Name: Jessica and Andrius
Location: Chicago
Type: 3 bedroom condo, owned
Why we use color: First of all, painting is Andrius’ livelihood so we often use color to experiment. We test for color matches, treatments, styles, methods, and material. We both grew up with fairly neutral palettes. My childhood was colored with lots of off-white, muted color, and minimal pattern. Andrius grew up in dark shadows, with glass, steel, and sharp edges. Since we no longer rent our space, we can paint our walls deep magenta or pumpkin orange without worrying about our landlord’s choice of hue. Every coat teaches us something more about how color reflects light, personality, and mood.
We’ve had our share of unsuccessful attempts so we’re also learning plenty about what doesn’t work. All our current color messing will save us time and money in the future. The color experience we gain in our own home also gives us the confidence to influence others with their design and help bring color into their lives.
2 good color tips:
1. Laugh in the face of convention – Latex paint isn’t the only thing can bring in the color. If you love the color of raspberry jam, try using it as a stain. Nearly everything can be sealed and protected from rot and deterioration. We made window panels by painting vellum sheets with dark coffee, achieving a rich café au lait marbled effect. We also scraped paint off of a wall in our bedroom and discovered three layers of aged wallpaper. We liked the unintended blend of the patterns so much that we simply sealed the wall with a clear latex base (to prevent the paper dust from rubbing off and to give the wall a nice shine).
2. Color can highlight and color can hide – Color can certainly be used to show off an architectural element. Ceilings are painted deep colors to show off their extraordinary height and one bold accent wall can draw attention to the unique shape of a room. The use of color can also hide the flaws and limitations of a space. The walls of our dining room are OLD and, therefore, warped, nicked, and patched. To hide what would have cost a fortune to fix, we layered and blended multiple paint colors and glazes. The result is a rich, multidimensional orange that guides the eye to notice the color and not the imperfections.
2 good color resources:
1. Surroundings – Color is everywhere! Andrius and I have a fun game that we play when one of us has a color idea. We describe the shade, as best we can, to the other but nothing works better than a visual example. We then run around the house and scan CD cases, soup cans, books, inside closets and drawers, until…ah ha, found it! You’d be surprised how many times the color in your head is the exact same color as the text on a box of pasta.
2. Stationery – Every time I go to a paper store, I’m struck with the innovative color pairings or patterns on cards. I’ll often be inspired by an intricate print and imagine how it could work in my home. Wallpaper? Accent pillows? Tablecloth or shower curtain?
Go greenrocks! Damn people can get downright nasty on here.
Yo Color Hounds, let's get this forum started...
Julian- The dessert comment is good! Being in our bathroom is like being inside a crisp apple. Helps to wake up in the morning and liven up in the winter.
mmm-Thanks.
saya-We did an apttherapy house tour awhile back. You can see the coffee panels and the wallpaper wall by clicking on my name. Also, since getting the COLOR out of my system, I have been toying with the idea of making the hallway a bit mauvier (a word?) so your comment about adding more grey keeps me thinking that.
arza-We can't strip the baseboards. I honestly think they're held together by toothpaste and rope (we actually found a piece of rope that was caulked onto one board). We've gone the route of slop as much off-white on them and hope for the best.
Chrisy & cielo-I bought the toilet seat cover at a Chicago craft fair for $30 (I think). Super fun.
greenrocks & mofo-Double THANKS!
Oh come on, 28 instafinalist for green walls? Someone is stuffing the ballot box!
Looks great. It's a really rich, contemporary pistachio green with great texture. The toilet seat is fantastic, too, BTW.
Oh, you're THAT Jessica!
I remember your house tour, I loved your apartment. You could definitely tell that artists lived there, there was something of interest in every corner or nook.
I'm curious though why you didn't enter your dining room. The photographs were incredible with that great orange wall and the window of multicolor bottles. I believe those would have scored much higher. By the way, I have the twin to your amber globe lamp (w/ the cool "night light" feature).
Thanks for your color tips, they were great and good luck in the contest!
I love the green finish, it's so fresh and different.
Beautiful. Looks like a delicious dessert!
Much kudos for the use of texture with that green. The lush, saturated and dense wall plays well against the cool and clean white tiles.
the only good thing about this entry is your title. yes, it is experimental, to be sure.
okay, now i want to see pictures of the coffee brushed vellum and bedroom walls... the colors are definitely not my taste, but the texture of the bathroom walls-- so pretty. I'd rather that wine color had a smoother finish (and maybe more grey in it) to really make these textured areas shine.
It's freaking beautiful! I am one of the people who still LOVES green walls and always will.
Your toilet seat is too cool. How did you do that?
You have taste and style and are original. I am in love with the vibrant colors you chose-and the skill with which you chose them. So many in this contest have NEON green-not flattering.
wish you lived closer!!!
Chrisy (Northwest #36)
dear mmm-
Keep it to yourself. Nobody cares. And can you let us know which entry is yours so we can rip on it too? thanks.
Whereas I like the textured wall in the bathroom, I don't think it works as well in the hallway - in the photo it looks like you just painted too thin a coat.
Have you considered stripping th baseboards? The natural wood looks great against the wine colour.
Definately a fall color contest insta-finalist least that's what I voted. Thanks for the tips- I think in everything we do we learn by trial and error. I love the combination of both these colors. The texture of the walls give the colors so much more character and depth. Beautiful use of color and btw is that toilet seat painted with a womans face?? If so where did you get it or did you actually paint it yourself??
I don't like the way that paint effect looks - seems outdated. But the toilet seat is awesome.
i`ve seen it in person and i know what the people who don`t like it are thinking, "too bright, right?" but in reality it`s not quite as shocking. green, yes. but too bright, no. i like it! i do like the idea of mauvier walls though. ; )
and to everyone that doesn`t like it... be adventurous! throw some color in your life!
love the colors, but not so much the finish.
go cardboard!!!!
i love that the hallway is the same color as your towels. brilliant!