Name: Shannon & Erica
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Why I use color:
"We call this the white room, but actually it's full of color: dozens of greens, browns, oranges. The colors are mostly low to the ground, to ground us, and the walls are largely empty, so that weary eyes can see space and be refreshed. Most of the color here comes from plants, the spines of old books, and terrific fabrics gathered on our travels (we keep several sarongs folded amid the books, handy for use as tablecloths without overwhelming us with their brightness and complexity). This is where we enjoy the morning?s coffee and sunbeams, the night's tea and books. The colors here and their placement help us to feel somehow energized and rested at the same time."
Color Tips:
"1) Go beyond paint.
2) Beware of paint chips. The colors on paint chips can fade; what you see is not always what you get. Plus, the colors are too small to really tell how a color will look on the wall. The names can lead you astray--do you love "Holiday in Florence" as a concept or as a hue?
3) There's no such thing as one color. If you do go the paint chip route, make sure you like at least four of the five colors on your chip, because your chosen shade will change in both hue and tone depending on the light, the season, and even your mood."
Color Resources:
"1) Your house. Find something you love--a favorite old shirt, a postcard, a book cover--and go from there.
2) Your mind. Instead of--or at least in addition to--thinking about what's "hot" this season, think about yourself. What feeling do you want from your room, and which colors will help you get there?"
Beautiful room! While I'll never agree with p(too) that white or beige are "colors" rather than neutrals, I feel joy just looking at your space and want to dive through the photos to spend time there. Love the sarongs among the books -- what to do with a fabric addiction and a book addiction are big issues here!
Love the room, but it's white! And the colors used in the furnishings/accessories don't seem to pop or really make much of a difference in the fact that it's the white room. Hence, I had to say yellow ribbon! And, this is coming from someone who wanted to see more entries with white walls...I would have had to say go with the kitchen where there's more color! Still, that said, I like the room!!! What kind of benches are those against the walls?...love those!
this is the part about blogs that makes me laugh, and i enjoy it - this is by far my favorite room so far, because "i've got color", to me at least, doesn't have to mean I'M GARISH! they use beautiful color in a stylish way.
Nice and subtle. You're right, it does look like a very refreshing space to be in. And I really love the horse fabric on that chair!
It's a really lovely room, but it doesn't score in the color category. Most of us would be happy to live there tho...
what is the story about the carriage with the baby sporting that strange hair? how can i dye my own dreadlocks green and smooth like that?
if you plan to keep a baby, another thing to note about paint chips is to never let the baby eat them.
wende--
ohmiGOD a "neutral" IS a COLOR. WHITE *is* a COLOR. By definition, not by personal opinion.
Personal opinion factors in when you say "Neutrals are not very 'colorful' relative to primaries." Or, "A white room doesn't stand out in this contest as much as an orange room does."
And whether one agrees if a white or a neutral is a color, neither is any easier to get right, For proof, just see the growing thread about picking the perfect white...
(Eric's Subdued Retreat entry is living, GORGEOUS proof that paint and pigment need not sear the rods and cones to count as a deft, intentional use of color... even though-- horrors!-- he's "copped out" with a NEUTRAL wall color.)
Beautiful!
Whimsical, like Erica's paintings and Shannon's poems. The apartment reflects the personalitiies of the occupants.
I wouldn't disagree technically that white and neutrals are colors...I guess, then, any room with the exception of something painted black could qualify, then...but that doesn't seem to be the intent of the contest. But, whatever...I still love seeing everyones fabulous rooms, no matter what!
I could spend days in that airy room with the tall windows and the baby carriage planter. What a peaceful place!
P(2): a deft, intentional use of color... even though-- horrors!-- he's "copped out" with a NEUTRAL wall color.)
What are you trying to start?
Nobody is taking shots at practitioners of neutral palettes, deft or otherwise. The contest is "boldest, coolest, most colorful" which leads people to believe that neutral is not what we're looking for in this particular reckoning. Is it all that orange searing your eyes that's setting you off?
I was reacting to wende's comment.
Not trying to "start" anything.
And defending one of the contestants who, imho, is getting very short shrift since people are being overly literal in the interpretation of color.
I'm one of the people who interprets the intent of the contest as showing off vivid color schemes, based on the original "autumn colors" promos for it. Those featured vibrant purples, reds, oranges, and green, rather than beige. (Beige is admittedly my favorite color. I just don't see featuring it as the point of this specific competition.)
But p(too) has a point. And with hundreds or thousands of votes to be cast out there... the will of the masses will probably turn out to be brown-and-blue. ;-)
awesome, love it!
But see, there you go again making blue and brown seem like a letdown! ;)
I don't disagree that the point of the contest is perhaps shooting for something at the higher end of the color richter scale. I just get tired of people automatically saying neutrals are boring. NO color is boring!
And perhaps my own take on this contest has been "most gorgeous, skillful use of color in a room where all details are equally gorgeous" which allows for all sorts of color solutions, including those that veer toward the pale and subtle. But correct, it is indeed not the wording of the call for entries.
Luckily, evrybody gets to vote on whatever criteria they select.
Clean, airy, restful.
I really like the baby carriage / planter! I wish I could see the stuff in the second photo up-close.
mmmm.... relaxing colors.
I think you are on the right path but...all the furniture is against the walls! Too rigid...maybe the pillows could come out from hiding...the baby carriage makes me smile...love the kitchen colors, though...
I saw a leprachaun beating up a squirrel. I felt very ashamed.