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color confidential with tobi fairley: bringing home the beach

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Q: Dear Tobi,

I want to use some cool colors in my house that remind me of our beach vacations. I love the way you add so much color to a space. Do you have any paint recommendations that will help me achieve a similar look?

Sincerely,
Diana, Little Rock

A: Hi Diana. First of all, thank you for the compliment and your question! It’s certainly the right time of year to be thinking about this.

Summer is right around the corner, which means many people are anticipating beach vacations. Cool colors found in the ocean are so inspiring. Whether it’s the navy water of the Northeast, the jewel-toned colors of the Emerald Coast, or the turquoise shades found in the Caribbean – inspiration is abundant!

One of my tips for adding vibrant colors to a space, is to select a light or muted color for the wall. You can then layer in more saturated colors with painted furniture, art, or accessories. Here are some interiors that I designed using cool colors, along with a few paint colors from Sherwin Williams to help you with your space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope one of these palettes will work for your home and that it will remind you of your favorite beach spot!

Be sure to check out my Pinterest boards boards for more “blue” ideas and watch my blog for some of my favorite beach finds later this week.

Happy Decorating!

-Tobi

Note: All paint colors are Sherwin-Williams.

color confidential with tobi fairley: warm hues

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Q: Dear Tobi,

I loved your post here last month about bringing cool colors in to your home. However, I’m more fond of deep, rich colors. I guess I tend to lean more toward warm hues in general. Do you have any go-to colors that remind you of warmer landscapes?

Thanks!

Lauren, Jonesboro

 

A: Hi Lauren,

That’s a great question! Because warmer colors tend to make a bright statement and can have a bold impact, I generally use them as accents throughout a space.

(photography by Nancy Nolan)

For example, you might cover your chairs in a fiery shade of red, like the ones I used in this dining room. You could also paint an accent wall in a vibrant tangerine. Lamps and throw pillows are also a great way to bring in these colors without making a huge time or financial commitment. If you’re DIY-savvy, you could even paint a few pieces of furniture in one of these happy colors! The options are endless…

When it comes to selecting warm colors I love to look to nature. There are a ton of naturally occurring options in everything from sunsets to fall foliage. But to get back to your original question on which colors to use, I’ve selected a few that remind me of the warmer landscapes you mentioned. [All paint colors are Sherwin-Williams.]

If you want something that is a bit deeper and more rich you might try one of these…

Hopefully one of these colors will be just what you’re looking to use in your own home!

Happy Decorating!
-Tobi

(p.s. to see more color confidential tips, visit here.)

[Images: Google Images, Tobi Fairley Interior Design]

color confidential with tobi fairley : ceiling style

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Q: Dear Tobi,

I am in the middle of a remodel and starting to plan my color scheme. I definitely don’t want to forget my ceilings, because I love the idea of branching out a bit and doing something other than a basic white. Do you have any ideas for thinking outside the box when it comes to ceilings?

Rhonda, Monticello

A: Hi Rhonda! You have asked one of my favorite questions! Why have a plain white ceiling when you can use color — and even pattern! — to make that fifth wall really stand out?

When I’m working on a project, I consider the ceiling to be an integral part of the room and give it the attention it deserves in the design process. There’s no end to the options that you can come up with as long as you take your overall design scheme and look into account.

Here are three projects of mine where I have pushed the boundaries on ceilings!

#1 Complete Classic

I designed this room for the Richmond Symphony Showhouse last year. Blue ceilings are one of the more popular color selections you will see featured in homes around the country. This is probably because they are calm, serene and remind us of the sky! If you’re working on an outdoor remodel I also love blue porch ceilings. This trend, which started in Charleston, SC, was said to ward off evil spirits and protect Southern homes several centuries ago. Spirits or no spirits, I love the look both indoors and out!

#2 Glowing Glamour

If you’re more of a glamour girl, then I suggest metallics. Have a faux-finish painter create a metallic work of art on your ceiling. This polished trend is a great accent not only for bedrooms, but also in shared spaces of your home. Greeting guests in a foyer with a metallic ceiling sets the tone for a polished and elegant home.

#3 Preppy Pattern

Last, but not least, adding pattern is a great way to think imaginatively when it comes to ceilings. I personally love using stripes, because they are a classic traditional pattern that can come to life in any palette, like this room I designed for the Hamptons’ Showhouse. If stripes aren’t your thing, you might also consider wallpaper. You can select a graphic pattern or try something a bit more whimsical like a botanical print.

I hope these ideas are helpful for your project! Good luck with your remodel.

Happy Decorating!
xo, Tobi

P.S. Want advice on your color dilemma? Send your questions to info@tobifairley.com or leave a comment here.

color confidential : pantone’s color of the year

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Q: Dear Tobi, I’m ready to do some major redecorating in my house. I know that Pantone promotes the colors they predict will be the trendy colors for the year, and I want my look to be current. How do I use those hot colors in a way that won’t be out of date before I can afford to redo my house again? Paula (Little Rock, AR) A: Great question, Paula! To trend or not to trend is a question I often get from my clients. My answer to them is always “Never EVER include something you don’t absolutely LOVE just to be trendy.” But the opposite is also true! “Never EVER leave out a fabric or piece of furniture (etc.) that you LOVE just because it’s trendy!” Trends come and go, but a particular style that you happen to find appealing is likely to keep its appeal no matter what’s fashionable. As for Pantone, their predictions are fun to talk about (it seems all of us design and fashion bloggers want to weigh in on the colors of the year!); but to make the most of the freshness of a color trend, use it as a cue instead of an exact style recipe. For instance, THE color of 2013 is Emerald (Pantone # 17-5641 to be precise!).

So, use this information as a point of inspiration for your a room in your home, if it’s a color you like! Instead of thinking only of the color Emerald, think of it as an indicator that rich greens and other jewel tones are going to be showing up more and more. I was excited to see that a green was selected, because it’s always been one of my go-tos! Want to see some ways I’ve incorporated greens in my own designs? As a pop of color in accessories! As a major player in the color palette!

As a foundation color! The key when incorporating a color trend is to do so confidently as long as you know it’s a color you truly love! Best of luck to you with your design, Paula! I hope this helps. Xo,        

color confidential with tobi fairley

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Ready to break beyond your comfort zone of neutrals but don’t know how? How would you like to consult with color expert Tobi Fairley about it?

Interior designer Tobi Fairley has been recognized for her masterful use of color and pattern on the pages of House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Southern Living, and yours truly, At Home in Arkansas. And now Tobi will be fielding color questions from you, At Home’s readers!

That’s right. Today, and monthly from now on, we’ll be inviting readers to send us color questions for Tobi Fairley to answer in a tip and color filled blog series we’ve dubbed “Color Confidential with Tobi Fairley.” Picking paint. Finding fabric. Mixing and matching paint and fabric. Whatever your color quandary, send it our way!

Starting today, tell us: What is your color quandary? Let us know in the comment section of this post, and Tobi will select a question to answer on Tuesday, November 22! Colorful ideas await from Tobi Fairley. See you soon!

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At Home in Arkansas offers you a look inside the state's most inspiring homes. The magazine features monthly advice from the experts to help you plan your next remodel or redesign, entertain at home, or find Arkansas's best kept secrets. It is your definitive guide to the state's finest homes and gardens, design professionals, fashion and entertaining essentials, and premier shops and showrooms.

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