Name: Julie
Location: New Orleans
Type: 3 bedroom 1800's shotgun house, rented
Why I use color: When we first stepped into this old house, I remember thinking it felt like a dank medieval castle. Every wall and ceiling was painted white, with plenty of dark stained wood everywhere. It was cold, uninviting, and actually quite creepy. I used color to make this house more modern and liveable. The color of the walls in this room creates a place of relaxation, a sanctuary.
The ceiling rafters are exposed, and though the room has a small footprint, the ceiling peak is 15 feet or so high. So in this case, I used a darker color which makes the room feel less tall. The colors in the room may not contrast much with one another or be very bright, but to me, they are still bold in that they create an atmosphere—a feeling of richness and comfort.
2 good color tips:
1. Use color to enhance your space.
Every home improvement or interior design show I have ever seen has heralded painting lighter colors to make rooms seem larger and more inviting. We painted this room a light yellow at first, and it was terrifyingly uncomfortable. People actually commented on the room making them feel uneasy. Though the new color is darker, it works for the proportions of our particular room.
2. Trust your instincts.
If you paint your room a certain color and are uncomfortable – change it! If you see a photograph of a room that makes you feel happy inside, use a similar color scheme. Don't worry about what you see in the magazines—if you don't like zebra fur or patent leather, don't put them in your house. Ultimately you are the one living in the atmosphere you create—use colors that make you feel relaxed and comfortable.
2 good color resources:
1. Local art and antiques.
I went to a street festival last fall and found this wonderful booth with amazingly colorful photographs. The two photos I purchased are the ones you see in my room, and they were just the inspiration I needed to repaint. Almost all of my furniture is old—not pricey antiques, just affordable items in good condition I found around the city. I would have never chosen a sofa with a stripe or those colors, but I couldn't pass up the great deal. Now, the sofa and its colors work within the space.
2. Paint matcher at Home Depot.
Knowing I did not want to use the exact same colors as in the photos, I looked through magazines to see if I could find any colors that would complement them. I found the perfect color in an old issue of a design magazine. I brought the magazine to Home Depot and tried to match it by sight, but thankfully I was able to scan the image and have the computer pick a color for me. I know, not the most artistic way to do it, but I would have spent forever trying to decide.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I have observed the falls color contest votes for a couple weeks now, without voting, and I have to say -- I think a lot of the AT readers are voting based on design aesthetic and NOT the actual use of color. This entry is far more traditional than other submissions, but still makes lovely use of rich colors - c'mon - look at that couch!
I like this space but am not "in love" with it. It doesn't take any risks but something about it feels too staid. I would want to read a book in there if the couch looked more comfortable. I like the use of color but something feels to interior decorated to me about this.
From whence cometh that nifty table lamp in the corner?
Jamie, I'm confused. How does one separate use of color from a design aesthetic? I thought the point of the contest was to see how those elements -- color and design -- combine, no?
But I'm not so well versed in these languages so perhaps my question is ignorant.
This space is handsome but (for my taste) too formal. If I were sitting in that room, I'd be afraid to laugh too loudly or to slouch on the couch.
i agree with jamie. i have seen a lot poo-pooing on folk's choices of artwork, furniture style and knick knacks. i think you can objectively look at a room and while you may not prefer that particular style, you can see that the homeowner put some thought into decorating their house. i personally like to have a less formal style for myself but i'm not asking julie to decorate my house. her home though is very nicely put together with her wall color and accents pulling from the colors in the sofa. my suggestion would be to lower the artwork because they are very high on the walls. i think if they were level with the height of the cabinet, it would create a nice line. nicely done!
happily, I think what Jamie was trying to say is that it seems to her that people are voting on whether they like the furnishings/accessories etc. and not just on the use of color. That isn't to say that Jamie doesn't think the contest is about the way that color and design come together, but that more people are focusing on the objects and leaning towards entries with Modern, contemporary and Mid-century pieces versus entries with more traditional furnishings regardless of how well color and design are working together.
Jamie - I don't mean to speak for you, and if I'm incorrect please say so! I think you were just saying the same thing I was thinking.
And happilyeverafter, I agree that you can't separate color from design!
Julie - I think your room is gorgeous and love the soft green with the warmth of your wood pieces.
I agree with Jamie and Trish - a lot of good entries are getting poor reviews because they're not in line with the typical AT reader's tastes. I can be very difficult to separate the two (I know I have a hard time with it), but we should all try much harder for the duration of the contest!
Traditional fare here but nice nonetheless. Lovely, combination of bronzes and blues on the couch. I'd like to see more of the bronze pushed in the rest of the room. The curtains, perhaps? Or a darker blue seat on the side chair. Something to give a little more surprise to the space.
A prime example of Jamie's observation can be seen in the "Miami Town House' in the East section. The photos focus more on use of designer furniture rather than use of colors. Now, its true everything has color but we're voting on "creative" use of color.
Example: Both the Miami Townhouse and Adam's Kaleidoscope feature the same Eames chair. Its a design classic - but Adams chair is bright red, which ties directly into the color scheme in the rest of his room.
I love your choice of wall color! It is one of those great colors that changes dramatically in different lights and makes you wonder - Is it green? Is it blue? Is it grey?
very nice.
Ah! Thanks, Mags -- that's helpful and makes much sense. Going back to Jamie's original point, then, I think she's right. In fact, I've probably been guilty of exactly that kind of critique at least once or twice.
This contest has become addictive. I'm a little embarrassed about how often I'm at AT during the day, surfing for new entries!
Beautiful wall color. Especially with the couch.
this is off-topic but the lighting is really nice in your photos. it really shows off the sheen of your upholstery.
I figured as soon as I saw the traditional furnishings and the too-high art, that this place was going to get blasted. Mags explained everything really well. You can still have a great sense of color without knowing how to choose funiture/accessories or how to arrange a room for an intended purpose.
Julie does accomplish the relaxing sanctuary. The colors are very soothing.
I concur about the too-high artwork. It makes a very well put-together room look a little awkward. Also, the drapes are a little off-putting to me ... they've kinda become just a big, tall white stripe behind the sofa. You should get a wider curtain rod and let the curtains drape the space on either side of the window ... it'll make your window look bigger (wider), fill in some extra space, and it will frame the shape of the sofa nicely.
All in all this isn't my particular taste, but I think the color is very soft and inviting.
The drape behind the sofa is very odd, and the pictures are way too high (and I think too small) - people are right to point that out. But the use of color is very good in a very traditional space, so I'd certainly say this room is "In Contention". Well done!
Hi everyone!
Thanks for the comments. About the art - major faux pas I know....hung the art a looong time ago and found the china cabinet on the side of the road very recently...so not planned out. I wish I could have done a better job of capturing the room. Usually all the pillows are thrown all over and the dog is lounging on the couch with me and the boyfriend...great nap couch actually because of the single cushion. I know the decor seems traditional and formal, but the house is a traditional new orleans home, and it seems a little absurd to me to put all mod furniture in a house from this era. Though if it makes you guys happy...I am saving up for a bird chair for that room. So it's getting there. In NOLA it is a lot easier to find good traditional pieces for great prices and work your way toward the mod stuff (couch was 300 bucks,coffee table 100). And happilyever - the corner "desk lamp" is the olga swoop table lamp from lampsplus.com and the mirrored one is from crate and barrel.
Thanks all!
Mags, you are so right, and you are welcome to speak for me at any time. :) I guess I just felt like everybody was giving votes to minimalist/modern/midcentury design aesthetics regardless of the color palette...didn't mean to start up drama! I love how diplomatic everyone here can be - yet another reason why I check the site all the time.
I like the overall color scheme, and I am in love with that couch!
but. but.
you painted the woodwork ?! My family would disown me if I did that.
and that raises a question I've been pondering for some time now - Is it possible to have non-white walls and unpainted woodwork? I think every entry I've seen has painted the woodwork white. Is that because other approaches are doomed to failure, or is it just a design cliche?
Anna--
We didn't paint the woodwork...we left all the existing unpainted wood the way it was. The trim was already painted white. The ceiling was too high to fit in the picture, and that is where all the unpainted wood is.
Julie
"Traditional" or not, I don't like the colors here or the design. Feels bland. There isn't much contrast.
I expect June Cleever to step around that corner any moment, apron, pearls, and all...
This room is very soothing. Color selections are very safe. Pictures are hung too high.
Gorgeous wall color. The wood tones and white molding make it work even more nicely.
Elegant and calming, in a really grown up way.
(Art is hung waaaaay high, though...)
Okay Julie, you are absolved.
I'm still wondering about the ubiquity of white trim , though. It looks really nice in your living room, I'm just pondering other possibilites.
Oh. and I second the thought about a longer curtain rod - the tie-backs and bits of window trim peeking out from the curtains are distracting and disrupt the line.
I agree with Jamie, Trish and Sue. I am finding that unless you have super bold color combinations people are not voting for you. I am sorry but I would never go with orange and green- or all white and red. I have tons of color in my house- done tastefully not tacky as with Julie's tasteful combo!
Oh! Those are tiebacks! I honestly couldn't figure out what was on either side of the window ... and it was bugging me! You should've taken the pictures with them tied back then, at least ;-)
celadon/robin's egg range of motion is one of my favorite colors. it can be used boldly. i'm not sure that this is its boldest use; i want to argue for the bold use of clear (not muddy) subtle colors and the reverb of subtle colors combined.
This color is a little too subtle for me. It's too soft. The overall style is a little to classic or conservative for me. It's done very well though. I just don't find it bold enough...Sorry!
The colors are lovely .. very classy. I like it! Bold? No.
I like the colors here very much and the lighting is fantastic. Although I applaud people who can live with very bold colors, I cannot. This entry is perfect in that the room is calm, SUPER WELL LIT, organized and clutter-free (and I mean visual clutter too). I'm sorry this won't win, but I drooled over the serenity that this room provides.
Does anyone know of a Benjamin Moore color that is similar to this custom one?
Thanks,
M.
Understated but devine! A good lesson how brazen colors don't need to be used to achieve a defining look.