This house is adorable. In fact, it’s the kind of house that almost makes me wish I lived in a house. It’s neat and compact, with an interesting brick chimney and a yard that’s not at all intimidating. And, with just a small amount of color love, this house will practically be yelling, “Come in in!”
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.”
Continue reading about Easy Exterior Color (with or without Painted Brick)
Most people don’t get too excited about styling a common hallway, but we at Mochi Home were thrilled to get this reader submission. Living in the city, hallways are a big part of our interior life in condo and apartment buildings. Where many people have driveways and manicured front lawns, we have lobbies and hallways to welcome us (and our guests) home. Think of it as indoor curb appeal
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:
Continue reading about Giving an Old Hallway a New Year’s Facelift
Sometimes decorating is like losing weight–those last ten pounds (or last 10%) are always the hardest! That’s certainly the case with the living room below. When our reader sent this photo, my first reaction was, “This place looks fabulous!” Notice how well coordinated the furniture, paint color and accessories are. The theme is carried out in full, right down to the smallest detail. By most standards, this living room is in pretty great shape.
However, our reader didn’t quite see it that way. She is struggling with the color palette, and specifically the accent color. While the red provides a nice contrast to the otherwise neutral theme, the red combined with the green gives off too much of a Christmas vibe. I like the red, but I can also see our reader’s point. Let’s see if we can give her some ideas for new and even unexpected accent colors.
Existing palette of sage green, black, white and red.
The current room:
My first inclination is just to shift the red to a more orange-y color. This eliminates the “Christmas,” but keeps the contrast.
Another variation on the orange/earthy scheme is to introduce pattern. Here’s a Moroccan inspired palette with accent pillows from Etsy and Medallion curtains from West Elm. I also think the room could benefit from one larger (and more dramatic) piece of art. In this version, I placed a black and white photo of Morocco.
Our reader was interested in exploring blue accent colors. With the sage green, it’s tough to find just the right shade of blue. Here, I opted for a rather purple-ish dark blue. This includes curtains in lustre sheen/Elderberry and art deco glam pillows. The overall look is very sophisticated.
To brighten up the color palette, here is a royal blue. I wouldn’t immediately think to pair sage green with royal blue, but with the right accessories and artwork, it is possible to tie it together. In this scenario, the Japanese print ties together a range of sea greens, ocean blues and misty atmospheric neutrals. With art like this, you can make it work.
Lastly, when in doubt, keep it in the family. In this case, the green family. Sometimes you can make a pretty and unexpected palette by sticking to a particular hue. In this room, the sage green acts like a beige – in other words it becomes the neutral backdrop to the saturated green. The key, again, is in the accessories. What better accessory to a green palette than some actual live plants? Silk dupioni curtains in Greenhouse add a lush green anchor further matched by graphic pillows.
I hope this gives some new ideas for a lively color pallette with sage green. This room is so close…just that last 10% and it will surely be complete!
Here is a lovely house in need of a little color boost. The interior is bright and open, with tons of light and nice lines. It’s currently finished in a pleasing neutral scheme, including brown and beige furniture. Our reader would like to liven it up with a fresh color palette. The good news here, is that you can really take this decor in ANY direction. With such solid basics, the sky’s the limit.
Mini-palette: Brown, Yellow, Sage, Beige
My first thought is a yellow and brown theme, to match the existing furniture and accessories. The color inspiration comes from Olympic paint in Calabash, which I paired with a chocolate brown. An aqua/sage striped curtain keeps the room looking modern.
Mini-palette: Teal, Terra cotta, Black
I found more inspiration with Olympic colors Blue Bayberry and Baritone. I love the combination of teal/blue with Terra Cotta. Add a little black and the palette really pops. To bring it all together, add some tall curtains in modern organic print.
Mini-palette: Terra cotta, brown, beige, yellow
Continuing with the Terra cotta, here is Olympic Ginger on the wall. This is warm and spicy, without being dark and oppressive. The Ginger coordinate easily with the the brown and beige of the existing room. I also love the existing throw pillows on the couch with a modern/ethnic rainbow appeal.
Mini-palette: Dark and light green, beige, brown
Lastly, a calm and friendly green in Dark Sage and Asparagus. The combination of muted green with bright green keeps the room lively, but still feels understated and earthy. Simple curtains soften the back wall. Also, note the green paint on the mantel and the back of the bookshelf to highlight the architectural details.
This room comes to us from a reader in Europe, who inherited some red stripes in the living room. While I applaud the bold paint job by the previous tenant, I also think this particular scheme overpowers the simple room and clean Ikea-style furniture.
One simple move is to cover the room in cool neutrals. Gray walls and a black accent wall blend nicely with the existing curtain and neutral furniture. A couple of toss pillows from Etsy shop Nena Von adds a little personality and contrast.
Another way to spice up this muted color palette is to flip it! Try a dramatic black ceiling with gray walls and add definition with a thick white border. I love how these standard colors turn into something unexpected. As a finishing touch, add some playful wall art such as “Mona Prankster” from Blik.
This option is inspired by the original red striped walls. The clunky red panels have been replaced with a more sophisticated retro wallpaper from online wallpaper shop DesignYourWall.com. Add an accent wall in Molten Lava from the Pantone interior paint collection, and you’ve got one hot room. Also note the retro vase accent from hi+lo modern glass
This last option adds color, but still keeps the space cool with Pantone Federal Blue. I couldn’t resist more Blik wall decals-these from the Eames office collection. An oversized deco pendant from 2modern.com adds a focal point over the dining table.
We recently found inspiration in the form of some lovely handmade tiles. Terra Home produces beautiful tiles and tableware, made with much skill, and from the looks of it, much love too. They have a handful of different styles for sale at Etsy that seemed to be perfect for the kitchen – from Eastern influences to the classic Tuscan style. Check out what we came up with!
Cluttered, a tad boring and, might I add, the typical tiny pre-war Manhattan kitchen.
Turquoise Moorish Tile
First, I always adore turquoise and anything that reminds me of warm climates. This Moorish inspired tile has a perfect Mediterranean meets Middle East feel. I paired it with a bold cobalt wall and covered the clutter with white cabinets.
Limone Tile
Next, I tried the Limone Tile from Terra Home’s Italian Sketchbook series. I’m attracted once again to the warm Mediterranean feel. This series is casual and sunny – perfect for a fresh contrasting palette of yellow, black, and white. The tiles work as a mid-wall border and draw attention away from the cluttered countertops.
Cream/Sugar Set with Flowers
Lastly, sometimes inspiration can be found in an object and translated onto the walls. I am enamored by this pastel cream and sugar set and thought the colors would work perfectly on the walls. Indeed, the pastels lighten up the tiny space. The handmade feel of the pottery is so nice, I placed two of the dessert plates on the back wall in place of tiles. So lovely!
There are so many colors in the world, how do you find a palette that’s right for you? Color inspiration is anywhere and everywhere. One of my favorite blogs, Kris’s Color Stripes, knows that better than anyone. I absolutely adore Kris’s lovely palettes inspired by everything from nature to cities to artwork…even insects! If you are looking for fresh new combos, this is a great place to start.
I picked 4 of Kris’s recent color stripes and tried them out on our friend’s very bright (and clean!) Hong Kong apartment.
Cherry Blossom Palette
First, a spring (and Japanese) inspired cherry blossom palette. You can see how the color stripes are pulled directly from the photo to create endless custom palettes. I thought the dining room would look great as a dramatic accent wall and the black doesn’t disappoint!
Venetian Palette
Who doesn’t love Venice? These colors make a warm, inviting space. I always love shades of terra cotta and the green is just the right shade of olive. Also notice how we added a throw blanket on the couch to pull the color across the room. The walls include art from CB2 and West Elm.
Rustic Door Palette
Next, a modern room inspired by rustic architectural details. Blue and brown are an excellent combination that can be both modern and classic. To give it a little playfulness, you can also include the aqua color stripe. Big paper lanterns and live bamboo freshen up the whole look.
Sweet Treats Palette
I couldn’t finish this post without a proper striped wall, of course! Again, the dining room wall is the perfect place to highlight the lovely sweet treat palette. With a wall this bold, you don’t need much art. However, a bold light from CB2 helps balance the strong graphic pattern.
I’ve been following Kris’s Color Stripes for awhile and we hope you can find inspiration, too. Why not use your own favorite things or places to inspire a palette for your home?
Continue reading about Finding Inspiration: Kris’s Color Stripes
Red and green are compliments. These colors vibrate so much, it hurts.
Have I mentioned how much I like drama? And of course, paint is one of the quickest ways to do it. The most dramatic effects come from high contrast color schemes. If you are nerdy, like I am, you can learn all about the science of color theory. Or, to save you some reading, I’ll sum it up. If two colors are located kind of opposite on the color wheel, they are very vibrant when next to each other. Complimentary colors (direct opposites) actually sort look like they are vibrating. And vibrating = dynamic = drama!
Here’s a demonstration of paint drama on an interior event space. You can see the room has it’s own structural drama with tall ceilings and spotlights.
But what if we add a black ceiling? Black and white is the classiest of high contrast. A black ceiling immediately gives the effect of infinity, as if you were under the night sky.
Too much? Here are some nice tan walls. The back wall is left white, to contrast the tan, but with less drama than the black and white. The tan also looks great with the red painting and table cloths.
There are lots of great drama ideas out there. Check out how AbbeyK paints the back wall of a bookshelf. So clever!
Just because a bathroom may not be huge, doesn’t mean you should skimp on the color. Adding some color punch here is actually an easy way to make your entire home feel more finished. So, don’t neglect it!
Ah, a nice clean slate. The bones of this bathroom are clean and straightforward, making for an easy transformation.
First, a coat of deep blue paint on the wall, and already the bathroom is more interesting.
Sometimes, it’s nice to paint the fixtures. Here, we darkened the base of the sink, to give the bathroom some grounding. Then, all it needs are some accessories. We added some lights and a classic (but not too girly) black toile shower curtain.
For something a little more masculine (or at least gender neutral), here’s a palette of contrasting greens. We particularly love the dark olive ceiling and outdoor-like metal light fixture.
The owner of this apartment is a girl after our own hearts—not afraid to go bold with color! She painted the bathroom in an unapologetic combination of deep fuchsia and purple. Though it’s hard to see in the photo, our favorite part is the flamingo shower curtain.
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