Pantone Colors of the Year {Rose Quartz & Serenity}

Yes you read that right... COLORS of the year. Usually Pantone comes out with one color for the year but this year they decided to throw a curve ball in the world of color and design.

Introducing Pantone's 2016 colors of the year:

Some of you may love these colors while others may be a bit turned off at this color combination. Before you leave this post let me give you some inspiration that will either confirm your dislike for these colors or change your mind on these pastel-like colors.

Let's start with Rose Quartz....I am attracted to this color in small doses. Am I going to paint a whole room this color? Probably not. (unless my daughter wants a pink room someday, then we'll talk)  But a throw pillow or accent vase would add just a touch of pink without going overboard. And how about this door color? I might get on board with that! 

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The table setting below really shows how both colors can be paired well together. And of course I love how they added a touch of gold!

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Now onto Serenity.....

I have to admit that this color in small doses would also work for me. However, I am not a huge fan of the purple undertones in this color so I am giving you a glimpse of more of a sky blue in some of these inspiration photos. 

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I am really drawn to spaces that have more of a neutral backdrop which bring out the pastel colors with a pop!

Can you get on board with the new colors of the year? Which inspiration photo is your favorite?

Have a wonderful week lovelies! 

{Simply White} Color of the Year

White? Really? It's the color of the year? My thoughts exactly until I saw some of the images below. You either absolutely adore this color and how it creates such contrast against everything in the space, or you despise it.

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I am actually a huge fan of white! I know I have young kids and they will probably draw all over the walls and create some pretty sticky hand prints, but I don't care. We painted the nursery, master bathroom and dining room Shoji White and I haven't regretted that decision one bit.

What do you all think? Are you a fan of white or do you try and stay away from it? What is your "go-to" color?

Reader's Design Dilemma {Exterior Paint Choices}

Last week I was contacted by one of my reader's. I love getting an email that has some sort of design question or dilemma. In this case Denise was having difficulty choosing an exterior paint color for her home:

Amy, I think your so talented. I was hoping you might give me a minute or two of your valuable time. I have re-sided my home and the painters are standing by while I stand dumbfounded at the chip wall, I have no idea!

I need to co-ordinate my roofs green and blue grays and I'd like the new shake to stand out a bit but have no idea about the trim, body door and shutters. I saw the colors on your latest flip and thought they were so gorgeous I'd take a chance to see if you had an idea about the direction I so go.

Thanks in advance, and thanks even if your too busy to write back. I love your blog and all the inspiration we get from it.

Denise

photos - 1) house, 2) roof, 3) shake, and 4) new window trim

I've added staggered shake to the gable and will be adding this window detail and beefier posts

What an adorable home! I was pleased to hear that she is going to be adding some larger posts to the front porch as well as beefing up the trim around the windows and doors. This will make a huge difference for the curb appeal of this home. 

I sent Denise three options (although I could have sent her like 10!). I am anxious to see what she decides and hope that she will send all of us some updates along the way. 

Option 1:

Since the roof has a fleck of green to it, I thought Crownsville Gray would be a great compliment. It also has hints of green, brown and gray. The posts and trim would really stand out with Simply White and be such a fabulous contrast to the darker siding. And I just thought she needed a Navy blue door. You know my love for the dark regal blues. 

Here is a little idea of where this color scheme is headed:

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Option 2:

We have actually used this color combination in a couple of our flip homes. These colors feel a bit fresh and cottage like to me. The door color would really stand out from the street and adding Chelsea gray to the shakes would create another element to the curb appeal.

Here is an example minus the front door color. This was a flip we did a couple of years ago and used Sandy Hook as the main color, Chelsea Gray on the shutters and Glass of Milk as the trim. 

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Option 3: 

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This color palette was pulled from one of the blogs that I currently follow. The color combination is a bit lighter than the previous two, but still plays on the green shingles making it feel cohesive. I also love the idea of adding a little color to the porch ceiling. Very cottage like indeed!

Here is the example of Dixie Delight's home painted in this color palette:

Thanks Denise for sharing your home with us today! In my opinion, Denise can't go wrong with any of these paint choices. 

Tell me....What option is your favorite?

If you have a design question or are stumped on how to organize a certain space...email me at: eatsleepdecorate(at)gmail(dot)com. I would love to help you with your design dilemma's!

I've got the Blues....

No I am not down in the dumps, but I've been really crushing on dark navy/indigo blue lately. Do you ever come across a color that excites you? I have never really been into lighter shades of blue, but dark-dramatic blue is where it's at (in my opinion).
Whether you use the color on a wall, in a pillow or to add a pop of color to your bathroom vanity...I think it can be both classy and modern. Use some navy paint against white molding and boy the contrast is fabulous!
See for yourself.....

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Are you a fan of dark blue/indigo tones? Where could you see this color used within your own home?


Some of my favorite Dark Blue Paint Colors:
Naval by Sherwin Williams: SW 6244
Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore: HC-154
Gravel Gray by Benjamin Moore: 2127-30
Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore: HC-155
Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore: 2062-10
Midnight Navy by Benjamin Moore: 2067-10

{DIY} Colorful Umbrellas

This post is just perfect to start this raining week here in NC! We are literally going to see rain everyday. I am not very excited about that, but it will help me stay inside and get some projects finished.

I have seen some great umbrella inspiration around the web lately.

photo 1-Originial photo taken by Studio DIY for ScotchBlue

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It got my wheels turning and I decided to try my hand at painting a couple of umbrellas using ScotchBlue TM Original Painter's Tape. Studio DIY for ScotchBlue had a great tutorial on how to paint her fruit umbrellas, so I used their ideas and expanded a bit to create my own.

Supplies Needed:
*Umbrellas (I got mine at Target)
*ScotchBlue TM Originial Painter's Tape
*Acrylic Paint
*Textile Medium
*Foam Brushes

Strawberry Umbrella Steps:
* Start by taping off the green stems of the strawberry with ScotchBlue TM Painter's Tape.
*Mix one part textile medium to two parts green paint.
*Using your foam brush, paint green stem. (Because my green paint seemed a little thin, I had to paint three coats.)
*Using a small paint brush or Q-tip add the yellow seeds sporadically around the umbrella.
*Peel the ScotchBlue TM Painter's Tape off the umbrella and WHA-LA!

Lime Umbrella Steps:
***I used the same directions for Studio DIY's Lemon Umbrella. It was a bit time consuming, but I think it turned out better than the strawberry!

What do you all think? Wouldn't these be a fun Pinterest party project? So glad I finished these little beauties, so I can actually use them in the monsoon we are having today! Happy Monday All! 

**ScotchBlue TM Painter's Tape sent me the tape to complete this project. However, all opinions are my own and additional products used in this project were selected by me.**

Client Project Update {The power of paint}

Hi All! Hope you are having a great week. I am so ready for Friday...how about you?

I have been working with a few clients both local and via e-design and wanted to share with you all about what I am doing on these projects. I have enjoyed working and creating spaces I know my clients are going to enjoy for a long time.

Today I am giving you just a little peek into one of my local client projects. Donna contacted me about a month ago for a paint consultation for both her front living room and large family room. She wanted to brighten up both spaces and create a more relax feel.{sorry for the quality of my phone pictures! That's all I had with me}

Family Room Before:

Living Room Before:

As you can see both rooms have fantastic features and pieces. They both just needed a little paint and some accessorizing. That's the fun part!

My clients really fell in love with Restoration Hardware's line of paint colors for the family room. I originally recommended either Glacier or Silver Sage. I thought both colors were great neutrals but would give a bit of a relaxed feel to the space and allow them to choose punches of color in accessories. I left my samples with the family to decide. They called and decided that they wanted more of an impact and to really make a statement on the walls.

They decided on Light Silver Sage. I am so glad they did. It really feels like a soothing room that you want to escape to. They have large windows that look out onto their hardscape and pool area. This blue/green/gray really reflects some of the colors just outside their windows. I also love how the color changes throughout the day. It really is gorgeous in person!

The color on the wall really pulls out the colors in the rug as well. This room is starting to come to life!

Now onto the front living room. I shared the picture below with my clients and they automatically fell in love with the idea of adding a pop of color to the built-ins rather than painting all of the walls.

The paint on the back of the shelves is Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore. When I shared the sample with them, they thought it might be a bit too dark for the space. So they decided on the color above Wythe Blue called Chesapeake Blue.

Boy did that color make an impact in that small space!

Now we are on to finding some lamps, pillows, throws, artwork and of course tackling the built-ins with some stylish accessories. Stay Tuned! Can't wait to share more progress.

And I couldn't leave you without a couple Before & Progress Pictures...