
thumbs up
Name: Jessica
Location: Venice, California
Type of Home: rental bungalow
Color Inspiration: My grandmother's house, which is a 1970 gem featuring exposed brick and wood, wall-to-wall caramel-colored carpet, orange Formica countertops, and bright custom wallpaper. The painting above the television is by Matte Stephens, whose work has inspired almost every color in my house.
Give Jessica a THUMBS UP if you think this room belongs in the finals!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
Color Inspiration continued: Clearly, I'm also obsessed with wood, and I embrace the myriad of shades provided by the pine wall, the trim, the floor, and the furniture. I wouldn't dream of painting any of it. Everything in the room (and the whole house, for that matter) was either gifted or thrifted for $200 or less, so it took a long time to assemble coherently. I sewed the curtains and the chair cushions myself, which may or may not have been a mistake.
Colors Used: The wall color is Deep River by Benjamin Moore (I used their zero-VOC Natura paint, which is awesome). The wood and the sofa provide the deep golden browns, and the flea market finds like the curtains and wall art provide the brighter dose of yellow.
Color Tip: Use color.Not too much. Mostly neutrals. Neutrals don't have to be beige or white; navy blue, gray, pale peach, or natural grasscloth or wood can count as neutrals. I mean, jeans are blue, but we think of them as neutral and can wear almost ay color shirt with them, right?
MORE ROOM FOR COLOR:
•View all Contest Entries By PALETTE
•Visit Contest Page

Ready to join in? The entry form is up through October 12 on our contest page.
Well done girlfriend. Brava!!
view medusa12120's profile
Wow, this is how it's done. What an argument for slowly collecting things over time. I love absolutely everything here, including the light. It's rich, layered, and the color hits exactly the note. Beautiful.
view tequila red's profile
Beautiful--real, lived-in, unique, warm, gorgeous wall color.
view SQ's profile
oh my gosh, I need a weathered Chesterfield! Why oh why did my parents get rid of theirs from when they were living in London in the 60s & 70s.
view Slow Lorus's profile
Absolutely wonderful. You're the first contestant whose photos I want for inspiration file.
view greta's profile
Perfection!!!
view Coralia's profile
I was so excited when I thought that was an ombre wall! I guess it's just the shadow. Still a beautiful home.
view ARC's profile
What a wonderfully cozy room.
view Hydra's profile
Wow.
This is good...
view falconette's profile
House tour, house tour, house tour...
view KidMoe's profile
I'm so impressed with how she took what could of easily been a disaster and made it beautiful.
view abbyD's profile
this house = vintage cabinesque = my heart = i want.... 'nuff said.
view millerindustries's profile
that is just not how I picture Venice Ca
view Usbek de Perse's profile
I love it all! Do you have a blog? I feel like I have read it before, if you do... but I can't for the life of me remember what its called..
view sholt's profile
I also like the pops of green. Beautiful! House tour, please!
view mihaela's profile
My favorite so far.
view kamilya's profile
This is one of the best put together rooms I've seen. Bravo! Just love it.
view jmjbean's profile
This is definitely my favourite so far. The colour sings.
(and I love wood and natural textures just like you)
Beautifully put together. Bravo!!
view mschatelaine's profile
It's quite a cosy, lovely place ; )
view audrey_1976's profile
This is by far my favorite. You used strong colour, worked with the wood that already was present and did it all on a budget. It all looks so right and enjoyable.
view TheoJ's profile
I completely agree that neutrals are more than beige and grey. Really well done. What a unique and comfortable space!
http://inspiredroomdesign.com
view farmhousemoderne's profile
stunning!!
view shrewt's profile
This is a space that can really be lived in. Absolutely beautiful!
view babydoll's profile
Home.
view scootergirl's profile
I want this.
view cassielynn's profile
I've been keeping an eye on the contest since it began, and this is the only one that has made me want to vote.
Jessica, you're just my style.
view krunkinator's profile
House tour, please!
view h144's profile
Love to see a house tour that is budget friendly & beautiful. This is real livin'!!
view solop's profile
Beautiful balance of warm and cool. The space with the shelving and artwork is nicely done.
view muirwoods08's profile
AMAZING. love the mix of ecclectic, mid century, and organic.
view rainierzed's profile
This place is wonderful--so warm and cozy! I love the wood and the color scheme--brilliant.
view jd2's profile
I am seriously coveting your gorgeous sofa. The whole place is infused with warmth and personality. Really lovely job.
view sara Stubbert's profile
Sophisticated, livable, and yes, colorful too. Love it :)
view slowdown's profile
these colors are fantastic. the home is beautiful. i could move right in!
view SpanishOlives's profile
So very beautiful!
view briecode's profile
It's perfect.
view firebird's profile
Wow, I'm sort of speechless ... thank you all for the comments and the votes! @sholt, I do have a blog, but it's against the rules to post it here :)
view TVsJessica's profile
very inviting. i have the same black wrought iron stool!
view beddybee's profile
One word: WOW!!!!
This place looks stylish without money, just taste. Looks lovely, elegant, and true- not just a scenario for the snapshots.
view Gaby_S's profile
Wonderful place, but again, this is a "color" Competition!!!!
view hillaryanne22's profile
Slate grey's a "color", and an unusual wall color, to boot. I'd deem this a highly color-saturated room, wouldn't you?
Color doesn't have to be bright & sherbety to qualify.
I like this room-- the word "handsome" comes to mind. Love the battered wood table with the mismatched chairs, and the overhead lamp.
view shirley-temple-of-doom's profile
The color looks like a greenish-dark-taupe on my monitor, but every photograph seems to have a slightly different tint to the shade. I adore it, but I've no idea what it is, or which it is! Is it a mostly-greenish slate gray, or a slate gray that's just getting a green hint from my monitor, or is it predominantly blue but greenish thanks to the lighting? Anyone? I just can't put my finger on it... or maybe if we could get a paint brand/number for it?
view k02's profile
k02 - it's a bluish slate gray that looks different at different times of day and in different areas of the room, depending on where the light is coming from. There are four skylights in the room, so it's really hard to make it look consistent, but I like that about it. The color is called Deep River by Benjamin Moore.
view TVsJessica's profile
Oh wow, this is a perfect little bungalow- the pieces work together so incredibly well, and it's lived in without being cluttered, tidy without being overly sanitary. Love it, you have a commendable sense of style. I second the call for a house tour!
view talby's profile
This is so unbelievably cool. One of my favorite house tours ever!
view bookgirl's profile
Simply: to die for! I have to hand it to you, and I'm in this contest!!!
view Vcast's profile
@TVsJessica: it's the inconsistency that I love... but that also makes it awfully hard to assess from photo monitor, natch. Thanks for color name!
view k02's profile
That sofa looks like a larger version of this http://www.lookatmybeautifulsofa.com/2009/10/this-leather-chair-looks-like-pie/.
I like how brusque it is. It's kind of muscle-y, haha.
view phongalong's profile
Vcast - same to you!
view TVsJessica's profile
I would just like to point out to other fans of this home (of which I am one) that style-wise it is very much in the aesthetic of Marie-Claire Maison. So if you enjoy the look here, you may want to check out that magazine one day. (very inspirational).
view mschatelaine's profile
Brava, Jessica! Love it.
Not sure why contestants are prohibited from posting their blog name, as one can easily find out by clicking on their profile.
view JoJenks's profile
this is the first entry I really wanted to vote.. Well done !!!
view New York Muhtari's profile
i love the colors here - those blue walls are gorgeous, especially with all the different warm wood tones. and the dork in me loves the michael pollan-ish color tip :)
view gretchenalexis's profile
I am sooo stealing your sofa. (Seriously, though- where did you find that??)
view Jennifer 42's profile
i like the apricot drapes. it reminds me of a great duvet i had years ago
view heyheyhey's profile
Thanks again all :) @Jennifer 42 - I bought the sofa off craigslist for $200 from a Finnish diplomat who was moving back to Europe. He bought it in London some years ago, and noted that "many important people have sat on this couch," but didn't elaborate.
view TVsJessica's profile
uh, yeah... this place is amazing!! i'm in this contest, too. as soon as i'm knocked out, i'll be rooting for you!!
view JetKatDesign's profile
I too have been watching the contest and have only now been inspired to vote. Beautifully, beautifully done! This is not my style at all but anyone can see that you have wonderful taste. Cheers, and yes, house tour please!
view sasefina's profile
I love this and am pleased to see the high marks for what I think of as ""personality" based decor, rather than "trendy" based decor. Cozy, homey and interesting. Would like to know the stories the couch could tell, (if couches could tell.) All the furnishings look they have tales to tell.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
such an intriguing room. you've done a great job here.
view aimul's profile
wow...although I love the place, I am aghast at the lack of colour...this being a color contest and all...everything is so very subdued that yes, I could see this place pictured in a decor magazine, but cannot thumbs up this for a colour contest.
view smoothsailing's profile
i love how you've pulled together all the different woods - that's not easy to do!
view shannanigans's profile
Such a lovely room. I love the Deep River Grey color in contrast with the wood paneling. You've really achieved a relaxed, warm space thats eclectic and charming and feels "real." I also love the fact that this was your grandmothers home and you did it on a budget! Well done.
http://atalldrink.blogspot.com/
view talldrink's profile
Utterly fabulous.
view ponytailed_informant's profile
Thank you :) @talldrink - oops, perhaps I should have phrased it better! My grandmother's house was one of my inspirations for using color. It mixes solids, patterns, bright colors, neutrals, and natural materials in interesting ways and still feels comfortable and lived-in. But I definitely did it on a budget.
view no accounting for taste's profile
i loved your room and the subtleties of the colors. sorry that you didn't make it to the final round.
view aimul's profile
I absolutely adooore your room! very sad you are not in the finalist!
well done :)
view margauxachard's profile
Joined apartment because I was so inspired by your design. I have been searching for a coffee table like yours for years...any suggestions?
view sandanista's profile
sandanista, I searched for years too. I found some in antique stores, but they were too pricey and not the right shape. I found this one at a flea market for $100 or so after a long search ... I guess it takes a lot of patience and luck!
view no accounting for taste's profile