Summer 2020 Living Well

The Summer Solstice this year marked the 19th anniversary of my first full spectrum “Nature’s Palette” paint colors. So many of you have been loyal paint customers for most of these years and thanks to you, I’m able to continue working remotely from home as always. I’m so fortunate that business has been steady even during this pandemic. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  

Adapting my business to these stay at home restrictions has been easy since paint is ordered either online or by phone, and now when you go to your nearest PPG Paints store to pick up your order, you just call from your car when you arrive and they’ll bring your paint directly to your vehicle. 

I’ve really enjoyed Zoom happy hours with friends, so I thought it might be fun to do some Zoom question and answer sessions on color and design. If you’re interested in joining in, send me an email so I can send you an invitation. Sidney Coffee of The Guru in Baton Rouge is planning a series of Zoom events and I’ll be featured as one of her guest presenters, along with others on a variety of subjects including astrology, interior design, and help with relationships during these challenging times. 

Speaking of challenging times, I confess to having more than a few anxious and sleepless nights and have found great comfort in listening to creative visualization tapes by Jeanne-Marie Taylor/Muse via YouTube. I’ve always been a big fan of creative visualization, especially since that’s how I created my little sanctuary in the woods here in Saint Francisville (read that story here). I found instant relief from her “Channeled Message from Gaia” and there are many others, so I highly recommend subscribing to her YouTube channel. 

Besides escaping with visualization tapes, virtual happy hours and lots of TV series and movies, I really enjoyed reading Beth Arnold‘s  Jours of Our Lives: On the Road in France and Beyond. It’s no wonder I felt like I was along on the journey with Beth – she captures the colors, cuisine and countryside so beautifully, you will be transported! 

I give thanks every single day that I’m able to live on this magical little piece of earth surrounded by 100′ tall trees in a home I designed. My daughter Alex and her partner Dominic Rivera who normally live in New Orleans have been here since early March, so I’ve had the pleasure of their company and fabulous cuisine most evenings. Alex has become quite the gourmet cook since writing her book Classic Restaurants of New Orleans. Dom, who was working on movies before the pandemic, was kind enough to make a video of me giving a tour of my home that I named “Mon Soleil”. I hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve been enjoying virtual glimpses into other’s homes. Click on the photo of my home to take the tour!

(In the video, I neglected to introduce my little YorkiePoo Winson who you’ll see following me everywhere I go!)

I hope to see you sometime soon for a Zoom Q&A event. Be sure to email me for an invitation. Please take care and stay safe!

Well Priced But Not Cheap!

Let’s talk money. Not something I like to talk about unless I’m sharing “a good deal”.  And actually, that’s just what I’m going to do. The other day I was in Helm Paint in New Orleans working on a custom color for a client whose painter would only use Fine Paints of Europe’s Brilliant Gloss, which by the way, is going for $148 a gallon. But what was enlightening, was Helm Paint’s big price menu posted behind the counter: Ben Moore’s Aura @ $72.95 a gallon & Satin Impervo @ $69.95 a gallon. I’m often asked by designers to make full spectrum formulas of Farrow & Ball colors that sell for $95 a gallon – not because they love the product or because my paint is less expensive and easier to get, but because they want the full spectrum color without the black pigment.

When I started my line of Full Spectrum Paints back in June 2001, my original intent was to provide local customers with affordable, beautiful full spectrum color. At the time, there was only access to Donald Kaufman paints which were not only over $100 a gallon but also very hard to get down here in Louisiana. Since then, the company who manufactures my paints has been bought out twice, most recently by PPG Paints. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am with PPG Paints’ products and customer service. The price of my paints range from $58 – $69 a gallon and with the new formulas, contain up to 12 voc-free pigments. I’ve also created a few custom colors in PPG’s 7-Line Interior/Exterior Industrial Gloss which is every bit as beautiful as Fine Paints’ Brilliant Gloss. When I compared the samples we painted of each product, you could not tell the difference in finish and considering PPG Paints claims you can use 7-Line on floors and machinery, I’d say it’s just as durable, if not more durable!

For over a year now, we’ve been using Pure Performance ($58-63/gal.) interior and Manor Hall ($67-69/gal.) interior and exterior products and have been getting great reviews from customers AND their painters. Both have built in primers and the Manor Hall also has a stain repellent.

Since the Hunt Slonem Antebellum Pop exhibit opened, I’ve had a flurry of inquiries about his fabrics and wallpapers, so everything in his collection is now available for ordering on my online store in addition to some of my favorite fabrics that I often use in my decorating projects. I plan to continue adding more fabrics, wallpapers and eventually, upholstered furniture. I offer discounts on all fabrics and wallpaper, ranging from 10 – 20%, depending on quantity. Here’s the link:  Ellen’s Favorite Fabrics & Wallpaper

My favorite Hunt Slonem fabric is the “Hutch” linen which also comes in orange, pink, black, red & turquoise. Here the Navy is shown in this tablescape by David Duncan Antiques photographed by Marco Ricca, the photographer who photographed Hunt’s latest book, When Art Meets Design.

My favorite wallpaper?  The “Bunny Wall” that we used in the LSUMOA Hunt Slonem Antebellum Pop exhibit which is up through August 5th. I’ll be giving a Gallery Talk and Tour on Sunday, July 10th @ 2:00. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll join us!

The “Bunny Wall” wallpaper comes in two sizes. This size is 54″ wide and comes in ivory or black backgrounds. There is a “Small Bunny Wall” for smaller spaces that is the normal 27″ wide paper and also comes in blue and and orange/red. (We hung bunny paintings on the bunny paper so it’s not 3-D!)

Another Day in Paradise!

I am so incredibly lucky to live and work in rural Louisiana where I get to soak in beauty on a daily basis. Just the other day, I went to drop off some curtain rings to Aimee English who runs the workroom that sews all of my clients’ curtains and drapes. Aimee’s workroom is located in a cute little out building on Monte Vista Plantation (circa 1857) on the banks of the Mississippi River in Port Allen. From my previous visits, I knew Aimee had some pretty extensive renovations going on, and on this trip I was excited to see the finished project. Everything looked so magical, I just had to take some time out to snap a few photos to share, as Aimee has turned her home into an event venue. Yes, you can have your wedding or other fabulous party here at Monte Vista!

(Workroom for ARE Custom Works in Port Allen, Louisiana where Aimee English has a staff of seamstresses sewing custom window treatments, bedding & bed canopies, tablecloths, etc. Their work is exquisite and always perfect!)

(Can you believe this garden? As you can see by the pansies, it’s Wintertime! The often used bell is original to the plantation.)

(The house faces the levee and river so you drive up to the rear where she created a canopy with magical white lights.)

(The front of the home, verandas and parterre rose garden face the levee and Mississippi River. You can see the Huey P. Long Bridge from here.)

The workroom isn’t the only other building on the property. There are several others, each one more charming than the next:

There’s also an adorable childrens’ playhouse as you drive onto the property. As you can see, Aimee has many talents and gardening is certainly one of them!

(Of course a place as charming as this has chickens!) 

(The Huey P. Long Bridge crosses the Mississippi River between Port Allen and Baton Rouge.  The day I visited, several bonfires like the one on the right were set up for a Christmas Party.)

Now do you see why I consider myself so lucky to be able to live and work in such a beautiful area with such talented folks? Just another day in paradise!

For more information about Aimee English, her many talents and services, you can email her at arecustomworks@yahoo.com. For more photos, here’s a link to photographer Pearl Walker’s Blog Post featuring a wedding at Monte Vista Plantation: Pearl Walker Photography

My favorite window treatments that Aimee makes for my clients are simple lined and interlined panels with no pleats that hang from iron rods and rings. You don’t have to live in our area to have these made as I often ship them out of state. To see fabric samples and for more information, email me!

 

Miss me? It’s been far too long!

I am so sorry to have not posted anything in months. It hasn’t been for lack of any news, I’ve just been busy juggling design projects and working on formulas for all 100 stock colors into the new PPG products.

I did just manage to post a newsletter today featuring Hunt Slonem’s new 30,000 square foot studio in Brooklyn, thanks to Marc Charbonnet’s photos and Jacqueline Terrebonne’s video interview for Architectural Digest.

If you need a little color therapy, check it out:

Living Well Newsletter

By the beginning of 2016 PPG will be changing out the tinting system for the Lifemaster, Diamond 350 and Fortis products to the VOC-free PPG tinting system, so if you have used these products in the past and need any additional paint, now is the time to order. To take the sting out, these products (if available–depending on your local store’s stock), I am offering a 20% discount. Just input “discontinued LM” into the discount box at checkout for Lifemaster and “discontinued D350” for Diamond 350 (formerly labeled Dulux Ultra). To order online, visit: http://www.store.ellenkennon.com.

I’m anxiously awaiting more photos from Marc Charbonnet of his latest project in Old Brookeville, NY that I’ll be featuring in my next newsletter. He is such a talent and his new “Fierce Whimsey” style is quite colorful!

This weekend, Saint Francisville puts on it’s annual Christmas in the Country weekend, complete with a home tour to benefit the Friends of the Library. Two of my projects, Harmony House and Melody House are on the tour so I’ll be there showing them off and serving Bellinis! If you’re in the area, get a ticket and come by and see me! For tickets: Christmas in the Country Home Tour Tickets

New Projects – Successful New Businesses!

As an interior designer with over thirty years’ experience, from the very beginning of my career, color and light were my favorite tools to use in creating ambiance in an environment. I even put on a color and light seminar in my first client’s newly restored courtroom in Criminal District Court in New Orleans. The very first colors I ever created were for this project. Because of the 32 foot high ceilings, lighting was especially important as many of the trials held there went on into the night.

I created several values of a warm grey to enhance the inlaid wood. To ensure the space was lit bright enough at night, metal halide fixtures were mounted on the side walls. To give the judge more dramatic authority, up lights were mounted behind his podium. The brass art deco pendant lights were refinished by prisoners from Orleans Parish Prison. They also refinished the millwork which was originally an ugly yellow oak.

Although most of my business is residential and I love helping folks select colors that make them feel good in their homes, I especially love it when I get to help a new business because it is so rewarding to watch their success. My last Living Well newsletter was all about The Guru in Baton Rouge which has become a huge success as a sacred space that is now a popular event venue for a wide variety of events.

A former mechanics garage turned event venue. I was asked to help create a sacred space that was multifunctional enough to hold events ranging from yoga retreats to wedding receptions. To see more photos and read about this project, click on the Living Well link above.

Most recently, my paint client Dr. Donna Ricci, who has used my paints in two homes as well as her office, contacted me about a new venture she started, Archers Artemis. For over 20 years Donna, as a clinical psychologist, has worked primarily with people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is an advocate of healing through the mind body connection and trained in the Ki-Hara Method of Resistance Flexibility, is a Reiki master and has studied sound healing techniques under John Beaulieu, author of Human Tuning. If all these talents weren’t enough, Donna is also a professional classical guitarist with the Boston Guitar Orchestra!

When Donna received the bronze medal in bare bow archery at the USA Archery Nationals in 2012 she became aware of how few women were competing and decided she needed to become an instructor and then a coach in order to introduce more girls and women to archery. Donna realized that archery, with its emphasis on form development, upper body strength, hand eye coordination and mindfulness can help mitigate symptoms of ADHD, PTSD and other disorders as well as empower women. Located in Georgetown, Massachusetts, the 4000 square foot space needed to feel both soothing and exciting, so we went with “Lichen” as the main color and my magical gem “Ruby” for accent walls. I must admit, I was nervous for Donna when she initially called me about this venture, but am so glad it has become such a huge success!

Red (Ruby) and green (Lichen) are perfect complements. The human eye actively seeks a warm color after viewing a cool color.

“Ruby” makes a powerful accent and logo color. Although it can take up to 5 coats, even the painters were raving and took photos for their portfolio!

I am so lucky to be able to meet such talented and interesting people from all over the country while enjoying life in my little cabin in the Louisiana woods! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!