Using Rich Color

Good morning! How are you today? I admit I’ve been having a rough week so far (sprained ankle, sick baby, hubby working late), and I am already looking forward to this weekend. When I came across the Vermont home of Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber it lifted my spirits, so I immediately knew I would want to share it with you. Their home is cozy, personal, and displays a wonderful use of rich, saturated color. Come on, let’s peek inside!

My own home is mostly white (which I usually love) but seeing a home like this makes me crave richer color. I did paint my kitchen a deep gray similar to the gray above, and I like it so much I kind of wish I had painted a bigger room! White objets like the deer sculpture hanging above the door stand out so crisply against a rich gray like this. For those of you who are color-shy, a warm neutral gray is a great place to start as it plays well with so many colors, so you really don’t have to worry about making a bad choice. Another tip: use an enfilade (rooms that open onto one another) to full advantage by thinking about the use of color. Here they painted the hallway in the background a vibrant shade of blue, which really draws the eye through to the rest of the home.

Care to go bolder? What about painting just the wall your headboard rests on in the bedroom? I like this idea, and you could do the same thing with wallpaper. One little pet peeve though: I would never hang a big mirror directly over my bed! Just paranoia? Bad feng shui? Leftover fears of California earthquakes? I don’t know, I just don’t want anything hanging over my head while I’m sleeping! One last note on the bedroom above: love the monogrammed pillow cases! Using shams with a crisp border is an easy way to make your bed look “finished”.

And in the home office? Oh my. A workstation built for two? Yes please! Note that the symmetry of this arrangement helps rein in the clutter so that it appears creative and not simply chaotic.

Liked this? Go see the entire home tour right here. Is this your style at all? Do you use rich color in your own home? I’d love to hear what you think. And p.s., if you are interested in holiday advertising (plus TWO dedicated posts) you still have time to sign up for my penny-pinching package. :) xo Laura

(all images: Photographer Ditte Isager for House Beautiful)

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