Pinebrook Green 490
Need a little color in your life? Check out these inspirational rooms painted with Benjamin Moore paints…
Color Crush: INKy BLUES
March 30, 2011
I have a new color crush and Blue, it’s you.
For years I have put you at the bottom of my color repertoire. Why? I’m not really sure. Maybe it had to do with your ‘countrified’ version which lasted way too long. Just thinking about you and all that mauve gives me the chills…
Color Trends for Spring
March 14, 2011
Every year as a designer, I wait with eager anticipation for Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse–color forecast. I love knowing what colors and design elements will be popular over the next year. The color professionals at Benjamin Moore spend a lot of time and effort pulling together the elements of their forecast and it is always so interesting to watch for their predictions to become reality. Traveling to all areas of the world, they pay very close attention to the social, cultural and economic influences in those areas and in ours. This spring and throughout the year 2011, their color predictions are based on 4 main themes, that of Farm, Order, Escape and Tribe.
Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2011
December 28, 2010
Color of the Year 2011
WOW! This color fantastic!! Rich and luscious yet soft and velvety Vintage Wine could be used in any space!
Even these wine bottle corks are the color of the year!
Color Pick Me Up
December 6, 2010
I don’t know about you but this time change has been really hard to take this year. I don’t know if it was because of the great summer and fall we had but I am really feeling it. I suppose I could consider moving closer to the Equator but in spite of my complaining, I still love Michigan. (Plus I hear the bugs are REALLY big in South America. Eww.)
I guess I may be here a while. So to compensate for the absence of light in the late afternoons I have been thinking about using some more uplifting color choices in my home.
Art Prize Pianos: Play Me I’m Yours
September 20, 2010
I promised I would take pictures of the piano painting. I stopped by West Michigan Piano to take a few photos and meet the creative people using our paint to create their masterpieces.
Various groups were in to work on several pianos including a group from Byron Center Christian Elementary, Steelcase, Lakeside and Dutton Elementary. Thornapple Kellog had been in a few days prior to paint a couple of brilliant works of music and art.
The creativity and the paint were flying as the students took over the warehouse area and loading dock to work on their art projects. A couple of kids were playing songs on them while everyone was working. I am still amazed by how great these kids are…
continue reading on the next page…
Art Prize 2010: Play Me I’m Yours
September 15, 2010
I pass by a billboard on M-6 every day with a slogan about Grand Rapids that reads “Cool City, Hot Art”. It got me thinking about how Grand Rapids has become so hip and current over the past decade. Although I am no artist, I am a great admirer of other’s creativity. How exciting to have the chance to see thousands of artistic displays in our city. Art Prize definitely puts Grand Rapids on the top of cool places to see. Cool City, indeed!!
Seven’s Paint & Wallpaper has been given the opportunity to work with a ton of artistic people who are painting pianos for Art Prize. They will be placed all over GR and anyone can walk up and play!
Accent Wall or Feature Wall
September 7, 2010
Long, long ago in the age of beige, people were craving a little color. Because the idea of painting an entire room anything other than beige or off white was too intimidating for most, along came the Accent Wall. A section of color painted in a room was the solution– a tentative way for homeowners to dip their toes into the color pool so to speak.
Remember walking into a home and seeing a bold color kind of standing on its own looking lonely and heavy in relation to the rest of the room?
Remember the strong reds, blues and greens that covered a single wall in almost every room? What was once an unpredictable pop of color is now, well…sort of predictable.
Welcome to 2010 and the introduction of (drum roll please…) the Feature Wall.
Feature wall? Sounds like a marketing gimmick. Just a new name for an old concept. Well no, not necessarily.
Fancy Nancy Girl’s Room…
August 2, 2010
There is something about Jane O’Connor’s beautifully detailed illustrations that beckons you to pick up a Fancy Nancy book. My own children are a little too old for the stories but we have enjoyed them immensely in the past. Nancy is a little bit “fancy” and loves all things French. She loves fashion and glamour and inspired me to put together a collection of colors and things to create a “Fancy” room for any little Fashionista…
Outdoor Painting Projects…
May 18, 2010
Nothing makes me think of summer more that a colorful arrangement of adirondack chairs.
Speaking of summer, did I hear rumors we may warm up to the 80′s sometime next week?
Check out these colors!
To re-paint your chairs, follow these steps:
Step 1: Clean dirt and debris from chairs with Challenger cleaner and water following the dilution instructions on the bottle.
Step 2: Lightly sand the chair with 150 grit sand paper and remove dust. You may need a scraper for really flaky areas. Use a damp cloth to remove the dust particles.
Step 3: Apply acrylic exterior primer to the chair and let dry. (Ben Moore Fresh Start 023 is a great versatile primer for both inside and outside projects.) You may not have to prime the whole chair unless it was stained previously. You can spot prime if more that 20% bare wood is exposed after sanding and scraping. I like to paint outdoor projects in my garage just in case a random bug or stray grass clipping lands where it shouldn’t. Make sure to put down plastic or a drop cloth first. Dandelion fuzzies, arg!!
Step 4: Apply two coats acrylic exterior paint in the color of your choosing allowing sufficient drying time between coats. (I like the Graham Aqua Borne Exterior Soft Gloss. The resins get nice and hard which means you will get a more durable paint job. Ben Moore Aura Exterior Semi Gloss is nice too, especially for really bright colors–the coverage is fantastic.)
Step 5: Let paint cure for a few days before using. (You could risk marking up the paint job if you use them too quickly and the paint hasn’t hardened enough.)
Step 6: Sit back and enjoy your colorfully painted chairs!!
TIP: Try using mini rollers to cover all of the flat chair surfaces. You can use a brush to cover the hard to roll areas. A 3/16″ nap or 3/8″ nap cover will give the nicest coverage and finish.
The Power of a Great Entry
April 19, 2010
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. So why not add a little color and excitement to your home by painting the front door? (all photos are courtesy of flickr and creativecommons.org)
I love the contrast between the blue and terracotta.
Try these colors from Seven’s
Green is such an easy color to love and live with.
Who wouldn’t love a Seaweed green door?
Isn’t this so inviting? Symmetry and shutters are a good thing.
Blue Lapis and Fairview Taupe
A classic look with red, black and white.
Aren’t the black details nice? Try a softer black like Black Jack 2133-20 to provide crispness without being too harsh.
Okay, the wisteria is overwhelmingly beautiful, but so is the door. Two subtle colors lend a sophisticated feel to this entry.
The color palette coordinates with the silvery green plants.
Minimalism at its best. Yellow is striking with earthy neutrals.
Are you this brave? Glimmer and Clinton Brown, very chic.
I hope you are inspired to try some color.
I came across this Irish Blessing and though I would share it with you:
May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door. (your freshly painted colorful door)
My Other Daughter’s Room Update…
April 5, 2010
I know you all have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for word on the lime green walls in my daughter’s room so here you go…
