MASTER BEDROOM: Tres Chic

Although I was sad for our friends to move a couple of hours north on 95, I jumped at the chance to help out with their beautiful new home!  We started by establishing the color palette before they even moved in so that their painter could get a head start.  Of course, I relied on Benjamin Moore to offer up timeless and neutral colors throughout the main living spaces of the home.  I can't wait to see the finished product in person!

On to bigger things...the MASTER SUITE!  Their previous master bedroom in Richmond housed brand new, rich mahogany furnishings and a deep blue wall color.  She wanted this bedroom to feel light and airy and more serene.  I hope the soft green and blues bring serenity to this expecting mother of two!

What colors bring you serenity and a sense of calm?  Is that how you imagine your dream master suite to be?

Paint colors are my fave

I LOVE selecting paint colors.  The whole process is so fun for me.  I love the yummy names, the thousands of options, and the gut feeling I always have when finding "the one."  I know it is not everyone's forte so I am kind of my friends' resident paint gal.  I think what is so overwhelming to most people is that there are so many options, brands, shades, and hues.  It's hard to narrow it down if you are intimidated by a paint deck.

I am absolutely fascinated by how many colors there are in existence.  While studying design in college, we had guest speakers from the Pantone design team.  What was so incredible about their jobs is that they are required to come up with names for thousands of new paint colors a year.  Seriously?  I would love that gig.

Anyway, when selecting a color, I like to start with a basic idea of the color I want.  I usually have a vision in my head, but am sometimes inspired by fabrics first if I have already selected some for the room.  From there, I think about what kind of feeling or vibe I want the room to have.  If this sounds Greek to you, there is a great book out there (and I am sure many more) on color.  Who knew there are feelings and moods that can be provoked or brought out by color?

via

If you are not into reading up on colors, there are easy to use web-based tools that most brands have on their official websites.  My go-to brand is Benjamin Moore and I prefer to have the paint deck in hand since colors can look different in different lighting settings.  The online browsing may help you narrow down your search and their website does have a "Design Your Own Room" tool, great color combination offerings, and Interior Design ideas broken down by rooms.

For all of you Pottery Barn lovers, they come out with a delicious color palette every season.  PB is really big on Benjamin Moore's historic colors (as am I), and usually have a pretty warm scheme throughout.  You can check out the Fall 2011 collection below.

Do you have a process you go through when selecting a new paint color?  Favorite brand?  Let's compare notes!