If you love it, do it!

 

What I say " If you love it, do it".

There was a picture under my faux painting blog of one of my bathrooms.  It was wallpapered.  It is a pearlized white with just a hint of an off white/beige that looks like a light sponge painting, with some kind of scrolls and French writing very faint.  It is so softly done, with a hint of gold that you really need to be up close to see it.  It is so me, that  I will never remove it unless it gets damaged.  It is a guest bath that I can use any color in.  In that case I love wallpaper in a bathroom.

Speaking of color, in my daily reading, I look at a lot of ads also, as they give one ideas.  The following is a fabric house showing samples of their colors working together:

 

I love to look at these for ideas on color and pattern.  This again reminds me of a garden or bouquet of  flowers.

 

If cost becomes a factor, save to get what you want.  It is so worth it.  Sometimes we settle for something less and are never happy.

 

There is also another wall treatment that we don't think about to much, yet has been used for years and years.   A lot of this is dependent on where you live.  Beadboard was used in the early 19th century.  I have it in my studio on the walls here in Florida, and the house was built in the early 1900's.  Cedar siding, that has been sanded gives western or northern homes a lot of charm.

 

A lot of  New England homes and homes in the south have so much charm.  Some is due to wood and some to wallpaper.  Chair rails and wood placed on the walls for trim as well as crown moldings.  Crown moldings are very popular today and can be purchased in your favorite home improvement stores.  They also come in a foam that is lightweight and easy to handle.  Different colors are used regionally.  However, I see a trend in things moving from region to region as people have become so mobile.  I love this mixture of everything.

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite paintings, because of the colors.  It was an award winner and is for sale:

               Name: Crazy Crotons

Size Framed:  34" ht. x 26 1/2" w

Picture Size:  22" ht. X 15" w

Price: $650.00 unframed

Price: $850.00 framed

 

There is not a thing in this painting that offends color .

 

Unframed 22 ht.x 15 w $650.00 USD framed 34ht.x261/2w. $850.00 USD

 

Had a little trouble with my buy button today so if interested, try it.  Also, go to my other blog for my studio:  wwwriverviewartstudios.com

That blog show the studio.

Happy colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Bit More on Walls

We've been talking lighting, walls, color and a vast amount of things in between.  Let's go back to walls and wallpaper.

In the 1950's and 60's, grass cloth became a popular wall covering.  Whatever type of paste was used, sometimes it was applied directly to drywall, a fairly new thing on walls.  Most walls were plastered until the late 50's early 60's.  Since drywall was not prepared, the paper stuck to it almost permanently.  It is comparable to Masonite that has been wallpapered.  It doesn't come off.  Great place for paintable wallpaper.  Today our walls are usually prepared.  If you are in a brand new home with contractor paint on your drywall, you may want to paint it with a good paint before wallpapering.

Back to grass cloth, it gives great texture to the walls.

In 1972, we bought a home that belonged to Al Capone.  In the 50's it was added on to, to make a 5000 sq. ft. home.  The huge living room and front hall were wallpapered in grass cloth, that had been painted over.  At first I tried to remove it and realized it was bonded to the drywall.  No alternative but to paint it.  I ended up painting it an antique white.  Then, there were only a few whites.  Today, there are so many shades of white.  We loved it and the texture it provided worked well for us.  In the 80's grass cloth made it's debut again.  It was a big trend, with many options, textures and colors.  It was very impressive and quite expensive.  As a designer, I used them a lot, even in commercial uses. 

Today,  2013, grass cloth is again making a big comeback.  "What goes around comes around".  It adds warmth and texture without pattern, so artwork or whatever you want to hang work perfect.

In teaching watercolors, I tell my students that every painting has a star and the rest is the supporting cast. Your eyes need to go into a painting, be drawn to the star and back out again.  Wallpaper is a good supporting star in a room to add so much.

 

 

This painting was sold, but I do have giclee'  copies of it in any size you want that is a great example.

 

 

 

 

This is a great example of a lot of design pieces.  1. The mother is the star.  2. The babies are the supporting cast 3. The background shows lights and darks giving great contrast 4. Your eyes travel around the painting in and off.

 

This is the same with a room.  Also, using grass cloth or plain walls, any art work can be hung. 

 

In the past, wallpaper was used everywhere.  People bought older homes and the first thing they did was remove the wallpaper, it was not the thing in the 2000's.  Kitchen and baths were pretty much always wallpapered.  They added punch to what were classified as drab rooms.

 

Tomorrow, more on this piece of information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A Jumping around bit

Since we were talking about lamps yesterday, let's talk a bit on lamp shades.  A classic detail that works in nearly all settings is the drum shade-straight sided, tall or short, small or large.  they usually come in cream or white paper, sometimes with contrasting trim.  You can add your own contrasting trim to an already existing shade to add a new touch.  Use a fabric glue to glue it on.  You will also find them in silk, but they are more expensive.  Dark shades are more opaque ( don't let the light through ).  If you want to create mood, you may want to use an opaque shade.

I love more feminine shades, that have graceful curves.

Pleated shades are easy to find.  shade seem to be in all the major stores as: Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, home Depot, Lowe's and many others.  I like to buy plain shades at resale shops and mess with them.  I will look for some pictures on what you can do with lampshades and have that in a future article.

Sconces should be lit in a diffused way, either by glass or paper shades.  Bare candelabra bulbs give a harshness to a room.  Ballard designs have a multitude of small shades for that purpose, as do may other stores.

 A lamp store in your area is a great way to start.  Take your lamp there and let the experts help you.  A lamp with an improper shade is like a person improperly dressed.

In kitchens or bathrooms, I like a combination of recessed lighting and ceiling mounted fixtures.  Crystal chandeliers are showing up in bathrooms to add a bit of elegance.  I love pendant lights over kitchen counters if it is possible.  They add charm.

I also want ceiling fans in my kitchen and baths if it is possible.

I love the hunt for lamps in resale shops.  Many need a little fixing, and really a new shade, add a little trim or flowers, or whatever I feel like and wella! a grand new lamp.

Here is an interesting article I found yesterday in a House Beautiful magazine I was reading.

 

We talked about this sometime ago.  Here it is.  this is great if your walls are not in good shape.  In 1994, we purchased a house with paneled walls.  The walls were in terrible shape so we used the paintable wallpaper.  It looked fantastic.  I was so surprised to see this article in a March, 2013, House Beautiful.  It adds design and texture and can even be painted a different color later on.

 

 

This is a great example of light, color and hues.  This is why I love to use good paintings in a room.

This painting is one I did and is for sale.

 

 

Title: Dancing Iris

Size: Framed- 32" w. x 40" ht.

Price: $600.00

 



 

 

 This is a great example of color hues, complimentary colors, lights and darks.   This is a great color combination   Blue, purple, white, yellow, orange, and shade of green.  Always look to a garden, vase of flowers, even just a bouquet of flowers for ideas.

 

Tomorrow, more on jumping around!!!!

Another Piece About Lighting

Light brings textures to life.  Usually your eyes tell you how it feels.  Does it look soft?  Does it look rough?  Does it look luxurious, pretty, masculine or feminine?  This is how we interpret things without even thinking that is what we are doing.

The following are some explanations on lighting:

Incandescent light:  It is an artificial light source we call a lamp.  This is the most commonly used.  It  comes in a variety of sizes and intensities.  A lamp gives off light in all directions.  Various finishes and coatings are found on incandescent lighting.  These include clear bulbs, cool white and color.  Today these are being replaced by energy efficient lighting.  I am still not sure that I like them as they take too long to get to their brightest stage.  There are also newer ones that I have heard get brighter quicker.  Even the spotlights are slow in warming up.  They are supposed to last longer, but I've had a few spots blow out long before their time.  They are also quite expensive, but I feel we will have no choice as that is what will become the norm.

Halogen light:  A form of incandescent lighting, however, it is small in size and has a relatively long life.  It is brighter but are very hot.  They are used mostly in curio cabinets or under counter mounts.

Fluorescent lighting:  A low intensity light source.  They are used with a ballast ( regulates the amount of electricity used ) .  They have an extremely long life and do come in colors.  They are more efficient than incandescent.

Today, as I was reading, I learned about Interactive Bulbs.  they create a mood by fine tuning the light in your home.  These are smartphone - controlled  LED bulbs that fit any standard fixture and can produce a range of nearly 16 million hues.  They are called Phillips Hue Bulbs.  I will investigate these further. 

There are also remote control plugs for your lamps.  They use Wi Fi to turn on whatever you have plugged into it, on or off via your smartphone or tablet.  You can do this even if you are not at home.  It is called  "Belkin WeMo Switch".

Lamps:  Just a few comments on  the use of different types.  Over scale table lamps are wonderful in work areas as they allow a lot of light because they sit higher.  These are very hard to find  today.  I am so surprised at that as with taller ceilings, you really need the height of these type of lamps.

Light colored metal lamps, such s, chrome, nickel, pewter and silver can create magical settings as they reflect the light.  Lamps depict the style of the furniture you have.  Crystal and brass can be formal.  Lucite definitely is retro.  Wood and leather, make the room more masculine or a little country.

Again, try out lamps in your room and pick what you like.  Always make sure you can return the lamp if it does not work in your scheme.  Sometime the old lamps just need a new shade to change it's tired look.  I love to look at resale shops or lamps.  You would be surprised what you can find.

Start looking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A bit more on light

Always try to view fabrics in the light they will appear in. This is an extension of yesterdays blog.

To get the most out of design on your own, you must try different things until you find one that is pleasing to you.  Designers have more knowledge in this area than the average person, so they have the ability to see without trying to many things.

 A good tip is to go to a fabric store, most have a small cuttings of their fabrics.  If they don't ask for one.  Take it home and lay it on the carpet, tape it to the wall, lay it on your furniture, put it everywhere and in every light.  You will know if you like it or it is just questionable.  If it is questionable, keep looking.  Calico Corners, Joanne fabrics, Hancock fabrics and where ever else in your area where fabrics can be purchased.  Even many of the catalogues send fabric sample swatches.  I really need the visual look, I need to see it, feel it and know the fabric content.  Durability for the life style of the room is the most important thing.  Talk to someone in the know.  You can always comment on my blog and ask me questions.  That is a great way for me to give all of you interest in what others are looking at or for.

Walls, ceilings and floors reflect light also.  EXAMPLE:  If your room has a white ceiling, with pale blue walls, and you put a darker blue carpet in that room, the whole room will look bluer than you could even imagine.  Floors reflect their color on the walls and ceiling.  At different times of the day, the blue color will change.  Blue, yellow, red and green are big reflecting colors.  This goes for all values of those colors.  I had a client that did that years ago with green.  We ended up rag rolling white over the entire wall space of the room.  It ended up great.  She put in floral drapes and gave the room a garden effect.  You must be careful of your color hues (values) as they do change with light.  My own rule of thumb, is to go 2 (two) shades lighter than the color I choose for my 4(four) walls.  Then I know for sure that with reflection, it will be the color I want.

I suggest that if you are going to use carpeting that is a color, that you paint your walls white or a shade of off white, eggshell or antique white, or whatever the new fancy names are.  That way when your flooring reflects, your walls will be a pale shade of it.  You may also use white with a very small amount of tint in the color you wish to reflect and have them mix your paint that way.  Some walls will look darker, again depending on the time of day.

Ceilings should be painted the same color of the walls if you want unity of color.  I prefer to paint the ceilings white, no matter what because they reflect the wall or floor color.  In Florida and southern states, tile is used a lot in most homes.  First of all the sandy soil, as it gets into the carpeting.  It is easier to clean tile or wood floors, and you can't beat the wear ability and the long life they provide.
The use of area rugs then prevails.  Again, picking tile is just like carpeting.  You need to bring home pieces and lay them on the floor and view them in the different light. 

Try a test in an existing room.  Cover a piece of furniture with one color of fabric, sheet, towel, blanket or whatever you have around, and place it in a corner by itself.  Watch the color change in the different lights.  Put different colors of light bulbs or different types of lighting near it when it is dark outside.  See the changes.

Light up your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Piece about Lighting

When selecting any fabrics, carpeting, wall coverings or paint, you must take them home and view them in the room you will be using that particular product.  View them in daylight and at night with the lighting that you will be using in that room.  Colors change in different light.  Remember, light is the source of color: no light, no color.

There are many different types of lighting today, cool white, warm white, pink light, daylight, halogen lighting, amber filament bulbs ( when dimmed they look like candlelight and create a romantic or warm feeling, even battery operated candles for a very romantic mood, fluorescent lighting and others today.  Each of them gives color a different appearance.  Let me use daylight as an example of color change.  Take any given day, preferably a sunny day, and watch the light in a certain room. Take notes on the amount of light in the early morning, late morning, noon, early afternoon and late afternoon just before dusk.  Then do the same when you turn the light on.  Note where it is strongest and darkest.  Check the ceiling all day to see what type of light is hitting there.  Note that your colors will change in value, depending on the time of day.  EXAMPLE:
In the morning the sun rises in the east, if you have a room with a window or windows facing east, the room will be very bright and warm.  If it faces west, it will be a lot dimmer and cooler.  Midday there may be little sun in any room unless you have skylights.  IMPORTANT: The sun fades everything, carpet, fabrics, furniture and especially wood, if it is in direct contact with it.  Even if you close draperies and blinds, you will see it faded close to the window or wall.

Experiment with different kinds of light.  The stores have again lighting experts that can guide you to the type of lighting best for your use.  If you purchase ones that just don't do want you want take them back and get what works.  Try pink lighting for a very soft look to your room.  Remember, use plenty of light as light is cheerful, and the new energy efficient ones, even though they are slow to reach peak brightness will save on electricity and are supposed to be long lasting.  People get depressed in dreary rooms, so keep on lighting.

Tomorrow, I will talk more on light and paintings.

A bit of white

Since 1973, I have owned my own business.  You sure learn a lot of tricks, from many sources in the 40 years I have been n business.

Most of the time, just walking into a client's home, tells me their immediate style, color combinations, favorite color, preferences, and what their passion is.  When I walk into even a friends house, I pay attention to the smallest of details.  Moldings, flooring, small pieces, interesting door pulls, paintings ( of course since I am an artist myself ), even the views out the windows.  Sometimes the views are so stunning, that they take your breath away.  It is like that in Florida.  Sunrises and sunsets are so very spectacular, that you can actually capture their essence in a room.

A quote from Edie Wadsworth, " Life is to short o follow the rules".

So let's talk white first. " Painting a room white or shade of white, is like giving a room a big tall glass of water.  It's an instant cleansing of the palette".  A quote from Elaine Griffin" 

Both of the above quotes are out of Better Homes and Gardens.  This is how I read a magazine.  I take bits and pieces from there and what I have learned over the years and put them together for my clients.  So be ready to break the rules.

White velvet - Gorgeous, movie star fabric, but being white may look to sterile.  However, cotton velvet is one of the best long wearing fabrics to upholster with.

White eyelet - casual elegant but a little feminine.

White duck cloth -  is very casual, great for slipcovers, upholstery of any pieces of furniture.

White silk - luxurious, extremely feminine, soft looking and sexy.

White linen - wrinkles easy, suitable for draperies, throw pillows.

All of the above add texture to your room.  Actually a combination of several of those looks great, because of the different textures.

Back to the walls.  Faux textures add some of this feel to your room.  So to understand all that I have said, you can do this same thing with all fabrics.  Write down how you feel about each fabric, just like I just did above. I love white in  room, or a shade of it.  A white chair, sofa, pillows, or accessories of white.


Gold is another color I like to use.  Whether it is brass, copper or gold tone fabrics, they add warmth to a room as well as a sleekness and add shine.  Silver does the same thing, but I feel is much more formal.  I use both as well as crystal.  I love to mix.

Some rooms are just made to be very casual like a mudroom, or a laundry room.  But you can add your own taste to it.
First, the color, then what you are going to do on the walls.  If you choose a faux paint, do that first.  Below is a floor cloth, that I made many years ago just for the purpose of adding something artsy into the room.  They are fun to do, even if you paint it rather plain.  There are a lot of beautiful, washable rugs suitable for this type of room also.  I have even used an oriental rug, or a shag rug in front of a washer, or at an entrance into the room from the outside.

 

You can buy the materials on the internet or at local craft stores, such as Joanne's, Michaels or Hobby Lobby or any other craft store to make your own floor cloth.

 

Another neat trick is to find a border and cut out the designs and paste them to the wall instead of the whole border.  Paintable borders work well in these types of rooms.

 

A smaller piece tomorrow as it is a holiday.  Happy 4th