The Thanksgiving holiday is all about appreciating what we have AND enjoying a day of guiltless gluttony. To celebrate, Mochi Home brings you the guiltless pleasure of zero-VOC food paint, which is good for your body, good for the earth and even smells like a vanilla milkshake! Food paint is made by Anna Sova Organics, producers of luxury organic cotton for bed and bath. Anna Sova markets the paint as food paint because it is made with up to 94% food ingredients. I adore the idea that your home can be lovingly bathed in rich colors that are literally good enough to eat. Let’s dig in!
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!
Continue reading about Thanksgiving Special: Anna Sova Food Paint
As you might guess, I frequently “Mochi” my own home to help me visualize various decorating issues. I find that making a quick-and-dirty image can really help us make a decision when choosing between a couple of options. Ultimately this saves us a lot of headaches, a few arguments and some merchandise returns. Case in point: our new side tables.
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?
Our reader is just putting the finishing touches on her brand new home. The entire home is a blank slate and this homeowner wanted some ideas to add a little style, preserve a feeling of lightness and also compliment the beautiful dark floors. This living room with also include a baby grand piano, which can be a beautiful focal point in any decor (in addition to sounding great!)
My initial idea for this room is to paint it pale yellow. Pale yellow is a classic and rarely a disappointment. In this room, the yellow both preserves lightness and adds a cheery warmth. It also brings out the red tones of the floor. I’ve added some modern furnishing, which are clean and un-fussy in a room that will be dominated by a piano. The modern classic furniture includes: Design Within Reach Theater Sofa, Noguchi coffee table, and Tripod lamp. To complete the modern feel-geometric textlies from the Shade Store and a Rothko print in a bold primary pallette. I quite enjoy this yellow!
For a completely different feeling, check out the pale blue. The room retains the same lightness, but feels much more cool, calm and collected. This is great color to relax the energy and encourage a more quiet mood. Matching blue silk curtains keep the look streamlined and a Picasso print keeps it modern.
Looking for something more dramtic and classic? Instead of wallpaper, try a subtle beige-on-beige stripe. Vertical stripes are a true home decor classic, but in the wide beige they don’t feel prissy. I added a little drama with two sweeping silk curtians hung to puddle and draw attention to the wood floor. With the grand piano, the curtains and stripes are very operatic and remind me of the theater. How divine!
Lastly, a little casual modern in a friendly light green (with a hint of yellow). Choosing the right shade of green can be tricky. Too much yellow looks sickly, too much blue looks like a hospital waiting room. I recommend using multiple shades of yellow to minimize the problems. Here, painted a desaturated yellow-green on the walls and paired with with an unexpected ceiling in a dark gray-green. The bright green leaves of the plant round out a green trio. Some bright white orbs and brown window panels complete the modern earthy look.
Last month I attended the Apartment Therapy Offline Design Meetup. The theme of the meetup was group design therapy and together we helped fellow New Yorkers find a cure to their apartment woes. You can read all about one apartment here. It was so much fun to brainstorm as a group and I got lots of ideas for my own apartment. Mostly, I was impressed by how friendly and open-minded these design enthusiasts and Apartment Therapy readers are.
One reader asked me for some help visualizing her ideas and the ideas from the design meetup. She and her husband are renovating their apartment to accommodate both a home office for two people and a new baby! Below, are some visualizations, which hopefully help them narrow down their options.
Here is their existing apartment:
The first thing you’ll notice below is the floor-to-ceiling built-in home office where the exposed brick used to be. Their plan was to turn that corner into the office. I tried this built-in as a suggestion, which included shelves and some nice lighting. With this in place, I added some earthy accents which include walls in olive green and celery. Next, I threw down a complimentary rug from Flor in the Fret Knot pattern. Flor rugs are really practical (especially for kids!) as you can clean or replace individual tiles and the rubber backing makes them slip resistant.
As for furniture, there are some pieces with clean lines, but a welcoming spirit including the Quinn chair and Reese couch from Room and Board. I always love to finish off a room with some hand made accessories from Etsy. This chunky and colorful bowl from finishes off the look.
Keeping the same base, here is blue version of the living room. I darkened the cabinets of the home office, added a blue wall and brought in some darker woods to compliment. To keep the room from getting too dark, however, notice the light cream Delta chair with the white checkerboard Flor rug. I love how this rug makes the room look so fresh! Lastly, this interesting Petal bowl brings the blues into the dining area.
I love this bold palette of orange-yellow, black and white. The orange wall really pops and give some fun personality to the room. The wall is particularly striking with the geometric Flor rug. In this scheme it’s best to keep furniture and other accessories to a minimum or the small space will be overwhelming. A simple black chair, white cabinets and a grey kitchen keep the focus on the rug and wall. And of course, I couldn’t resist these adorable bowls.
Lastly, a soothing combination of warm gray and jewel-tone teal. Here, the color is actually on the cabinet doors and the main wall recedes as a backdrop. Instead of a huge rug, there is a plush brown ottoman, which can serve as a footrest, a table, extra seating or even a play object for kids. Ottomans are great multi-taskers and a good option for flexible multi-use spaces. I did add a small mat at the front door for wiping your feet and finished the room with a lovely original watercolor.
This apartment has great potential as functional space packed with uses and stylish space for a young family to call home. We wish them best of luck with their renovations and new additions!
Continue reading about A Splash of Color and a New Home Office
One of our friends is painting a bathroom and wanted some quick color advice. They would like to update the bathroom, but prefer to leave certain things in place. For example, the bathroom has existing purple blinds and modern (but woody) fixtures. Both the doors and trim are in a natural wood finish, but painting over all of those details is not feasible (and not desirable if you like the look of wood). So, how can they freshen up the bathroom with little effort?
My 2-step fix is (1) a simple paint job and (2) a new light fixture over the vanity. Check out the existing bathroom:
In this room, your palette should include the purple of the blinds, the brown of the wood trim, and the creamy white of the fixtures.
Purple can be hard to match, particularly when it’s in the venetian blinds. I wouldn’t use any color too bright, for fear of looking like a circus. Also, this bathroom belongs to a couple, so I wouldn’t opt for anything too frilly or girly either. Step 1: My first thought is gray. A mature, neutral classic (see it in the mini-palette). Step 2: Add a simple modern sconce in brushed nickel. Check out Bathroom Lighting Universe, where I found a huge variety of lighting styles.
Purple and navy are bold and and regal, but grounded by the brown wood.
Blue and purple make for a calm and cool analogous color scheme. In other words, they are neighbors on the color wheel and coordinate well without too much drama. Step 1: Navy blue adds stability to the regal, and sometimes touchy-feely, purple. Step 2: A classic sconce reinforces the preppy navy blue vibe.
Purple becomes the accent color in an otherwise neutral earthy palette.
Lastly, I opted for something a little more earthy. It’s tempting to keep bathrooms in a fresh white color, but rich dark walls recede into the background, actually making the room feel a little bigger (contrary to what most people think). Step 1: Rich brown walls do a nice job of highlighting both the pretty tile fixtures and the wood trim. Step 2: A geometric sconce adds interest above the mirror.
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!
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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