giant Sherwin Williams officially named Exclusive Plum as their own Color of the Year.

There are many opinions floating around out there on these hues. Some love them, some are haters. I like to look at the colors of the year as more of a concept, rather than actual specific paint suggestions. And, as a concept, I think violets are gorgeous. I've actually found violets, in general, to be extremely popular with my clients for at least the last five years. I've been spec-ing different variations of them for exteriors and interiors, as well as bathroom and kitchen tile! I wonder if I'll be getting more requests - maybe bolder requests - in the near future. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

In the meantime, I'd love to share the full Q&A I did with Better Homes and Gardens for their January 2012 issue. Enjoy!

Oh, and to clarify, the BHG color story was focused on red-violets. Radiant Orchid falls in the red-violet category, while Exclusive Plum falls more in the blue-violet category. A quick color lesson: the red-violets tend to read a little sweeter, warmer and more feminine than the blue violets. Not always, but it's a pretty good rule of thumb.

Q} For each color represented on a lid, tell me how you’d use it in a room and what color(s) it pairs well with?

A} "Purple Davenport" (deepest red-violet): 

Love the idea of a bed or bath painted in this hue. It could be used in place of more traditional reds, perhaps in a dining room or a front door. Also could be as an accent color in pillows, upholstery fabric and drapery. 

Pair with:

Buttery creams or warm, pale greys for a more sophisticated palette. Black, dark browns, grays and even indigo blues for a more mysterious effect. Other equally saturated hues such as turquoise, jade, grass-y or limey greens, golds and oranges for a playful, energetic look. 

Bath Materials Design board by Story & Space for BHG's digital edition

"Mouthwatering" (bright berry violet)

 Would be stunning in a bathroom or entryway. It’s pretty potent, so use it in a space where you want to get attention. As an accent, like "Purple Davenport", would be lovely in pillows, upholstery and drapery. 

Pair with:

Whites, greys and blacks for a more graphic, contemporary feel. Like "Purple Davenport", could also be paired with any of the equally saturated hues listed above. Would look amazing with deep charcoal greys which would bring an edge of sophistication and mystery. Also a good match for creams which could soften this boisterous hue.

Inspiration Board by Story & Space. Violets and Navy = yum!

"Sweet Surrender" (nearly-white violet) :

Could be used as trim and ceiling for a room in painted in "Purple Davenport" or "Mouthwatering".

Pair with:

Because this hue is so pale, it can handle being layered with other deeper red-violets...and even truer reds. For a softer effect that doesn’t go too girly, use it with pale silvery greys. 

"Spangle" (dusty pale violet):

Beautiful hue for anything silk or linen. A duvet in this color fabric would be heavenly.

Pair with:

Would work well, like the others, with blacks, whites, and greys.  Also could work with very pale olive greens or khakis, which ground this heavily scented hue.

Color Design project by Story & Space. Violets layered with greens.

Just a touch of violet in these greys. Color Design by Story & Space.

"Storybook Charm" (mid-tone dusty violet):

Fun color for a laundry room. Also could work as trim and ceiling color for a room in 

"Purple Davenport" or "Mouthwatering".

Pair with:

  Like "Sweet Surrender", this hue can also be paired with other red-violets. It would also look stunning with the deepest blue-violets and smokey taupes. 

"Red-violets aren’t just for girls. The deepest of these hues can be mysterious and powerful."

Q} What mood does violet set? 

A} This particular group of hues is comprised of red-violets, as opposed to blue-violets which means that they have more of a red undertone. This inherently makes them warmer-feeling than their blue-violet counterparts. 

Each of these hues will provide a very different mood when painted on all four rooms of a space. "Purple Davenport" would create a somewhat rich and mysterious space that wouldn’t necessarily read as feminine, depending on what colors and textures it is combined with. "Storybook Charm", on the other hand, lends itself to a softer much more feminine feel. "Mouthwatering" is red-violet with a little spunk. It is a fearless hue, for sure. This paint color would have a candy-like presence with a sweetness you can almost taste. "Sweet Surrender" is the softest of the group, with just a shimmer of red-violet. A room painted entirely in this hue feel like a whisper of pink...soft and romantic. "Spangle" might look dainty, but get it up on all four walls and it’s no shrinking violet. Like the other lighter hues, it is sweet and romantic, but it would also have a strong presence. This is by far the girliest hue of the bunch.

Kitchen Design by Story & Space. This client went bold with the backsplash - so much fun!

Q} How can you make violets look less girly?

A} We all have very complex psychological associations with colors -not just violets - that are based on our cultural upbringings, amongst other things. Although there is an inherent sweet and floral association with many of these red-violet hues simply because they are the color of familiar flowers, much of our perception of red-violets is taken from what we’ve learned over time. Violets weren’t always associated with girly-ness. Purple was, and still is, a color of royalty. Red-violets can be very powerful and mystical...it just depends on the exact hue we are referring to. 

With that said, color is never viewed in a vacuum. That means that we experience a color with everything else that surrounds it. When we use a paint color on the walls of a room there are always other design elements that come into play and affect how we perceive that hue. To keep a red-violet room from becoming “too girly” it’s important to consider the other colors and textures in the space. Adding lace, dolls, floral fabrics and more red-violets to an already “lilac” room is only going to emphasize the girliness. 

"The palest red-violets are like a sweet, fragrant whisper, while the deepest shades are a symphony for the senses."

To create a less girly space, it’s important to bring in elements that are inherently less girly. Black and white photography, industrial inspired decor, streamlined furniture designs are just a few ideas on how to tame the romantic quality of red-violets. Also, pairing red-violets with colors that are not perceived as feminine, such as greys, blacks, browns, deep blues, etc, can help combat that girly feel.

This client took a deep eggplant-y violet accent from inside to out. Color Design by Story & Space.

Q} What tricks are there for using violets? Does a little go a long way with the richer shades?

A} The deeper shades of red-violet are actually less feminine and, in my opinion, easier to decorate with. The deeper the hue, the less sweet and romantic they are. The lightest tints of red-violets read as the most delicate and feminine, whereas the deepest shades read as more powerful and masculine. They also read more passionate. I would suggest to anyone painting their walls in these hues who is trying to steer clear of a romantic effect to go deeper in value. 

Look closely - that's a deep red-violet on those pillows! Color Design by Story & Space.

Q} How can you make lilacs/violets/purples more livable? 

A} I think the first thing to do is to eliminate that assumption that they aren’t livable. And the idea that violet/lilac/purple is one hue. There is a huge range of violets, and, like any other hue, different variations create entirely different moods and effects. Next thing, remember that colors do not live in a vacuum. These red-violets can look very different depending upon what colors and textures they are paired with. Think about the overall mood you are going for in a space and then select a violet that supports that mood. Sophisticated and mysterious can be achieved using red-violet just as well as sweet and romantic can. 

Q} What rooms are they best used for?

A} They can be used in any room. Depends on what mood you are trying to create and what specific red-violet is being used. Also depends on your personal preference, color tolerances and psychological associations. I wouldn’t ban or promote violet for any particular space.

This client went violet all the way! Bath Design by Story & Space

Q} Is it a trendy color? Classic? Timeless? What tricks are there to giving it longevity?

A} Any color can have longevity as long as it speaks to you. If you love violet, use it. If you don’t love it and you are using it simple because it’s trendy, it won’t have any longevity. 

"Think red-violets aren’t versatile? Think again. While the softest tints speak of romance and sweetness, the deepest shades are rich and powerful."

Will you be using Radiant Orchid or Exclusive Plum...or any other variation of violet in your home this year? Are you inspired, or ready to move on already?

When Life Happens...

I've been writing this blog post in my head for a long time. And the fact that I never officially wrote it is the main reason I haven't been writing much at all. I mean, how do you write about anything authentically when there's this big Radiant Orchid elephant in the room?

So here goes. Time to get some crap off my chest. This won't be about design, so if that's what your looking for today, my apologies. Come back next year. I'm hoping once I take care of this little order of business I'll clear up some room to create more of what I love. But the truth is, life and design are not mutually exclusive. You cannot create independently of life. So, in my effort to compartmentalize my business and career from my personal life, I've actually shut down most of my ability to be creative. Again, my hope is that by opening up in this way, I can open up in all ways.

My dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in April. It was the most crushing piece of information I have ever received. My world stopped. I froze. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I could not believe. But, it was true. And once I started breathing again I felt. I felt and I felt. And I cried.


My dad received chemotherapy and radiation treatments for about 5 months. He handled the treatments ok in the beginning, but towards the end the radiation the side effects were brutal. He couldn't move. He couldn't mow the lawn. He couldn't do anything. It was very difficult to see him that way, because my dad is such a do-er. He is always doing something. He's building. He's cooking. He's fixing things around the house. He's always doing something. It's what makes him happy.

At the end of September he had a clear scan. The cancer treatments had destroyed the tumor. While my husband and I were out of town for a memorial we got the news. We both sobbed with joy. It was just the kind of news we needed while we were grieving the sudden loss of my husband's dear friend and mentor. (I know, right? Enough already.) It meant my dad was healed - for now. It meant that he didn't have to have his esophagus removed or ask the question, "what next?" It meant that, for now, we could all take a big sigh of relief.

For now.

Funny thing about chemo and radiation is that it has a very dark side. Yes, it cleared the cancer. But it caused my dad to lose a good portion of his hearing. And it also affected his heart.

A couple of weeks ago, my dad started having an irregular heart rhythm, shortness of breath, and fatigue. He was hospitalized for a night. Not a fun call to receive. My world stopped all over again. But he was released and prescribed a few meds to fix the issue. Well, then it happened again. Changed the meds. And then, again. Only this time it was different. His heart almost stopped. He had cardiac tamponade, where the fluid around the heart basically squeezes the heart and shrinks it down to a point where it doesn't provide blood to the body. Not unlike a heart attack. He had an emergency procedure to drain the fluid around the heart, but if that procedure wasn't done in time he would have died. He would have died. I've said those words again and again, and it still doesn't seem real. But that's exactly what happened. I mean, how can I write a blog post on Pantone's 2014 Color of the Year while this is happening? How can I possibly care what fabric my client uses on his sofa? Or how many new likes I have on Facebook?

My dad stayed in the ICU for five days. He was released on Tuesday. That's the good news. And some more really good news is that they tested for the presence of cancer and it was negative. The bad news is that the cardiac tamponade could happen again.

I spent the afternoon in the cardiologist's office yesterday. This was not my original plan. I have work to do. I have Christmas gifts to buy. I have business plans to make for 2014. I have writing to do. I have a home office that badly needs to be decorated. I have a dog to walk. I have to be creative. I have to be social. I was going to make cookies. I was going to send out holiday cards to my clients. I was going to make some more Shiny Brite wreaths. I have floor plans to draw. And emails to send. And color and design stories to post on social media. Oh - and I had some great vintage holiday articles and crafts I wanted to share. (You may get those in July...)

But right now, all I can think about is my dad. And I just want him to be healthy.

I know that life goes on. Regardless of what happens, life does go on. And it's so important to create and spread joy, despite what may or may not be happening around you and in you. But it's also important to give your grief and your sadness a voice. And that's what I'm trying to do. I want to be so many things - so many positive things. And I want to share that positivity on this blog. Writing about my dad just seemed like such a downer. And, really, lots of people have cancer. Lots of people go into the hospital. I'm not experiencing anything more "special" than anyone else. I know that.

But, I also know that this has become too big for me not to write about.

The designer and business person in me is sooooooo frustrated right now. Life has happened...IS happening...and it seems to be leaving me in the dust. I feel so far behind, and, quite honestly, a little down on myself about what I haven't been able to do. The photo above is a Shiny Brite wreath I made somewhere in the madness of the last couple of weeks. I was planning a fun little blog post about it with some instructional photos, but it just stopped mattering. So you get a photo. One photo. Of a wreath made of Shiny Brites.

I also styled the house somewhere in the madness. I have no energy to take photos and share them. But maybe it's enough to tell you that it's styled?

I keep hoping to bounce back. I've done it before. I've been an emotional rubber band this year. After the shock and the sadness, the resilience kicks in. But the bounce back rate is slowing. It's taking me longer this time. It's difficult to go back to "normal", whatever that is anymore. Or maybe that's not the point.

My dad may be just fine. He may recover from all of this fully and completely. He may not. That's the big question mark in my life right now. Learning to live with question marks has never been an easy thing for me to do. I like to wrap things up in perfect little packages and have answers for everything. Then I can move onto the next puzzle. The next project. The next challenge. Somehow I now have to figure out how to move forward and through everything while this thing is not wrapped like I want it to be. I keep wrapping it, and it keeps coming unwrapped. I keep trying new paper and bows and ribbon and tape - I even tried staples! - but it won't stay wrapped.

What a metaphor for the holiday season, huh? My dad is a package that won't stay wrapped.

So, maybe I need to stop trying to wrap him. And everything else. But I'm a designer! That's what I do. I essentially - metaphorically- wrap packages for a living. Even writing is like wrapping a package. Ugh.  I just may be doomed.

With that said, if I have any useful advice to give anyone this holiday season, it would be to slow down. Just slow down. Step away from social media (which I find extremely depressing right now with everyone's happier than happy posts), and just live in the moment. Your moment. If that moment is happy, great. If it's sad, that's ok, too. Feel what you feel. And let life happen. Because it's going to happen whether you can wrap it in a perfectly beautiful little package or not.

Marin Home Magazine: Color, Mood & Space

Marin Home Magazine has just launched their Fall 2013 issue. Please check it out - it's a good one! And it's where you'll find my latest article on color - "Color, Mood and Space." Give it a read and let me know what you think! 

"It’s important that we select our colors thoughtfully. Not fearfully, but with conscious intention to create a space that makes us feel how we want to feel."

How to Select Paint Colors for a Mountain Cabin - Part II

A few years ago I worked with my brother on the exterior colors of his mountain cabin in Twain Harte, CA. Then I blogged about it. Turns out, this has become one of my most popular blog posts! And when Deanie from Oregon came upon the story, she did more than read it. She took those colors and painted them on her very own mountain cabin...with some pretty fabulous results.

"Hi Kelly.

I had emailed you earlier in the summer about using your mountain cabin colors for a house we have in Bend, OR. I decided to go for it and I couldn't be happier! We needed new siding and we decided to push out the front porch too. While looking for color inspiration I came upon your post and was sold! The house needed to look more like a mountain cabin and less like a unmemorable suburban house. The builder working in it was extremely hesitant, but I was confident! He now has changed his tune and loves the colors! Here is the before and I'll send the after... Thanks again for your inspiration!!!"

- Deanie S.

Here's Deanie's before and after:

And here's my brother's cabin:

I think it's kind of fun to see the same colors applied to a different structure! I also thought it'd be fun to ask Deanie a few questions on her paint selection process. I sent her a long list and she was kind enough to answer my questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. Thanks, Deanie!

Q} How long have you owned your cabin?

We bought the house about 8 years ago and we rented it out yearly for the first 4 and we've used it for ourselves as a vacation house for the past 4 years.

Q} What prompted the new paint job?

The house was built in 1993 and is a pretty standard "suburban" type house...not very interesting architecture at all. We needed to replace some damaged siding on two sides of the house and the house needed painting also, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to make some other exterior changes.

Q} What were you hoping to achieve through color?

We really wanted to change the look of the house completely. It was a house that you could drive by and not really notice at all. It also looked like it belonged on any suburban neighborhood street, not in a mountain vacation community. The houses across the street from us have the Deschutes River right behind them and they are million dollar homes with a lot of great architecture and character. Some are beautiful log homes with slate roofs or cedar shake with dark green trim. Our house just didn't fit. We wanted to make the house look more like a cabin and more like it fit with the other homes look and feel without it costing a million dollars! :)

Q} Was it difficult to find a palette?

Yes!!! We worked with a builder who was helping us with the design elements like adding the cedar shingles on the top gable, adding braces, and enlarging the front porch. I'm sure in his line of work, it is better to go safe, but safe would have defeated some of the purpose of this project....completely changing the look! He was trying to steer us very safe with very neutral, I thought boring, colors. I had first been thinking of a cottage red, but I ended up thinking the house is a little too big and didn't have the right architecture for a cottage red. 

Q} What process did you go through to find the "right" colors?

I have a Benjamin Moore color wheel that I've had for years and I've used for the interior of the Sunriver house and my house here in Washington. I pretty much carried it with me and drove around neighborhoods I liked comparing colors. I spent a lot of time on Houzz looking at cabins and craftsman type homes looking at their color selections. I also bought about $150 worth of samples from Benjamin Moore and had a big piece of plywood in the garage that had all my choices on it...but I still wasn't really inspired by any of the colors.

Q} What eventually led you to my blog post? What was it that intrigued you about this particular color palette?

I knew I wanted to go dark and rich for the colors and felt that it would make the house feel more substantial and give it more character. Besides Houzz I hadn't looked online and didn't really know where else to look. Then I just thought about what I wanted the house to look like and even thought it didn't look like a mountain cabin now, that is what I wanted it to look like, so I just typed into Google "Colors for a Mountain Cabin"...and I think your post was the first thing that popped up! And WOW! I knew it was perfect right away! I showed my husband and he really like it too! We really wanted some cedar accents and so the front door was also exactly what we wanted too! And since I had the Benjamin Moore paint wheel, I could look at the colors right away and I went down and got samples. 

The interior is all Benjamin Moore too, Solitude (blue/gray) on a couple of walls and Pale Celery (soft creamy yellow) with red and green accents, so I also was excited about how the exterior would complement the interior.

Q} You had some initial resistance from others to the color selections. What were the big warnings and fears?

I brought the paint samples down to Sunriver in July and painted one big section and of course next to the faded, washed out gray/blue that the house was, the French Beret looked REALLY dark! As I said, the builder wasn't confident and seemed to be afraid that with the Hot Apple Spice trim was going to make it look "gingerbread-ish". He was still trying to steer us toward tans and beiges. 

Q} What made you eventually "go for it"? How did you find the confidence to trust yourself?

I just knew myself and I knew that I would really regret it if I just went the safe route. My husband said,

"What's the worse that could happen? We don't like it? We don't like it now and it's a light color and even if we don't like it after, at least it won't be the same and it probably can't be any worse!"*

And we were paying a lot of money to make the house look very different, I would have been disappointed if we had paid all that money and just have it look a little different, so I just thought "What the hell...Go for it"! The builder absolutely LOVES the colors - the neighbors LOVE it, and we LOVE it! It achieved exactly what we wanted! The house looks like a mountain cabin now! The colors are rich and masculine and fit so well with the neighborhood and with the dark green evergreens and the rusty, red volcanic dirt of the high desert area.

(*I love this! What a smart man. It's the truth, right? )

Q} What would you recommend for others who are searching for the perfect exterior colors for their mountain cabin?

That you go outside of the box for a mountain cabin. I wouldn't have painted my house in Washington those colors. We have a farmhouse style house here with dormers and a big covered front porch. The house is white with green trim and fits perfectly the type of house it is. With a cabin, or a house that you are trying to make look cabin-ish, I really like the dark, forest-y colors that actually blend in better than light colors in those surroundings.

Five Arguments for Painting Your Room First

It's no secret that there are a lot of design rules floating around out there. One that is most prevalent is that, when decorating a space, you should always select your area rug first. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is completely un-true. Selecting your area rug first can be a great way to start. But I have a real problem with using words like "always" when doling out design advice. It can be dangerous because it fuels the already-existing fear that many people have about decorating. With these rules comes the perception that, if they are not followed precisely, your design will be wrong. They limit our creativity, make us question our personal style and innate artistic instincts, and squash our confidence. Not very helpful for the design process!

Another rule that I hear often is that you should always paint your room last. Again - I don't necessarily think this is bad advice, except for the word "always". Yes, it can be a good idea to select your paint color after everything else. The biggest argument for this "rule" is that paint color choices are infinite, whereas sofas, rugs, and window treatments are only available in a limited color supply. By saving your wall paint selection for the end, you won't be limited by any particular color or colorway. However, this approach to a room's design can lead to color becoming an afterthought. Something that is selected just because it goes with everything else, as opposed to a hue that is consciously vetted for is distinct mood, characteristics and our personal relationship with it.

I actually think it can be a very smart design approach to paint your room first. Before any other major design decisions are made. Not always, but it can be. And here's why:

Five Arguments for Painting Your Room First

1. You Don't Know Where to Start

If you are struggling with a hundred other decisions in the design of a space, start with the paint color. This selection will help you make other decisions because you've created a constant. Something to refer back to with all your other color and design decisions. Yes, you are sort of taking a leap because...oh my god, how will you know that you'll be able to find furniture that will go with your wall color after you've painted? What if you can't find anything? Then what - will you have to repaint? Maybe. Maybe not. But try to calm down and trust that it will all work out. And if you do have to repaint, remind yourself that it's not the end of the world. At least you got started!

2. You Found a Color You Love

You've had your eye on a room you pinned to Pinterest for about a year now. You are obsessed. There is nothing you want more than to paint your room that color. Paint it. You will be happy. Yes, you will have to hunt and test a few colors to create the right version for your room and your lighting conditions. You might even need to hire a color expert to consult with to achieve that very particular look and mood that makes you drool. But once you do you will wonder what took you so long. And instead of staring at your computer screen admiring someone else's color, you will be admiring and living in your own beautiful space. Take that, Pinterest!

3. You Want to Create a Very Particular Mood

Maybe it's a moody Mad Men-esque office. Or a dainty, feminine powder room. Paint color is the strongest player in the mood game. Use it first. Get that mood thing going. Nothing will change the feel of a space more than paint color. Well, maybe a full, tear-down remodel, but then we're comparing apples to oranges. Or reds to oranges. Either way, designing a mood is definitely a reason to select paint color first. And, once again, if you are having trouble equating a mood to a particular color, bring in a color expert. It's what we do. 

4. You Are Stuck

Maybe you are remodeling. Maybe you just moved into a new house. Maybe you need to buy a few new pieces of furniture. Maybe you're bored. Maybe you just lost your job. Or a boyfriend. Or your mojo. Paint color can get you unstuck. In design and in life. If you don't believe it, try it. Then get back to me. There is magic and power in color.  Embrace it fearlessly and I promise you'll get things moving again. You may have to repaint that kooky lime green wall that you thought was a good idea right after you were dumped by what's-his-name, but big deal? It's cheaper than therapy, and the upside is you may come up with a really cool design idea through your broken-hearted artistic angst.  

5. You Have Extra Paint in the Garage

Ok - this is probably the last thing you'd expect to hear from me. And I do include this argument with a cautionary warning: don't use a color you don't like just because you have an extra gallon lying around. But do re-use a color if you have an extra gallon lying around AND you still find it beautiful and amazing and it fits the desired mood and function of a space. Here's an example. I had extra paint left over from our previous house. We lived there only a year, and painted six months in. So, we really only got to enjoy the color for about six months before we moved out. When we moved into our new house, I still loved the color and wanted to use it somewhere. We had just enough left over to paint the hallway, so I painted it. It looks great. And I have one less paint can in the garage. 

If you need help selecting the perfect colors for your space, call me or email me. I can help. 
650.867.3896
kelly@storyandspace.com