Name: Michael Z.
Location: split level condo, Chelsea, MA (outside boston- entire apt. is 650 sq/ft)
Why I use color:
"I think that color, more so than objects or furniture can drive the personality of a room. I always had issues with stark white wall so rental spaces, mainly because as a designer I would always be thinking "what would these walls look like if they were green...blue, gray, brown?" there is something emotionally empty about white rooms. I feel they lack personality, almost like an vapid person, in architectural form.
It is also the best way to convey an overall mood depending on the way a particular room is intended to be used, and has an immediate impact on your emotions and thoughts. It can highlight a theme, a trend, an architype...and it can be changed fast and cheap."
Color Tips:
"tip 1)I like to look at all the traditional resoures for inspiration- magazines, nature, advertising, fashion.But I think the best thing to do when choosing colors you can live with is to look at items that you own and love, the clothes you wear, your shoes, your jewelry. take clues from those things and blow them up to room size scale.
tip 2) if you are a color novice, make sure you pay attention to shades and values of particular colors. Don't just go to the store looking for "orange". The actual shade you want may be more ochre, or coral, or yellow. always take second, third and fourth looks when using color combos- just make sure they feel right together.. a shade off and you could suffer from the "something doesn't feel right" feeling that haunts many people."
Color Resources:
"1 - www.colorlovers.com
2 - www.colorschemer.com"
very nice except the shoe thingie..Feels gross to me ..sorry
Michael: If you don't mind telling, where did you get the quilt at the foot of your bed? Thanks!
sorry about the shoe thing,....I was just intending to show where I got the color inspiration from.
the quilt at the bottom of the bed is from Ikea.
it is reversible brown to tan and really heavy quality for ikea....
I think your room is my favorite so far...but maybe not. I just really love orange, and what I like about your room is that you've done orange without looking too retro or pop-ish, which is something I'm striving to achieve myself. Plus, it squarely fits in the fall colors scheme!
Nice work Michael, glad to see Metro Boston getting cred here. Chelsea and Everett are really starting to see some innovative ideas pop up.
Are the floating shelves and mirror Ikea as well?
thanks joey...
we love chelsea..I would prefer a loft, but this will do for my first place.
the shelves are indeed ikea, I was going to go with west elm, but I couldn't justify the prices ans shipping costs. My inlaws picked the shelves up for us in philly and drove them up when they visited...so I saved ALOT of money, even if they are hollow-core mdf, vs. solid wood.
the mirror was a find at TJ-maxx. I know alot of people may find the idea repulsive...but honestly, TJ's has some of the best kept secrets if you shop often enough to get them before someone else snags them. Very often there is not much of anything...but every so often..you find that amazing thing. Our glass lamps for instance..where else could you get genie bottle shaped orange glass lamps for 20 bucks?
the mirror is sea-grass, was about 40 bucks...and went really well with the touches of ethnic modern we used elsewhere.
Great shade of orange, almost a burnt caramel kind of a color; it goes so well with the browns and reds...I know orange is the trendy color now (and I love it myself), but this shade is a lot more subtle than most of what you see...
I have to get myself some glass lamps like that. Nice design touch that they echo the shapes of the vases on the shelves---makes for a coherent look.
Thanks for the tip Michael, I actually had a lot of luck at the TJMaxx/HomeGoods up on Rt 1 in Saugus. On a couple of occasions the've had some pretty high-end items for low-end prices, but you're right--you gotta hit it right.
IKEA in Stoughton opens next week, I'll definitely be making a trip down there.
do you have a couple of different oranges working there, or is it a lighting/photo thing that is makes it look like ochre meets some kind of melon, then waves at the papaya across the way . . .
an idea I like by the way, in case anyone misinterprets my tone with the snark factor floating around today. Is Mercury in retrograde or something?
I love those Ikea floating shelves, your place looks very pleasant and liveable.
I love the tj's on route 1....you are so right, much better items than others in the area...
I too am counting down to the ikea in stoughton opening...
nov 9th isn't it?
yes..there are several shades.all very complimentary, I am not sure if you can get the impact from the images. the space is tiny...so we broke up the "areas" by color. I know the layout is not apparent in the pics...So I'll describe.
around the bed is "mexican chile" what I consider a coral-ish red...then the closet space and alcoves are a darker "rodeo" almost the same color, a tad more saturated.
the computer and mirror are up against "caramelized orange" a much subtler shade than most oranges on the market now...
very liveable and warm...the room only has one window, so this helps to liven it up a bit...and also makes it cozy. Met home and elle decor are my idols...but I needed to work, live and store stuff too....
I hope you like it!!
My gosh...I like your room even more now that I realize they're different oranges AND you got your lamps for $20 a pop! That's fantastic! I'm a huge marshalls and TJ maxx fan!
if you love the thrifty lamps, then you should know my bargain hunting cheap-ass got plenty of other deals in that room.
we waited until labor day to buy the paint (5 dollars off per gallon)
the only furniture we bought at "retail" was the desk...a hold everything classic.
the lamps, pillows and mirror are tj's and marshalls.lamps were 20, pillows around 5, mirror 40.
the 6 drawer beaureau, the 4 drawer dresser and leather ottoman are overstock.com
around 200 each with 1 dollar delivery charge.
the shelves are ikea, 16 each?
the leather shag rug was ABC carpet on sale via their ebay site. $89
and the bed was also ebay...75.00
I also do visual merchandising at work, so I secretly got to test out my plan on a showroom display first...just to make sure I liked it.
can you tell I read "budget living" AND "metro home?"
different shades of orange---that explains it! I like the one by the computer the best, but they're all nice. It takes a sophisticated eye to combine colors like that. Just what this color contest is meant to show.
My error, it is Nov 9th. The little touches of sophistication like the floating shelves, etc. are exactly what my place needs and exactly what I'm not good at. I should hire you as my merchandiser :)
I love the look of your room and the different
shades of orange. Maybe you can tell me what
color to paint my bedroom walls. I have a bedspread
and drapes to match but I'm having trouble pulling
a color for my walls. I was thinking of some shade
of yellow or mustard color. I currently have green
faux painted in the room. The background color of
my bedspread is a cranberry.
janice...
send me some photos and maybe i can help.
michael9246@hotmail.com
TJ Maxx repulsive.........don't come to my house or the bargains might cause you to cough up a lung!!
Wow Michael--score on all accounts!! You go!
Michael: Kudos. I hope you win; you did a fantastic job. Combining the different colors takes talent and guts. I love the fact that you are a bargain shopper; so am I.
To my eye, yours is the most sophisticated, well-put-together, orderly, visually pleasing, and functional room in the contest.
Really, I so admire what you've done. Again, I hope you win.
Kudos for the look with such a budget. This is the best of the oranges in the contest.