Camelhair and Moutarde

Both of these colors are in the gold family. I named “Camelhair” because it reminds me of a camelhair coat. It’s more of a traditional, brownish gold. “Moutarde”, French for mustard, is a deeper more saturated gold. Gold is one of my favorite colors, not because it is associated with abundance and success but on a spiritual level it is the color of divine awareness, spiritual healing and positive change. According to Meredith Young-Sowers of the Stillpoint Foundation, “It radiates love, compassion and understanding to all who come into contact with its radiant light. Gold symbolizes a degree of perfection, the completion of man’s process of transmutation from the base metal of instinct to the realization of the divine spark within.”

“Camelhair” walls with “White Opal” millwork and “Alexandra Blue” ceiling.

“Moutarde” used in this New Orleans kitchen was the perfect backdrop to the client’s family christening dress with gilt trim.

“Moutarde” walls with “Clay” millwork and “Alexandra Blue” ceilings

If you’d like samples, visit my Online Store where you’ll be able to order free hand-painted 1″x4″ samples (called “cuttings”) along with lots of other sample sizes and sample jars.

Shutter Colors

Shutters can be almost any color, like the “Kennon Ivy” shutters I featured in my last Blog Post. I created three more colors specifically for shutters that are historically approved colors: “Creole Shutter Green”, “Forest Black” and “French Quarter Green”. Although I haven’t had an opportunity to use “French Quarter Green” on a project yet, I’ve had a crush on this color for many years and just had to include it in my new color palette.

I created this collage of photos of what I call “French Quarter Green” used on several buildings in New Orleans’ French Quarter. A sample of my Full Spectrum Paint color “French Quarter Green” is on the bottom row in the middle. I love the way it looks both newly painted and weathered.

“Creole Shutter Green” couldn’t be more classic. It’s more interesting than the traditional “Essex Green” you usually see on historic buildings and almost a dead ringer for the “Charleston Green” shutters you see in Charleston. Because of the many pigments within this color, it’s very chameleon-like.

I like “Creole Shutter Green” so much I created a formula for it in PPG’s new Break-Through product that can be used on anything (concrete, vinyl, plastic, porch floors, etc.). It was a cheap quick fix for this wood counter top that was varnished cypress.

“Forest Black” is a brown so deep it’s almost black. The bright sun in this photo makes it look lighter than usual. It works well with the “Moss Green” painted brick.

“Forest Black” shutters with “Lichen” siding on this New Orleans Bywater home.

Of course, as I said in the beginning, shutters can be most any color, but if you’re wanting a more traditional yet interesting shutter color, these three, along with the “Kennon Ivy” shutter color written about in my previous blog post work with most any siding color. If you’d free hand-painted samples of these or any of my Full Spectrum Paint colors, visit my Online Store.

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Moss Green and Kennon Ivy

Although “Moss Green” and “Kennon Ivy” have mostly been used on exterior projects, both colors have been used as interior wall and trim colors. “Moss Green” is my favorite color to transform ugly brick, increase a home’s curb appeal, and both “Moss Green” and “Kennon Ivy” blend into most natural surroundings better than any other color.

One of the first projects where we used “Moss Green” was to cover up the ugly brick and boring stucco that you can see in this work in progress. “Forest Black” is on the shutters.

This home was painted “Moss Green” because not only was the orange brick ugly, but the architectural design of the home was awkward. One of my favorite sayings is “paint it out” and that’s exactly what we did with this exterior!

Another work in progress using “Moss Green” to cover up unattractive brick. The first two homes are in Louisiana (i.e. St. Francisville and Baton Rouge, respectively), however, this one is in Pittsburgh and shows how the color works in most any setting.

“Moss Green” works equally well on wood siding like on this Houston home. Trim is “Kennon Ivy” and the door is “Tiffany Turquoise”.

“Moss Green” with “Edgewood Green” trim helps this home nestle into the landscaping. The “Pressed Violet” door is a custom color that is very close to “Lady Gaga’s Dress” that I recently created after being inspired by the dress she wore when she won the Oscar for “A Star is Born”.

Want something to disappear? “Moss Green” to the rescue! We used “Moss Green” to hide this home and brick wall on my parents’ home in Lake Charles.

“Moss Green” used as interior trim with “Classic Marc” in this newly constructed Bywater, New Orleans residence.

“Kennon Ivy” shutters help this home nestle into its landscaping. As you can see, “Kennon Ivy” is darker and more brown than the gray-green “Moss Green”. The two work well together because of the interesting, yet subtle contrast.

What I especially like about “Kennon Ivy” is that it works well with both warm and cool greens like the “Clay” siding on this home in New Roads.

“Kennon Ivy” walls add drama to this office conference room.

“Kennon Ivy” was initially created for my own home where I used it as an opaque stain on most exterior doors, windows, porch and deck and as a semi-transparent stain on the cypress board and batten siding.

A closer look at “Kennon Ivy” semi-transparent stain and opaque stain surrounding the French Doors leading to the deck. I painted the French doors “Tiffany Turquoise” and the chair “Cornflower Blue” to cool things off during the hot Summer months.

I sat outside for days trying to create a green that blends into the greenery surrounding my little cabin in the woods that I call “Mon Soleil”. This outdoor shower has been featured in numerous Houzz.com articles. It’s also featured in the Houzz article “Cottage Comforts in the Louisiana Woods“ where you’ll see more “Kennon Ivy” in photos of the porch.

If you’d like to see free hand-painted samples of these or any of my Full Spectrum Paint colors, visit my Online Store where you’ll find a variety of samples to choose from.

ellenkennon.com
ellen@ellenkennon.com
877-877-7628

Pearl

“Pearl” got its name from the gemstone and although pearls come in many different colors, when I think of pearls, I always tend to think of them as white with a slightly rosy cast.

“Pearl” walls, ceiling and trim

So the “Pearl” paint color I created has a very, very subtle pink glow. Designers Cecile Thompson and Peggie Rhodes of Timpsen Creek Gallery in Clayton, Georgia liked it so much, they used it on all millwork and most ceilings in the Atlanta, Georgia project shown in the photos below. It’s especially stunning and timeless with this sunny “Azure” blue!

“Pearl” millwork and ceiling in this Dining Room with “Azure” walls

“Pearl” millwork with “Azure” walls in the Hallway

I couldn’t resist showing another view of the Hallway in this fabulous home!

As you can see, Pearl, like White Opal and Barry’s White, is a crisp enough white to work well with most any color and shows off beautiful millwork like the gorgeous millwork in this home.

This project is almost complete and when it is, I’ll be sure to write about it showing many more photos in an upcoming newsletter!

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ellen@ellenkennon.com
877-877-7628

Barry’s White

This is the third color in a series of blog posts where I will be describing and showing photos of each of my 70 full spectrum paint colors. This post is all about the color “Barry’s White” that I created for San Francisco designer Barry Johnson. Barry asked me to create a full spectrum version of Benjamin Moore’s popular Dove White. It has since become one of my most popular whites, especially when used on trim and other millwork. We used it recently on trim and wainscoting in the St. Francisville Inn here in St. Francisville.

“Barry’s White” on trim and wainscoting in the breakfast room at the St. Francisville Inn. “Silvery Blue” is on the ceiling and “Brandon Blue” on the doors and floor in the adjoining room.

We used “Barry’s White” as trim throughout the entire Inn. It’s incredibly versatile and especially popular as trim with “JV Cloud White” walls. To see more photos of it in the Inn, read my latest newsletter.

“Barry’s White” trim with “JV Cloud White” walls and “Silvery Blue” ceiling in designer Marc Charbonnet‘s recent Dallas project.

Here we used “Barry’s White” as exterior trim on this newly constructed Bedford, NY home. The body is “Classic Cream” and green window trim and doors are “Peridot”

To my knowledge, it hasn’t been used as a wall color, however, if you’re looking for a fairly bright white for walls, this is worth considering. If you’d like to see a sample, you can order free hand-painted samples at Full Spectrum Paints’ online store. Want to see more photos of my Full Spectrum Paint colors? Follow me on Instagram.

Be sure and check out my new website! EllenKennon.com

ellenkennon.com
ellen@ellenkennon.com
877-877-7628