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Do you believe that first impressions count? What impression do your front door and entry make on your guests?
Newly-Painted Black Front Door
I recently did a Color Consultation for a Nashville client who needed to get her home ready to sell. The outside needed a pick-me-up, as you can see:
Tired Oak Door
This oak entry had been battered by the elements. When I suggested painting the entire thing black, I think my client was taken a little aback that I didn’t suggest re-staining it instead. A little black paint can be a powerful thing:
Updated House Exterior
The area around the double windows in the front, as well as the boxes below all the front windows were previously painted in a pinky-beige color.
Exterior Before
I specified a slightly different neutral with a more current undertone (green), which makes the house look more sophisticated and current. Oh, and I also had her spray paint her existing worn sconces black. I was so happy to see how well it turned out:
Fresh and Current Exterior
The makeover extended past the front door into the entry. This is what the entry looked like before – notice the floors and how they don’t seem to fit with the faux-finished wall treatment.
Entry Before
And this is a view of the entry from the open front door. The door you see straight ahead leads into the main living area of the house.
Interior Entry Before
I had my client just remove that awkward door so that it opened up the space. The black door ties into the grout of the flooring, and the new wall color is lighter and more welcoming than the previous dark faux-finished color.
Updated Entry Colors
I think this project was definitely a success and goes to show you what a little paint and a little know-how can do! If you want to improve your current paint color scheme, contact The Decorologist to schedule a Color Consultation.
Two homes with the same layout in the same neighborhood. If they are similarly priced, which one’s going to sell and which is going to flounder on the market?
The Decorologist
Why don’t we start with House #1? Here’s a brief tour of the home:
Living Room
It’s an age old-question: how do you properly paint out a trey/tray ceiling?
It’s actually spelled t-r-e-y, but I find that most people spell it t-r-a-y. Anywho, this is how some people think you should paint it:
One Word: YIKES!
That kind of color chaos draws TOO much attention to the ceiling, and NOT in a good way. Looks like it’s time for The Decorologist to tame that trey! Hopefully, you’ll see the virtue of a different tactic: [Read more...]
High-end designers are taking classic chair shapes and updating them with splashes of unexpected color, like this twist on the classic Windsor chair:
Fabulous, no? The price of these designer Windsor chairs from Ola is a whopping $1250 each. Ouch. How hard would it be to paint your own for a similar, even completely custom look? Not hard at all. [Read more...]
Who wouldn’t want to spend every morning in a bathroom that feels like an oasis of calm?
So you have a drab, neutral bathroom. It’s your typical builder-grade bathroom – the cabinets and hardware are fine, just nothing special. You’re tired of it, but you don’t have the budget for a major rehab.
Bathroom Before
Want to make your bathroom feel like a hotel spa without the expense of a weekend get-away? Is that even possible?
Builder-Grade Bathroom Before
What this bathroom needed was the right paint color, which was then repeated in the accessories to create a calming, spa-like feel.
Bathroom After The Decorologist
The best color for a spa-like feel is a blue with a hint of green, like the one I chose for this Nashville bathroom. There’s no one perfect color that will do the trick for everyone’s lighting conditions and existing elements – you have to try several in that color family until you find just the right one. Some good ones to try are Benjamin Moore Beach Glass or Gray Cashmere, or Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt.
If you need helping choosing paint colors, contact The Decorologist for a Color Consultation that will change the way you feel about your home.
If you live in or have visited the deep South, you may have noticed a popular color on historic houses called Haint Blue.
You’ll will find these blue and green tints on windowsills, mullions, shutters, doors, and/or porch ceilings of many historic homes. [Read more...]
You’ve heard about Annie Sloan’s infamous chalk paint, right? I guess The Decorologist gets around, because a few weeks ago their PR person was kind enough to send me a “starter kit” to experiment with!
They must have heard I have a ton of painting projects on my to-do list, and that I’m not a huge fan of sanding and priming. What, you say? No sanding or priming??? You heard me right – the rumour is: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint will adhere to ANYTHING. With NO sanding or priming required.
No Sanding or Priming – Yahoo!
I’ve heard tell that it works on unfinished and finished wood, painted finishes of all kinds, melamine cabinets, plastic, and metal. Wow! So will it work on these super-shiny orange candlesticks from Pottery Barn? You’re about to find out. Below are the candlesticks after the first coat of paint. I was afraid the paint would be runny and streaky, but that was not my experience. It brushed on great – very similar to regular latex paint. [Read more...]
This modern little powder room was previously a vicious red – my client thinks it was called “Satan Red.” I haven’t been able to find a paint named that, but she swears that’s what it was named when it was painted a decade ago! Well, now it’s painted a much friendlier Sherwin Williams’ Tupelo Tree.
A powder room can be a great place to showcase an interesting grouping of art. This client has lots of really cool modern pieces like the ones we hung on this wall.
Modern Art in the Loo
What do you think about art groupings in a bathroom?
Do you love color, but are afraid to use too much of it in your home? Are you scared that it’ll be too chaotic, or make you feel out of control?
The makeover I am sharing today involved an adjoining living room and dining room. The dining room was already painted a fresh green which my client loved during the day, but hated at night – poor lighting had much to do with that. The adjoining living room’s yellowy-tan walls fell flat in comparison to the vivid color in the other room. [Read more...]
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