JR Studio Design Blog

Let me be clear. Color is not a blunt object to be wielded at sporadic intervals whenever the mood strikes! No one should be the victim of painful (and expensive!) color carnage.  Plan for it and make peace with it.  Color should be a confidant with the kind of intimacy that understands you completely and shares your secrets. Use these tips to achieve perfect color sense. 

1. If your walls could speak, most would shout “you are giving me too much responsibility.”  Color should surround you.  Finding a room’s color sense means making a color story out of everything – walls, pillows, countertops, flooring, hardware…the list is as large as the room you are in. Altering the walls alone does not satisfy the need or “paint the bigger picture.”  Take a leap, forget the walls and start with the carpet, maybe the sofa or even the draperies!

2. White is not a color.  We have all seen it, and it is painful.  The most common mistake in the quest for color is to abandon desire for safety disguised as “simplicity.”  White interiors that extract every trace of color create a room with all the appeal of a hospital clinic.  For those finding themselves caught between visions of Indian spice markets and chilling arctic tundras, find comfort in knowing there is a world of color between bold and bland.  (Even a neutral scheme can satisfy if its done with a rich layering of tones and shades.) Don’t overwhelm yourself, start with a favorite and build from there using a few more colors that move you instinctively. 

3. That (insert dramatic color name here) is killing you.  I have heard requests in consultation for the perfect shade of jade, citron, crimson, aqua…  As panic rises, I am given all the juicy details in the frustrating search for the ultimate color trophy.  I must respectfully say, stop the madness – your energy is needed elsewhere.  The perfect color does not exist in a vacuum.  Refocus on planning an entire scheme for your interior instead.  That way, when the endless options of green are presented, you will have a reason to say “this is the one!”  Stop looking for it – it will find you. 

4. Coordination is to die for.  If the color of the wall matches the print on the sofa and the print on the sofa matches the color of the cabinetry what does the room become?  Ordinary.  Was that what you were looking for?  Probably not.  Over coordination is as bad as not having a plan at all.  A little matching is great and provides a cohesive thread that will tie a room together.  The most interesting interiors, however, have moments that catch the eye.  Camouflaging everything in the same color, pattern or texture creates little worth remembering.  Have you ever seen the bride wear the same dress as the bridesmaids? 

5. Raise the roof. A former client had visions of what her home might be like after a tornado (my apologies to those who have experienced the horror) with its roof gone and the contents scattered like a doll house.  She felt that if the pieces strewn about looked as if they belonged to the same house, we would have accomplished something ideal in its interior design.  I agree completely and feel the same about a house full of color.  A home needs to tell a story.  Color is the first chapter, and finding your color story is the first step in the process.  Use this color story to create movement through your house and let it join the rooms together in a way that brings its expression to the surface with grace.  Make color sense not color wars!

Should these tips not be enough and you wish for a color coach, we are available to help even the most color challenged. 

photo credit: Kristine from St. Augustine, USA. Title: colored pencils. 

I am just returning from a trip to Chicago visiting family, friends and (yes) working as well. The Windy City comes alive in the summer and celebrates the season with a spirit unmatched in enthusiasm or outdoor opportunities. Warm summer evenings are made for dining al fresco, and over calamari at Volare, my favorite Italian restaurant and the best-kept secret in Chicago, the topic turned to…design. Another favorite! “What is it about interior design that compels people to settle into something new?” In a hyphenated word, “self-expression.”

I believe that our ability to express ourselves is the greatest talent we possess. There are many avenues taken to accomplish this; fashion, sports, fine arts…but I think the most personal expression of one’s inner voice is the look of the interior workings of their home. Where else could the placement of a sofa be the spring board for riotous joy or wincing pain? Psychologists have gone so deep as to explore the relationships of individual rooms to the ego (Given this I can’t imagine what the overflowing counters in my kitchen might be saying to my inner child. Certainly not “stay within the lines…”) If we can imagine our homes having such power in our lives, what is it about that sofa that means so much to us? It comes down to this – truly expressive interiors are born from searching for a way to provide a sense of foundation, builiding a support structure and reflecting ourselves in our surroundings so that others might have a visual cue of who we are (or who we may want to be.) All of this is valid, as it is one of the important tools in our box that allows us to express ourselves in revealing ways where words and actions might not be enough. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a truly expressive room might just be worth a million. With numbers like that, your sofa is writing its own chapter, and you want to be sure it tells the story correctly!

The quick draw of breath that accompanies your entrance to a room you find beautiful means “I’ve found someplace that speaks to my inner voice.” Think about that when the next beautiful interior speaks to you and you begin to ponder the thought of changing a few things around. Are you looking for an interior that is expressive beyond its surface beauty? You will have to look deeper than catalogs of the latest trends, but you may just find something much more rewarding and personally expressive. This is the appeal of fine design. When a client’s inner voice finds itself translated into an interior that is as meaningful as it is pleasing, it is the pinnacle of perfection for an interior designer. It is what I strive for and what I challenge my clients to expect. In the end, design professionals can not design to MAKE clients any different than they are, but we can provide a background that assists in affirming their inner voice – moulding perceptions and with some effort (and charm) eventually reality as well.

photo credit: 19th century Phrenology chart, from Fowlers&Wells

Yesterday was the formal launch of my design studio, an event years past due, but well worth the wait!

Initially conceived as a celebration of our feature in California Homes magazine, the event provided the perfect excuse to contemplate the past and a toast the many inspired interiors to come.  Visit the Press Room section of my website within the next few weeks to see the celebration. There were quite a few inspiring faces in the crowd. Thank you to my gracious guests who joined us on this festive occasion. Enjoy the photos!

Of course, an event of such magnitude comes with much sincere gratitude as well. I especially thank Elizabeth Faulkner (a chef who inspires my sense of wonder with the amazing food she creates) for bringing delicious treats for our well dressed guests. Elizabeth designs for the palate the way I design for the home – pleasing, inspired, thought provoking and celebrational. Having her with me was a moment I will remember forever. (and thank you to her partner, Sabrina, for the behind-the-scenes tour of their restaurant, Orson, at our impromptu “after-party.”) The Witford showroom provided a perfectly luxe lounge, Festival34 brought amazing wines (a preview of their line not even yet available to the public,) and California Homes brought cases of their trend setting magazine for all to take and explore.  My sincere thanks to these wonderful tastemakers.  Visit them often.  I am certain you will enjoy them as much as I do. 

It’s about living beautifully.  It’s about living in balance.  It’s about living boldly, and it’s about time to start.  In today’s modern world, we could all use a design coach to help us create beautiful moments to live in, challenges to meet with grace and insights to stir the soul.  Are you ready?

Thank you for visiting the latest creation from the minds of JR Studio.  Visit often as we bring you tips and insights into living style.  

Our first insightful post will be up soon, and you can visit us now at JRStudioDesign.com to discover how the concept of “Unparalleled Modern Living” guides us in creating inspired interiors for inspiring clients.

See you there…