Transforming With Orange

Now I'm not talking about a wall transforming into a robot, more like paint transforming a room. I recently did a color consult for a client who was moving into a cute little bungalow rental. The kitchen was painted with a color from the "white" family. It has maple cabinets, nothing fancy, but in good shape. The counter is a dark green Corian and the appliances are white. Very basic but not homey, until I pulled the "Toffee Orange" from the Benjamin Moore deck. Suddenly the room came alive! The cabinets were much warmer, the counters stopped being dark thanks to the specks of orange that were no longer hidden by the forest of green. I have yet to see it myself, but my client received a big thumbs up from the painter.

Orange happens to be one of my favorite colors, it was Frank Sinatra's as well. I say one because I also love citrusy greens, but this is about orange today. The Color Section in the October 2009 issue of "House Beautiful" is all about orange. It seems my thoughts on orange are not alone. Orange has such an amazing range and can be complimented by many colors. Mom actually had a purple and orange bathroom once. Yes, it was back in the 70's, but it worked, it was pretty cool.

Orange and pink is still very hot, not to mention orange and red, orange and green, orange and blue (no, not Bronco blue), but a soft blue. Orange really does work with just about any color. One of my favorite color stories with orange includes a dark chocolate brown and white. On my first trip to New York, my friend and I stumbled upon this oh so cool spot called "Canteen". It was designed so amazingly well, simple, clean lines using only orange, brown and white, it was truly stunning. So stunning that it was mentioned the following month in "Metropolitan Home".

I love color, and if I may say so myself, I have an amazing eye for it. I chose a wheat yellow when my parents remodeled years ago. Their kitchen and great room are always warm, even when it is 20 degrees outside and the ground is covered by a plush blanket of snow. They are building next year and you can bet that the wheat yellow will be making another appearance, not to mention orange, and probably, well, you'll just have to wait!

Comfort Food

With the weather turning cooler, my thoughts turn to food...and sassy coats and boots, but I'll save that for later! Of course I eat in Spring and Summer, but there isn't a lot of "cooking" involved. I've been going through my cooking magazines and cookbooks, tagging recipes that I want to create in the next week or so. Chicken Holy Basil is a Fall must, to use up my sad harvest of basil due to a very wet Summer. I usually make 3 or 4 trays of pesto and freeze it for future use, but not this year. I always make Lasagna in November and freeze portions to eat during Winter. I love to make soup on the weekends and slurp it up during the week. Risotto is another Fall/Winter staple, thanks to the fabulous pan Mom gave me for Christmas last year, a lot of Risotto will be made in the following chilly months. But if I had to pick a food to take to a deserted island...it would be the food I have weekly, potatoes! Although I would have to cheat and smuggle some pasta too, shhh, don't tell...

I love, love, love potatoes! I often eat potatoes with my pasta. I love French Fries. I love scalloped potatoes, I still need that recipe Mom, but when naming my comfort food, it's Smashers. I don't mash my potatoes, I smash them, skin on, smooth but with a bit of texture. I always put garlic and Parmesan in my basic smasher, there are of course variations...Chipotle and Cheddar, Pesto, etc. The King of smashers is hands down my Confetti Smashers. I created Confetti Smashers a few years back when I wasn't feeling well and, well, I just needed some comfort. Now when I feel I might be coming down with a cold, I make my basic smasher, add green chilies and sun dried tomatoes, drink a Cosmo while making them, and voila, no sickie!

We all have our "comfort foods", PaPa says his is Tortilla Soup, I would say that is his "hip and trendy" replacement for Chicken and Dumplings. I know for a fact that my NaNa never made Tortilla Soup, but oh my, she made the best Chicken and Dumplings! Mom unfortunately picked meatloaf. I do not like meatloaf, never have, never will. I have never made it and have no plans to in the future, no matter how much I love someone. She is on her own with that choice, but I will make her the Cosmo and smashers to go with ;) .

While comfort food won't cure Swine Flu, I think it has amazing cure-like benefits. The next time you are feeling a little blue, either sad or because it is so freakin cold, treat yourself. Forget the antibiotics, EAT!

The Way Movies Should Be Watched

Most houses being built nowadays are equipped with "theater rooms". I think theater rooms are fabulous, but stylish, uh, no. The chairs that I've seen in such theater rooms are anything but stylish, honestly they are quite ugly. Not only are these theater seats ugly, but who really goes to a theater because the seats are sooo comfortable? I don't know about most people, but when I watch a movie at home, I want to be comfortable.

In Vegas a few years ago, I toured some model homes with my parents. There were some very cool floor plans, but the one thing I remember most was a theater room with the coolest sofas that were way comfy! They had a rattan base and a deep seat, very important for movie comfort. There were two of them, one in front of the other. The sofa in back was up on a platform, 10 to 12 inches high, so those in back could see over those in front. It wasn't a fancy room just very comfortable and stylish and probably way less expensive than theater seats.

I'm a bit picky about sectionals since I like modern sofas, but the European sofas have that modern line and the seat itself is deeper so there is more room for comfort and cuddling! I realize that theater rooms are designed for company, but sectionals are great for this as well. The sectional above would be perfect with just one more armless center piece added. The chaise at the end is just right for stretching out and cuddling and the curve of the sectional is also great for conversation. Another fantastic aspect to sectionals is that they can be pulled apart for separate conversation areas.

I am not saying that European sofas are the only option, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams make this really cool grouping called Dr. Pitt. This grouping is so versatile, the options are endless, but I love it as one big pitt! The seats are deep so it is quite comfortable no matter how arranged.

So now I know what I will furnish my indoor theater with, but I want an outdoor one for Summer too...hmmm, time for more research.

Sweet Validation

I was doing my "research" today and I came across an article that seemed familiar. The article was about wall and trim color combos, something I blogged about not long ago. I find validation in the fact that my feelings regarding "non-white" trim are shared by many top designers, yea for me!

In the August 2009 issue of "House Beautiful", the color section is all about colored trim instead of white trim with colored walls. I am not a fan of white trim unless a room has a good amount of white in it, such as furnishings or accessories. The colors the designers used for different projects ranged from the grey/blue walls with brown trim, as shown in the top photo, to a red-on-red combination used in a library. A room looks and feels finished when the trim is done in a contrasting color or in the same color family as the walls.

Something else mentioned in the article seemed familiar as well. The designer who did the bathroom shown above, bought the painting first, something I like to do and the topic of another blog. There is also a chandelier, again, another topic I have blogged about...see where I'm going here. Even though my work hasn't been published, yet, it is good to know that my creative mind is on par with top notch designers. While I have never questioned my approach to design, validation, well, let's just say, me likey!

Goodbye Sweet Boy...

Just so you know, this particular blog has nothing to do with interiors or style....

I started volunteering at the Colorado Horse Rescue (CHR), two years ago this month. Those who know me well, know that I love animals. CHR takes in horses for many different reasons. Some horses have been loved and taken care of by their owners, but do to economical reasons, they can no longer take care of these horses and surrender them to CHR. Unfortunately there are horses that come to CHR because they were not taken care of. Horses that have been neglected and abused. When a horse arrives at CHR, they are treated with nothing but respect and showered with unconditional love.

I remember when I first met Ledger when he arrived at CHR in late Winter. I remember the halter strap marks that were scarring his face from a halter that was too small for a growing boy, he wasn't quite 2 years old yet. Ledger was rescued by Animal Control. His living conditions were bad, very bad. He was kept in a small dark stall with two other horses. The thing that I find amazing is that you never would have known what this boy went through before he came to CHR. Ledger was so loving, sweet and most important of all, trusting. He obviously did not hold a grudge, even after he was gelded. I remember having to exercise him after is "procedure". I felt horrible for him, but exercise is necessary to keep the swelling down, so to ease the guilt I ran around the pen with him instead of making him go it alone.

We have had a horribly stormy Summer here in Colorado, and today was no exception. Around 3:45 in the afternoon today, Ledger was struck by lightening. My heart is heavy, but the joy that Ledger brought to my life will never, ever, be forgotten...Goodbye Sweet Boy...

Meant to be a Stylist

I was doing some research today, yes, looking through magazines, but hey, it is part of my job! As with many things in life, I get so excited just looking at many, many different styles and designs. I have never been officially diagnosed with ADD, but those who know me would vouch that I probably have it, peppered with a healthy dose of hyper, neither me nor my brain can sit still. Having now diagnosed myself, I know I was meant to be an Interior Stylist.

I love looking at different styles and design, my brain immediately goes into overdrive creating, even if I'm not working on a project! I am all about mixing styles, but of course it is ultimately up to the client whether I mix or not. Some people think that a house should have the same style throughout, oh contraire! One room may be traditional while another is modern, but by adding and mixing styles, a home becomes more interesting and alive. A combination of styles will make the home blend and flow from room to room.

I have never taken one of those personality tests that tells one what career they are best suited for when they grow up, honesty I'm scared of what it would suggest. I am passionate about interior design. I love being hired to create and create is what I do. Creating a style plan that will transform a house into a stylish and comfortable home excites me. The side of hyper is just an entertainment bonus for the client!

Crickets?

I was leafing through a magazine to find something to blog about since I haven't blogged in two weeks! I've been in a bit of a creative funk, couldn't figure out why until I came across an article in "Elle Decor". A question was posed to seven stylesetters. The question was basically what they think of, thoughts or memories, when they think of Summer. That's when it hit me, Summer in Colorado has been missing for a few weeks now. It has been wet, dreary and cool. Then I realized one of the things I love about Summer and look forward to, but due to the aforementioned conditions, they are missing...CRICKETS!

People think I'm crazy, and by people I mean friends and family, not to worry, I'm used to it. I'm not sure when I became fond of crickets, I did have a wooden Pinocchio doll as a child, but I'm thinking it probably started when I would spend the summers with my grandparents in Colorado. I probably didn't pay much attention to their song back then, but now I look forward to hearing them every Summer. The weather we have been having this July has unfortunately robbed me of slumber music. Yes, I do have a sound machine that I listen to year round and yes it is set to crickets every night, but I miss the real musicians. I do not blame their absence on my lack of creativity, I just miss them, but I do blame the weather!

I am truly a person who responds to warm, make that really warm, oh hell, hot temperatures! (Pardon the pun, but I couldn't resist.) As much as I love higher temperatures, I really love the sun. It is my daily dose of happy and I'm just not myself without it, hence the lack of creativity. I am hoping my "happy pill" is back in full force next week because I will be starting the headboard for my clients boudoir. Of course there is always the happy pill in the form of a martini, but I will be working with power tools...anybody know of a successful Sun dance?