Apartment Therapy discusses the dilemma of painted brick.

An exterior like this always begs the question – should you paint the brick? I’m not a purist, nor am I modernist. I think painting brick is a personal choice based on what you like. You can make this facade work either way.

First, here is the classic unpainted brick. A blue, black and red scheme compliments both the brick and the red/gray roof tiles. I added shutters for some interest on the facade. Although if your budget is tight, you can paint a double trim using both white and black. Also, a red door always makes a house pop.

The following options show a white painted brick. I do think that painted brick can look very fresh. If you favor fresh over traditional, go with the white brick. Here, a muted warm gray tone-on-tone makes for a very sophisticated little bungalow.

This is a cooler variation of the sophisticated look. I think this goes well with the roof. I also some added some accent lights. The look is inspired by the amazing exterior renovation at Fly Through Our Window (scroll down to the last few photos to see the gorgeous painted brick.)

Lastly, a little french style inspiration via Lindsay Christensen Design (and Flickr.) This is obviously not a French country house, but we can certainly borrow the color scheme. The easy part of this palette is that the house remains white and only the brick is painted white. That should leave some money to slap on some contrasting shutters, add a sweet yellow door and throw down a couple of very distinguished mini-topiary at the front walk. Mini French-country bungalow, anyone?

This lovely house is an easy update and nearly any palette will make it distinctive and just like “home.”

The cottage is currently red with white accents.

A classic red cottage from the 1940's with a multi-colored gray/slate roof.

I love the red shingles – such a classic! This cottage could be easily updated by simply painting the roof charcoal gray or dark slate blue.

Here is an easy fix to set the roof back and bring your attention back to the facade and crisp white fence:

Check out beach cottage rental sites for inspiration. This image comes from www.capecodpads.com.

To lighten up the entire cottage, try a another classic: the gray, white and black Cape Cod style. So crisp!

Add a bright red door for a pop of color and to make sure your beach cottage doesn’t get lost in the crowd.

If a classic Cape Cod is too predictable, try a mellow green or sunny yellow. To get some inspiration, check out Valspar Paint’s “Color by Architecture” section. It’s an easy way to quickly see many exterior paint options on a variety of American vernacular home styles.

This cute beach cottage is quite the charmer. With a darker roof, I think this place looks good in nearly any color.

Here is the current room with deep navy walls and matching couch.

I think chair rails can be great. They are an easy way to introduce multiple colors onto one wall and also add a hint of architectural detail. I chose to leave the chair rails in place and take advantage of multiple colors and textures. Wallpaper  from Hang & Paste is the perfect choice for a chair rail.  The pattern isn’t overwhelming because it only covers half of the wall. It also sets a sweet and friendly mood in pale blue combined with Pratt & Lambert paint in Dried Moss. I also de-cluttered the side table by moving the family photos to the wall, in an arrangement from the Design Mom blog.

How about something bright and bold? The couch is such a dominant color in the room, a contrasting yellow wall really makes it a part of the palette. Pratt & Lamber paint in Golden Laughter and Dove White are a great backgdrop for a nautical theme. Accessories include a rustic beach print, an organized photo display, and a bright white lantern.

Lastly, a neutral room with a graphic touch is both modern and relaxed. I adore Pratt and Lambert’s Swiss Coffee (above the chair rail) and Taupe (below). So tasteful and calm! And of course, I can’t resist the wall decals. These Anise flowers from Blik are one of my favorites. For a slightly vintage feminine feel, a grouping of beveled mirrors completes the look.

Light and bright colors can have as much impact as dark and saturated ones. Don’t be afraid to lighten up!

DesignRed Studio offers the most gorgeous decorative painting. Their designs are executed with meticulous precision – so much so, that I thought some of it was printed! It’s always nice to see such exquisite craftsmanship in our mass-produced world.

Can you believe this is paint?!

Speaking of exquisite, take a look at the wall coverings from Fromental. These wall coverings are made with the thinnest silk paper with real embroidery to embellish the hand painted designs. The embroidery thread gives the colors a deep sheen and adds dimension to the flat wall coverings. The owners/designers have a fashion background and it really shows in the fabric-like stitching and attention to detail.

A few floor covering booths stood out, including that of Amy Helfand. These rugs are simply fabulous, but they are very gutsy and bold. Certainly not for the faint of (design) heart, I can imagine using one of these as the centerpiece to a modern room.

We always enjoy obsessing over the small details of a home and Forbes & Lomax added fuel to the fire. I couldn’t get enough of these brilliant light switches and switchplates. The toggle switch was addictive and so fun to flip and the invisible switchplate is perfection. Obsession!

The push-button light switch and rotary dimmer are so civilized.

There were so many inspiring tidbits at the show, it’s too much for one post. Look out for more from the Home Show including pillows, lighting, furniture, and of course…paint!

Here is the current villa, with walls in need of some color love.

In each option, I picked a range of colors from the Asian Paints palette, one of the main paint companies in India. Tropical villas always look cheerful, yet refined in warm yellows and terra cotta. Here, bright Sun Dial is the base color, accented with Dark Saffron and black. I little bougainvillea warms up the facade for a more “lived in” feel.

I love this classic pinkish coral color, called Coral Bells. Only a tropical villa can get away with pink and still look respectable!White and black trim give the perfect contrast to keep this look crisp and not too cute.

Lastly, for a more sophisticated look with tasteful shades of green. A dark Broccoli combined with a refreshing Inspiring Green make for a regal villa that blends in with the surrounding foliage.

Stucco homes are so much fun, as they take so well to a rainbow of colors. As I see it, this house looks good in any shade. Have fun!

Here is the current room. What you can’t see here is that the dining area is next to this seating area, which then blends straight into the kitchen. It’s a quintessential “great room,” but without architectural features, there is little to articulate the functional areas.

In every scenario, I’ve painted the two walls different colors. When you are faced with one huge room, a simple solution is to create an accent wall. Pick any wall or area of the room you want to draw attention too. Check out this teal color, which coordinates nicely with the existing brown. Some golden yellow touches give the color palette a little edge and global accessories timeless. Also note that I added molding to the window and updated the blinds to make it look more substantial. Here’s the updated room recap:

• Benjamin Moore paint in Wedgewood Gray and Aegean Teal
• Andalusia rug from West Elm
• Etched Square pillows from West Elm
• Woven wood shade from the Shade Store
• Cowhide cocktail ottoman from Room and Board
• Rafia bowl made in Uganda from Ten Thousand Villages
• Black and white photograph of Paris from Allposters.com

Next up, some modern blues. I replaced the brown recliner with a more modern chair in a contrasting beige. I also darkened up the window shade. My favorite addition is the art to make an interesting focal point behind the couch. That particular piece is total steal – original art by Seon-Jeong Kim sold on Etsy. Room recap:

• Benjamin Moore paint in Lucerne and Serenata
• Axis chair from Crate and Barrel
• Seaglass Stripe rug from Crate and Barrel
• Jenga pillow
• 2″ wooden blind from the Shade Store
• Original modern art sold on Etsy
• Agave bowl
• Twine floor lamp from CB2

Lastly, an accent wall is excellent place to make use of wallpaper. I find that an all-over wallpaper is too busy for my taste. On a single wall, however, it adds a lot of depth and life to a room. This totally adorable wallpaper comes from Denmark. Room recap:

• Wild Flower wallpaper from Ferm Living
• Benjamin Moore paint in Caliente
• Yasmine rug from Crate and Barrel
• Mona Lisa and George Washington pillows from Atelier Expo Arte sold on Etsy
• Neo bunching cube, Gentry table lamp and Streeter swivel chair from Crate and Barrel

There are a lot of ways to define spaces within in larger room. Don’t be afraid to use more than one color of paint or to experiment with wallpaper and area rugs. A big great can be just that…great!

Here is the original pink living room (soon to be painted deep brown and tan). The carpeting will also be removed to reveal a dark brown hardwood floor.

The owners picked a nice bold accent wall in dark brown. I also love the hardwood floors. To play up the vintage couch, try a patterned curtain combined with some unique accessories like an organic wood table and chartreuse vases. A subtle crocodile rug adds a little more pattern without overwhelming the room and two vintage chairs complement the velvet couch.

Here, instead of heavy drapes, try a flouncy tulip shade. Add some interest with a coffee table, a modern rug and fun vintage upholstered chair. Metal wall art adds another earth element to the wood-heavy room. My favorite accessory is the modern, yet historic pendant lamp. Upgrading your fixtures in a great way to make a room feel instantly more luxurious and expensive.

This last option is an elegant modern retreat, set with dramatically tall plain white curtains and a simple bold rug. Simple neutral chairs give the vintage couch and the houndstooth stool the spotlight. Streamline the fireplace wall with a large modern painting and a fireplace screen. Finally, the floor lamp gives the room a more intimate feeling by lowering the overhead elements.

In all of these options, the key to creating a vintage eclectic look is to create a balanced mix of styles. A few pieces of vintage furniture with classic lines combined with a couple of bold or unique accessories and your room will come alive!

This reader send a photo of their hallway, soon to be upgraded by vote of the condo association. Let’s see if we can help them choose a new look. My favorite places for hallway inspiration are hotels, of course! Hotels spend significant design effort in their hallways and lobbies and are great source of ideas.

Here is the current hallway.

Dramatic contrasts make this hallway sophisticated.

The main design changes in all of these options are to (1) remove the outdated mirror and (2) remove the pattern on the floor. After that, the bones of the hallways are pretty normal and standard and can easily look great with a fresh color scheme. This first transformation is the “drama” hallways. Note the black ceilings. This is inspired by a hotel hallway image.

I like the existing chair rail and molding elements. I even don’t mind the current minty green of the doors and frames. You can easily give the hall a grown-up look by darkening the walls with a very mellow dark green-gray. Note the pattern is removed from the floor, helping to de-clutter the visuals.

Neutrals are always a safe bet and won’t look dated over time. Here is a nice black/beige/tan mix. I could see this scheme in reality tomorrow!

If you don’t like neutrals, try a color. I would keep the colors muted and stick to a monochromatic effects to keep the hall from looking clowny. Here is a friendly green palette.

A striped hotel hallway.

Lastly, you can also remove the chair rail detail and opt for a more streamlined wall. This is the total hotel hallway effect with tasteful striped walls and a punch of dark red on the floor.

Here a few more inspiring hallways for more ideas:

I’m using the Anna Sova food paint palette as inspiration for this modern apartment. The bedroom below is literally a blank slate with brand new furniture. Our reader writes “the only problem is that I have NO IDEA what color to paint the bedroom.”  No idea? No problem! Let’s see what we we can cook up with some food paint.

I first dipped into the Ancient Europa collection with rich jewel tones and solid neutrals. Here is a sophisticated and modern take on saturated blue using Isle of Sky and Winter Solstice. Accessories include a black and white print of the Guggenheim museum, whose lines are echoed in the Road Dog Builtby Lamp at 2modern.

Next, an earthy and bold exotic retreat from the Ancient Asia color collection. The palette is completed by the golds and reds in the Buddha print and complemented by the sculptural Cupstack lamp.

For a bold classic room, I used the warm reds and beiges from the Odd Sorbets collection. A small hit of Radish red keeps the Masago tan color looking fresh and not too muddy. The duo is perfectly matched with a this modern twist on a classic reclining nude and the Paolo Tube Top color lamp.

Lastly, a calm beach getaway pulled from the Ancient Americas palette. To keep the beach theme from turning tropical or kitschy, stick to a muted palette like this Sage Smoke and Paracus Sand Sculpture combination. Also, avoid palm trees, shells and sailboats. A very mature beach landscape (complete with suited men!) says “beach” without saying “Tiki lounge.” The scene is finished with a few oars hung on the wall and a Japanese Float table lamp.

I hope we’ve provided some delicious post-Thanksgiving inspiration with Anna Sova food paint. This room can really go in any direction and you can also sleep better at night knowing that zero-VOC paint won’t harm you or your pooch. Yum!

We recently bought a fabulous charcoal gray Metro couch from Room and Board and were looking for the perfect side tables. We knew we wanted something small (to fit the space) and simple (we don’t like fussy). We also knew we wanted symmetry and we wanted to somehow add a pop of color.

We came up with two options.

(1) The Miner side table from CB2 + Breck table lamp in green from Crate and Barrel. Not bad, but perhaps not spectacular. The olive/sage lamp sort of pales in comparison to the saturated rusty orange pillows. Also, the table looks a tad wimpy next to the chunky couch.

(2) The Zest C table from CB2 + Breck table lamp in charcoal. I think this is the clear winner. This image made us instantly realize that bright lime green was an appealing and powerful match to the orange. Plus, the chuncky profile could stand up to the couch.

Here is the complete set, installed in our living room. I think we made the right choice, don’t you?

Do you have any design dilemmas that could benefit from a Mochi quickie?