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I've Got Color! Contest: Bernie's MoMA Influenced Anti-Drab Campaign

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Name: Bernie D.
Location: NY, NY

Why I use color:

"I use color because it's part of life. Color helps uplift my mood, and dispel the drabness and routine. Color makes an ordinary room something special. When I moved into this apartment in 1970 the walls needed repainting. I had recently been to the MOMA and seen some work which inspired me to paint the walls with stripes of varying widths. Our living room and dining room is one large space, so I balanced the dining room stripes with orange on one of the living room walls. We like colorful Oriental rugs and somehow it all seems to work together."

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Color Tips:

"1. Dont be afraid to experiment.
2. Dont worry about whats in fashion; you never know what might become a classic.
3. Do what makes you happy, instead of whats expected."

dining room.JPG

Color Resources:

"1. Museums and other art spaces
2. anything other than just plain white walls!"

view to living room.JPG

Comments (35)

Details, please about the stripe (painting?) project! I'm guessing blue tape and a level, but any tips or ideas? What came first, the solids or the stripes? (Love the ratios/variety of the stripes and their colors)

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2005-10-18 13:32:23

ps: I'd love to see you take it up even another notch, with some gutsy drapes on the dining room window...

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2005-10-18 13:34:48

I like the low-key eclecticism of this place. The orange wall and striped walls bring the "anything goes" aspect of the room up a notch--in a good way. Loads of personality at play here.

posted by Enrique on 2005-10-18 12:39:20

35 years on, & the color's still fresh & exciting. A Classic!

posted by Wildebeast on 2005-10-18 13:26:22

This one is extremely well executed in my opin, and actually liooks likie a real functional living space which is essential, as compared to some of the other maybe more sleek and sexy rooms we've seen.

posted by Kate on 2005-10-18 13:55:01

I like how different and unexpected this is. Great chandlier above the dining room table, and I like how the color of the table ties in with the walls.

posted by dorio on 2005-10-18 13:57:51

I'm surprised by the effect of the organge wall; instead of being overwhelming, it feels warm. I love the boldness of the stripes.

posted by angela on 2005-10-18 14:34:23

Very nice, but would the horizontal stripes make my butt look big?

posted by Shannon on 2005-10-18 14:35:21

T(ouch)e, Shannon!

posted by Joan on 2005-10-18 14:54:39

The stripes are charming and whimsical, while the color palate assert of a mid-century modern cool.

posted by Ming the Merciless on 2005-10-18 15:23:04

I love the stripes! Having grown up with them, I think they must have played a role in my becoming the person I am today : ) All kidding aside, it is rather amazing that 35 years later this still looks so great. Great job, Dad!

posted by Ilene on 2005-10-18 16:09:21

Very colorful; even playful looking. Also makes the space look larger.

posted by Mickey on 2005-10-18 16:31:06

Those stripes make me feel funny - in all the right ways. I love 'em.

posted by christy on 2005-10-18 16:50:49

This is fabulous! No small task to create something that looks wonderful after 35 years it! I love the orange wall, too. Kudos!

posted by Adrienne on 2005-10-18 17:16:30

I find this room interesting, unique and extremely pleasing. It is so well done I could think it wall paper.

posted by Miriam Diamond on 2005-10-18 18:42:03

Fabulous!

posted by Liz on 2005-10-18 19:41:07

This is a work of art! Well executed and tasteful. This shows the most work and detail and expression and experimentation with color that I have seen yet!

posted by lorid on 2005-10-18 20:20:41

The stripes took me back 30 years. I grew up with Bernie's children and while we remain friends I haven't been in the apt. in many years. I believe I've just fully appreciated how modern and cool they are.

posted by Tom B. on 2005-10-18 22:15:06

The stripes in the dining room are a nice touch. I would have thought that they would make the room feel smaller, but apparently not. The shade of orange on the accent wall gives a warm compliment to the scheme.


Thanks for sharing!

Cooking Cajun

posted by A Studio in Paradise on 2005-10-19 00:54:09

Also having grown up with Bernie's kids, I always thought the stripes were very cool and very creative although before today, I never realized that Bernie painted them! I'm very impressed!!!

posted by Lois on 2005-10-19 09:14:56

Stripes are great! The different widths and color combination work perfectly and seem like the opposite of formulaic. I guess spontaneous would be the word, except it's an odd choice to describe something so well executed that has held up for 35 years.

posted by sg on 2005-10-19 11:15:15

Knock-my-socks-off AWESOME!

posted by Jenna on 2005-10-19 21:18:23

Well done, and perhaps the most challenging (to execute) of all the entries. Get the TV out of there and you have yourself a room!

posted by Gary T on 2005-10-20 14:17:47

Fabulous execution. Stripes aren't as easy as HGTV would like us to believe. :-) My six-year old son saw these pictures and has been making suggestions on where to put stripes in our home. I do believe we're going to take him up on a few of them. Thank you for the entry!

posted by Julie on 2005-10-22 09:21:50

Love it.. love it ... love it.

It looks very Scandinavian to me.

Peace... Annie

http://www.interiorsearch.blogspot.com/

posted by Annie on 2005-10-22 19:23:11

i love that someone would go to the extra trouble to paint stripes on their wall. i love that it was inspired by a trip to the museum.

posted by faith raider on 2005-10-24 00:24:33

i really love this room. the stripes are very original. More importantly, the place looks really homey and personal. some of the other entries look overly influenced by design magazines or current color trends.

posted by rachel on 2005-10-25 17:49:09

Bernie, I heart U. Good luck. Thank you for sharing.

posted by Jennifer on 2005-10-25 18:58:26

Still Fabulous!

posted by Liz on 2005-10-26 22:49:32

I am thankful for those who go with their gut and their
gut is right. All the rest of us benifit. The color and pattern energize me.

posted by Sara on 2005-10-27 19:39:55

What a unique idea!! The painted stripes, the unusual color combination, and the horizontal lines combine to create the effect of a spacious area in what is really a small space. This certainly gets my vote!!!

posted by Sib on 2005-10-27 20:10:42

I love Bernie's striped walls. His colors are so cheerful. I could look at them all day.

posted by Miriam on 2005-10-27 23:07:53

we've been in that sparkling room many times in the past 35 years and were always amazed at the warmth of the colors and the ingenuity that went into achieving the final effect.

posted by moe & ev on 2005-10-27 23:26:47

WOW This will keep me awake all night


Lillian sterling

posted by Lillian on 2005-10-28 00:29:58

stunning... a kindred spirit in design, nice to see someone who's not afraid to bebold

posted by Rebecca Bates on 2005-10-28 08:33:17
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