Banishing the blue?

As I begin to round the corner from our family room renovation to the walls in the kitchen, I am starting to prime over the cobalt blue walls. My next project will be painting the kitchen cabinets but I find it is really hard to choose a cabinet paint color with the walls being so intense.

Blue is still one of my favorite colors, especially the navy variety, and with my collection of blue and white porcelain, my home will always have blue accents in it... just not the intense blue kitchen I revealed here.

While looking for kitchen and family room inspiration, I came across Studio McGee, a husband and wife design team in Salt Lake City, UT, a website I encourage you to visit.

Love their simple, clean vibe.  Have a great week!

aesthetically pleasing

Orange and Navy, while both strong colors, have a tendancy to be incredibly pleasing to the eye.  Like these photos that share a similar aesthetic.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

I love how saddle leather can lend itself to a buttery orange hue. It works so well with navy!

-Bethany

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Kitchenspiration

I know I've mentioned before that one of the projects I'd like to tackle in 2012 (are we project-crazy or what??) is my kitchen.  While there's nothing totally wrong with it, I would like to transform it from standard updated kitchen to reflect a little more of 'me' and my style (err… OUR style, sorry hubs).  I'm happy with the layout so it's just a matter of zhushing - back splash, painting lower cabinets, new uppers with glass-paned fronts and hanging the three pendants that have been sitting in my shed for months.

In keeping with my inspiration board, I aim to paint the bottom cabinets dark, like an inky navy or obsidian, and replace the top cabinets with crisp white uppers that have glass panes.  Some people like the look of wood cabinets, some like the same color on the top and the bottom.  Some like to mix it up; I think I fall into this category!  The other option would be to paint them all white (top and bottom) for uniformity.  But I like how the dark anchors the room versus a floatier feel with all white.  

What do YOU think? 

How do you feel about this trend of light on top, dark on bottom?  Do you think it's here to stay? Do you prefer all one color?  

- Bethany

project update : paint and ceiling DONEZO

Now for the hard part...more decisions to make. 

1 - light fixture - stays or goes?

2 - new tub? then do I do tile?

3 - toilet?  not even a question. yes.  that can't be hidden behind a curtain.

4 - new tile.  want a herringbone pattern in slate, but not sure how much darker that could make it.

5 - in meantime - need perfect throw/scatter rug

6 - new shower curtain rod... on order.

7 - vanity.  have rustic bombe chest I'd like to convert... is that harder than it sounds?

-Bethany



Trend Prediction for 2012 : NAVY

I predict 2012 will be full of navy!  Navy is seriously trending as the new neutral.  Navy is also bringing sexy traditional back with a bang incorporating the use of blue and white porcelain in just about everything.

Trend or not, we've always been into navy over here.  It's got so much depth and is a fabulous alternative to black.  As I've mentioned before, black just isn't me.  Navy, however, is.  

You know who's not surprised that navy's trending right now? 

Ralph Lauren.  

Or anyone else who incorporates even a touch of prep in their lines a la the makers of these fine wares below. 

What's your color prediction for 2012?  

And I don't care what Pantone predicts 'cuz let me tell you... I saw a whole lotta "Honeysuckle" going on in 2011…  NOT!

-Bethany