Adding Light and Shadow to a Color Scheme

Since considering my cousin Heather's nursery color scheme last week, I've had color on the brain and strategies to enhance the scheme in my own home. I tend to gravitate toward rich primary colors (red, orange, green, and blue are my favorites) but sometimes this can leave a space feeling very 2-dimensional and a bit elementary. One of the best strategies I have found to overcome this lack of depth in a color scheme is to add some "Light and Shadow".

To sum up this approach: "Light" colors are those that are, well, light hues of a particular color (for example: light blue) and "Shadow" are those darker hues of that particular color (Navy). If a color scheme contains a lighter hue of a particular color adding a little "shadow" (i.e. the darker hue of that color) to the scheme gives the scheme some depth and variety while ensuring cohesion.

The same strategy can be applied if the space has a darker hue ("Shadow") by adding lighter hues gives the space some "Light" and that depth and variety the scheme is missing.

There are a number of ways to add "Light and Shadow" to a room but one fool-proof way is to introduce accent items that contain both the light and the shadow of a particular color and then expand from there. Here a few of my favorite items that contain my preferred colors: red, orange, green and blue and offer some "Light and Shadow":

1. West Elm Phoenix Wool Dhurrie Rug

2. Blue Dot Charlie Rug

3.Target Room Essentials Ombre Strip Toss Pillow

4. Target Threshold Ombre Stripe Window Panel Orange.

5. Target Room Essentials Chevron Duvet Cover.

6. Crate and Barrel Marimekko Tikkula Seaglass Sheet Sets

7. Target Room Essential Ombre BLock Sham-Green

8. West Elm Lourdes Sanches Bull's Eye Silk Pillow Cover

9. West Elm Chain Crewel Pillow Cover

10. West Elm West Elm Abacus Wool Dhurrie Rug 

Light and Shadow can be added to any space, in any color, and to more than one color in a scheme.   It's a particularly great strategy if your current color scheme has left you feeling stuck, just add a little "Light and Shadow"!

-Griffin

Retail Inspiration: 14 Unique Ways to Hang and Mount Objects in the Home

Last weekend Francie and I took a trip up to South Point Mall in Durham, I had to make a run to the Apple Store. After swapping out my iPhone for one that was fully functioning I decided to take Fran on a scouting trip. Instead of focusing on the newest product (I can see that online any time!) at South Point's various home and fashion retailers, I focused on display. 

If there is one thing retailers are good at it, it is displaying products so we will buy them . Retail design is all about selling product and their brand. It is about more than just placing items on a shelf or hanging them on a rack, retailers want to catch our eye and in turn they go to some creative lengths to accomplish this, which have the potential to be translated into home decor.

On this particular trip there were two display methods that caught my eye: Hanging and Mounting. These two methods can be used at home to display the objects we love or enrich our spaces.

HANG IT

Anthropologie has to be one my favorite retailers for display. Their displays are more like art installations. On this trip these basket-like objects (I think they were actually paper mache) were mounted from the ceiling with rope creating a unique canopy that let some light pass through their weave. This idea could be really fun over a bed or dining table.

Instead of a free-form basket canopy, Pottery Barn hung an old ladder hung from the ceiling to display baskets and other objects. Baskets or just about any large items can be displayed on an old ladder and hung over a dining table or even bed in the home. An old ladder and some S hooks is a great way to store and display pots and pans over a kitchen island.

Often retailers have to define space and create backdrops for products within a large open showroom or store front window, so they come up with some creative ways to do this. In the home these same strategies can also be applied to define and break-up space. 

Curtains aren't just for windows. Hang curtains from rods behind a bed or to break-up a large room, like this display at Anthropologie.

Cache used bold pattered banners hung from a rod as a backdrop for their display window and separate it from the rest of the store.

Free People used some Macramé planters and fringe shawls in their window display. The swooping of the shawls is quite lovely and visually interesting.

Who knew there was a Pottery Barn Teen? Now all the PB brand needs is Pottery Barn Geriatric and every generation is covered! In their window, these crates hang with rope from the ceiling. In the home this would make a fabulous faux-wall in a large open space or just a unique shelving unit against a wall.

MOUNT IT

This patterned fabric banner at Crate and Barrel mounted to the wall adds texture and visual interest. In the home it has the potential to be a lot less expensive than art but just as dramatic if draped from the ceiling and extending to the floor.

These colored panels on display at Crate and Barrel are a great way to add bold color to a space. Perfect for an apartment dweller who can't paint, the homeowner who is timid to go bold, or someone like myself who can be a bit indecisive with paint color.

By mounting these color panels to the wall it also adds some depth, especially if art is layered on top. Foam Core or thin plywood could be the perfect substrate for the panels.

Clearly a sister company to Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, also takes retail display to the next level. These shadow boxes can be a great way to feature objects of personal significance as art. And their colorful backdrops make them even more fun to look at. Make them yourself or get your hands on some wood boxes, then line the back with beautiful wrapping paper and mount objects you love inside.

Pushing art off the walls a bit to create depth and shadow, like this display also at Urban Outfitters, can make even the most simplistic art look amazing. Take black and white family photos and forget the frame, mount them to foam core and then to some wood strips to lift them off the wall. This would be particularly fun in a hallway.

West Elm has this fabulous green wall behind their cash wrap. This would be a fun way to add some color and texture to the home. While I am typically opposed to fake flowers, but in this case some faux-greenery is the way to go. Even a small picture frame filled with greenery instead of art makes a fun statement.

It is quite popular these days to mount picture frames to the front of book shelves but as you can see from this display also at West Elm, why not display objects or art to the sides of our shelves as well!

Consider stacking a few pallets, inside or outside the house, mounting planters to it, and creating a living green wall that adds verticality to the space.

Finally, this display at William's Sonoma actually made me thing of modern artist Donald Judd, particularly this piece. Some floating shelves stacked one on top of the other and painted a bold color brings some reference to modern art into the home along with function.

You may be like me and live far from a major metropolis, where you are sure to find ground breaking architecture and interior design, but walk into any suburban mall and you are bound to find some fabulous interior design inspiration that when translated into the home is sure to WOW!

-Griffin

Design Q&A: How to Create a Cohesive Color Scheme for a Nursery, Part 2

On Wednesday, I shared a design question my cousin Heather, who is expecting, recently sent me. She wanted to know the best way to go about creating a cohesive color scheme for her nursery, you can see my No-Theme Approach in Part 1, today we will embrace the Not-So-Nursery-Nursery Theme.

Before we move on, recall this is her existing color scheme:

And these are some items she has already bought that we want to incorporate into the design.

I know I have been feverishly advocating on the blog for the No-Theme nursery, I even gave Francie a No-Theme Nursery, and I still stand by it as a great approach to designing a space that will grow with baby into childhood, but as a design-minded individual you also have to be willing to break your own rules once in a while.

The main reason for my aversion to Nursery Theme's is that they can be too baby-ish, and as I have recently discovered with Francie turning two, they don't stay babies for long! So the last thing you want is a Nursery-Rhymed theme space that will require a room makeover once baby starts voicing his or her opinions (and don't mistake, those two-year old opinions can be quite strong!).

For Heather's space I suggest going with Air, Land and Sea for a Not-So-Nursery-Nursery Theme. For one, it was just too much fun and relevant to Heather and her husband, Jay, to pass up. Jay is an outdoorsman, he hunts and fishes, and I'm pretty sure he's even dragged Heather out there with him once or twice. So a theme of Air, Land and Sea just made sense. This theme is not only relevant but also has potential to grow with baby into childhood.

Just as in Part 1's No-Theme approach, Navy is the primary color in this scheme, it anchors the space while orange, lime green, and light blue are accent colors that enliven it.

These colors are particularly perfect as the use of light blue references sky, green the landscape, navy (particularly the Navy Chevron Rug!) the water, and the orange is a fun pop that reminds me of a hunter's vest. Think of this avid outdoorsman as you tour the space (thank goodness for the vest or you wouldn't see him in the woods!)

On second thought, DON'T think of him. Here's the scheme:

Board 1

1. ART: From Point A Alpha Wall Art @ Land of Nod 

2. Existing Art.

3. WALL DECOR. Camo Systems Camo Netting @ Cabelas. Alternative: Army surplus stores also sell camo netting, or raid Jay's stash of hunting gear for some netting. Hang on wall and layer with art, it adds texture, and an outdoorsy feel.

4. WALL DECOR: Geese Wall Decal in Navy 68"x29" @ WallStar Graphics

5. CRIB: Just a stand-in crib, Heather already has one.

6. BEDDING: Blue Fish Print @ Land of Nod with Navy and White bedskirt.

Board 2

1. WALL DECOR: Buck Wall Decal, in Navy 29x50 @ WallStar Graphics

2. STORAGE: Billy Bookcase 80"x28" with back painted orange @ IKEA. Alternative: thrift or antique bookcase painted orange.

3. CURTAINS: Linden Street Twill Thermal Back Curtains Navy @ JC Penny 

4. Existing Rocker, I would leave as is.

5. THROW PILLOW. Room Essentials Texture Pillow @ Target

6. OTTOMAN: Threshold Outdoor Pouf Footstool @ Target

Board 3

1. STORAGE. Dolphin Double Ring Crab Net @ Dick's Sporting Goods. House diapers, supplies or stuffed animals.

2. LIGHTING. Gourd Shaped Lamp and Shade @ Target

3. Existing Art.

4. WALL DECOR. Salmon Wall Decal@ WallStar Graphics

5.DRESSER/CHANGING TABLE. Thrift or Antique store solid wood dresser. Alternative: Paint dresser white or navy if wood finish is not in good condition.

6. RUG. Room Essential Chevron Woolure Rug @ Target

The large wall decals, curtains, rug and bedding anchor the space in Navy while accents of the rest of the scheme brighten it up. The netting and wall decals are really the only direct references to this hunting theme, everything else references it with texture, pattern and color but is not over the top, no need for shot guns on the wall to make your point!  It's relevant to Heather and Jay and while clearly a theme it's not too baby-ish.

You can find some alternative options to both schemes on the Heather's Nursery Pinterst Board.

Thanks for letting me share your question Heather, I had fun playing with your space and I can't wait to meet your little guy. Happy decorating!

-Griffin

Got a Design Question? Send it my way! You can email me here. Please include photos and any relevant information so I can be as specific with my suggestions as possible.

Design Q&A: How to Create a Cohesive Color Scheme for a Nursery, Part 1

My cousin Heather was kind enough to let me share a design question she recently sent me. She is starting to prepare a nursery for her baby boy whom she and her husband, Jay, will welcome in November. Here's her question.

Q: "I have decided not to do a theme for the nursery, none grab me enough. I like the combo of lime green, light blue, navy, & orange.  I’m not painting the walls because we’ll probably move in a few years & we’re renting.  So I think bold pops of these colors will make a big impact.  I want the room to be educational & playful.  And I’m sure some Chicago Bears stuff will make its way in.  Is the color scheme solely enough to prevent everything from being too chaotic?"
-Heather

                                                                                             

A: I see two approaches to this design question. The first I'll cover today, it focuses on the No-Theme approach where we focus on making the space Educational and Playful. Friday, I will share a suggested theme (it was too fun and relevant to Heather and Jay to pass up!) both will focus on how to ensure a cohesive color scheme that doesn't feel chaotic.

On to Part 1:

It is possible to make a space feel cohesive if the design is driven solely by the color scheme. To do this select an anchor color that is used on most (but not all) of the large essential pieces in the room. These items typically include (but aren't limited to): the dresser, curtains, and bedding. Then add pops of the rest of the color scheme to accents and more unique items in the space.

Given Heather's color scheme: Lime green, Light Blue, Navy and Orange, I suggest making Navy the anchor color as it is masculine and more of a neutral color than the others in the scheme.  It is comfortable to live with in large amounts (Navy is the new black), while the other colors particularly orange and lime green can be a bit overwhelming in excess. Although both are fun and vibrant, great colors to stimulate baby!

As Heather noted, she hasn't found a theme she particularly likes for baby's room so she wanted to focus on a playful and educational space. I think this is a smart approach (you can see Fran's No-Theme Nursery here) it ensures more freedom in decor options and can easily evolve as baby and his interests evolve.

The color scheme is anchored in Navy and enlivened by light blue, lime green and orange and this is enough, but I suggest taking it to another level to help make the space feel even more cohesive and thought out.

I realize I have a fondness for spheres (I even dedicated an entire post about them on Monday!), but I think the sphere, along with its two-dimensional friend, the circle, embody both "educational and playful" while remaining fairly generic (not indicative of a particular theme) and could be used throughout the space to add another layer of cohesion to the overall design.

Here's my suggested scheme:

Board 1

1. DIY MOBILE. 12" Paper Lanterns Paper Lanterns @ Amazon.com

2. ART: Alphabet and Numbers Set 11x14 Prints @ Etsy.com 

3. CRIB: Just a stand-in, Heather already has one.

4. CURTAINS: Linden Street Twill Thermal Back Curtains in Navy @ JC Penny 

5. BEDDING: Blue Dot Fitted Crib Sheet @ Land of Nod with navy stripe bed skirt

Board 2

1. MOBILE: Ceiling Solar System Kit @ Land of Nod 

2. Existing Art

3. Existing Art

4. ART: Green Dinosaur Map of the World 18x24 @ Etsy.com

5. DRESSER/CHANGING TABLE: Thrift or antique store dresser painted Navy blue 

6. STORAGE: Hallowell Kid Locker 54"H @ Amazon.com. Alternative: thrift or antique store shelf painted orange, or  Billy Bookcase with back panel painted orange @ IKEA 

7. THROW PILLOW:Xhilaration Velvet Euro Pillow Orange @ Target 

8. Existing Rocker, I would leave as is but if you go with a white or wood book case instead of the locker then I would paint it orange.

9. FOOT STOOL: Midnight Blue Microsued Luxe Ottoman @ World Market 

10. RUG: PS 2012 Rug 6'x9' @ IKEA

The curtains, dresser, bedding as well as the foot stool (every mom needs a good foot rest for those late night feedings!) are all Navy. These items are relatively large and essential components of the space. They will also likely be spread throughout the room to give Navy a really strong presence in the space.

Now insert the rest of the color scheme. The rug is green and the locker (it doesn't get more educational than a school locker!) is orange. I realize these items are large but instead of going with Navy, go for the more vibrant colors in the scheme because both are a bit unexpected and offer a unique design, in turn they should stand out.  All other items, particularly art, pull in all the colors of the scheme to round out the space.

On top of the color scheme, the circle and sphere are repeated throughout the scheme from the paper lanterns over the crib, to the bedding, the rug, and the solar system over the changing table. Between the color scheme and the repetition of the circle and sphere the space feels very cohesive yet it is not dictated by a particular theme and can easily evolve with baby.

Thanks for letting me share your question Heather! And check back Friday when I will share an alternative approach to Heather's nursery color scheme, this time driven by a theme (I know, a theme, but it works!).

-Griffin

Got a Design Question? Send it my way! Big or small I'd love to help solve your design challenge! You can email me here. Please include photos and any relevant information so I can be as specific with my suggestions as possible. Thanks!

Design Finds & A DIY: All About the Orb

I mentioned last week that Frances and I visited Raleigh's Market Imports, and while their collection of architectural remnants was quite impressive, it was the store's abundance of Orbs that left a lasting impression on me.

Around every corner there was an orb, sphere, or globe whatever you want to call them. There were orbs of every material, shape, size and color.  

Candle Holder Orbs

Talavera Christmas orbs (Talavera is a type of Mexican pottery, learn something new everyday!)

Indoor glass decorative orbs

Glass decorative orbs inside wire orbs.

Then there were the glass hanging orbs

But wait there are more! What about the garden orb?

Look for Less: York Wallcovering's 'All Over Coral'

I have been debating for months about what to do with our powder room. I had originally painted one wall with black chalkboard paint and liked the solution, it's a bit unexpected and fun, but that was about all I had done with the space. It's easy to forget about a space when the door is always shut because someone (who turns 2 TODAY!) would have a field day if she had free reign in the space.

Recently, however, I spotted this bathroom on Pinterest and was immediately taken by it. The image had originated from a Design Sponge Sneak Peak.

via Design Sponge.

I love the wall paper, it's called 'All Over Coral' by York Wallcoverings.  It feels organic yet modern because of the the stark contrast of black and white and large scale of the coral, a bit like an x-ray.

via York Wall Coverings

While I'd love to wall paper the space, at $56 a roll (and I would need 3 rolls) that's just not in the budget nor is the rather permanent commitment that is required once one wall paper's a space. But I was already half way to the 'All Over Coral' look, thanks to my chalkboard feature wall and so I decided to finish the job by painting the rest of the walls with Black Valspar Chalkboard paint.

Then with some white chalk I drew large fern-like leaves on all four walls that have a similar feel to coral but are much easier to draw.  There was no science to drawing the leaves, any imperfections are just evidence it was made by hand, which I find to be a nice touch to any space (see how I put a positive spin on my lack of perfectionism?).

One quart of chalkboard paint is just $15 and a box of white chalk is $2, so that's like one-tenth the cost of the wall paper and with NONE of the commitment to pattern.

I did go a bit bold with black but I love it, you may recall that I once was a bit hesitant at the idea of black walls, well now I don't think I can get enough. But if you aren't ready to make the leap to black Benjamin Moore's chalkboard paint can be tinted in ANY color.

You can draw on just about any motif or pattern you are willing to take on (get some inspiration from York's collection!). Consider stencils found at any craft store if you don't trust your free hand or make a pattern to trace out of cardboard. The great thing is you can always erase if you mess up. While chalk does erase fairly easily I have found that what I draw on our chalkboard wall has a very long life, a hallway or stairwell (where you may rub against the wall) may be another story but the bathroom is usually a pretty safe chalkboard environment. I do advise sticking to white chalk on walls, I went with a blue once to experiment and the blue dust got everywhere

Now to accessorize our space with some hand towels, a towel ring and a toilet paper holder, currently ours are builder-grade bland, so they could be stepped up a notch. I like the idea of letting whatever motif or pattern I draw on the wall take center stage and thus leaving other details fairly neutral.

If you can walk away with two things from this particular project it's:
1.  Don't let your budget limit what you do with a space, so I wasn't about to spend $170+ dollars wall papering my powder room (with the toilet and pedestal sink it would have made it a nightmare of a job), there's almost always an affordable and functional way to solve a design goal.

2. And  If you want to go bold in your home and don't know where to start, the bathroom is always a great place to experiment. The bathroom should NEVER be taken too seriously. And going bold with paint in this room has inspired me to begin revisiting the paint choices (or lack there of) in the rest of our home.

-Griffin

5 Ways to Add Architectural Character

Architectural character exists in a room even without furniture, accessories or art. It's the bones of a space and you can't take it with you when you leave.

Dan and I live in a perfectly nice new house but aside from an electric fire place and some tray ceilings our home doesn't have much to boast about by way of architectural character.  Here are five ways to add architectural character to the home, some of which I have done myself. Each strategy can be implemented by a professional or with a little elbow grease and patience.

Built-Ins
Built-ins are one way to maximize square footage and to increase and integrate storage in a home. From seating to entertainment centers just about any type of furniture item can be integrated into a space and in-turn become part of the building's architecture.

via Desire to Inspire

via The Design Itch.

Paneling
After a boom in the '60s and '70s we started removing all our wood paneling but today we see an appreciation for wood paneling reemerge and for good reason, wood grain is totally unique and a bit unpredictable, it is so much more beautiful and interesting than gyp board.

via Wrightson Stewart Interiors.

via The Design Itch.

Molding & Trim
Molding and trim make the transition from floor to wall to ceiling nice and smooth and can transform a blank wall.

via Thom Filicia.

Image 1 via YHL and Image 2 via YHL.

Architectural Remnants
So your home is constructed of 2x4's, gyp board, and composite hollow core doors like mine, use salvaged architectural remnants to add some character to your space. I recently visited Market Imports in Raleigh and was bombarded by all kinds of wonderful salvaged architectural items from wall arches to doors. Sure, some items require a much (much) bigger budget but by simply incorporating a single architectural remnant into an otherwise character-free space the item takes center stage and can be appreciated for its craftsmanship and beauty and in a way it never was in its original structure, as a work of art.

via Catherine Kwong.

Market Imports Raleigh

Furniture
Finally, breath new life into salvaged architectural items by turning them into furniture and in turn bringing architectural character to your space. Reclaimed, a shop located in Crystal Lake, IL (and owned by a fellow JHS graduate, Brent Hollenberg) takes salvaged building parts and transforms them into everything from coffee tables to hall trees. Giving these items a new purpose adds to their story and prolongs their life.

via Reclaimed

via Scrap Hacker

One thing I love about these solutions is that unlike true architectural character many of them can come with you when leave your current home, so instead of being a part of the building's history, they become part of your history.

-Griffin