12 February 2010

These Colors *Will* Banish the Gloom


And gloomy it has been!

I have been very busily occupied away from my blog (withdrawal!), so today's post is a little cadeaux from my favorite Marie Claire Maison! It is such a lovely little series of pictures of color and how/why it was used. The homes are all over: Corsica, Paris, Sicily.

These rooms will inspire you! Don't forget, the easiest way to create a new look in a tired room is to change the colors...paint walls, add art you forgot you had hidden away, make some new pillows in fabulous colors, reupholster some pieces...it's as simple as that!

{Now if I could just convince my new client to go with those turquoise walls freshened with all that white...}


Electric blue turquoise walls are tempered with lots of white paint and upholstery in the Paris salon of Laurence Leclerc of Caravane (one of my favorite sources for wonderful fabrics). The "witches eyes" mirrors on one wall reflect the light and color of the room, while the gossamer lampshades create a fairy-like atmosphere. The only other color (besides the rusted metal on the wall), a sharp citron, is introduced in pillows from a Tunisian fabric.




Multicolored lanterns imbue this amazing living room with a fantasy-like ambience. The large living space is divided into several smaller functional areas using furniture placement, painted chairs, and gorgeous multicolored velvets and silks for upholstery on the sofas and pillows. This is the fantasy home of Etienne and Clorinde Mery, inspired by the colors of Colonial Cuba and South America.



Near Jaipur, designers Liza Bruce and Nicholas Alvis Vega pay homage to the colors of India. In the very pink living room, traditional Indian motifs are exaggerated and used as wall paintings in white to great effect. The mercury glass chandelier in purples and pinks looks like a large cluster of grapes!




This Corsican mansion has been painted in the soft colors of the area: pinks, yellows and ochres. In this dining room the walls have been glazed with transparent colors to create a pink that blends with the original pinks of the ceiling.


In the south of Sicily, the austerity of the building and the small windows are offset by intense, strong colors of orange and lemon yellow on the walls, while the furniture is a riot of colors mixed on each piece and creating a cheerful, imaginative space.


all photos courtesy of Marie Claire Maison





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in 2010, it's:


Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design


16 comments:

  1. Those first two rooms are so happy! I am not usually drawn to such bright palettes but they are such a wonderful cheerful blending of the old and new. That purple couch is to die for and I love contrast of the bright blue with the traditional crown moldings. Wonderful!!

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  2. Love this rooms colours, there are so happy!!

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  3. Kit, Really great Pick me up for this time of year! Thanks. Really beautiful images and thoughts.

    Daniel

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  4. Hi Kit,
    It would be a little much for me on a daily basis, but there is no denying that these rooms are the farthest thing from gloomy and would cheer anyone up! I love the velvet sofa in the second picture....and the turquoise and white in the first photo really pops! Take care, Laura :)

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  5. You're right, those would chase the gloom away on any day. I especially ♥ the Corsican mansion! It is fabulous!! I tend to decorate with neutral colours but I've pledged to add more colour in the future.

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  6. HI Hope Ava I love the first two..they are are the most whimsical...thanks

    Kit

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  7. Hello La Cabeza, they are incredibly happy colors I agree!
    Kit

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  8. Hi Daniel thanks, so good to hear from you...your project is stunning on your latest post!

    Kit

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  9. Hi Laura, I also think these would be too much, I love the softer palettes too for "real life"....a little of these strong, vibrant colors would go a long way in most homes..thanks for visiting

    Kit

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  10. Hi Belle Vie, the Corsican mansion is closer to my heart in colorway...anyone would look radiant in rooms these colors of pink and ochre...and against the rugged Corsican terrain here, the contrast is delicous.

    Kit

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  11. these are all wonderful! thanks for the inspiration!

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  12. Hi Jane, thanks for visiting!

    Kit

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  13. THe colors of that Corsican mansion make me dream. I could definitely live with that. When we bought our latest house, I asked my husband to choose the bedroom paint color (I do the painting). He chose a twilight Mediterranean blue. I am a warm color person, and blue is not my color, but I have to say that it was surprisingly perfect for the bedroom. I love it still.

    Thanks so much for visiting my blogs!

    Oh, and I was thrilled to see the NYSID logo here...I went there, and loved it so very deeply.

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  14. Your blog and your little one are equally enchanting! Thanks for visiting..I would love to see the Mediterranean blue in the bedroom, is it on your blog?

    all best for Valentines Day!

    Kit

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  15. Absolutely divine colors! I need to take a closer look at Marie Claire Maison... just great. Thank you for posting on your lovely blog ;)

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  16. Surprisingly gorgeous!unexpected color combination,the first and second photo looks so airy and happy rooms. It's fantastic. I love so many things, especially all the pops of color throughout!Great blog.

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I would love to hear what you think! merci!

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