Name: Turquoise
Location: Venice Beach
Why I use color:
"I have a very small bedroom and I wanted to pretend I was staying in a hotel. I don’t have a lot of room to place things so I kept it extremely minimal. I chose to paint the walls dark grey that I felt had a warm feeling to it. I also chose most of the hanging objects in the room to be either white or gold. I did this so you could see all the details of the object against a dark pallet. In my bedroom I chose to use small amounts of bright colors. If I went over board with too many colors is would have made the room seem much smaller. I used the red as an accent color just to give it a little unexpected punch of color. I also love to incorporate old fun items with new/modern items."
Color Tips:
"Buy swatches of paint and test them out before painting the whole wall and always paint the dark and lightest part of the room.
Group similar colors together - whether it be red or orange or green to give it a punch of color. Incorporate your favorite color in your interiors."
Color Resources:
Current or vintage magazines or books.
Nature
Love it.
LOVE that you entered it in the color contest.
Love the gold against the gray.
Elegant and grown up.
What a crisp, modern nursery. I love the changing table and how it works as a counterpoint to the modernity of the Angela Adams graphics and the fantastic geometrics used in the crib. It adds a nice element of warmth to the room. I think it would be fun to add another graphic element
(bold stripe, maybe?) to the changing pad to give the piece more punch. Your baby should grow into one stylish little girl with surroundings like this.
Whoops... I lost my comments for this room. Urggh... BRB.
Grey is such a wonderful color (...wait a second...)!
Turquoise. Blue Ribbon, baby! This room is an example of why I love smaller, cozier bedrooms. You're forced to edit down and make just the right design choices. I love this room. It's much more lush than any of the luxury hotels I've stayed at. Nice Hollywood Regency touches without completely surrendering to the style. The use of fabric is simple yet bold. It's truly delicious and inviting. And it's in Venice, too. Sweet.
I love this because it reminds me of the look I'm going for in my living room...with the sophisticated kind of metalic and white against richer colors...
I also wanted to say that I like that you weren't afraid to include other colors that weren't along the same theme...and it all works well!
yummy!
You definitely achieved your goal.
very beautiful--peaceful and witty at the same time.
the best, hands down, whether from either the new york or l.a. site. it's tasteful and warm, sophisticated, and with tons of individual personality. terrific combining of materials and objects. even though i don't love every element, i think it totally works and is beautifuly blended. it feels grown up. some of the other places felt more like first apartments after college -- sorry, just my opinion -- and too heavy handed with color and "matchy match". none of the other submissions have moved me until now. my vote for the winner. thanks!
The colors work beautifully and the space is very wisely and comfortably configured.
I'm shocked at how much I love the chandelier in there. Fabulous job pairing the minimal with some flashes of extravagance.
just beautiful! the best yet. this room looks comfortable and elegant. it's dreamy, thank you for sharing.
p.s.
i love the color of the walls, can you please tell me the color that you used?
Its elegant and one would feel just luxurious in it. The little bold and rich touch of red on those bedstands just pops! It works and I love it!
Cooking Cajun (a studio in paradise)
I keep clicking back to this room. All the little touches and accents are just perfect. Enjoying the relaxed sophistication of it all. Again, a real winner.
wow. that's hot. love the color, love the simplicity AND love the photography, each shot looks like a poster. wonderful use of red as the perfect piece of punctuation throughout (along with the expertly chosen and placed accessories). this room is pretty much perfect.
I love those little touches of red - so effective, such a restrained context.
Love it love it love it! Tasteful, elegant, and a perfect use of space in that smaller room. Gorgeous color choices all the way around. Did you apply the moulding to the armoire yourself as a custom touch? I want to do that to a large built in I have in my bedroom. Nice job!
I would LOVE it if rooms looked like this -- cozy, yet elegant... stylish, simple. Perfect! Amazing use of space!
What I like about this room is that each object is placed perfectly within the space. If you made a little square with your fingers (like a pretentious director) and looked around the room, it's all thoughtfully arranged and placed. Each object looks like it was designed to be in THAT room yet they were not.
The two things I like most like in the room are almost not even noticed. The headboard and the two hanging lights. The headboard adds some symmetry and the lights give it the little shove you need to feel like the intent was to be hotel room like.
just lovely, well done my friend.
Stunning. If you EVER need a house sitter... wow.
I love it, can you please tell us what color you used.
Not colorful. But swanky as heck.
I think you've given Enrique and a few of the others (Curtis? Tod & Corie?) a run for their money. Good show.
(Grey is not a color per se; it's an achromatic neutral. This room seems to be mostly about neutrals with some very carefully integrated flashes of color - the bench and the little red/orange vases on the nightstand make the room, for me. I probably wouldn't have entered this in a color contest, if it were my room. I like that you did, though, because it is very beautiful.)
over on the east coast side, i posted asking why all the entires were so retro
THANK YOU for this one it is GOOOOOOREGOUS! and modern!
and downright, as my gran would say, beeeee-you-teeeee-ful!
WOW! Elegant and would you let me stay in it for a weekend. Of course I will pay. I want to meet you.
Amazing decor! I can't wait to see what you post next!
I have a boy friend that I want to show this bedroom to!
what's the rest of the house like? do you have pictures of other rooms, because this is soooooo inviting.
Wow. I think that this is probably the most beautiful thing that I've seen on this site. Good work!
Oh, and I'd like to know why 13 people voted this a "dark horse". I see nothing but flattering comments.
FABULOUS! Simple and sexy ... I love it!
GM
Extremely well done and very inviting. I love the grey walls. Inspiring!
Absolutely love the interior decor!!! How can I get in touch with the interior designer???
So lovely! I just keep scrolling back up and thinking wistfully....maybe I should have gone with the darker color in the living room. This is exactly the effect I imagined. Sigh, now I'm having regrets. I love how everything just gleams against that soft dark color.
fabulous.
my dream bedroom.
nice... dares me to go darker in my bedroom! i'm gonna do it!
fabulous and inspiring...i LOVE it!
Very sophisticated with a few punches of unexpected color. This room looks amazing!
It's gorgeous!! You really accomplished a sophisticated look with a cozy feel. Can't wait to see more of your work.
Hello everyone..
I just got back in town to find out my submission was posted by AT.
Wow what a fab suprise!
I appreciate all the amazing comments and also wanted to get back to some of the questions people posted.
CHRISTINA- I used BEHR dark granite 780F-6 in matte.
JOHN- Yes my boyfriend and I cut out small pieces of wood for molding and attached it to the doors and bought differenet lucite handles. BTW- that is a cabinet from Ikea (WHO KNEW???).
BARABARA- I do have more pictures of my place..and will post more in the future.
If anyone has any other questions I would be happy to answer them.
Oh and if I do end up wining the contest there will be a party at my beach bungalow!
Thanks again!
LOVE IT!! Stylish and Original, very Elle Decor with an edge!!
wow! rich in color and taste. simple, elegant, looks calm and relaxing.
Miranda--
I beg to differ... um, gray IS a color. And a "neutral" is "a color".
To paint a room gray and have the result be "luxe" and not "battleship" takes a deft understanding and handling of color (and the colors around it).
This room deserves to be in this contest as much as any other so far.
Absolutely fabulous! Unbelievable...I need you to decorate my place! I love the contrast, the color...beautiful!
looks great
You have mad style. This is someone who was born with something that can't be taught. Your style is not mine, but man is it lovely. I hope this room wins.
By far the winner. BEAUTIFUL!!!
Goodbye Kelly Werstler, Hello Tourquoise ! What a lovely room- no gimmicks just beautiful, comfortable style. Give this woman
her own TV show.
Hey, I've been there!! Looks beautiful, just as I remember it. You have a gift. Keep up the good work! Love you!
Vanessa,
You are so talented and have developed your style so well!! Your website looks fantastic to, really shows your work off. I want you to do my offices when open them. Love you, Cee
One of my favorite things about this entry are the touches of red - the little vase on the table and the bench are so cool. Everything is so perfect while not being too "done". We want more pictures!!! What does the rest of the house look like?
Fabulous, of course. I'd LOVE to know where you got the red fabric on the bench! I've been trying to convince my husband to go with darker grays like this, and maybe this can convince him. Thanks for the inspiration.
Colleen- I found the red fabric downtown LA and am not sure which place I found it at. I am sure you can find something similar. Thanks for the comment!
hi turquoise,
one reader said she loved your website. what's the address for your site?
your room is tres chic and so inspirational. thanks for sharing!
Whose the bomb?? Ah HA! Ah Ha!
Strange ...there are no family photos!!!
Love yor taste!
you rock.
Bringing old school elegant glamour
back in the mix with a contemporary vibe
love it love it
I love the way 'gold' is used. Just the right amount and the splash of red...TOPS! The new apprentice.....
beautiful room, Turquoise.
Obvious winner!
turquiose;I love it. Your design and color are one of a kind. What is the actual size of this room?
Reminds me of the days in those sheik regency hotels and upscale Hollywood apts. Gracious and dressup times...stay with it.
V -
THIS is your home??? It's absolutely luxe! I do love your taste and talent. Please come up and help us with the new Berkeley home...
And check out the big mouth on Lionel...getting in touch with his feminine side down there in Texas!
Love you,
Julz
Stunning. From every angle this room looks warm, sophisticated and elegant. LOVE it.
I love how the room has such dramatic use of color and how it makes the room immediately inviting and comforting. I love the glamour of the chandelier and clock and shelf on the wall. It gives it such a personal touch. I wish more people had such a wonderful color aesthetic.
shel
Elegant and comfy. I love it!
You have such a talent and your such a joy to work with. The place looks amazing.
It looks both "clean" (which I love) and warm (speaking to my significant other). Well done!
Aaron
I had no idea you were so talented...thank goodness for the computer...I am getting old and sassy but baby the pictures are classy.
Inviting! Soft and gracious...the colors reflect a period of time that was my favorite....Best to you!
You got style! LOVE the colors!
Vanessa is the best !!!
Impressive and inviting to say the least. Great touch.
Posted by Dan Weisman at 10/22/05 9:39PM
Open a hotel! Please! This looks so cozy. I love red, and I love how you allowed the touches of it. I have always been fearful of dark furniture, thanks to the 70s home I grew up in. But the black is like a punctuation mark. And I love the simple black headboard.
I love this room!! Peaceful, stylish and sophisticated. Soothing with just the right amount of color.
Unfortunately I can not paint to add that type of color to my bedroom, but this inspired me to do a few things to my dull bedroom I positioned my bed to the window just as this room, using my crown molded window as a focal point. I added floor length drapes in a grey blue color to that entire wall which reflect the colors in my bedding.
Just these repositioning my bed and adding those curtains has made my bedroom an entirely different room. Thank you for the inspiration!
your place is absolutely beautiful. I want to pack up and stay at the chateau Vanessa for a night. Sooooooo inviting and warm, kinda like you! You know your stuff girl!
well, this is my favorite (other than my own - I'm" reckless abandon" with all the STUFF) But I have another side and this is it ... cheerio!
Elegant and tasteful. What a wonderful room.
I am completely blown away by your designs...I can't wait to see what you will decorate next!
I love this smokey sexy blue color - very sophisticated and makes me want to travel.
Okay, I put a chandelier in my bedroom, which is still in the decorating stages, and I can tell that a couple of our conservative friends (not to mention our handyman who put it up) secretly think that I'm totally insane.
This room is so beautiful, and makes me feel so vindicated. I've been debating what color to paint the walls in my bedroom--and I think this pushed me towards the more neutral choice, since you show how well colorful accents work.
I would love to see the rest of your house. You West Coasters have so much style. Now I'm torn between wanting your house and wanting Enrique's! :)
Going way up to Patrick2's reponse objecting to me saying that gray is an achromatic neutral rather than a color: it is. I made sure to look it up before I posted. There is no hue in gray, only value. By "color", I understand "something with a chromatic hue." (This particular gray might have a slight blueish or brownish hue; if that is the case, it would be better to describe it as a very muted brown or blue than as grey with a tinge of either.)
I agree that it is wonderful to have used gray and had it look luxe rather than utilitarian. I believe it is used as a backdrop for very subtle and selective touches of color, more than as a color per se. Normally, white is my neutral of choice. Regardless, this is indeed a beautiful room.
About neutrals in this contest, in a more general sense:
To me, entries with heavy use of neutrals and very little use of chromatic color are contrary to the spirit of the contest. Most of these fell away in the first-round voting anyway. Neutrals are *easy*; that's why they're neutral; by definition, they are not "colorful," which is a word that we reserve in English, at least, for the chromatic tones.
If this contest were based on beige or white walls with brown wood furniture, almost any entry would have been appropriate. My single little vote will be based on chroma: not the other seductive things, like how well someone managed to mix one color with neutrals, or how high-end someone's fixtures or furnishings look, etc. :)
People who do not agree with my personal criteria will not vote according to it! That's easy too.
What a beautiful, rich, and elegant space! I am not a designer, so I can not comment on "monochromatic use of color." Nor can I even spell the word!
I can say that the space is gorgeous!
You deserve to win this with that talent of yours. You color schemes are fabulous and you details are the best.
I really really love the room. As a fellow Angelino though I would just add that it might not be a good idea to put the chandelier above the bed for fear of it falling down if there is a big tumber!
turquoise where did you find the light for over your nightstands? Also do you think this room would work well with dark espresso furniture as well as it did with black. I am thinking of doing this to my guest bedroom . I dont have a back window like that though. I have one window on one wall and one on the wall next to it but they are really right next to one another. the windows go into the same corner of the room. Do you think i will be able to achieve this look?
Maureen-
The shades and cords are from Ikea but I am not sure if they still carry them.
I would not suggest painting your guest room dark grey if you have dark expresso looking furniture. You may want to consider a lighter shade of grey, if in fact you are looking to paint the room grey.
I would even suggest a nice beige or light mocca. I think this color might make the room seem small and perhaps too dark.
I was able to use "hints" of black since I had white drapes to work of off.
I hope I was of some help and good luck to you.
Gorgeous room!!! So elegant and creative. I love the bedding too...Where did you get headboard,duvet cover/bedspread, and are those monogrammed pillows? What an oasis!
Nadine
yes i think you are right turquoise the dark wood will be too much for this room. Where did you get that pretty mirror? That would look nice in another room I am doing.
Where did you get the clock and mirror?
Nwolos- thank you for your comments.
The headboard was custom made.
The duvet set is from Ikea, and yes I got my pillows monogramed.
Maureen-
The clock and mirror were both purchased from vintage stores in LA.
I am looking for a black and silver comforter or a turquoise comforter for my master bedroom. I am really contemporary, border line art deco. I don't want any prints or florals...I plan to decorate it w/pillows. Any suggestions on where I can find something like this?