You Said It: ‘Just Because I’m Tiny Doesn’t Mean I Don’t Go Big’
Changing things up with space, color and paint dominated the design conversations this week
This week on Houzz, advice for spring projects involving color and painting dominated. We learned how to use the many shades of purple, how to pair yellow and blue, how to find the right accent color and how to layer shades of gray. We navigated the choice between milk paint and chalk paint. We got some great guidance on how to choose the perfect shade of the trickiest color, white. We also learned about how welcoming the birds to her yard changed one woman’s life, and how living in a tiny house changed another’s.
“Somehow, if I could sit down and watch the birds, I could always put things in perspective.” — Sharon Sorenson, as told to Mary Jo Bowling
Before we get to color and makeovers, let’s look at the feel-good story of the week. I was inspired by the story of how Sorenson tailored her yard to welcome feathered friends — and how her love of birding and her husband’s love of photography brought a whole new dimension to their marriage.
Full story: Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life
Before we get to color and makeovers, let’s look at the feel-good story of the week. I was inspired by the story of how Sorenson tailored her yard to welcome feathered friends — and how her love of birding and her husband’s love of photography brought a whole new dimension to their marriage.
Full story: Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life
“The same white color, though, would not work in a north-facing family room in New England. White’s visual relationship to the snow and ice outside the windows would be visually chilling.” — Kimberly Collins Jermain
Now I don’t have the exact data, but I would bet money the No. 1 question asked on Houzz is probably “which exact paint color was used on the white walls?” This is a tricky one, because color varies from screen to screen and from home to home, due to the nature of natural and electric lighting. With this article, you really never have to ask that question again. It will help you find the white that suits your space best.
Full story: What to Know Before You Paint Your Walls White
Now I don’t have the exact data, but I would bet money the No. 1 question asked on Houzz is probably “which exact paint color was used on the white walls?” This is a tricky one, because color varies from screen to screen and from home to home, due to the nature of natural and electric lighting. With this article, you really never have to ask that question again. It will help you find the white that suits your space best.
Full story: What to Know Before You Paint Your Walls White
“Milk paint and chalk paint are the comfort foods of decorative finishes.” — Karen Egly-Thompson
Speaking of paint, Egly-Thompson gives us a great education in the differences between the ways milk paint and chalk paint work, along with the pros and cons of each, whether or not prepping is necessary, and sealing options.
Full story: What to Know About Milk Paint and Chalk Paint — and How to Use Them
Speaking of paint, Egly-Thompson gives us a great education in the differences between the ways milk paint and chalk paint work, along with the pros and cons of each, whether or not prepping is necessary, and sealing options.
Full story: What to Know About Milk Paint and Chalk Paint — and How to Use Them
“If you already have blues in a room, see how yellow accents might work by adding some sunny flowers. It’s an easy way to try out any accent color before committing to costlier items, such as rugs, throws, lampshades and cushions.” — Karen Wilson
Before you pull out paint in any color, consider this great suggestion for giving the color a trial run. As for the rest of the story, it covers a range of blues and yellows combined for looks that are edgy, elegant, unexpected, dramatic, subtle, retro and just plain pretty.
Full story: Why Blue and Yellow Can Be Perfect Bedfellows
Before you pull out paint in any color, consider this great suggestion for giving the color a trial run. As for the rest of the story, it covers a range of blues and yellows combined for looks that are edgy, elegant, unexpected, dramatic, subtle, retro and just plain pretty.
Full story: Why Blue and Yellow Can Be Perfect Bedfellows
“The fail-safe secret to creating a complementary scheme … is to let the primary hue dominate, in a toned-down shade, while sprinkling in a light helping of the accent hue, preferably in small doses and patterns.” — Yanic Simard
I have a confession to make. Whenever I have to talk about color theory, I have to pull out the old color wheel and refresh my memory on all the relationships between the different colors. From now on I’ll just go to this bookmarked story. Simard gives us a quick education in primary, secondary, analogous and complementary colors, and shows us how to put the knowledge to use in a room.
Full story: How to Pick the Perfect Accent Color
I have a confession to make. Whenever I have to talk about color theory, I have to pull out the old color wheel and refresh my memory on all the relationships between the different colors. From now on I’ll just go to this bookmarked story. Simard gives us a quick education in primary, secondary, analogous and complementary colors, and shows us how to put the knowledge to use in a room.
Full story: How to Pick the Perfect Accent Color
“You see, purple can be a quirky color. It’s not always easy to get right … and it’s a color that people tend to either love or find repellent.” — Liz Durnan
Lavender, royal and plum, oh my! For those who love purple, this article will show you wonderful ways to incorporate all the shades of it around the house. For those who hate it, Durnan’s article might change your mind.
Full story: 21 Reasons to Decorate With Purple
Lavender, royal and plum, oh my! For those who love purple, this article will show you wonderful ways to incorporate all the shades of it around the house. For those who hate it, Durnan’s article might change your mind.
Full story: 21 Reasons to Decorate With Purple
“Rather than sticking to one shade and risking a rather flat outcome, combining grays of different tones is a beautiful alternative.” — Joanna Simmons
No one’s saying you need 50 shades, but this smart take on the gray trend will help you use the color in a more classic way. Simmons takes us through different schemes, from pale and warm to dark and moody, incorporating texture and pattern as well as strong contrast.
Full story: How to Layer Tones of Gray for Depth and Harmony
No one’s saying you need 50 shades, but this smart take on the gray trend will help you use the color in a more classic way. Simmons takes us through different schemes, from pale and warm to dark and moody, incorporating texture and pattern as well as strong contrast.
Full story: How to Layer Tones of Gray for Depth and Harmony
“It made me realize that, when it comes to disposals, a little noise is not necessarily a bad thing.” — Jennifer Ott
This was the most surprising tip I took away this week. Ott’s story is full of fantastic suggestions for any kitchen, and I appreciate that it is a designer’s personal dream list. Suggestions for aisle width, maximizing storage and natural light, hands-free faucets and more are valuable. Most of all, I’d never thought of how a very quiet disposal could be a liability. I have a whole new appreciation for the aggressive grinding noises mine makes since reading this.
Full story: A Designer Shares Her Kitchen-Remodel Wish List
Did something on Houzz surprise you or stick with you this week? If so, please share it with everyone in the Comments section.
This was the most surprising tip I took away this week. Ott’s story is full of fantastic suggestions for any kitchen, and I appreciate that it is a designer’s personal dream list. Suggestions for aisle width, maximizing storage and natural light, hands-free faucets and more are valuable. Most of all, I’d never thought of how a very quiet disposal could be a liability. I have a whole new appreciation for the aggressive grinding noises mine makes since reading this.
Full story: A Designer Shares Her Kitchen-Remodel Wish List
Did something on Houzz surprise you or stick with you this week? If so, please share it with everyone in the Comments section.
This was the tiny-house story that changed my mind about whether or not I might ever be able to live small. Before I virtually toured Lustado’s home, I thought microliving would be a lot like the “Microhouse” skit on Portlandia a week or so ago. Lustado’s house is beautiful, charming cozy and livable, and I loved getting to know her and her tiny house better.
Watch the video: Houzz TV Steps Inside One Woman’s 140-Square-Foot Dream Home