“A Seaside Color Story”….peaceful, serene, yet light. Natural, textural, soul-filling…truly a feast for the senses, right? Let’s think how:
- Sight: ocean meets sky to infinity, drawing your unending gaze: sun glistening on water and causing sand to sparkle: the smooth lustre, peeking inside a crab’s shell: white fluffy clouds laughing down on sunbathers…
- Touch: sand between the toes: the cool embrace of water: smoothness of driftwood: supple beach grasses
- Smell: the fresh scent of ocean mist: the watery scent of a summer rain shower: coconut suntan oil
- Sound: endless tidal waters rushing, then receding: gulls calling for attention: wind whipping flags
- Taste: the summer tang of saltwater: freshly caught seafood: sweet tropical drinks: a cool drink of water
Reading this list, how did you feel? Reminiscent of good times? Relaxed? Did you smile?
Your home and your spaces all tell a color story; this is the story of the Empty Nester’s Refresh, and it reads so well! Walking through this refreshed home, one feels peaceful, serene, a sense of order… yet the fun of surprise as well!
We used a color palette drawn from nature, meant to evoke all of those feelings and more; the colors flow from room to room, like turning pages of a book to find you’re still on the same sentence. Each has it’s own personality, yet is related to the last and the next; the color chips you see above were used carefully to create a sense of balance while keeping the plot in mind.
Though coral is not part of the paint palette, it is the pop of color giving context to the serenity of the seaside hues. Think about the surprise of a bright tropical hibiscus or the parrot’s feathers (have you ever seen the poinsettias growing as trees in the Bahamas??) Nature handles these things, creating wonderful visual excitement in the midst of serenity; the “why” of this is that coral is opposite on the color wheel from the pale blue-greens of our palette. The use of opposites like this turns a monochromatic color scheme into a complementary one. In this type of color scheme, balance is achieved when the “opposite” color is used judiciously, for “pop”!
In this room, you see Alabaster enamel used to coat the formerly wood surfaces of the paneling and wood trim; alabaster is not a bright white, but it provides a soft, clean backdrop for our seaside palette. The wood floor grounds it all, while the bright, textural coral rug provides both visual weight and the “wow factor”!
The kitchen, dining and master suite use one of my favorite all-time “chameleon” colors as their backdrop: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt. Sea salt is technically a grayed green blue, more green than blue when seen next to a clear blue. However, it goes on the wall evoking the palest of aquas, and literally takes on the mood of what is around it (thus, chameleon). Blues are the absolute most difficult shades to pick from a paint chip! I have seen so many houses or rooms painted a shade of blue, when I was pretty sure I knew what they were going for (but did not achieve!). Blue is difficult in pigment, and as all colors, so affected by ambient light and sheen. If you want a soft blue in your room, be wary of paint chips that appear blue. One must understand the mixing of paint, the undertones, to “get it right” with blue.
In the gameroom, we used a slightly more intense shade of blue, seen above as Sherwin Williams Rainwashed. This color pulls one in, across the alabaster walls of the pool room. Though the room is small and the color is intense, it is softened by Sherwin Williams Pure White woodwork and Pottery Barn linen draperies. (photos coming soon)
Now, the bedroom hall, guest bedroom, 2nd & 3rd baths and home office all make use of the neutral “sand” in our scheme, which took me quite a long time to choose! The pick was Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Key, and it did not disappoint. It was difficult to find this color without either yellow or red undertones that would be distracting, but in the end Cedar Key worked very well. Again, it was the contrast with Pure White trim that created the feeling of light. See how the color reacts to different moods of a few rooms here:
Please do note that colors seen on a screen are not always perfectly true; in some cases, editing to correct light issues may change a color slightly – and when it does, the lighter shades tend to glow a bit pinker than when seen in person. These are quick photos I have taken along the way, but I hope they give you an idea of what a color story is: your spaces are telling their own story right now!
I hope your color story is the one you want to live in; if not, start dreaming of your ideal environment! Remember that the story is not so much about the colors themselves, but the emotions and feelings they evoke. Does your home make you feel safe, secure, and loved? Are your space’s colors all very similar (monochromatic), complementary (think red/green, yellow/purples, or blue/orange), or ALL ONE COLOR?! If you raised your hand on that last one, and the color is cool gray, how does that make your furniture look? Builders have been using gray almost exclusively for 15 years, but most are now turning to warmer tones in the tan or rose family.
Not that I’m on board with this choice personally, but click here to see Sherwin Williams’ new color of the year for 2023: like it or not, you’ll begin to see products of all ranges in this or similar tones. Do not be influenced by the latest “in” color, unless you want to: color is personal, just as art is. Use color to express who you are, how you want to live, and how you want the world to see you and your family. If you’re unsure, always feel free to call me up for a chat – let’s consult!
I’m off to show a young couple some houses on this beautiful fall day, but I would love to hear your thoughts & comments on one of my favorite subjects – COLOR! Hopefully we will see some FALL COLOR here very soon – until then, enjoy your life and spread some cheer – happy autumn to you!
Blue Sky Interiors 