Name: M and D
Location: Chicago
Type: 2 bedroom condo, owned
Why I use color: After living through the 90's in an apartment decorated in a sea of all shades of beige, it was time to embrace color. Our condo is in a high rise building with lots of windows and light. We painted our living room walls the color of the sky to make the small space feel larger. It feels as if our space is floating in the air. The wall dividing our kitchen and living area was painted a dark shade of brown to compliment the icy blue and separate the space. Our office is where we took a chance and painted the walls a vibrant orange. Since this is a space we are not in day in and day out, we were able to go with a bolder color. Our inspiration for this room was an Hermes gift box.
Color is the easiest way to make a space feel constantly new and fresh. We like to bring color into our rooms through accessories and art. This is the easiest way to update a space. By using color in small doses it makes us feel great without committing to any one color in a huge way. Right now, color seems to be the most modern way to constantly update our space.
2 good color tips:
1. Always test paint colors on the walls before committing. What may seem like a simple shade of blue for our living room walls was a difficult decision. By testing small swatches on the walls, we were able to see how the different shades of blue look throughout the day. Some paint companies make small tester cans which make it really easy and inexpensive.
2. When decorating a room try to use a complimentary colors in furniture and accessories. Our icy blue room looks great with chocolate brown as well as charcoal grey and chartreuse. We used lots of white to play off the bold orange in our office. By using complimentary colors it keeps the eye moving throughout the space and creates visual interest.
2 good color resources:
1. Your own closet! Colors that you find in your closet are usually colors that you want to live with. Look at your clothes and see what colors make you feel comfortable. Chances are those are the colors you might want to use in your design.
2. Martha Stewart Signature Paint colors- Leave it to Martha to have the best color palette available. Most of these colors are inspired by nature and have great depth. Take a look at her color swatches, she puts together unexpected colors that seem to feel just like you might find in nature. We used several colors in our place and found the paint to apply really really well.
Holy Transition between photos Batman! The first photo you're thinking... eh... then BAM!
I have to say, despite the impact of the orange, not a lot of creative use of color. I'd imagine working in front of a color that saturated would get distracting. Also the first picture is calm and collected, but not strikingly colorful. Sorry.. but no way jose!
I like the blue vase on the coffee table and the sofa pillows; do you by chance remember where they came from? Is the orange paint from Martha Stewart? Somehow I can't imagine Martha doing that orange, but I like it a lot.
Where are those shelves in the living room from? Such a beautiful use of frames and wall space, and they look perfectly sized. Any references for me?
please tell me where you got those fantastic white chairs in the first pic,i love them! the paint choice is great aswell
Looks fantastic! Love the vintage Maharam quatrefoil fabric pillows, the use of acrylic/lucite chairs and the mirror really opens up that space.
I also did a den in orange, and I think it's fantastic. Really vibrant.
I think the soothing, minimal style of the first photo is great. Looks nice (although what is with all the entries with giant letters as decorations?). But the orange (and I *love* orange) is WAY too hot. Maybe it's just the picture.
Hi-The pillows are Maharam...quatrefoil.
Orange paint is a Martha color-Zest. I agree it reads red in the photo but the color is not that hot.
Chairs are from Crate-old decor chairs.
Shelving from Ikea.
Thanks for the feedback.
In all, I think your condo looks very well planned and equally well executed. I prefer the living room shot because it has so much more life. Your art collection is certainly intriguing. The furniture pieces are all well designed and arranged (though I'm somewhat repulsed on a gut level by bolsters on sofas). I think that the orange in your office works very well with the pale sky blue as well as the other color accents we've seen. I'd be very interested in seeing pictures of the other rooms in your home. Nice work!
thanks for the feedback jennifer!
most voters have not been into our place...i think because the walls are not a bold or dark color it does not satnd out as much as some of the others. however, we did creatively use color in our design in other ways.
Hi Michael! Your place is awesome-- the orange is, on my computer at least, just the right amount red, and it looks great with the red accesories.
I was thinking of doing the exact same thing over my desk in my office, with the shelves. Are those white shelves also from Ikea? And here is the really important question-- are they attached to ordinary drywall? I am wondering if shelves like that bearing the weight of some books or files would tear through the wall.
Sera-
the shelves are from hold everything.. now defunct.
i think i saw the same idea now at west elm? these shelves are able to hold more weight than the ikea lack shelves(which we have in the living room). we hung the shelves with heavy duty anchors but not were all in the studs. I came home one eve to find the shelves ripped entirely out of the wall and all the mags/books everywhere!
We had wood beams put into the wall and anchored into the studs.
I think your choice of color is absolutely fabulous -- from very soothing to va va voom bold. Loved it!