Bliss Tile and a Color Consult

The other day I did a color consult for a lady. She had started a minor remodel after the dishwasher flooded, but had hit a wall when it came to paint colors. I fell completely in love with her main starting point... a gorgeous linear glass and stone tile.   I like it so much I've contemplated using it in my own kitchen.

Bliss Tile – Cappuccino Linear Mosaic – stone and glass

It's a great mix of neutrals and it blends so well with my own kitchen materials, that it's really tempting. Anyhoo, back to the color consult. I'll call her EW. Ms. EW had originally called me needing some help picking colors for an open concept family, dining, and kitchen area. Before our appointment, though, she  happened upon a color she just fell in love with at her dentist office! Don't you  just love it? I swear, inspiration can come from anywhere. After finding out the color, she picked up a sample and brought it by for me to look at with a section of her back splash tile (above) and new counter top material (below).

Galaxy Black Granite Tile

She also brought me a small box she'd picked up at a store that she loved the colors of. Perfect! Really, at this point I didn't have a whole lot left to do short of picking some coordinating colors and helping her tye it all together. The color she'd already picked from the dentist office was a medium neutral khaki.

Sherwin Williams Colonial Revival Stone – SW2827

Honestly, I was rather impressed because the color simply couldn't have matched the tile any better if a pro had done it! Before leaving, she made sure I understood one thing specifically: she was NOT a blue person and that was completely off the table. Bummer. Truth be told, that starting color looks fantastic with a lot of blues. Oh, well. Maybe on another consult...:) She did say she liked red...

After talking for quite a while and visiting her home, this was our final palette:

I could tell she was trying to move into a more colorful mode and her family was really encouraging her to. But, after looking at her furniture that was staying, cabinet color, appliances, lighting, flooring, and such, I encouraged her to get color in a different way. I could tell she really like the greenish khakki and was hesitant to use something else. Since it was an open concept, I suggested she keep the colors all in the same broad family that she liked. You want to make your home to please you, not everyone else. Color can always be brought in in other ways.Family room, hallway, and foyer: SW Colonial Revival - her already chosen color (above). Dining room in SW6104 Kaffee:

Paint the tiny bit of wall space in kitchen over tile and around the window in a soft creamy tone to match the grout. Something like SW6385 Dover White.

SW 6385 Dover White

Paint the interior of the front door a soft black like SW 6258 Tricorn Black.

SW 6258 Tricorn Black

And lastly, use the red she'd contemplated using as an accent color on furnishing and accents versus on the wall. Keep it easy to change out should she grow tired of it. Some ways it could be brought in are by way of oriental rugs with the deep crimson red, red artwork, red fabric for draperies, or reupholstering the seats of the dining chairs, just to name a few.

I also suggested she change out the shiney brass hardware and light fixtures for old or oil rubbed bronze. I pointed out that her fixtures had a good shapes and if money was tight, she could just spray paint them.

Now, I just can't wait to go back and get some pictures of the finished rooms to share. I'd have taken some before pictures, but she was rather embarrassed at the state of disarray flooding dishwashers can leave your house in.

This weekend is the one year anniversary of the death of Ms. E.W.'s beloved husband. She broke my heart as she told me the story. As I left, I couldn't help but wonder if God hadn't arranged that meeting for much more than simply color consulting. This is a bittersweet time for her. As fun as it is for her to get to do some updating, this is the house they built together and it's hard. But, as she said, there comes a  point when it's time to start to rebuild your life and make some changes (I think that was how she put it.) I really think the biggest thing she needed was just some encouragement and a little direction, which I hope I was able to deliver.

Happy Mother's Day!

My precious little gifts from above.
B.E. Photography

Happy Belated Mother's Day! I had all the intentions in the world of having this posted yesterday and... well, it's here a day late. Hey, in my opinion every day should be Mother's Day! May this little greeting just top off your special day [yesterday].

This year has been a little different from the previous. I don't think I've ever been told Happy Mother's Day so many times by so many different (and unexpected) people before Mother's Day even got here! Know what, though? I'm LOVING it! Even the boys have showered me with constant sweet kisses and hugs, thoughtful "I love you's" at just the right time, and precious little things they've made all on their own. I don't know why the good Lord chose to bless me with such precious little gifts from above.

Yes, there are days when I feel like my brain is going to explode or I'm going to have a nervous breakdown trying to cope with three young boys, but then I remember how quickly the time has gone by since my first was born. My grandmother's voice runs through my head saying, "They'll be little for such a short time and you're going to miss it so much when it's gone." O.k. Now I'm tearing up just thinking about.

The Mother of a Small Boy Knows...

• A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house, 4 inches deep.
• A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
• When you hear the toilet flush and the words 'uh oh' , it's already too late.
• Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
• A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
• Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old Boy.
• Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
• Super glue is forever. »
• No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
• Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
• Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
• Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
• You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
• The fire department in Austin, Texas has a 5-minute response time.
• The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
• It will, however, make cats dizzy.
• Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
• 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

Children truly one of God's greatest gifts. They will teach you more about yourself than you ever wanted to know, but you are a better person for it. God's little mirrors for us parents!

May you have a wonderful, blessed Mother's Day!

Kelley Interior Design Inspiration

I found another designer that I really like and thought I'd share some of her work. Designers who have the courage and confidence to use color really attract me. Her name is Kelley Proxmire. She's not new to the world of interior design as she's been in practice now for over 20 years in the Washington, D.C. area and is well recognized, but she's new to me:) As I looked over her porfolio, I felt an immediate connection because of her love for color and wanted to share one of my new found inspirations!

Oh, be still my heart! Reminds me of my own bedroom
which has been receiving some upgrades (Coming soon to a computer near you!)!

Love this inviting doorway!

How gutsy is this color scheme? I applaud the homeowner for being will to do it, and Kelley for even suggesting it!

All that yellow and pink is balanced with lots of white.

A good way to get your peach/pink fix yet not have the room get too feminine for the other half - paint the walls chocolate brown. Notice the ribbon of paint along the ceiling! It's a motif repeated throughout the room.

A little more calming color scheme, but still colorful.

Monochromatic is so restful... especially when it's soft blues.

I'm completely in love with this room for my big boy.
I think when we grow tired of the forest scene and blue camo, it'll convert to this (provided he likes it). We've already got a start with three of four walls the same navy blue.

Lilly Pulitzer would be right at home here!

Even though the cabinets are bubble gum or Pepto pink, they work because of all the white to balance it.

I've pinned this before, not knowing who had designed it. I love the black and white porch with pops of bright red.

I like so much about this room... the door, the chair fabrics,
the creamy yellow and brown, and the great lantern overhead!

According to her website, this is actually a staged house. Notice the only bright color is green and it's really scaled back. Green is a very appealing color and it's only used in places here that could easily be switched out. There is such a difference between staging and decorating for a homeowner!

Who needs color when you can look out the back french doors at this?! Heaven!

It's not often that I find a room I really like a black wall in. I'm all for trying it, but it just rarely seems to come out well. This would be a fantastic example of how great it can look when done well!

Nice and neutral. 

I think you could get a dinner party to linger quite a while in this dining room. Very calming.

And lastly, this room just makes me happy!

So, what do you think? Isn't her work great? One thing's for sure: bright color isn't for everyone. To be able to use it well without it becoming childish or cheap looking is truly a gift... one that was definitely given to Ms. Kelley!

Like what you see? 

Please take the time to let me know! 

Support my blogging by becoming a follower.

Updating a Garage

                                                                 Source: realcarriagedoors.com via Miss B.e.e. on Pinterest

Well, Hubby finally had enough of the mess in the garage... and frankly so had I. So, I have set to work cleaning it up. It's been on my "To Do" list for... FOREVER! First thing I did was gather up some paint. Being frugal or cheap, which ever you choose to call it, as much paint as I had sitting around, I wasn't about to buy more to paint a garage. So, out came the five gallon bucket with about two gallons remaining of my living room color (Behr's "Sensible Hue"). I knew two gallons wasn't going to be nearly enough because that garage is big and the walls were in terrible shape. Plus, they'd never been painted, meaning they were going to suck the paint up fastt!

                                                                          Source: houzz.com via Miss B.e.e. on Pinterest

I TRIED to find pictures on-line of garages to inspire me, but they all look like "man-caves"! Not that there is anything wrong with  that, but it doesn't fit around here. Hubby pretty much walks through ours and stores a few tools there. The rest is me and the kids. Fortunately, we have an barn-like storage building that holds most of his stuff, so the primary use of our garage is for my work & supply storage, kids stuff, and if I'm lucky, a car.

                                                                             Source: houzz.com via Miss B.e.e. on Pinterest

My goal was to spend a little as possible, as always. So far, all I've bought is two new door mats, two quarts of Rustoleum - one white and one black, a roll of contact paper, two new large planters, potting soil and flowers. I'd say a total of about $140. I didn't spend a dime on wall paint. As I surveyed the mess in the garage, I realized I had gallons of paint from different projects left over. I decided to experiment and dumped every can of white, off white, and cream I had into the remaining two gallons-/+  left out of a five gallon bucket of my family room paint. Out came (by a small miracle) the greatest beige/cream very similar to SW Muslin that I love so much. Five gallons of (who knows what sheen - eggshell?) for free! Can't beat that:)

At this point, this is what I've completed:

• Walls, doors, and trim have been painted (custom mix, Rustoleum gloss white and black respectively), 
• loads of stuff taken to Goodwill and the dump, 
• shelving reconfigured and organized, 
• light fixtures cleaned & spray painted "Oil Rubbed Bronze", 
• light bulbs changed out for higher light output halogens, 
• blinds pressure washed and rehung,
• windows cleaned (scrubbed - yuck!),
• garage door pressure washed,
• carriage style "hinges & hardware" cut out and applied to garage door,
• sago palms repotted with larger pots with spring/summer flowers, and
• new door matts bought.

Still to to:

• Cut out and apply vinyl door numbers to garage/side entrance door and mailbox,
• paint exterior lanterns,
• paint exterior door trim,
• hang curtain to hide shelving,
• redo garage floor (that's going to be a chore!),
• and lastly... create a "piece de resistance" clock for the back wall!

                                                                 Source: pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com via Miss B.e.e. on Pinterest

                                                                             Source: houzz.com via Renee on Pinterest

At this point I'm about half-way done. It's not been a speedy process due to everything being shoved to the middle of the garage,  moved to get to things, moved back again, and slow drying times with humidity, but I'm slowly wrapping it up. I'm also sick of being embarrassed by my completely untouched garage that is apparently the entrance of choice for 99% of the people who come to my house. If they prefer to use the side entrance, then it's going to look as good as the front:)

                                                                    Source: parkdaleave.blogspot.com via Miss B.e.e. on Pinterest

Like what you see? 

Please take the time to let me know!

Support my blogging by becoming a follower.

Old Barn Inspiration

I have driven past this old barn every weekday for the last several years as I take the boys to school. During this time of year, it just glows in the early morning sun! It completely inspires me and I decided to see if I could snap it with a point and shoot as I drove by the other morning to share with you. This was the result!

"Old Barn"
B.E. Photography

Like what you see? 

Please take the time to let me know! 

Support my blogging by becoming a follower.