The Colors of the Day
What
color to paint your home is often a decision that can baffle
many a homeowner. I offer paint consultations for interior
and exterior paint applications. These are some of the typical
questions that I come across.
My general
rule of thumb for exterior painting is to blend into the
surrounding environment without being nondescript. Usually
I will look around the site and see what the predominate
colors are and also remember that at other times of the
year, the colors will look different. For instance, if the
home is in an Aspen grove and you paint the home green,
it will really stand out when the leaves are gone and the
ground is covered with white snow. In that type of situation,
I might suggest a gray/green base color and accent with
muted green and perhaps some white. It also depends upon
the style of home, color of windows, doors etc. The white
trim will usually look best with a tradition style home
and with white frame windows. Also on a cottage style home
the with trim is considered typical.
Here
in Mammoth we have mountain style homes that bring a woodsy
style to the neighborhood. Normally, over the years we have
seen brown stained exteriors with trim colors in dark brown.
Fortunately in recent years there has been more diversity
in the paint applications. Now there are woodsy cabin styles
homes that incorporate darker colors such as dark chocolate
brown, (like my store) with lighter trim colors and accented
with forest green or red! Some of these color ideas are
brought back to life from a previous era and from the Forest
Service cabin look or National Parks style that became popular
in the past decade. Other colors that work well in our environment
are sage green, soft grays, sand, and taupe.
Another
architectural style recently popularized is the Craftsman
Style. Originally popular around the turn of the century
and thru the 1920's, it was brought back into fashion over
the past decade and the colors of this era have also permeated
our color palate. The olive greens, deep gold, rust and
a variety of brown shades have given an earthy tone to the
new millennium. These colors also transfer into the interiors
and into the home décor and even into fashion. If
you look around at clothing over the past few years you
will see more khaki, tan, brown and retro orange.
While
visiting the most recent Home Furnishing Trade Show in January
in Las Vegas a new trend is being marketed to the consumer.
As you've probably noticed, there is a trend to the contemporary
and modern style that has been on the forefront for the
past few years. How the style affects Mammoth is a bit different
that it is in urban area. We have seen the contemporary
style show up in the new developments like the 8050 development.
It shows us clean lines and comfort in a simpler style than
we've seen in the recent past.
The
colors that reflect this style are less cluttered as well.
Clear colors with sharper contrasts bring the modern edge
into the rugged environment. Typically I don't use blue
colors in the mountains as much as you might see them in
other areas, such as at the beach. My theory has been that
we want to warm up the room instead of cooling it down,
especially in a north facing room. With the contemporary
styling however you will see many different colors used,
such as those in the blue family like aqua, turquoise and
lapis. These colors may be mixed with gold, cream or orange
for a sharp contrast. I am currently decorating a home in
Manhattan Beach, on the Strand, that has a Lapis stone color
Island in the kitchen, dark wood floors, gray laminate cabinets,
and an orange ultra suede sectional atop a custom made Tibetan
carpet in gold and grays. The overall look is very sleek
and striking!
We've
seen a few homes recently in Mammoth with the contemporary
styling, but the typical and traditional look will probably
be prevalent throughout the years with the Mountain Style
prevailing and the colors that define the area remaining
constant.
My first
question when it comes to color consultation is; what colors
do you love? That's always the starting point and then I
find a way to weave the colors in a way that suits the home
and the homeowner and to bring aesthetic and comfort to
a harmonious home.
