Peridot

It’s fitting that my blog post on the color “Peridot” falls during the month of August because it’s my birthstone along with all of the others born during the month of August. Happy Birthday to Us!

When creating my full spectrum paint version of Peridot, I was inspired by the many shades of green in the birthstone’s namesake.

As you’ll see from the photos below, my full spectrum paint color “Peridot” is much like the gemstone in that it’s a very warm, golden green that has many facets to its coloring.

One of my favorite uses of “Peridot” is Natasha Nyberg’s Sunroom that was featured in Apartment Therapy‘s article “Natasha and the Plant-filled Sunroom” (photos above and below)

“Peridot” walls and “Dusk” on the ceiling make you feel like you’re outdoors on a sunny day.

Just like the birthstone, “Peridot” has many facets ranging from golden to deep olive. For more on Natasha’s home which is painted in more of my Full Spectrum Paint colors: “Natasha and the Plant-Filled Sunroom“

Here we used “Peridot” inside cabinets painted “Tiffany Taupe’ and walls and ceiling painted “Chartreuse” (see more “Chartreuse” in my previous blog post “Chartreuse and Circa Green“

“Peridot” cabinets and trim with “Moutarde” walls and “Alexandra Blue” ceiling turn this Sun Porch at Shadetree Inn into a magical little jewelbox.

If you’d like to see a free hand-painted sample of “Peridot” or any of my other colors, visit my Online Store where you can order all manner of samples and paint!

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

Sage and Edgewood Green

“Sage” was created for clients who had “Edgewood Green” as the main color in their Baton Rouge home. When they moved to New Orleans, they wanted the same color but because of the lighting, we lightened it by cutting the formula in half. The new color was so complex and interesting, I added it to my curated palette and named it “Sage”. It’s since become one of my ten best selling colors!

This bathroom is a great example of both colors. “Sage” is on the walls and ceiling with “Edgewood Green” on the doors and trim. These greens are warmer than the previous cool greens I’ve posted about previously and lean more towards brown instead of blue and gray. “Sage” and “Edgewood Green” both enhance the luster of wood tones.

“Sage” on walls in this Atlanta home is the perfect neutral in this space even though the color isn’t anywhere else in the room.

One of the main reasons I like to use a neutral shade of green on trim is because it helps draw your eye outdoors toward the view. “Edgewood Green” was used on everything but the “Alexandra Blue” ceiling in this sun porch overlooking Audubon Park in New Orleans. The blue ceiling further connects you to the outdoors and subconsciously makes you feel like you’re outdoors on a sunny day.

When I was asked to help with the colors at the Pitot House Museum, I was surprised to find that my “Edgewood Green” was a dead ringer for the original trim color used back in the late 1700’s! It’s so neutral, it works well with every color like these “Wedgewood” walls.

These New Orleans clients recently purchased a home that was copied after the exterior of the Pitot House and loved the colors there so much, we used them here as well with “Edgewood Green” on all the trim like at the Pitot House. “Buttercream” is on the walls and “Alexandra Blue” on the ceilings. “Pitot Mango” is on the walls in the room beyond. Click here to see a closeup of “Pitot Mango” and “Edgewood Green”.

One of my favorite photos of “Edgewood Green” used on walls and ceiling in this mountain retreat in North Carolina.

“Edgewood Green” is so neutral, it works well as the core color in this home that has several colors branching off of it.

“Edgewood Green” works equally well outdoors and helps this “Buttercream” home nestle into the landscaping.

You can clearly see how color reflective these Full Spectrum Paint colors are by how different they look in each of the photos. I’m happy to send you free hand-painted samples, if you’ll visit my Online Store. It’s the first item. As you’ll see, there are larger hand-painted samples and sample jars as well. Besides selling paint, I welcome helping my clients put together color palettes and selecting paint colors. Color Consultations are free when you purchase my Full Spectrum Paints!

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

Ashen Green

“Ashen Green” was one of the very first colors I ever created. I used it on all of the trim and millwork throughout my own home that I designed and built 20 years ago and I wouldn’t change the color for anything. As I said in my previous post about the color green and it’s healing properties, every room could use at least a little bit of green and because it falls in the middle of the color spectrum, it’s a neutral that is balancing. “Ashen Green” will work in most any historical setting as it was used as early as the mid 1700’s on interior millwork and exterior shutters. Just yesterday, I visited two beautifully restored Creole homes, Maison Chenal and LaCour House where a variety of neutral greens were used in the interiors. For more information on Creole architecture which is prevalent down here in Louisiana, visit “deConstructing Creole Architectural Color“.

One of the reasons this color was probably used so often is because it not only connects us to the views of nature outdoors, it’s also a very cooling color in that it is a blue-gray-green. As you’ll see in the photos below, “Ashen Green” also makes a great wall color.

One of the many greens used in this circa 1790’s Creole home is very similar to my “Ashen Green”

“Ashen Green” bookcase and cabinetry with “Mushroom” walls in this new addition.

“Ashen Green” walls with “White Opal” trim and wainscoting.

“Ashen Green” millwork and hallway color with “Buttercream” walls and ceiling in the Great Room of my own home in the photos above and below.

If you’d like a free hand-painted sample of “Ashen Green” or any of my Full Spectrum Paint colors, visit my Online Store. What makes my paints so special and why are they called “Full Spectrum”? It’s because each and every single color is created from a minimum of seven pigments and we never use black or gray pigments because they absorb light. When you have all of the colors from the color spectrum in one paint color, it’s like seeing colors outdoors in nature. The colors are more luminious, they have more depth and they never clash with the colors around them. That’s a big reason why they’re so popular with interior designers and architects!

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

Lichen and the Color Green

“Lichen” was initially created for the Sullivan Dental Center here in St. Francisville. However, some folks say they not only have cutting-edge dentistry, but their place should also be called a spa and I can’t help but think the color “Lichen” has a lot to do with that. My clients asked me to create a color that was very soothing and clean, yet earthy and organic. So I immediately thought of the plant we call lichen and later, when I was asked by House Beautiful Magazine to be one of “Twelve Major Players in Design” to share our favorite color green in their March 2012 issue “All About Green”, I picked “Lichen”. House Beautiful even included this photo I snapped of lichen growing on a live oak in the article!

I was flattered when House Beautiful asked me if I could get approval from the photographer to use it. They laughed when I told them I took it with my iPhone, but hey, iPhone cameras are amazing!

Lichen starts my blog posts on the color green, known as the color of nature. I use green in almost every room because it is the most healing color. Healing colors influence mood, calm the nervous system and create peaceful environments. Since green is often used to represent health, many pharmaceutical and nutritional companies use green in their logos and marketing materials. It falls in the middle of the color spectrum, so it is balancing and acts as a neutral. My full spectrum “Lichen” paint color is what I call a complex neutral in that it is very chameleon-like as you’ll see in the photos below.

“Lichen” walls in the Sullivan Dental Center with “Putty” trim and painted brick. I can’t tell you how often I get calls from their patients about this color. Candice and Frank Sullivan tell me it constantly changes with the light. You’ll see this in the photos of it below.

“Lichen” walls create an oasis of calm in this Guest Bedroom.

You can see Lichen’s neutral qualities in this photo where it’s used in the two-story foyer shown above and below.

If you’d like to see a free hand-painted sample of “Lichen” visit my Online Store where we also have a variety of other samples to choose from.

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

House Beautiful Spring Color Issue

Once again, the folks at House Beautiful have outdone themselves with their newest color issue (March 2012) “All About Green”. I use green in almost every design project because green is the most healing color of all. It falls in the middle of the spectrum, therefore it brings balance. It soothes and promotes mental endeavors. It’s the color of most of nature and rejuvenates like no other color. As in nature, there’s a wealth of greens to choose from and they all harmonize with each other. Although green is a color, it acts as a neutral as all other colors go with it. Green also brings out the luster in wood tones, which is why many antiques stores use it as a wall color. I often use it on wood work as it pulls your eye out towards the view, creating a space that feels as if it’s part of nature. Whenever I work with small rooms with a lot of windows, I paint both walls and trim the same shade of green which seems to expand the space and creates a “tree house” feeling. I used “Magnolia” on everything  in my own small bedroom to expand the space because it’s mostly windows, French doors and closet doors.

"Magnolia" used on walls, ceiling, wood work and even fan blades.

I have more  greens in my palette of full spectrum paints than any other color. I just can’t say enough about the color green, so when I saw all the beautiful greens featured in the latest issue of House Beautiful, I was in heaven! There are gorgeous rooms by top designers (“10 Rooms That Make Us Green with Envy”), 10 “Sensuous Greens” ranging from “Margarita” to “Deep Pool”, and I am happy to share that I am included as one of the designers in “Favorite Greens – Twelve major players in design tell us the shade they love the most”! They even used the iPhone photo I took of lichen growing on a live oak  in St. Francisville’s Grace Church Cemetery.

"Lichen" was originally created for the walls of the Sullivan Dental Center here in St. Francisville because they wanted something soothing yet earthy to coordinate with their views of wooded ravines. Their website video shows the many shades of this chameleon-like color.

Here’s a photo of  “Lichen” one of my clients posted on GardenWeb’s decorating forum:

"Lichen" works well in any room where you want to create a feeling of calm.

I am anxiously awaiting photographs of the Sullivan’s home which will be featured in my Winter 2012 Living Well Newsletter. We used lots of greens, inside and out and you’ll see some very creative design ideas and craftsmanship by Ken Tibbils of Kenneth August Design, so stay-tuned!

On another note, what color from Mother Nature compliments green?

When I saw this on designer Cathleen Davidson's Facebook page this morning, I just had to share it! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!