Catching up!

Now that I’ve finished posting about each of my Full Spectrum Paint colors, I’m working on getting my newsletters linked to this blog. I sent out my Winter Living Well this past Monday so if you’re not one of my subscribers, here’s a link to it: Winter 2019 Living Well.

The newsletter features two projects by talented designers Cecile Thompson and Peggie Rhodes of Timpson Creek Gallery in Clayton, Georgia. There were so many fabulous photos, I had a hard time figuring out which ones to include. Since I posted it, Peggie found some even more wonderful photos that I’ll share here.

I wish I would have had this photo for my newsletter since it really shows the “Adirondack-style” of the Highlands, NC home (or should I say Lodge?) we featured.

Almost all ceilings in the Highlands house are painted “Christine’s Cloud” which has become a favorite ceiling color of many clients both inside and on porches.

One of many hallways in this home. The clients are quite the art collectors. Timpson Creek Gallery has over 10,000 square feet of art, antiques and furnishings.

I created a custom color, “Teal”, for this guest bedroom. If you’re interested in this color, my “Albania Teal” is mighty close. All trim is “Pearl”.

Many of the walls are painted “Buttercream” like in this kitchen and the bathroom below. The kitchen ceiling is one of many painted “Christine’s Cloud”.

This chest is just one example of the furnishings you can get at Timpson Creek. The attention to detail in this home is incredible. You see it everywhere: furniture, cabinetry, hardware…even the lamp shades are like little works of art, like the one below from the Lamp Shoppe in Atlanta

This charming window seat reminds me of the Dutch beds I had built into my own home. The perfect place to curl up and read a book like my daughter’s first book “Classic Restaurants of New Orleans”!

Yes, I’m way too excited about Alexandra’s book and am plugging it every chance I get! It came out Monday, November 4th and the first printing sold out before the publish date! Having a forward by Walter Isaacson certainly helps but I have to say, it’s an incredibly interesting book. Here are links to the first couple of articles since it’s been out: Country Roads Magazine and New Orleans’ Gambit. There are many book signings planned so if you’re in the area, I hope to see you at one!

If you’d like a sample of any of my full spectrum paints colors, visit my online store where you can get free hand-painted samples in addition to a variety of samples, paint and even my “Classic Restaurants of New Orleans”!

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

Putty

“Putty” is one of my oldest colors. I created it to frame a window that looked out over the trunk of a huge live oak. The bark that color in it. It’s a warm grey that’s both a beautiful wall color as well as a versatile trim color.

“Putty” on walls, ceiling and trim work well with the wood tones in this kitchen because it’s a warm grey that can sometimes have a green cast.

“Putty” walls with “Sage” trim. Although you can’t see it in this photo, we used “Gustavian Grey” on the ceilings.

“Putty” brick and trim with “Lichen” walls and ceiling in the Sullivan Dental Center in St. Francisville

If you’d like to see what “Putty” looks like in person, you can order a free hand-painted sample at my Online Store. There are lots of other samples in different sizes as well as sample jars.

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

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

Celery and Lettuce Leaf

Although I’ve sold quite a few gallons of “Celery”, the only photo of “Celery” I have, I took just last month of the interior of a client’s pool cabana. “Celery” is a crisp, rejuvenating green that is both fresh and timeless. It comprises the optimism of yellow with the healing qualities of green.

As you can see from the photo, “Celery” walls work especially well with crisp white trim, wood tones, and neutral as well as bright colors like you see in the artwork.

If anyone reads this who has used Celery, I’d love to add some more photos to this post!

I was inspired to create the color “Lettuce Leaf” after seeing photos of rooms designed by Charlotte Moss and Mario Buatta. I was able to get an actual sample of the Pantone color called “Young Wheat” that Charlotte used. However, the actual color looks nothing like wheat and Charlotte said it looks like lettuce, so I named my full spectrum version “Lettuce Leaf”. However, it’s a new color and no one has ordered it yet, so I’m offering three gallons of the color in any finish free if you’ll send me photos of your finished room! Just email me directly when you’re ready to order. In the meantime, below are some of the photos that inspired “Lettuce Leaf”.

This is Charlotte Moss’ dining room painted in Pantone’s “Young Wheat” which she says “To me it looks like lettuce. A dining room should be fresh and appetizing”. I couldn’t agree more!

Although the late designer Mario Buatta didn’t use Pantone’s Young Wheat for this living room he designed for Southern Charm’s Grande Dame Patricia Altschul, it’s very close. While photos can give you an idea of what a color would look like, you can see by the photo below of Pantone’s Young Wheat sample, that it can look different in different settings.

According to Patricia, Mario Buatta mixed her color on site. If you’re unfamiliar with Mario Buatta, he was known as the “Prince of Chintz” and his timeless English country style interiors. In the design world, he’s considered a “legend”. I found this photo of Bravo shooting Patricia for Southern Charm.

I also found this great article “Southern Charm by Mario Buatta” by Holly Phillips with more photos of Patricia’s Charleston home, the Isaac Jenkins Mikell house. I especially like the toilet concealed in a chinoiserie cabinet in her Master Bathroom!

If you’d like to see a free hand-painted sample of “Celery” and/or “Lettuce Leaf”, visit my Online Store where we have a variety of samples to choose from. If you’d like to take advantage of my offer to give you three free gallons of “Lettuce Leaf” in exchange for photos of your project, email me!

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

Magnolia

“Magnolia” is a deep blue-green that is sure to cool off any room in the Summer yet doesn’t create a cold environment in the Winter. I know this to be personally true because the bedroom you’ll see in the first photo below was my bedroom for many years. When I first designed my home, I was single and had just moved from Manhattan to build my cabin in the woods just five miles outside the town of St. Francisville. I had a limited amount of money to spend, so I designed the home myself and kept the square footage to only 1160 square feet. My bedroom in New York was only 10′ x 11′ so I figured I’d keep the bedrooms small (one is only 7′ x 10′ with two built-in Dutch Beds) so that I’d have plenty of square footage for my living areas since I like to entertain. It wasn’t until after my daughter was born that I added a large bedroom (12′ x 25′) for her which has since become my bedroom, making the “Magnolia” bedroom now my guest bedroom. Because I had these beautiful views of wooded ravines, I put as many windows and French doors into this little house I could. When it came time to painting my bedroom, because it has a wall of closet doors, French doors leading onto a deck and two large windows, I felt it would be too claustrophobic if the trim was painted the same “Ashen Green” as the rest of the house. I wanted this tiny bedroom to feel connected to the outdoors where I had a view of a huge magnolia tree and live oak so I created the color “Magnolia” inspired by the dark blue-green leaves of the magnolia tree. It’s always incredibly cool in the Summer yet very cozy and warm in the winter and although I have this nice big bedroom now (painted “Alexandra Blue”), I still enjoy spending time in my guest bedroom.

If this bedroom weren’t on the ground floor, you’d think you were in a tree house. There’s also an outdoor shower on the deck just outside the French Doors. I painted everything “Magnolia” to keep the space from feeling closed in and although the ceiling height in this room is 9′, I painted the ceiling the same color because it visually raises the ceiling height and creates a more soothing atmosphere. Less contrast = soothing & calming!

Lori Sawaya of landofcolor.com sent this photo many years ago where she used “Magnolia” in this client’s sitting room.

Barbara Drake sent the above photo to show me how she used “Magnolia” on her kitchen cabinets with “Berry Red” window trim.

Last but certainly not least, here’s “Magnolia” on the walls of this beautiful staircase landing in Pittsburgh. Above the chair rail was a custom blue that has now become “Christine’s Cloud”. Owner Katina Kefalos rents her beautiful apartments on Airbnb should you visit Pittsburgh. Click on the link and you’ll see more of my Full Spectrum Paint colors!

If you’d like to see a free hand-painted sample of “Magnolia”, visit my Online Store where you can also order a variety of larger samples and sample jars as well as paint. Nothing is more convenient than ordering your paint from me beforehand and then picking it up from your nearest PPG Paints store without having to wait! I handle all the details letting you know when it will be ready so that all you have to do is drop by so they can put the paint in your car. Most stores will deliver at no charge depending on the size of the order and distance from the store. And don’t forget, I’m always available to help with selecting paint colors and putting together color palettes at no charge. This service is included in the price.

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