Archive for 2012

LONG DISTANCE DECORATING : DALLAS

A DALLAS KITCHEN AND FAMILY ROOM REMODEL

via

I thought I'd show you the progress on another Long Distance Decorating client
far away in Dallas, Texas.

I'm so proud of their progress

they were brave to tackle this on their own

just goes to show you what you can do

with a little help

Stephanie contacted me wanting to remodel the kitchen and family room

of their home.

Her

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Tag : black, butcher block, cabinets, dallas, DIY, family room, Furniture, granite, kelly wearstler, Kitchen, paint, shumacher, texas,

ROCK A BYE

WALL COLOR FOR A NURSERY

via

I absolutely LOVE creating rooms for children. While kids are fun to plan with, babies are easier. They don't insist on hot pink or purple as the primary color. So soft greens, tans, creams and blush can be used without hurting a budding young interior decorator's feelings.

CATCHING UP on answering readers' questions....

Hi Claudine, I think your blog

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Tag : baby, bedding, benjamin moore, Color, curtains., neutral, nursery, paint, sherwin williams, wall color,

CHOOSING PAINT COLOR FOR A BEACH HOUSE

ABOUT THE BEACH LOOK

A beach house needs to be comfortable and easy care, impervious to sand and salt water, with soft and calm colors. The view outside needs to take precedence over the view inside. That means distressed wood, stone, weathered paint finishes, easy care slipcovers, painted fresh white woodwork, and the muted colors of sand, sea, driftwood, sea glass, and shells. Toss in

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Tag : beach house, benjamin moore, crown paint, dulux, gray, grey beige, paint color, restoration hardware, UK,

CHRISTMAS WREATH AND MANTLE

HOW TO DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS

I had fun this season decorating for a couple of my clients. I created this mantle

with a 'how-to' and posted it on my creative blog here

and also posted a tutorial for this wreath,

complete with how to make juicy bows, here

Stop by and have a look, and try your hand at making your own!

Merry Christmas!

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Tag : bows, christmas decor, christmas mantel, DIY, how to, wreath,

DECORATING FOR A FIRST HOME

LONG DISTANCE DECORATING

I have the most adorable clients far away in Houston.

It's been a big year for them....
They have a new baby - their first

and are buying their first home.....

I'm excited I get to help them decorate.

We are starting with paint, of course.

It's a pre-owned home and some of the previous owners choices were, well putting it kindly,

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Tag : email decorating, inspiration, long distance, paint color, Sherwin Williams paint, web decorating,

GOBBLE, GOBBLE...

Happy Thanksgiving

More fall posts - click and have a look!
Fabulous Fall
Welcoming Fall
Visual Feasts

Wishing you contented warm family time, good food, good thoughts.

Best wishes!

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Tag : fall, Family, thanksgiving, welcome,

ITS A GIRL THING

PINK...

I worked on a little girls room, and what better time to post about it

than while we are on the subject of pink.

I interviewed the 10 year old. I always interview kids about their rooms -

Mostly because it is so fun to listen to their ideas

but also because I think they usually know EXACTLY what they want

Te'a was no exception.

HOT PINK, white and black

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Tag : beadboard, black, bulletin board, curtains, girls room, hot pink, IKEA, lamp, Pink, pink and black, pottery barn kids, target, wall paint,

IN THE PINK

SURVIVOR!

In honor of my sister's recent successful completion of her breast cancer surgery,

chemotherapy and radiation...[the second of my sisters to undergo this ordeal...]

and for breast cancer survivors everywhere

today is PINK day!

I don't know why we sometimes shy away from using pink in decorating.

Perhaps its the men in our lives.

Pink is a girl thing

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Tag : accents, bedroom, breast cancer, keep calm, Kitchen, living room, mammogram, Pink, survivor, using pink, wall color,

LIKE A LIGHTBULB

BRIGHTER

Ballard Design

Sometimes we forget to first look at the basics.

We change fabrics, paint, flooring and accessories

and sometimes fail to make sure

we have the basics covered...
like lights!

Hello Claudine,
I am so happy to have found your blog recently; I love all the advice you offer and relieved to know that I am not the only 'color-challenged, frustrated

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Tag : accent lighting, ambiant, ambient, benjamin moore, lamps, Lighting, silver gray, sweet innocence, task lighting, tester pots,

A CHANGE IS IN ORDER

EASY UPDATES

Living with the same color palette for 10 years is difficult for me. I know that not everyone feels this way. My husband, for example, does not require change.
In fact, he thrives on the familiar.

Shale/Benjamin Moore

His color preferences are the same today as when I met him 33 years ago. His favorite color is still
RED. He doesn't mind watching reruns on t.v. or

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Tag : behr, beige, benjamin moore, calm, change, Classic, Color, curtains, drapes, earthtones, gray, greige, neutral, panels, shale, wall paint, warm,

IN PURSUIT OF BEIGE

AVOIDING THE 'FLESHY' LOOK

Atmosphere ID

We've all experienced it. That shade of beige we are sure is perfect for the house. Bring the paint swatch home - or in some cases, slap it on the wall - and suddenly it's not beige at all. It's some odd
shade of pinky, orangey - yes 'fleshy' color that is COMPLETELY wrong.

Andrea sent me this message:

You have an artistic eye! I am hoping

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Tag : beige, benjamin moore, bleeker beige, edgewood gray, fleshy, latte, paint color, Restoration Hardware paint, shaker beige, undertone,

THE TROUBLE WITH PAINT COLORS....

THE ART OF CHOOSING COLOR

Southern Chateau

Today, I'm addressing a challenge a lot of us have.

Whether we are using a fabric swatch, a photograph, or standing in front of hundreds of little colored squares

there is one thing we all face when decorating, or redecorating our homes....

TROUBLE PICKING PAINT

Hi!

I'm having trouble picking a paint. we just remodeled our

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Tag : beige, benjamin moore, blue gray, choosing paint color, gray, greige, paint, sherwin williams, wall color,

DRIFTWOOD

GRAY AND BEIGE ARE FRIENDS

Skagway, Alaska
Driftwood store front

I took this photo while cruising the beautiful waters of Alaska. I could blog on and on about the colors of the water, the mountains, the glaciers, the sky....and I probably will, one day. Alaska - incredible scenery and fun little towns like Ketchikan and Skagway, where I couldn't resist this little building completely

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Tag : alaska, beige, Benjamin Moore paint, bennington gray, bleeker beige, camouflage, choosing wall color, contrast, driftwood, edgemont gray, grant beige, gray beige, greige, MOLDINGS, pacific northwest, paint color,

PRIVACY ISSUES

FRENCH DOORS AND SLIDERS
(for Lynette)

Houzz

I love rooms with french doors. There is something fresh and appealing about a room filled with open-pane doors, a welcoming to the outdoors and the wonderful light-filled rooms they create. I love photos of rooms with rows of french doors, like the one above - lovely views - open and unobstructed. You can see the green of the gardens beyond,

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Tag : blinds, curtain rod, curtains, doors, drapes, french doors, matchstick, plantation shutters, privacy, sliding glass doors, windows, wood blinds,

GOOD GREIGE CHOICES

SUMMER.... WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?

This Summer season has flown by so quickly

and I've barely mentioned gardens at all

(probably because I have been trying to ignore the awful state my own garden is in)

But I do have the pictures I took of the garden at Ward and Child, a rather wonderful home decor and
garden shop I try to stop by when I visit

Salt Lake City, where my mother lives.

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Tag : behr, beige, benjamin moore, cactus and tropicals, chip it, gray, greige, grey, laguna beach, newport beach, rogers gardens, salt lake city, sherwin williams, valspar, ward and child,

STALKING BENJAMIN MOORE

COLONIAL IN ALABAMA

I love my job.
I get to meet fabulous people and help them make their homes beautiful.
And then I get to answer color and design questions on this blog.
Sometimes the questions are blunt and to the point. Sometime, the question allows a delightful peek
into the personality of the person - like this one from the Rebel Judge who I am certain could be my very good

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Tag : ashes, behr, benjamin moore, bookcases, Colonial, gray, paint color, stone brown, valspar, wall color,

LOOKING FOR COLOR

A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS....

My talented friend Kristy just finished another book. She writes amazing mysteries and is currently trying to decide on a cover for her latest - this image (above) is my favorite, but she would like your opinion as well - visit her web page and let her know which cover you prefer. http://www.kristystories.blogspot.com/2012/08/fighting-over-covers.html

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Tag : bennington gray, brown, gold, gray, Kristy Tate, leopard, open floor plan, Red, revere pewter, silver gray,

MANLY COLOR ADVICE

A MASCULINE PAINT THEME...

Juneau, Alaska. Look at all those lovely shades of blue and gray.
Just returned from the cruise, and the colors were heavenly. And very - manly.

WHAT ARE MASCULINE COLORS?

Dear Claudine,
Thank you so much for your color advice! So awesome! My 27-year old son just bought his first house and will be painting the entire interior. It's an adorable modern-type

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Tag : benjamin moore, Benjamin Moore paint, cool colors, email., follow, gray, gray horse, grayed, grey, grey wisp, sea salt, warm colors,

COMPLEMENTARY COLORS

COLOR - FEATURE IT, HIDE IT OR ACCENT IT...

Color wheel 101 teaches us that the colors directly opposite of each other on the color wheel are complementary. I didn't spell that wrong - they don't compliment each other, they complement or complete each other. In color talk, that means they make each other look their best, they bring out the best in each other - like a good marriage. If

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Tag : blue gray, blue spruce, carpet tile, colour, Cora bedding, exterior house color, gardening, gardens, gray with blue undertone, house paint, jute, planting, pottery barn, seagrass, terra cotta,

ITS IN THE DETAILS

CREATING CHARACTER

via

I have a fantasy of owning an old farmhouse...

or a chateau in Provence...

or a cottage by the sea...

as long as it was built before 1940

before the millwork and mouldings began to disappear

and the ceilings and walls became non-descript

and the windows lost their charm

and the front of a house became... a garage

Chameleon Interiors

A house that was

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Tag : base, beams, board and batten, ceiling, coffered, columns, crown, doorway, hardwood floor, headers, mantle, moulding, newel post, panels, staircase, wainscote,

DECORATING WITH MIRRORS

I'm on VACATION!!!!!

(can you guess what I'm doing?)

So please welcome my guest blogger:

Shahab Shokouhi from Dulles Glass and Mirror

6 Decorating Tips for Your In-Home Mirrors

There are many decorative tips and tricks one can do with mirrors. In this post, we will look at the best way
to utilize mirrors in your home. While mirrors are a highly functional piece of home décor,

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Tag : cruise, decorating with mirrors, dulles, glass, mirrors, vacation,

CRAZY FOR COLOR

ADD A LITTLE DRAMA

Home Unique

In decorating its not the objects as much as the contrasts that make a room interesting.
There are a million and one ways to decorate a room, but unless you have a little drama - a
strong contrast - it can still be boring.

Hi Claudine - I just stumbled on your blog and I really love your pictures and ideas. I'm going a bit crazy looking at paint

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Tag : accents, benjamin moore, black, charcoal, Color, contrasts, drama, gray, grey, navy, wall color,

COLOR CHALLENGED

PERSONAL COLOR PALETTES

Source

Are you a green person or a blue person?
Do you like neutrals or whites?
Do reds make you happy?
Do you love pink?

Color is personal - It is individual
A look in your closet will reveal colors
you know you look your best in
and colors that make you feel good.

Why should decorating your home be any different?

QUESTIONS FROM READERS

I just

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Tag : ashwood, Benjamin Moore paint, copley, gray, grey, mari bedding, mari duvet, pottery barn,

REPETITION

ITS A GOOD THING

Cece & Co.
(repeated shells, chairs, wood finishes)

In design, repetition is a good thing

Repetition of architectural details

bring balance and beauty to a house

Atlanta Homes Mag
(symmetrical home with repeated elements equally on each side)

CBID Design
(repeated stone and rock elements)

My Home Ideas
(repeated arches and columns)

Garden

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Tag : Architectural, Color, details, elements, Furniture, Garden, palette, repetition,

WARM GREY

SO MANY GREYS

I read that this particular hue is spelled G-R-A-Y in America and G-R-E-Y in the UK. Looking at this manor house, I can see so many shades of gray in the stonework - warm griege, light gray, medium, charcoal and even a little bluish or greenish tint now and then - they all look perfectly beautiful together.

For Jenny, gray came out a little too blue. She has

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Tag : benjamin moore, Blue, choosing wall color, gray, gray blue, griege, paint color, sherwin williams, taupe,

CHARCOAL GRAY MASTER SUITE

LISA'S BEAUTIFUL BEDROOM SUITE

I am way behind on posting on the projects I currently have in the works, but here are some photos to catch you up on Lisa's Master Suite....

I posted about it first here:

http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011/12/in-process-current-projects.html

We chose a palette of charcoal gray, white, pale gray and beige with deep dark woods - a very soothing,

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Tag : artwork, Bathroom, beadboard, bedroom, black and white, cabinetry, charcoal, custom, gray, grey, master suite, mirrors, pillows, towels, white,

UNFORGETABLE GRAY

MORE QUESTIONS AND MORE ANSWERS....

I don't want to seem like a broken record because I recommend gray so often. It may seem I am stuck on one color, but I'm actually not. Gray is so versatile - nearly every color has a gray version.
It plays well with other colors - in fact it would be difficult to find a color that doesn't look beautiful with a shade of gray. It is a perfect

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Tag : artwork, back splash, backsplash, benjamin moore, chrome, Color, flowers, fruit, gray, grey, Kitchen, mirrored, polished, rugs, sherwin williams, texture,

OPEN FLOOR PLANS

COOL NORTHWEST LIGHT

Hi Claudine, I recently bought a house with some interesting light variations, which I thought would be fun to repaint. I didn't notice that there is no mill work between the living, dining, kitchen, and foyer rooms, so color from one area has no barrier from the adjacent area.

I love BM Camouflage and think that of the dozens of samples I've tried, it

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Tag : Benjamin Moore paint, bennington gray, cabinets, camouflage, dove white, flow, grant beige, gray, greige, grey, lenox tan, pacific northwest, revere pewter, shaker beige,

PAINTED KITCHENS

I LOVE PAINTED KITCHENS

Greige Design

They don't have to be white, necessarily,
although the white ones make me happy

but there are other options, too...

like lovely dove gray

I wouldn't complain about this color - not even a little bit

Houzz

a creamy beige is also nice

especially with dark wood floors

with this color I feel there needs to be good contrast

to keep it from

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Tag : Aqua, benjamin moore, black, black and white, blue green, gray, kitchen cabinets, linen white, painted kitchens, softer tan, tan, turquoise, wall color, white,

CHOOSING A COLOR PALETTE

MEOWWW

I've always loved the color palette of a Siamese Cat. Creamy beiges,
deep browns, dark charcoal, and those calm blue eyes.
There is a reason they are so beautiful. Nature knows the perfect
color palette!

Hi Claudine, I just stumbled across your fabulous blog while searching for paint colors for my new home. I'm really having difficulty choosing colors for our sun-filled
new

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Tag : benjamin moore, Benjamin Moore paint, Blue, blue green, choose, choosing a palette for your home, gray, gray beige, greige, grey, linen, paint, painted, palette, wall color, white dove,

THE PERFECT NEUTRALS

COLOR FOR THE BAMBINO

Sometimes the best way to choose color for a child or a baby's room is to start with the bedding.
You can't always guarantee that you will find fabric to match your paint color - but you can almost plan on finding paint to match your fabric. Most home improvement stores carry color matching tech. Just remember you never want to choose an exact color from a fabric

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Tag : Aqua, beige, Benjamin Moore paint, bleeker beige, collingwood, edgemont gray, gray, greige, nursery, sandy hook gray,

A SIMPLE PALETTE

CHOOSING COLORS FOR YOUR HOME

It isn't rocket science to choose colors for your walls, but it can sure feel like it. It is a lot easier if you keep it simple. If you choose a simple palette and carry it throughout your entire house, your home will feel pulled together and the design will flow from room to room instead of feeling 'chopped up'.

Take the room above as an example. The

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Tag : benjamin moore, black accent, dominant, gray, palette, sherwin williams, tan, wall color, white,

STALKING COLOR

PERFECT GREENS

Tuscany someday...
courtesy of Mother Nature

I love green. Mostly I like to look out at it - in nature - but it's nice in the home too. Certain shades are calming, but it can be vibrant, or fresh, or muted, or deep. The current trend is to mix them together in a room. Muted greens with citrus. Sage with deep forest. Olive with emerald.
Mother nature does, and

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Tag : benjamin moore, dividing a room with color, dulux, farrow and ball, gray, greige, paint, sherwin williams, taupe, wall color,

REMOVING THE MYSTERY

NON-MYSTERIOUS COLOR

Cactus and Tropicals

As you know by now, I have been spending a lot of time in the Great Salt Lake Valley. My sisters and I visited this wonderful nursery, Cactus and Tropicals, looking for a Mother's Day gift while I was there. It is essentially a very large tropical greenhouse (like a tent) and although it does have an outside area with bedding plants, most of

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Tag : Benjamin Moore paint, cabinets, gray, gray and yellow, hint of color, near white, orange undertone, Sherwin Williams paint, wall color, white,

FINDING PERFECT COLOR

SOMETIMES THE PERFECT COLOR ISN'T FOUND IN A PAINT STORE

sometimes its the perfect neutral palette found in the downy feathers of a tiny chickadee

via

or the soft green of vintage glass

sometimes beautiful combinations can be found in the most unexpected places

or in a fleeting moment at twilight

but whatever your color inspiration...

you can find paint to match - I

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Tag : benjamin moore, chickadee, choosing a palette for your home, curry ivory tile, paint, paint color, sherwin williams, wall color, whole wheat,

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOR

ITS A QUESTION OF COLOR.....

LEGENDARY GRAY - DUNN EDWARDS
Your Nest Design

Remember to balance your grays with lots of white, warm woods, a touch of black and some reflection - chrome, silver, mirror. Gray makes other colors look great, but gray on its own can be a little depressing. Give it a little lift and it will do the same for you.

Hi Claudine,

I read your article on gray

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Tag : beige, benjamin moore, choosing a palette for your home, gray paint, greige, painted kitchen cabinets, sherwin williams, wall paint color, white,

NAILED IT!

THE HUMBLE NAILHEAD ISN'T SO HUMBLE ANYMORE

Nailhead trim has undergone a transformation of late -

from the occasional accent on leather and sometimes upholstered furniture -

it has become a design element -

a finishing touch like jewelry finishes a beautiful gown

the humble nailhead isn't very humble anymore...

while not every piece of furniture has nailheads or should have

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Tag : bling, design, DIY, embellish, Furniture, jewelry, nailhead trim, pattern, upcycle,

CURB APPEAL

WHAT IS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION?

ROAD TRIP...

to see my 95 year old amazing mother

who has been ill with pneumonia...

Skies were threatening thunderstorms as we left California

but we soon left it behind and headed for the wide open skies of Utah

there is something about the way the sky goes on forever

in the high mountain valleys of Utah

they seem bigger than in

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Tag : cape cod, cedar shingle, curb appeal, exterior paint, golden oak cabinets, new england, utah,

HOW TO PAINT KITCHEN CABINETS

AND COLOR HELP

In the 90's everyone had oak cabinets. They all looked the same.

Oak still hasn't regained its popularity.

If you crack open a magazine, 9 out of 10 kitchens will have painted cabinets.

Mostly white

If you haven't made the jump to painted cabinets - this post may be exactly what you need for a fresh new kitchen of your own....

Welcome Spring
and what better way

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Tag : Benjamin Moore paint, gel stain, gray, hardware, kitchen cabinets, lavender, lilac, painting kitchen cabinets, purple, rustoleum,

APOLOGIES...

AND DESIGN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

First, apologies to my readers with questions awaiting answers - I am extremely delayed in replying - but I have good reason. Family illness has taken my time and attention. It's been a very emotional couple of months but we are hanging in there!

Here are some questions from my awesome readers: (you know I love you - right?)

Hi Claudine,

I stumbled upon

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Tag : Contemporary, gray, gray tile floor, minimal, Red,

CREATIVE JUICES

CREATIVE SPACES

Its in our DNA.

We lust after a space to call our own.
A place to read, to dream, to troll pinterest, pursue a hobby,

manage life's necessities

and create.

My last sewing project took over my entire dining and family rooms.
Fabric and bits of thread and fluff covered the sofa and the floor under the sewing machine.
Bailey, my fur child roughly the

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Tag : craft room, Create, creative space, fabric, Furniture, Office, organize, paint color, storage, studio,

PAINT COLOR

NEW COLOR FOR A FAMILY ROOM

For a while, dark walls were all the rage. Furniture looked amazing against them, as did artwork.

They were dramatic and fun. A whole room could be dramatic - or just one wall.

I noticed lately, that there are less and less 'accent' walls,

and that dark walls are giving way to lighter, fresher colors.

Sometimes how we feel is reflected in the

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Tag : Benjamin Moore paint, charcoal, choosing wall color, gray, grey, oak trim, revere pewter, wall color,

HELPING MARIA

BUT FIRST... RELAX

Feeling rejuvenated after a mini vacation in La Jolla, California

breakfast at Cody's = *amazing*

Scripps Inn

ocean view and delightful

with all this just across the street...

lots of brown pelicans and sea lions

[the sea lions had pups

and we could see them on the beach]

and from this viewing platform we could see them

on the rocks and in the water

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Tag : benjamin moore, calm, choosing wall color, fresh, gold, gray, gray and gold, gray and yellow, honey, soothing, white, yellow,

OVER THE BED

A FOCAL POINT

The bed is the natural focal point of a bedroom

it should draw the eye

beautify the room

and invite...

because who really wants an 'uninviting' bedroom?

By extension, the wall behind the bed

is a focal point too

one that needs to work with the bed as a whole

and create an inviting look

sometimes a beautiful wall treatment is all that is needed, or an amazing

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Tag : art, bedroom, Color, focal point, Gallery, paint, panels, screen, stencil, walls,

BEDSIDE

NO MATCHING SETS PLEASE!!!

If you've ever wanted your bedroom to look like a display in a furniture store

then please, ignore my heading above.

Go right ahead and buy the matching bedside tables that match the bed

that matches the dresser that goes with the highboy that looks like the armoire ...

everything in the exact same sheen, the exact same finish, the exact same look....

but

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Tag : antique, bedding, bedside, desk, dresser, lamp, lampshades, nightstand, painted, Table, upcycled,

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