To celebrate the arrival of the summer season, here are some ideas for an adorable beach cottage. Our reader writes in looking for help with the bright white roof. Indeed, the roof is rather prominent, but is made even more so by the reflective white. Let’s see if we can find a few options to raise this roof from eyesore to architectural distinction.
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.
Continue reading about Raise the Roof! Update on a Summer Cottage
We have two issues to address in this living room. First, is the issue that our reader submitted: how to paint a great room which includes the living area, the dining room and the kitchen. How can you differentiate spaces when each functional area shares so many walls and so much air space? The second issue, which I noticed, is that this room suffers from a serious overdose of brown. Some carefully placed wall color and area rugs can help keep the spaces from blending together too much (and can also break up the monotonous brown!)
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!
Continue reading about Putting the “Great” in a Basic Brown Great Room
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
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 nice simple living room with neutral furniture and all of the bones for what could be a great living room. This reader wrote in asking for some color suggestions that would match the couch and for updates to the accessories. For this room, I decided it would be fun to seek some outside inspiration. One of my favorite blogs for interior images is Desire to Inspire. If you are stumped for colors or styles, I highly recommend cruising this blog. You are sure to find a handful of images that will help guide your color choices.
So, here it goes!
The living room as it stands now:
Earthy Inspiration
The first inspiration: earthy. In this room, the browns and the artwork really set the mood. This translated into beige walls, large art above the sofa, plus some natural Flor tiles and the wooden Nelson bench from Room and Board.
Modern Inspiration
Even when your furniture isn’t exactly modern, you can still pull off a modern look. It’s all about bold moves with paint and the right accessories. A geometric paint scheme creates a focal point in gray and red. The zebra rug, though modern, is also classic safari and ties the mod wall with the not-so-mod furniture. With some black pillows and metal tables, I think modern can work!
Asian safari inspiration
Lastly, inspiration from a richly colored room that I think of as “asian safari.” This room has deep jewel tones and lots of lush accessories. In our reader’s living room a deep teal wall and maroon persian rug really set the mood. Add an eclectic mix of wall art and you have your own asian safari retreat!
I’m excited about this fun assignment for Mochi Home. A reader asks us to visualize some new colors for their teenage son’s bedroom. Teen rooms can be such fun and are a great opportunity to showcase a kid’s hobbies, talents and unique personality. Currently, the room is a cheery yellow with navy blue curtains. Check out the great bedding in a fun retro pattern and also that rockin’ drum set in the corner.
Before adding color and other accessories, I made a few general updates. In order to open up the room, I removed the curtains to reveal shuttered windows and the interesting angles of the room. This gives us much more wall space to play with. I also removed the top wallpaper border, which seems a little too fussy for a teen room.
In each of the visuals, I pulled colors directly from that fun bedspread. It makes a great palette for instantly coordinated walls and accessories. Here is a two-tone blue room. The dark lower-half accents the wall structure and also has a retro feel. A little rock-n-roll wall decal from Blik adds a bit of flair.
With such interesting angles, this room lends itself well to an accent wall. With the rusty red from the bed spread, the wall behind the drums really pops. Even though the windows already have wooden shutters, perhaps the original blue curtains were used to block out light for a teenage boy who likes to sleep late. Instead of bulky curtains, I suggest a low profile blackout shade, like the Flocke series from The Shade Store. Blackout shades actually come in a variety of colors, so no need to sacrifice style for function. Finally, why not have some fun on the walls? Classic rock album covers are just one way to let a teen’s personality shine.
One of my secret home decor indulgences is Pottery Barn Teen–even for adults! It sounds crazy, but PB Teen has some very fun pieces and their accessories and textiles always inspire me to add a little energy and color to any room. Of course, PB Teen is really great when you are actually designing a teen’s room! I found some wall murals that would make great accent walls. Check out the two images below for the London mural and the Play My Music mural. These are great because you can have your teen pick out their own wall art.
Lastly, here’s an option where the original yellow becomes the accent wall. Offset by deep navy, the yellow suddenly looks fresh and fun. And of course, I couldn’t resist the little 8-bit critters from Blik. Wall decals, posters, and framed images are great way for kids to express themselves and can also be a fun project to work on together.
Kitchen upgrades are a common and easy way to update a home. I’ve done a few posts where we painted walls and cabinets, but here, I want to focus on the backsplash. Perhaps the most common and easiest upgrade (aside from paint) is to add tile. I also love that tile can be a doable DIY project as well. Check out this plain kitchen below. Note the the newly installed Silestone countertop in Mont Blanc.
The owners chose to keep their original black appliances and maple cabinets, so we are working with a palette of white, black and light maple. I found some great tiles at Modwalls, which come in a nice variety of colors and are really affordable. Here is the dramatic Marakesh blend.
If you are willing to commit, a backsplash is also a great place to add color to the kitchen. I like this bold Tango blend. A solid color would also make a nice statement and feel less busy.
One of the great features at Modwalls is the custom tile blender. You can pick multiple colors and blend them in any proportion to create your perfect palette. Here is a brown and white blend for something more muted than the colorful Emma above.
A lighter look in a custom blend of white and speckles of green.
If you don’t like the looks of small squares, subway tiles are another good option. Here is Modwalls Lush tile in dune. I love the elegant lines and tasteful colors.
The backsplash is also a great place to mix textures and materials. While I love the glass and ceramic tiles, I’m always drawn to earthy stone and marble. Here is a great mix of glass and stone in matchstick shape from Glass Tiles Etc. So earthy and stylish!
Continue reading about Tiled Kitchen Backsplash Extravaganza
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.
One of our readers recently wrote us with this question:
I’m wondering if you might weigh in on a debate I’m having with someone about whether to paint these funny closet doors in a bedroom…The color thought is a darkish brown.
Absolutely, we can weigh in! This is a perfect job for a Mochi Home visualization. Our reader had originally been looking at a Fuller O’Brien paint chip book. Unfortunately, paint chips for this brand are not easily accessible online. We picked some Benjamin Moore colors, but they could be easily translated to other brands.
Here’s the current room and the closet doors in question.
First, we painted just the closet doors a dark brown, as requested. This is Van Buren Brown from the Historical Colors collection. This already adds a little interest and definition to the room, but it doesn’t totally hang together yet.
With a little more effort, we think the brown doors could be a really nice feature. We added a classic chair rail, with the lower half in a neutral brown/gray called Smoked Oyster and the top in Pampas grass. This nice palette of warm neutrals works well with the hints of red already in the room. To really tie it all together, we found a modern rug from West Elm, which includes all of the colors.
Along the same lines, here are the closet doors in a lighter shade, Rockies Brown. We paired it with a wall in Sea Froth. Finally we removed all traces of red and replaced them with dark browns and neutral blues. A fun rug from 2modern does a nice job of tying it all together.
What if you are into the red? Try something a little unexpected and paint it on the doors. We matched the red of the duvet cover. We recommend bringing some paint chips home to match your accessories or you can bring any item into the paint store and they will match it for you. These red doors are fun and little shocking, but…
We painted the wall that rich Van Buren brown and turned that plain wall in to the clear focal point. We love how the rich colors are outlined by the bright white trim, making them even bolder and crisper.
Lastly, I thought we could leave the doors white and just paint the wall instead. This shade of Gravel Gray is modern and sophisticated and goes great with the red accessories. The bright white closet doors suddenly look crisp and fresh on the dark back drop. I couldn’t resist adding this quill rug from CB2, a pillow, and some white vases on the dresser to add some height in the corner. To finish off the look, the curtains have been replaced by wooden shades, which I snagged from Hunter Douglas.
Hopefully we’ve given our reader a visualization of their ideas and some new ideas they hadn’t thought of. Don’t be afraid to paint doors, walls, or even both! This plain wall can become an exciting focal point or an elegant backdrop. Good luck!
We thought it would be fun to check some of the major paint retailers for inspiration and see what’s new for Spring ‘09. At Mochi Home, of course, that means more than just regurgitating some color palettes and swatches. We want to see what a room would actually look like with these colors and ideas applied. Luckily, our friend Clarence (of Streetfilms fame) sent us some pics of his cozy little pad. He wanted to see what we could come up with; so here it is. We hope you like it, Clarence!
Here’s the apartment as it is. You can see it’s been renovated with nice clean walls and windows to move light throughout the apartment. The fabulous (and original) wood floors are still intact, which helps retain it’s charming Brooklyn character.
Conscious Luxury from Sherwin-Williams.
We have to start with the purple room. We picked up this color palette from Sherwin-Williams. They call it Conscious Luxury from the 2009 Lifestyle Collection. The palette is a bit feminine, so we pulled out the bolder shades for a more modern and manly luxury. Check out the stripes, for a wallpaper effect. We also added a graphic pillow from West Elm.
Historic Milk Paint
Next, we tried something more soft and subtle from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company in Groton, Massachusetts. We love this paint because it is produced using historic methods, is free of harmful chemicals, non-toxic, eco-friendly and just plain pretty. We used Lexington green in different shades for the walls and accented the bookcase with Federal blue. Lastly, a few more West Elm accessories and a neat Chilewich roller shade complete the look.
RL Island Brights
If that was too understated, then Ralph Lauren paints have the antidote. One of our all-time favorite color palettes is the Island Brights collection featuring some juicy shades of tropical paradise. For Clarence, we picked the very appropriate Bicycle Yellow for the main wall and added Island Sand and Montego Bay blue as compliments. We added a colorful Diego Rivera print and the existing striped rug also goes great with this theme.
Modern Classic from Ben Moore
Lastly, a little “grown-up” bachelor pad inspired by Benjamin Moore’s Modern Classic scheme. Sedona Clay and Hale Navy look both fresh and classic with the existing simple furniture and that striped rug. We also like how the Sedona Clay wall blends in with the huge wooden bookshelf, almost giving the effect of a built-in bookcase.
We like all of the rooms and can’t decide on a favorite. But you can see how a coat of paint can transform an already nice room into something really spectacular.
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