Today marks the 20th anniversary of my Full Spectrum Paints line! The first “Nature’s Palette” and “Magical Gems” paint colors have since expanded to an edited palette of 70 tried and true full spectrum colors that have been used successfully in every area of the United States. I have loved creating hundreds of custom colors over the last two decades, and it’s been such a joy making friends with so many interesting and talented folks during my telephone color consultations. I am so very grateful for every single one of you. Several of you have even been to visit me here in Saint Francisville! Thank you! Despite a pandemic, both my paint and design businesses have thrived and not a day goes by that I’m not filled with gratitude that I’m able to work from home doing what I love. So what better way to celebrate than to offer a 20% discount through the end of June on all paint products. When you order online, at check out enter “20YEARS!” in the box that says “discount code”. Don’t forget that color consultations are included in the cost of my paints. Knowing how daunting selecting paint colors is to most, I offered this service from the very beginning and have helped clients put together color palettes for homes and businesses all over the country. I also owe many, many thanks to the writers, editors and friends who are responsible for all of the publicity I’ve received in so many publications. I’ve never advertised so without you and the wonderful reviews from clients on the GardenWeb (now Houzz) website, I doubt I’d still be in business. Thank you!!! During Covid, like many folks, I did some redecorating and made quite a few home improvements. I was thrilled when Elise Saloom of InRegister Magazine contacted me about bedroom paint colors for her article “Color expert Ellen Kennon explains how your bedroom’s paint color can impact your mood“as I had just redecorated my own bedroom and hallway-vanity area as you’ll see in the photos below.
One of the things I didn’t change was the “Alexandra Blue” paint color I used on both walls and ceiling. It is such a soothing color! The “Ashen Green” trim helps bring the outdoors in and the new hallway wallpaper also gives the feeling of being outdoors. Nature is a tonic so I try and recreate its healing energy indoors whenever I can.
I didn’t plan to start my business on the Summer Solstice. It wasn’t until I was walking out the door of ICI Dulux Paints (now PPG Paints) with my first newly created paint colors that I realized it was June 21st–a time to celebrate new beginnings and the day we are closest to the warmth and energy of the sun. How fitting since the sun plays such a role in Full Spectrum Paints. Thank you again for contributing so much to the last 20 years of my life! Happy Summer Solstice!
Pink is a calming shade of red that is very nurturing and emotionally healing. Although it’s considered a feminine color, it’s sedative qualities are good for places where you want serenity and a supportive atmosphere. “Blush” was created for Designer Marc Charbonnet who gave me a piece of the palest pink silk to create the color from. He used it on the walls of the bedroom below in a NYC project.
“Blush” walls in this bedroom designed by Marc Charbonnetfor a baby girl’s room is not only a very pale pink but it has enough yellow in it to add warmth. He used “Snow” on the ceiling and trim. “Powder Pink” isn’t as pale as the color “Blush”, but “Powder Pink” is still a very soft pink that works equally well in any room, like this New Orleans parlor.
If you’d like to see actual hand-painted samples, visit my Online Store where you can order a variety of samples, even free small hand-painted samples!
“Buttercream” is the first color I created. I recreated my own full spectrum formula of the color that I had Donald Kaufman make over thirty years ago for a client of mine in New York. I described it as a pale creamy yellow that looks like it is lit by candlelight. It’s that hint of red pigment we added that gives “Buttercream” its rosy glow in the corners of a room. I like the color so much, I have it in the main room of my own home and when I repainted several years ago, I chose “Buttercream” again because it’s like walking into a room where the sun is always shining and it promotes feelings of cheerfulness and optimism and stimulates conversation, creativity and the intellect. Like “Classic Marc”, the color in my previous post, it goes with every other color. It’s been featured in House Beautiful Magazine as a “colorful neutral”.
“Buttercream” walls and ceilings with “Ashen Green” trim in my own home.
“Buttercream” walls and ceiling” in this Hilton Head, SC home
“Buttercream” was also included in House Beautiful‘s App 500+ Favorite Paint Colors. I’m glad I took this screenshot because sadly, the app is no longer available.“Buttercream” walls in Color Consultant Barbara Jacobs‘ project in Massachusetts.“Buttercream” walls with “White Opal” trim.
So as you can see from the photos, Buttercream works in a variety of settings and with a variety of furnishings. If you’d like to see a hand-painted sample, visit my Online Store where you can order free 1″ x 4″ hand-painted cuttings as well as a variety of other hand-painted samples in several sizes. We also have 2 oz. sample jars and pints.
“Classic Marc” was created and named for my dear friend and renowned designer Marc Charbonnet. Marc was selected by Architectural Digest Magazine as one of their “AD100” top designers in the country three years in a row. He uses “Classic Marc” as the main color in almost every project because although it’s a soothing, pale yellow, it acts as a neutral in that it goes with everything. Yellow promotes feelings of cheerfulness and optimism. It’s unusual because it’s both a physical and a mental color and is one of my favorites because it’s not only a cheerful color, but it stimulates the intellect, creativity and conversation. There’s really not a single color that it doesn’t look great with.
“Classic Marc” on the walls in this Marc Charbonnet project with “Snow” trim and “Gustavian Grey” in the room beyond.“Classic Marc” walls in another Marc Charbonnet designed space.“Classic Marc” walls and ceiling create a feeling of warmth and coziness this NYC bedroom. It’s pale enough to be cheerful but also soothing.“Classic Marc” with “Pearl” trim in this Sacramento Victorian home.
So as you can see, “Classic Marc” works well in a variety of settings. If you’d like to see a free hand-painted sample, visit my Online Store where you’ll find a variety of other samples and sample jars to choose from as well. If you need help selecting a color or putting together a color palette, email me. I’d love to help you envelop your space in the softness of my Full Spectrum Paints!
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 wallon 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.
Ellen Kennon Design, Furnishings & Full Spectrum Paints
As an Interior Designer with over three decades of experience, I’ve learned that color and light have a tremendous impact on our well being.
Color is the quickest, most affordable way to define the overall character and feel of a space so the selection of paint colors and the spectrum of pigments which produce colors are critical.
Our paints are blended from the 7 colors of natural sunlight, so they reflect a broader range of light and coordinate more easily with the colors and furnishings around them. They are chameleon-like in their ability to pick up colors from adjacent materials and don’t turn muddy or lose their character in low light conditions like standard paints.
Although we have never advertised, we have been featured in numerous national publications including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and the Wall Street Journal.
Featured in House Beautiful as “Three of the Best” Color Consultants
Ellen's Blog 