What every neutral colour scheme needs

I love serendipitous events that add to my thoughts on an interior decorating topic.  I recently experienced this  as I was preparing to write about neutral colour schemes.  Just like a gift  La Dolce Vita, one of my favourite blogs, appeared  in my inbox with the perfect visuals to support  several of the points I wanted to make.  Paloma always finds the best spaces to present to readers! Check out her blog, you won't be sorry.

 Making a neutral scheme work requires skill.  Once you  remove colour from the equation you have to make the most of the  other elements of design especially: pattern, texture, value/contrast and form.  Of course the principles of design remain in tact. Every successful space  has  good balance, harmony, emphasis, scale/proportion and rhythm.

Sounds great, but what does that look like in a space?

Check out all takes of this  living room  by Bill Ingram & William McLure of Bill Ingram Architect.

 Quiz time:  Jot down what  you think makes  the space  work.  If you are used to colour being your main decor element you might need to shift gears for a moment to see the beauty in neutral schemes.

Contrast

The first element that jumps out at me is contrast.  You cannot have a successful room without good contrast, even when you have lots of colour.   It's the same way in art.   I wrote about this  topic in depth here.  You get contrast by manipulating your values from light to dark.  This space goes from black to white and has every conceivable value in between.

Texture

This space also gets an A+ for texture.  Not everyone can have the stone work evident in this space but you might have a stone  or brick fireplace   Check out the wood stacked in the open hearth, the tree stump table and the rough wood planters.   A variety of textiles are used from the subtly textured obviously wool carpet to the white smooth fabric on the drapery and chair.  The knit pillows are perfect by the stone,  nothing like the garter stitch for obvious texture. But the coffee table is the show stopper with its reflective high gloss.  Don't miss the folded fur throw on the chair.   There is also subtle texture on the frame of the gold chair, the doors of the armoire and the statue.

Pattern

Geometric motifs predominate with diamonds, stripes  and circles repeated around the room.

Form

This can be a hard one if you like everything matched in furniture style.  I think use of a variety of forms make this space.

My own element that every space needs -- organic elements 

Imagine this space without the two fig trees.  I rest my case.  You need organic references in every space and this one has it in spades.

Only one thing

If I could change one thing about this space it would be the scale of the artwork between the windows.  Love the art work, but it needs a little breathing space around the edges.  Too much competition with the grids in the window. Sorry, it's the artist in me.  On the other hand I love the large scale fig trees and they might account for the scale of the art!

True, this space might not be your cup of tea, but it is interesting; it invites the eye to move around and to touch the various elements in the space.

Now it's your turn...
What are your thoughts on this space?  Could you live here?

Feeling flowers

Do  you agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson that the earth laughs in flowers? I do.  Flowers are such an integral part of my existence; I could not imagine a world without them.  There are certain times of the year that I think about flowers more than others, and spring (so called, little evidence yet) in Newfoundland is one of those times. As I look out at a light dusting of snow today (yes, snow), I am happy I have beautiful tulips on my coffee table.

Happiness reflected

I can't get enough fresh flowers in my house, but my budget doesn't allow frequent trips to the florist resulting in long gaps between vibrant colour.  No deals in this city when it comes to flowers!  I constantly joke that if I won a million dollars I would have fresh flowers in every room of my house every day.   Yep, that would be the first change I would make. Not a very exciting option according to friends, but it would make me happy.

  Flowers also move me to paint.  I  go through cycles of painting florals and gardens, and several weeks ago when  I was  in total despair about the weather I went downstairs and painted a fantasy bouquet.  I had no reference, these are not identifiable flowers; they are a hybrid I dreamed up to represent the many flowers I like.

Feeling Flowers (2020 ) Margaret Ryall

This work is a joyful  expression of my love for flowers. Painting helps me to bridge the seasonal gap between winter and spring while I wait for nature to turn green and colourful. Sometimes my work is the exact opposite of Feeling Flowers.  It can be close up, calculated, detailed - an invitation to the viewer to take a closer look at the world of plants.

Garden Patterns I (2020) Margaret Ryall

Garden patterns II (2020) Margaret Ryall

Leyton Gallery of Fine Art 

 But all the paintings come from my deep love of flowers, a love born early as I lay face down in the meadow and smelled the buttercups.

 Red poppies are favourites because they are so brilliant and fragile. I am attracted to them in all their guises: in a garden, painted or as design motifs on household items.

 

 I don't even mind a good fake poppy as an accent in decor.

 Where did all this poppy design love come from?

 Well, it started a long time ago with the first  Marimekko's poppy design released in  1964!  I was not very old when  I first saw  Finnish textile designer,Maija Isola  iconic unikko design  in a magazine in our local library.  A love affair began.

And now 50 years later, I am thinking about this same design for a duvet cover in my guest room.

 

  In many ways 2020 is the year of the poppy because I just received two metres of Marimekko fabric from my daughter . Then my sister got in on the act and made me 12 dinner napkins from the fabric. A family affair for sure.

 

From tulips in the flesh,  fantasy flowers, poppies and wherever your heart desires if you feel flowers.

I will end as I began, with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson...

" Flowers.... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world".  

Sometimes you get to combine both !  

Happy Mother's Day 2020.

What to do with louvered doors

 I have a love hate relationship with louvered doors.   I like the free flow of air into closets,  but I dislike all the vertical lines and fussiness.   Many houses built in the eighties sport this type of door.  We have removed some of ours and replaced them with a contemporary looking slab door more in keeping with the streamlined look I like, and we decided to update others.  


And here's the last remaining set we have just waiting for a facelift.....

How to update louvered doors

Designing Home: Updated louvered doors 

All you need is 1/8 inch MDF or plywood  (some doors may have enough room for 1/4 in. ) and construction adhesive, (PL Premium is my favourite). 

 Lay the doors on a table or bench and measure the size of each panel area.  Cut the wood  to cover each  louvered panel section,  add a dot of adhesive every third slat next to the border and press the wood panel in place.  It should fit snugly, if not you can always caulk any seams before painting.

Use clamps or add something heavy to hold each panel in place and let it dry overnight.  Add new handles of your choice.

Reusing louvered doors for new projects 

When you remove the doors in favour of new ones you are left with two perfectly good doors that need a new life.  

Designing Home: Louvered bathroom cabinet

Here's the cabinet my husband made for our summer house  from the top half of two closet doors.  It nestles nicely into a small alcove in the main bath and holds things you don't want on display. It also gives you a great surface for changing vignettes.  We decided against hardware because you can easily open by using a louver as a pull.  It also gives it a more contemporary feel. And now what to make from the bottoms???

There are so many creative ideas for louvers on Pinterest.  I admit that many of them have a very country or beach feel to them,  but if you crave a more contemporary look there are ways to achieve it.

These are my top three faves:

Headboard 

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Painting the louvers  black  the headboard  a very contemporary feel that I quite like.

This treatment is much more country, but could be updated  if they were painted charcoal and the bedding was adjusted accordingly.


Sofa table 

The straight lines of this table make it suitable for any decor. Colour and what you put on it can automatically update the look.


Standing Shelves 

Jessica Monroe

If you wanted this to have a more contemporary feel you could paint shelves and sides the same colour and add plain crown to the top and bottom.

So many creative uses for louvers.  I love to see materials getting a new life!

5 ways to avoid boring decor

Many of my clients remark  that my home must be perfectly decorated.   My answer is a resounding NO.   I actually have little interest in perfectly decorated homes because that usually means boring in my book. Besides, the reality is that there is only so much money and time that one can devote to a place to live.  You have a life, you have things you want to do, and often home projects get pushed to the bottom of the pile as you live with your decisions.  It's called setting priorities.

If you are spending your hard earned money on a place to live, how can you have the best space possible within your budget parameters?  This is a roundup of suggestions supported by  past posts that you might want to consider as you decide how to create an interesting home.

1. Don't try to keep up with the neighbours

  Don't go there. I've had lots of chats especially with young  professional first time homeowners who feel trapped in the friends' comparison games. You know the checks and balances  of where something was bought, the cost, the  hot style you need to have to be "successful". This is a trap for more than young homeowners.   Designing your house considering  such dictates will lead to a  very cookie cutter product (the show home look) and will possibly deplete your bank account at the same time.

Today's most popular kitchen look

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 Rather than questioning if your home is up to par with the neighbour's, switch your thinking to how can I make my home unique. Not everyone is daring enough to have a teal kitchen, but it looks lovely and inviting and certainly isn't like ever other kitchen.  Read this to find  ways to add interest  your space.

 2.  Don't be a slave to trends  

 Trends come and go and adhering to them often means  changing  accessories, appliances and furniture more frequently than is warranted by normal wear and tear.  Are there trends that you should pay attention to?  I've discussed that topic here.  Would you be horrified to have white appliances,  natural oak hardwood or 80's European style cabinets?  ( I have all three)  Is granite the only countertop you would accept?  ( I have butcher block and laminate)!

Timeless v.s. trendy

 

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 Right now yellow, gray,  and black and white are "on trend", but I wouldn't call this space trendy.  Ten years from now this modern space warmed with wood and art will still look distinctive and inviting. 

Chrvrons, antlers and gray

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 If you are at a home decor store every week  looking for accessories to add to your home,  you might be  going down the trend road. If you have chevron patterns, a chalkboard wall, antlers, cute lettered signs about family, love or keeping calm, lots of  baskets, or starburst mirrors, you are an accessory  trend follower.  Pinterest tells all!

3. Dare to have a personal style

 A more creative solution to home decor is  to determine what your personal style is and stick with that, adding select pieces over time. Make choices that reflect your family lifestyle and history. What makes your home yours?  Do you like antiques; are you a painted furniture aficionado; do you collect things or have travel mementos;  are you into yoga and zen spaces;  is music important to you;  are you a painter,  a wood worker,  a stained glass artist or photographer?  Reflect your loves in your space.  Check out this post for a more in depth look at what your house says about you.

Distinctive zen bathroom

This is not your average bathroom space nor will it be everyone's cup of tea. That's the thing about personal style.  It should not be cookie cutter.   Each element is distinctive and they are creatively combined to produce a quiet, zen like space. 

 Antiques and interesting finds

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 This bath has an interesting combination of antiques and practical objects.

 

 4. Forget about over matching 

There is nothing that sucks the soul out of a space more  than over matching. If I went through fifty spaces in a row on Pinterest on any one day, way too many of them are so perfectly matched they are downright boring.   Every space needs an edge, you choose what that edge is.  This post discusses the matchy match look and how to avoid it.

 A well matched spa inspired bathroom

There is no doubt this is a restful space reminiscent of cool ocean breezes, but I would love to see at least one thing that was "out of theme". Something unexpected... a different mirror,  shelf  or light fixture.   

Spa bathroom with interest

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This is still a small bathroom space but materials have been used more creatively to produce a distinctive look. Imagine this space without the art work over the tub.  I would nix the plant.  I could see myself tripping over it every time I moved.

 

5. Move around what you have

 One of the first things I do when I begin a project with  clients who have hired me to  accessorize their space is ask them to pull out what they have stored. You would be surprised by  some of the finds that went from the basement to front and centre.   This post  will give you an idea of this type of thinking.

With so many ways to to create inviting, individual environments, do you have a favourite one that works in your space?