Decorating with Paint - 2

The  Sherwin William's website takes a different approach to showing us the new color trends for 2013.  They provide an inspiration and then colors that project that feeling.  I have copied some of their insights to this page for you to see.  I like having two different approaches available.  Each time I start with a space I will use alternate ways to get started.  In this case I want to start with the color palette first.

The caption from Sherwin William's color trend page says, "Today's dynamic palettes reflect our diverse mindsets, lifestyles and design philosophies."  Below are the pictures and inspiration for their color trends.

Midnight Mystery

The colors are moody, the vibe is masculine and the aesthetic is both Victorian and futuristic.


There are many deep rich colors in this color grouping.  The 3 I like most are;

SW 7593

Rustic Red

 

SW 6131

Chamois

 

 

SW 6004

Mink

 

 

Honed Vitality

 

The colors are chalky and earthy, the materials raw and organic, the finishes matte.              

 

These colors are cool neutrals.  My top 3 are;

 

SW 7612

Mountain Stream

 

SW 7739

Herbal Wash

 

SW 7057

Silver Strand
 

 

Vintage Moxie

 

The pastels are a bit bolder, including semi-precious gem tones like citrine, peridot and amethyst, set off by crisp neutrals.         

 

I agree these are bold pastels.  The 3 I think are most versatile are;

 

SW 0074

Radiant Lilac

 

SW 0025

Rosedust

 

SW 6401

Independent Gold

 

 

 High Voltage

 

Electronics, alternative rock and digital technology — plug those influences into one socket and you get a blast of high-voltage look-at-me colors.               

 

Pops of color can be very exciting in a room's decor.  My favorites;

 

SW 6859

Feverish Pink

 

SW 6967

Frank Blue

 

SW 6921

Electric Lime

 

Some of these new colors are extremely bold and dark.  There are options available in the same color family that are softer and or lighter.  You can get more colors and details about Sherwin Williams trends for next year on their website www.sherwin-williams.com.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com. Also, like me at www.facebook.com/dottywymandesigns.

 

 

                                   

 

                   

Decorating with Paint - 1

Do you want to freshen up a room with a new paint color?  Add new color accents to a neutral room with pillows, window treatments or upholstery fabric?  I am selecting some colors for a room I am designing and I needed some inspiration.  Currently, the room is a blank slate, so I have the opportunity to add color with paint, fabric and artwork.  The first place I checked out was the Benjamin Moore website to see their forecast of colors and was pleasantly surprised with all the color options and interesting color combinations they provided.

The trend colors for the 2012 section gave me ideas of new colors to mix together.  I noticed that gray, teal and burgundy/purple colors are very current.  Neutrals are always needed and Benjamin Moore helps you use them in different ways.

 

 

The two rooms above us the same color pallet, but in completely different approaches.  I like the dark trim in the first photo.  It is a unique twist from the traditional white or off white trim color.  The second picture has a sky blue ceiling with the dark walls.  This adds an extra dash of color and life to the dark green room.  The same colors were used in both rooms, but they have been used in varying locations.

 

 

 

The two views of this mirrored chest and artwork look completely different, even though the grouping of colors is the same.  The difference is the dominant color on the wall.  The first photo has a blue wall with red and dark taupe accent colors in the twigs.  The second photo uses the dark taupe on the wall and blue and red accents in the artwork and accessories.  I like that the same chest can have a traditional look and a more contemporary look just by changing a few accessories.

The Benjamin Moore website was fun to use for new ideas.  The 2012 trend colors can be viewed using the link provided.  http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-trends-2012;jsessionid=HvJ1QpnBPNplk1xSzrKhQdKvz4W6H32J3bCNdDLDpJ3Qgvs8nJ3S!1556887689!NONE. 

I also viewed the Sherwin Williams website.  I will let you know what I found on this site next.

 Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com. Also, like me at www.facebook.com/dottywymandesigns.

Contemporary Farmhouse Style Kitchen

This is a kitchen remodel I worked on last spring with a client.  She had lots of exciting ideas and was willing to expand the existing footprint of the kitchen.  The most challenging part of this project was fitting together cohesively all of the elements she wanted to include.  We successfully collaborated to create a new welcoming, more efficient kitchen the whole family likes to use.

The group of before pictures, shows a kitchen footprint that a family of four used every morning and evening together.  The table in the center was added for additional counter space, but took up valuable square footage and created a narrow passage through the kitchen in front of the refrigerator.

The client wanted a new larger kitchen with a contemporary farm house style.  First, the kitchen was bumped out 6 feet and a large new window was added over the sink.  The desired design was achieved by adding painted cabinetry, exposed beams, a large rustic black hammered metal hood and soapstone counter tops.  The cabinetry has inset doors which is a classic style for older built-in cabinets.  The rustic hood is the center of attention and is enhanced by the tiled wall behind it.  The open shelving on either side keeps your focus on the beautiful hood.  We opted to use recessed lighting, so the look of the beams would not be interrupted.  Finally, a long center table was added for more work space.  The base is made of reclaimed wood and the top is covered in stainless steel.  This kitchen now has the style the client envisioned and it is functional for her family.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.    Also, like www.facebook.com/dottywymandesigns.

Decorating Dining Room - Accessorizing (8)

Finally, I have accessorized my new dining room.  I am happy to say, the last couple of months have been busy, so I haven't had much time to work on my own space. 

The accessorizing step of a design project is extremely important for providing the room a finished and pulled together feeling. Since the walls in my dining room are chocolate brown and the furniture is mahogany, I wanted to bring in some bright pops of color. I am able to do this with brightly colored glass bowls and vases.  Some of the artwork on the walls has white matting to add lightness too.  Without these accessories the room would look dull and uninteresting.

Accessorizing a room is time consuming.  Many times items that look great in the store, don't work as well in your home.  The goal is to have accessories that fit the room's new design and that you like them.  Also, in my project I wanted to reuse some of the items in the room, because these pieces had special meaning to me and my family.  Items that appeared dated were stored away.

My dining room isn't 100% complete.  I plan to add the mirror, pictured below, to the wall above the chest of draws and some type of throw on the dining table.  Please write me any comments or questions you may have about this redesign project.

 

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.

Redecorating Dining Room - Paint and more (6)

The dining room project is once again moving along.  When the rain came, so did the painter for some interior work.  He called me on Tuesday last week and was there on Thursday to start the job.  Since I had already selected the colors for the room and ordered the wallpaper, he could come even on such short notice.  The work to replace the baseboard moulding, wallpaper and paint was completed in two days.  They accomplished everything I requested.  There were only 2 small changes to the original estimate, which the painter confirmed with me prior to starting.

A view of the overall look of the walls

The picture above shows the rich brown paint on the upper portion of the walls which is balanced with the bold striped wallpaper below the chair rail.  The 2 3/4" baseboard moulding has been replaced with 7 3/4" moulding (the same height as the heat registers) and all the trim has been painted with a fresh coat of white paint.  I decided to paint the ceiling a golden yellow color (pictured below).  I thought the color on the ceiling would give the room a more contemporary feeling and it was an opportunity for me to introduce the yellow color from my design inspiration photos into the room.

Below are a few more detailed pictures of the walls and ceiling.

The 7 3/4" baseboard adds a strong architectural detail

The baseboard heat has also been painted white to blend
with the baseboard moulding

The yellow painted ceiling is unexpected and helps to
accentuate the crown moulding

The dining room redesign is almost complete.  The window treatments are the next step in my project plan.  I am in the process of making the drapes and I have ordered the decorative drapery rods.  

Please write me any comments or questions you may have about this redesign project.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com. 

Redecorating Dining Room - Upholstry (5)

I am back from summer vacation and ready to complete my dining room redesign.  Plans for the dining room remain in place and I have made only a few minor alterations.  I have experienced a couple of delays, but nothing serious.  One of the chair fabrics was on back order for a few weeks, but has since been delivered.  Also, the painter I have hired has been doing a lot of outside work and asked if he could do the painting in a few weeks.  Since I am not in a rush for this project I agreed to the extended delay.

My dining table chairs and large upholstered chair went out to the upholsterer the first week in August.  All seven chairs returned a week later finished.  They look great.  The seat cushions were done with a self welt around the bottom of the cushion and the fabric is tightly stretched without any puckering.  The unique shape of the arm chair really shows off the print fabric and the multiple colors  bring everything in the room together.  I will make a pillow for the large chair as an accent as well. 

Hint:  the chairs were upholstered so quickly, because summer is usually a slower time for the upholsterer.  As we approach the fall they will get busier, so if you have a piece to be reupholstered before the holidays get it there soon.

Reupholstering is a wonderful way to update an existing piece of furniture and make it work with your new interior design.  Below I have included a few pictures of the reupholstered chairs.

Large upholstered chair

The large scale pattern and bold colors add
interest to the room's overall design

Dining table chair

The traditional chair has a little more of a pop with this fun dot fabric

The cushion welt adds an additional layer of detail and finishes the
edge of the chair cushion

Things are really starting to come together.  Please share any comments with me and I will write again about the next stage of design the project.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.

Redecorating Dining Room - Hiring Trades People (4)

The next step in the design process is to hire the trades people for the project.  As I mentioned in my previous blog, I need to hire an upholsterer, painter, finish wood worker and possibly an electrician.  I am making the window treatments, so I will not need to hire a window treatment service.  Hiring trade professionals can be an overwhelming task, because you need to trust that they can do the work needed for your design project.

I'm sure you have heard it before, but a great way to hire someone is through word of mouth.  You have the opportunity to look at their previous work and get the real scoop from someone who has already worked with that trades person.  Don't worry, if you need to hire unrecommended trades people, just make sure you get a few different estimates and check their references. Quality of work is important, but so is showing up on time, cleanliness, accurate cost estimates, time needed to complete the work and trustworthiness.    The other important factor is to communicate your expectations clearly.  The trades person needs to know specifically what you want and your time constraints.  The more details you provide about the project and the more questions you ask, leaves less of a chance for problems due to miscommunication. 

I have hired the upholsterer and as soon as all of my fabrics have been delivered I will have him pick up the chairs.  The painter I contacted is willing to do the small amount of finish carpentry.  This will eliminate the extra work for me of trying to find a finish carpenter to do such a small job.  I am still on the fence about adding additional lighting at this point in time.  I will let you know what I decide.


Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.

Redecorating Dining Room - Select Finishes (3)

This is my third blog about redesigning my dining room.  I initially identified the Wynn Hotel lobby as the inspiration for my room.  Next I made a plan of all the tasks I need to accomplish prior to starting work or making purchases for this redecorating project.  I have determined the scope, budget and date I would like to have the room completed.  Now I am able to do more of the fun and creative parts of decorating, selecting the finishes to be used in the room.

 The walls will be painted and wallpapered in a dark brown tone, similar to some of the Wynn lobby walls.  Since the furniture in the room is also dark I have selected a striped wallpaper with a lighter brown color as well.  The wallpaper will be hung below the chair rail and paint above it.  All the moulding in the room will remain white.  This will help to keep the room from getting too dark.  The fabric choices will also need to be light in color to keep the room lively and inviting.

Wallpaper to be used below chair rail

Four fabrics have been chosen for the room.  The window treatments will be made from a bone colored velvet and rasberry/green tassel trim .  The dining chair seats will use a raised velvet rasberry colored dot pattern along with a green fabric used for piping around the edge.  Finally, the upholstered chair in the corner will use an intricate and colorful floral fabric.  The floral fabric helps to tie all the other fabrics together.  Usually, I will find the fabric with the large print and multiple colors first and select the solid, stripe and/or small patterned fabrics after, but this time the floral was the last fabric selected.

Overview of fabrics and wall coverings

Dining chair seat fabric

Dining chair welt around edge of seat

Upholstered chair fabric

Drapery trim

Now that I have made all of my selections I need to verify everything is available.  Once this is accomplished I will order the fabrics, trim and wallpaper.  I will also start the process of hiring the trades people.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.

Redecorating Dining Room - Planning (2)

The planning portion of any design project is the most important.  Start by identifying the scope of the project and your budget.  These two steps are critical whether you use an interior designer or do the project yourself.  The scope of my design project includes painting and papering the walls, replacing the window treatments and reupholstering the chairs.  Things I also am considering to replace are the base moulding and adding recessed lighting.  My budget is $4,000.

Below I have outlined my project plan.  These are all the things I want to have accomplished before I have any tradespeople come to my home or order anything.  Remember this is a design plan and may change as the project evolves.

Project Plan for Dining Room

1. Identify scope and budget - above
2. Identify date needed - If you want a project completed prior to a special event try to start it early, 2 to 3 months prior.  Design projects always seem to incur delays.  Lately, many fabrics are not carried in stock and the waiting time to get them can be 8 weeks.  I would like to have my project completed over the summer.  I am in no rush, but want to set a deadline for myself.
3. Select finishes - I like to have most or all new finishes and fabrics selected prior to purchasing anything.  This allows me to coordinate and see how everything works together.  Also, if a finish is no longer available you have the opportunity to change several of your choices if needed.  For example, if the paint color is based on the fabric that is now out of stock, you can get a new fabric and adjust the paint color to match.  Your choices can't always occur in advance for large projects, but for my dining room project I believe it is the best approach.
4. Hire trades people for each job - I will need to hire a carpenter/painter, electrician (if needed) and an upholsterer.  I am hoping the same person can do the painting, wallpapering and moulding replacement, since it is a smaller job.  I will use the same upholsterer and electrician I have used in the past.  As a designer, I have contact with trades people that I trust and have seen their work.  Make sure you hire reliable people with references.  I will make the window treatments myself, but have factored their cost into the estimated budget. 
5. Timeline for project task completion - Most design projects need tasks to occur in some type of order, because they are contingent on the prior task.  The painter/carpenter need to come first, then I can install the window treatments.  The upholstery can be done any time (no contingency).  If I decide to add recessed lighting, the electrician will need to come first.  They will make the biggest mess and the painter can repair any damage.
6. Execute the plan - Purchase fabrics, paint, wallpaper.  Have your room ready for the trades people to do their work.  Communicate with tradespeople what you want.  It's hard to fix something that is already completed.

 I am starting to get a good sense of where my interior design project is going.  I now have my inspiration, my project scope and the design plan in place to get started.  My next step is to start moving on the to do's created in my design plan.  I look forward to sharing my fabric, paint and wallpapber choices.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.

Redecorating Dining Room - Inspiration (1)

I am going to give my dining room a little bit of a face lift and wanted to give you some insight about the process from beginning to end.  The plan is to give the dining space a bold new look without replacing everything in the room.  The big ticket items such as the dining room set and oriental are staying put.  I will work with these pieces, because I like them and they have classic designs.  I will accomplish this new look by changing the walls, the fabrics, drapery hardware and a few different accessories.

I have not done anything to the dining room in over ten years and it is due for a change.  The draperies have faded, the curtain rods are dated and so are the fabrics.  The positives about the room are the hardwood floors, the detailed crown moulding and the 8' ceiling height.  The space is good size for a dining room 13.5' x 14.5', so there is plenty of room for the large scale furniture. 

My first step is to find an inspiration for the room.  This could be anything from a piece of artwork you want to build the room around or a room you saw and want to recreate it in your home.  I was inspired by the lobby of the Winn Hotel in Las Vegas for my dining room.  The lobby has a sophisticated harlequin theme with dark walls, luxurious fabrics and playful colorful accents sprinkled around.  I want to incorporate some of the same rich fabrics, dark walls and colorful accents they used, but tailor it for my home.  Included are a few pictures of the Wynn Hotel lobby.

Now that I have my inspiration I can pull together a plan for the redesign of my dining room.  I will go over planning in my next blog.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.