Wedgewood

When I was asked to help with colors for the Pitot House Museum in New Orleans, I was surprised to discover that my “Wedgewood” was exactly the same as one of the historic home’s original colors, along with “Edgewood Green”, “Citrine” and “Ruby”. Of course, the original colors weren’t Full Spectrum. When I created these colors, I knew they were timeless, but I had no idea they were used back in the late 1700’s!

“Wedgewood” walls in this bedroom at the Pitot House Museum in New Orleans. I was surprised that my “Edgewood Green” that we used on all the interior millwork was a dead ringer for the original millwork color!

This photo from color consultant Lori Sawaya is decades old and shows the timelessness of “Wedgewood” walls. She used my retired color “Aqua” on the ceiling. I retired “Aqua” because it looks so much like “Gustavian Grey” which is more complex and interesting and therefore more popular.

Here we used “Wedgewood” on the cabinets with “Mushroom” walls and ceiling.

If you’ve been following my Blog Posts, you may be thinking “all these blues sure look alike”. However, you can order free hand-painted samples as well as larger samples and sample jars via my Online Store.

When it comes time to order actual gallons of paint, you always order from me, either by phone or online, and then when it’s ready (I’ll let you know and handle the order for you), you just pull up to your nearest PPG Paints store and they’ll put it in your car for you. No waiting, no hanging out at a paint store! To see which store is nearest you, visit the PPG Store Locator, input your zip code and click on the filter “PPG Paints” (not Home Depot or Independent Stores).

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

Azure

“Azure” is what I call a sunny blue. Although blue is usually a cool color, this blue has enough yellow in it to make it look warm and cheerful, yet not enough to turn it aqua. Perhaps that’s the reason it was used so successfully in the Atlanta project by the designers at Timpsen Creek Gallery featured in the first photo. The client likes it so much, she used it in all of the main rooms! More photos of this project can be seen in my Blog Post on the color “Pearl” which we used on all millwork throughout the home.

“Azure” walls with “Pearl” millwork and although it’s hard to see in the photo above, “Christine’s Cloud” is on the ceiling. It shows up better in the photo below of the same project during renovation.

“Azure” is the perfect color in my tiny guest room with Dutch beds. The room is only 7′ x 10′ so it definitely needed a cool color since cool colors recede and don’t close you in. I also upholstered the interior walls of the beds with a pale blue linen. Trim is “Ashen Green”.

As you can see by the photos, “Azure”, like all Full Spectrum Paints, is color-reflective so it looks different in every setting. To see an actual hand-painted sample, visit my Online Store where you can get small hand-painted samples for free or larger samples and jars for a nominal cost.

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

Dusk

The color “Dusk” is a more colorful blue than the pale sky blues in my previous blog posts. It works equally well as a wall color, a ceiling color inside and out, and as you’ll see in the last photo below, it adds a pop of color to the inside of cabinets.

“Dusk” walls with “Moss Green” trim create a soothing oasis in this client’s bedroom.

In the same client’s bathroom, we used “Dusk” on the walls with “Morning Yellow” wainscoting and “Moss Green” trim around the window.

One of the first projects to use “Dusk” was on the walls and vaulted ceiling of this entry shown in the photos above and below. Walls and other ceilings are retired color “Cognac” and trim is “Snow”

“Dusk” makes a cheerful porch ceiling color and balances the warmth of the stucco. Doors are “Mykonos Blue”. Stucco color is custom color “Provence Clay”. (I create custom colors for $60 per color)

“Dusk” adds a pop of color to these “Clay” cabinets. Walls are “Classic Marc” and ceiling is “Christine’s Cloud”

As you can see in the photos, depending on the lighting in each space, “Dusk” can be subtle or somewhat bright. The best way to discover how it will look in your space is to try a large sample of it. We have hand-painted samples in sizes 8×11 and 11×17 as well as 2 oz. and pint sample jars that may be ordered from my Online Store. However, if you aren’t ready to commit to purchasing large samples, we also have free hand-painted 1″ x 4″ cuttings.

ellenkennon.com
ellen@ellenkennon.com
8877-877-7628

Christine’s Cloud

If you haven’t been following my Blog Posts lately, I started writing a post on each one of my Full Spectrum Paint colors since clients often ask me to describe colors and how I recommend they be used. Although my old website had a Virtual Room painter, I find photographs of the colors showing different uses to be more helpful in giving an accurate visual. Of course, there’s nothing like seeing the real color hand-painted on a sample. All of my samples are either hand-painted paper samples or sample jars of the actual paint I sell. These blog posts are in the order of my new Color Chart and at the beginning of each color range, I give the color therapy information related to each color range because the first question I always ask during a Color Consultation is “How do you want to feel in the space?”

Color Chart of 70 Full Spectrum Paint colors is available for purchase from my Online Store

If you want to create a calming, soothing atmosphere “Christine’s Cloud” is a soft, enveloping blue that is a true blue without being the feared “baby blue” that so often happens to folks who aren’t used to selecting paint colors. Although the photos below show “Christine’s Cloud” as ceiling colors for interiors and exterior porches, it makes a great color for bedrooms since it evokes feelings of sea and sky.

We used “Christine’s Cloud” on this ceiling with “Classic Marc” walls in the living room of a decorating project I did a few years ago because we wanted the space to feel like you’re outdoors on a sunny day. This living room has three sets of French Doors that open onto the glassed in porch in the photo below.

The porch overlooks Audubon Park in New Orleans so we painted the walls “Edgewood Green” and the ceiling “Christine’s Cloud” so that it feels connected to the outdoors as the green helps pull your eye out towards the view as opposed to using a white which would have the opposite effect and close you in.

The same clients like “Christine’s Cloud” so much, we used it on the porch ceiling of their country home here in Saint Francisville. The siding is “JV Cloud White” and the shutters are in my new color “Creole Shutter Green”. Note the softness of the “JV Cloud White” next to the existing white rockers. The home was on tour shortly after it was painted and got rave reviews!

You can order free hand-painted samples of any of my Full Spectrum Paint colors from my Online Store. There are also larger hand-painted samples and sample jars. Color Consultations with me are free when you order my paints!

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

Summer Sale!

I finally posted a Spring 2014 newsletter that announces that we are having a sale on all paint products through July 4th. 10% off on all paint ordered online. Simply use the code “summer” in the coupon box at checkout and it will give you the discount. Also, if you’re not a Louisiana resident, there’s no sales tax, so that’s another 8-10% in discounts!

By the way, did you know that our paints cover far more square footage than most other paint brands? Most brands only cover 300-350 square feet per gallon, but our Lifemaster eggshell covers 450-475 square feet per gallon which is only 13 cents per square foot! Considering what a difference paint makes in the overall project, it is by far the best deal around.

We also have a couple of new types of paint samples! One is an 11″x17″ color chart poster of all 100 of our stock colors, as well as a smaller 8″x11″ color chart of our 10 whites and 20 magical gems and brights. Especially helpful when putting together color palettes,  the 11″x17″ chart features 100 fail-safe colors that compliment each other flawlessly in any setting, be it an ultra modern office or a historic plantation home. These nature-inspired colors have proven themselves consistently beautiful and therapeutic no matter how they are paired or lit, so seasoned designers and amateur homemakers alike can benefit from using this simple yet broad and effective palette.

Hand-painted 11″x17″ Color Charts feature all 100 stock colors.

 Our 8″x11″ Whites & Brights Color Charts feature 10 Ethereal Whites and 20 Magical Gems and Summer Brights, the colors featured in House Beautiful Magazine as “Colors from the Deep South”. The whites include several new ones that we recreated full spectrum formulas for of some of  Benjamin Moore’s most popular whites: “Barry’s White” is our version of “Dove White”, “Pottery White” is our version of “China White”, “Nautical White” is our version of “Maritime White” and “Designer White” is our version of “Decorator White”. Did you know that our “White Opal” is whiter than Ben Moore’s “Super White”? What makes our whites so much better? No black and seven pigments in each one makes a huge difference!

Ethereal Whites, Magical Gems & Brights

Many clients use the more saturated colors to create jewel box spaces out of closets, bookcase and cabinet interiors, powder rooms and other spaces where you want to add pops of therapeutic color. Artist Hunt Slonem, who inspired many of our brights, often uses these colors for his plantation homes which surprisingly can easily handle these more saturated colors.

“Albania Mango” walls in the Parlor at Albania Plantation