When I got my littlest up for school this morning, I noticed this miniature floral arrangement in her room. I think they are crab apple blossoms from a tree at school (worn home in her hair). I know the tiny pot is a ramekin from the kitchen.
Imagine one per guest at an outdoor wedding, or two staggered lines of about 20 at an Easter banquet.
The sheen of paint can dramatically alter the appearance of the color. While technically the color is the same, the amount of light reflected changes our perception. Glossy paint appears to be slightly darker than flat.
Flat paint is preferable for its soft, almost velvety appearance. It hides minor imperfections and can be easily touched up. However, flat paint also has a strong magnetic attraction to greasy fingers, dust and scuffs. The slightest brush can leave behind an enormous mark. Because it can’t be washed, thoroughfares have to be regularly repainted. Many of the paint companies are now selling a premium matte paint that contains ceramic beads that make it scrubbable. It is considerably more expensive. McCormick GenerationXR, available in the DC metro area, is the best of these products.
Eggshell paint has a very slight sheen. It has the advantage of being less attractive to dirt and marks and can be lightly wiped. It does show a noticeable sheen difference when retouched, however.
Satin paint has a bit more sheen, and is washable. It is often recommended for bathrooms and kitchens. Redoing one section requires repainting of that entire area.
Semi Gloss is used for doors and trim. It is easy to wash. Semi Gloss is reflective, so imperfections are noticeable.
What do I recommend? It is hard to suggest anything other than flat for wall surfaces from a purely aesthetic perspective.
Flat paint looks better, because the lack of light reflection allows the color to serve its function: to be a backdrop to the design plan. Your eyes are not distracted by surface changes or blemishes. However, scuffed and fingerprinted walls can be a disaster, so it is probably best to use Eggshell in homes with small children and pets.
I never recommend Satin. In my opinion, people are unrealistic about how long they expect paint to last. The days of oil based paint curing on the walls and creating an impenetrable surface are over. Today’s latex paints are easy to apply and even easier to paint over, and should be done so every five years.
OK. I am going to admit that some people who know me think I am a little anal–is that polite blog talk?–about cleaning. I swear I am not OCD *stops typing to wipe a smudge from the screen*. I just like things neat. So I can focus on the design…Really…
Seriously, I do believe a good scrubbing should be the first step in any design project. Sometimes removing the clutter and repairing and cleaning a space can reveal what actually needs to be done. I have clients who think I am going to suggest new furniture when sometimes all that is necessary is a good steam cleaning.
I take my own advice. Today I ignored the little stack of papers on my desk and set aside a few hours to scrub down my balcony and its furniture. I realize most people won’t wash the railing rungs, but I now I can work outside without thinking about how much more I would enjoy it if it were pristine.
Well, maybe a little anal…
As often as homeowners hang art too high, they use the wrong tools to get the job done.
In my car I keep a tote full of simple tools. The most valuable to my business is my hammer along with my tin box of picture hangers. I made this tool kit with a carrier I got at Michaels. It is intended for scrap booking supplies, but works great for me. I realized how necessary it was for me to bring my own stuff when one of my clients removed her shoe to pound a thumbtack into the wall!
I recommend Ook Picture Hangers. And, of course, a hammer!
Choices.
Anyone can spend money. But to find great things for CHEAP—that’s talent.
I confess. Finding the perfect item for my clients that happens to also be super inexpensive gives me deep satisfaction. Of course, I recognize craftsmanship and I see the value in high quality pieces. But in many cases, the a little shopping can save a pile of dough.
I love the Plaza Bed Linens Coverlet from Crate and Barrel. The king sells for $229. The shams are $49 extra.
Target has nearly the same thing. However, The Modern Home Reversible King Coverlet is only $70 and includes two shams. The best part, Target’s version comes in eight color choices.
This is my view this morning.
In a matter of moments, the sky went from sunny and nearly colorless to the photo above. And as the deep azure clouds rolled in within seconds, the colors of green on the grass and the buds on the trees exploded. As if the chlorophyll was suddenly agitated to the surface.
Strange phenomena that should be obvious second nature to someone who works with color for a living. Or perhaps noticed just because that reason. In either case, the point is clear. Color must be viewed RELATIVELY. The golf course is pretty, yes. But against a background of deep blue, it is breathtaking.
Layering can be an effective way to showcase art. Plus, on a large brick wall such as this, hanging a single picture is tricky, and would require drilling into mortar.
I created this display for a home I am staging. Notice how the large mat in the rear frame keeps the arrangement from becoming too busy. The largest photo is, in fact, in the smallest frame, which creates an interesting bit of tension.
The subject matter on all three is similar-basically Old Dudes. Interesting and not too personal, necessary ingredients for effective staging. The colors are tight. They are straight out of the tones in the brick.
It appears from the “straight on” view that the decorative box is too far from the grouping of photos, but look at the angled view. The distance serves to emphasis the dramatic length of the fireplace.
I am deluding myself in to believing the Home section of the Washington Post is reading my blog.
I mean, I DID just highlight the yellow set from Pottery Barn last week. Well…it is a pretty color. I even said so in the photo comment….
It was at the end of a little used hallway, next to the janitor’s closet. The door would open quickly and would be pulled shut at even greater speed, as if the billowing clouds of smoke could be kept inside. A Teachers Lounge circa 1984.
Well, for those who shared my longing to see the inside…here are some photos I shot today, now that I am all grown up and allowed to be there. Obviously, the smoke is gone, but you can see from the decor that little has changed. From the light fixtures to the groovy telephone table, this lounge is stuck in 1975.
That greenish glow is not just a product of my horrid photography skills. It is really there. And it sucks the life out of you in a matter of minutes. If teachers are grouchy in this school, I bet they are spending time in this energy vacuum.
I need to do something about this! QUICK!
The design world moves at a much slower pace than the regular one.
I write this because more than a few of my clients have shown concern over the speed–or lack thereof–along which their projects have moved.
Here is a case in point. Cathy runs a busy up-scale clothing shop and a travel agency. Originally, she hired me over a year ago to create a travel office out of an unused space in the building where she had the shop. The path we took to that route was hardly straight and finally we are neared completion on the travel office today. In the midst of our work together, we found it was often necessary to spend design time on the clothing space, simply because it was the portion of her business that demanded the attention. And sometimes, Cathy was just to busy to worry about decorating.
And that’s ok. Life happens. Decorating fits in when it can. No need to stress. This is suppossed to be fun!
Here are some “befores and afters”.
