Arte Styling

Video: Arkitip Brings You Behind the Scenes of the Comex/Ace Hotel Project

2012-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

Check this out! Arkitip just posted a video on the Comex/Ace Hotel color project in Palm Springs (which I wrote about here, here and here.) I'm honored to be included.

Changing environments at the Ace Hotel with Comex paint, Curated by Arkitip from The Arkitip Chronicles on Vimeo.

(Read Arkitip's full blog post here.)

Napa Bath Remodel - Before and Afters

2012-02-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

About 100 years ago, I started helping my parents with their master bath remodel. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly 100 years ago, but it certainly feels like it! It wasn't the layout that held us up, but the tile design. My mom had something particular in mind...and my dad had some other particular things in mind.

Here's a shot of the bath after my dad ripped out the old pink and green tile. (I would have loved to have had a before shot of that, but my dad was too speedy with the demo. You can just take my word for it that it was very dated...and a little all over the place design-wise.)

Bath vanity wall before

Yesterday I popped over to take a few shots of the remodel. There's still a few design details to tend to, but basically it's finished!

Bath Vanity Wall After

Bath Shower Before

Bath Shower After

My dad, handy, talented guy that he is, did the entire remodel himself with exception of the marble counter fabrication and the toilet installation. He even built the bathroom vanity. Lovely, right?

For the countertop, we used Michelangelo Carrara Marble. It's slightly different than the other Carrara Marble that is currently super popular for kitchens in that it has some gold flecks in it, and not quite as much gray. Marble can look very cold, but this marble doesn't. (Slab is from Da Vinci Marble in San Carlos.)

For the backsplash we used an off-white tile trim piece combined with a golden honey colored liner, both by Sonoma Tilemakers, one of my favorite go-to tile vendors. The mosaic by AKDO is also marble, very similar to the countertop with a golden undertone.

In the shower, we used 3x6 (subway) off-white field tile with the same golden honey liner and marble mosaic. We also added a 4 x 4 of the golden honey on a diagonal.

On the floor we used a 12 x12 of the same marble as the countertop and added a border in the marble mosaic.

And on the walls we went with Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paint in Buttercream. It's absolutely yummy.

It took some patience and resilience (ok...a LOT of patience and resilience) to create a look that worked for both or my parents. But, the end result? They both love it. And for a designer, there's nothing better than that.

If you need help with your bath remodel please call me at 650.867.3896 or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project. And, yes, I work well with couples.

New Post on The Brave New Home Blog*Book

2012-01-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

Have you been to The Brave New Home yet?

If not, you might want to check it out. I've got a new post up - "How To Add Character to Your Home." If you liked my recent post "How To Bring Joy Into Your Space", you should enjoy this one, as well.

"If your home were a person, is it someone you'd want to be around? Is it someone you'd want to be?"

- Chapter 10: The Brave New Home Workbook

I'm looking forward to seeing you on The Brave New Home. I'll be writing a lot more in 2012, so if you don't want to miss anything, you might want to subscribe to the posts.

And I'd love to know what you think! Since this is a book in-progress, feel free to let me know what areas of the home are the most troubling - both psychologically and architecturally speaking - and I'll see what I can to address those concerns in future posts and book chapters.

Thanks. Have a great weekend, everyone.

A Colorful Trip to The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs - Part III

2012-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

Ok...here's the final post on my trip to The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs last month. (If you missed Parts I and II, be sure to check them out here and here.)

As promised, I have photos to share of all three rooms I stayed in. I will also share my feelings. Yes - this is that kind of post. So, if touchy-feely is not your thing, you can just skim over that part. (Well, actually, if it's not your thing, you probably shouldn't be reading my blog at all. Go check out forbes.com or something.)

The first night I stayed in this room.

It was painted in Digital 185, a highly saturated turquoise, and Inhale 154, a slightly muted milk-chocolate-y hue.

As you can see, the colors were primarily painted on, not the walls themselves, but rather the wood slats that are part of the room design. In each room there was a dominant color, with the second color used as an accent. In this case, the turquoise was the dominant color and the chocolate-y hue was the accent.

My first impression upon arrival was that the room was cheery, fun and playful. It had a beach-y, tropical feel and definitely made me feel like I was on vacation. The turquoise was bright - bordering on too-bright - but was tempered by the architectural slats and grounded by the brown hue which framed it.

I felt happy, optimistic and excited in the space, but that's not surprising considering 1) I was on a sort-of vacation in 80 degree weather in the middle of winter and 2) turquoise is one of my favorite colors. These were good feelings, no doubt, but on the negative side, the room did lack a sense of sophistication. I definitely was not living in the lap of luxury. And I felt a bit child-like. That can be good...and bad.

When I woke up the first morning in this room and looked straight ahead, I realized that I wasn't able to really experience the color, because the wall in front of me (TV wall) was not painted. It was left in its regular design state, covered in natural-colored canvas fabric. This was a little disappointing, as I would have liked to have had a stronger color experience from all angles - especially in the morning with fresh eyes and a fresh brain.

Looking around in the morning light, the color still felt bright, fun, playful and energetic. It was definitely a very saturated hue. In my journal I referred to it as "a shot of espresso for the eyes." It was indeed a wake up call.

Overall, I had a positive reaction to the colors chosen for this room. I wrote "I'm a bit invigorated and looking forward to exploring today!" Could that be due in part to my room's colors? Possibly...

The second night I stayed in this room.

It was painted in Rhythm 167, a deep slate blue, and Rhythm 164, an acidic lime green. In this room, as shown, the slate was the dominant color and the green was the accent. Thankfully the distribution was not reversed. This is not a shy green.

My first thought when entering this room was that it worked much better with the denim "headboards." (There was definitely a color-coordination issue for me in the first space.) It also felt more sophisticated. The green had a funky, energetic vibe that complemented the deep blue, and seemed to keep it from getting overly moody.

In this space I felt a little more grown-up than in the turquoise room. It also had more of a hipster-esque quality. Was I cool enough to stay in a space like this? And, unlike the first room, I wasn't instantly taken to a specific place. The turquoise room felt decidedly beach-y. I could assign a locale to those colors. This space, not so much. It definitely had more of a winter-y feel, but if you asked me to describe where it transported me to, I had no answer.

This space definitely had less energy than the turquoise room, too. Although the green was a highly caffeinated color (like the turquoise), there was less of it so there wasn't as much of an energizing effect on me.

Waking up in the space the next morning, I was still struggling to make an association to the color palette. The colors were nice. They were more masculine than the first room, which could be good for some hotel guests, but it wasn't giving me the same jolt of happy energy. Not that I disliked them or anything, I just didn't know what to do with them. The colors did create sort of a cave-like effect, which, coincidentally, could be quite welcoming to guests looking for a respite from the hot desert sun.

Ultimately, I think this room made me a little moody. In my journal I wrote "Initially - thought this room looked really cool. Coordinated well with other materials/elements of the room. But, my emotional response was quite different."

And, here's the third room I stayed in.

The colors used were Digital 182, a very highly saturated yellow, and Urbanage 178, a mid-tone warm gray. The yellow was the dominant color, the grey the accent.

When I first entered this space, it felt very sunshine-y and happy...and definitely bold! It was very light reflective - much more so than the first two rooms. Although this room was treated with two colors like the others, the gray was so soft in comparison to the yellow that it almost completely receded into the shadowed corners of the white ceiling, giving the impression that this was a one color palette.

Although the yellow coordinated technically with the blue denim headboards, the primary color combination was very childlike to me (and not in a good way.) I did, however, love the touch of yellow on the old wooden school chair - almost seemed like an intentional design decision!

This was the one room where I really noticed a huge shift from day to night. In the natural light the yellow felt very energetic. Although I didn't have a strong personal association to the hue, it no doubt created a sense of super-sunshine. At night, it was a different story. In the artificial light, this highly reflective hue almost burned my eyes.

While lying in bed before going to sleep I wrote "Making me feel quite uncomfortable. There is a yellow glow to the room which makes me unsettled. Glad this color is behind the bed so I don't have to look at it!" Ouch!

To be fair, I continued with "There is also pounding in the unit above me. Are there elephants up there?"

I ended the journal entry with "Wow...the more I sit in here, the stronger my reaction is becoming. And I REALLY don't like it."

It's hard to say what was more agitating to me that evening. Was it the yellow? Or the elephants parading in the room upstairs? Was my negative response to the noise heightened by the color of the room? Or was that poor yellow just a victim of bad circumstance? That's the thing about environments. There are so many factors to take into consideration. Color is just one of those factors. Albeit a very important one.

There's no doubt that the rooms' hues played a significant role in my experience at The Ace Hotel. I definitely responded to each of the three rooms differently. There is one thing I wish would have been different about this project, however. I felt it was a missed opportunity to not paint the rooms in their entirety. Being completely surrounded by color in a room is quite different than just being exposed to an accent wall or two, which is essentially what we experienced. Would I have experienced the same feelings in rooms painted entirely in these palettes? Would I still have enjoyed the turquoise room, or would it have been "too much" turquoise? I imagine the spaces would have had a more enclosed feeling, making the cave-like room feel even more cave-like. Great, if that's the effect we are going for.

All in all, this was a really cool experiment to be a part of. I am so curious to know how the experience would change under different circumstances. What if it was a hotter time of year? What if there was no noise in the room above me? What if the rooms were completely painted in the palettes instead of just accent walls? What if the ceilings were painted? What if the entire room decor was coordinated with the paint colors?

So many questions that I think we need to take another trip to Palm Springs to get some answers. Comex, Arkitip and Ace - Thank you so much for the great opportunity. I hope we can do it again sometime.

A Colorful Trip to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs - Part II

2012-01-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

Last month I took a trip to Palm Springs to participate in a color experiment. I stayed at The Ace Hotel and Swim Club, which I highlighted in my previous post, "A Colorful Trip to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, Part 1." I've been looking forward to sharing the rest of my experience, as it was truly unique. So, here goes!

Backing up a bit, the project was a collaborative effort between The Comex Group, Arkitip and The Ace Hotel. The Comex Group is a major paint and coatings company based out of Mexico. Arkitip, Inc. is both a PR company and art publication in Los Angeles. And The Ace Hotel, is, well, a hotel.

For the experiment, five of the normally all-white hotel rooms were painted in some pretty vibrant hues from the 2012 Comex color palette.

A few of the selected room colors.

The entire 2012 palette,"Inspiring Cultures," is based around "a central theme, outlining the global factors affecting trends and our emerging color and design choices." Within the 2012 palette are four trend stories which represent a different time of day, "going full-circle round a 24 hour day, and in turn completing a life cycle." These trend stories are: 1) 06:00 Inhale, 2) 12:00 Rhythm, 3) 18:00 Urbanage and 4) 00:00 Digital.

Pretty cool concept, actually. And they have illustrated it beautifully in this gorgeous 90 page hardcover book.

The purpose of the experiment was to have all of the participants experience firsthand the different moods that environmental color creates. As Eddie Harari, head of Color for The Comex Group, wrote in his welcome letter, "The importance of color in our lives is immense, even if we don't notice it. Just think of your favorite sunset, an icy landscape, a jungle, or your favorite Sunday at the beach. Maybe you visit a friend's house who is a fantastic interior decorator, or travel to the Caribbean, India or Latin America where they embrace dramatic color. We hope the colors chosen for your rooms affect you like these experiences have, so that you feel genuinely transported....We hope that this experience will help open your mind and influence you to no longer be timid when choosing the color that surrounds you. Be brave, and bask in your magnificence!"

Amen! I'm all about being brave. (Shameless plug: The Brave New Home.)

Here's a shot of the "regular" rooms at the Ace hotel. I did not stay in one of these rooms during my trip. I'm not sure how I would have felt in this space - probably would have been craving a bit more color? It's hard to say. I think I might have to go back for another Palm Springs ~~vacation~~ experiment to test it out.

source

The first night I stayed in a room painted in Comex' Digital 185 and Inhale 154.

The second night, the room was in Rhythm 164 and Rhythm 167.

And the last night, the colors were Urbanage 178 and Digital 182.

Those are some crazy hues, right? Aren't you dying to see how the regular rooms look with the colorful overhaul?

Here's a little peek, but you'll have to come back to read Part III for the full story on how these rooms looked, how they made me feel and my thoughts on the entire experiment. There's just too much to say, and I don't want anyone falling asleep before they get to the end of my blog post.

How To Bring Joy Into Your Space

2012-01-14T14:31:00.000-08:00

Get a pink chair.

Seriously.

Ok, so maybe it doesn't have to be a pink chair, exactly, but the point is - bring something into your space that is quirky, playful and unexpected.

Let me share my little story about this pink chair and how it's not only reminded me how to decorate, but also how to live.

I've been working on our home lately. Painting, buying stuff, moving furniture around - trying to visualize how all the pieces can fit together. What to keep, what to get rid of, what to re-furbish. And, of course, agonizing over color decisions. We've got some stuff, but not a lot...and it really is a mish-mash. Don't get me wrong - I love a good mish-mash! But it can definitely be a challenge to pull together.

After purchasing a sofa, and painting the living room (with the help of my wonderful friend Rachel at Hue Consulting), I started to get a pretty clear vision of the space. With walls the deep yet translucent green hue of wine bottles, accents of turquoise and rich, velvety red, and dark brown and black wood furniture, I knew I wanted to create a a moody, victorian-esque space. A space with deep, rich colors perfect for dinner parties - and even more perfect for a Halloween-themed dinner party. Moody and dramatic and sophisticated. It was time to be grown up in my space, once and for all. Yes - that's it! A real grown-up space for a real grown-up girl.

Then I found the pink chair.

It was sitting quietly in the corner of the living room at an estate sale, minding its own business, when it caught my eye. Then I heard it calling my name. I mean, really calling me. Especially with its $60 price tag. I sat in it for about five seconds and that was long enough for me to decide that it was seriously one of the most comfortable chairs I've ever sat in. Sold.

With sheer determination (well, and a whole lot of adrenaline from my shopper's high) I hoisted that chair out of the living room by myself, only narrowly missing the Lladros, Hummels and other shoppers, and dragged it to the car. When I ventured out yesterday morning, was I looking for a pink velvet wingback chair? No. Not at all. But on a subconscious level, I must have been. Because it found me.

When I brought the chair home and placed it in the living room I loved it immediately. It looked like a piece of candy. It made me happy. Not just because it was a great find (although that helped), but because of its color and shape and what it did to the room. It made it playful.

But wait - I wasn't going for playful. I was going for grown-up and sophisticated and moody! Well, that chair had different plans for me. And, you know what? It's a smart little chair with really good plans.

You see, that chair makes me smile. And, quite honestly, before I brought it into the space, nothing made me smile. I was trying so hard to create a space that felt a certain way that I forgot about joy. We get so much out of our spaces. They help to make us feel one way or another. The colors, textures, shapes, sizes, and smells, all create an experience. Without something - or many things - that make us smile, it becomes very difficult to experience joy in a space. The pink chair was just what the space needed - just what I needed.

As I look at the pink chair in the morning light, I am reminded not just to bring more joy into the physical space of home, but to remember to bring more joy into everything, every day. Because, ultimately, it's really up to us to create our own joy.

With a little help from a pink chair, of course.

What brings you joy in your space?

If you need help bringing joy into your home, please call me at 650.867.3896 or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

New Office Paint Color

2012-01-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone.

I've been busy working on my own place these past few weeks - such a luxury! After nearly six months in our new house it was time to dedicate some serious design thinking to the place I call home. There's still lots to do, but I wanted to share a quick before and after of one corner of my office. (Just one corner because the rest is a disaster with a capital D!)

Before

After

The new color is Pratt and Lambert's New Glarus (21-20.)

I was looking for the perfect shade of "jade" - something that looked like two of my favorite pieces of jewelry - and this was it.

Are any of you working on home projects right now? Please feel free to share photos on my facebook page.

Ok. Now back to organizing. Hope to share more progress soon!

New Year, New Color Story in Better Homes and Gardens

2012-01-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this may be old news to those of you on facebook, but...

I'm featured in my third color story in the January 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens! I started working with BHG last summer on the concept of red-violets and it's finally here. I just adore these hues.

BHG included a lot of great info from our interviews in the print edition, but if you want more be sure to check out the digital edition on your iPad. (Print subscribers now have free access.) There's a bathroom inspiration board I designed, as well as an audio clip and additional color tips.

And in case that's not enough, here's a little more violet insight from the interview just for my blog readers.

BHG} How can you make lilacs look less girly?

KB} We all have very complex psychological associations with colors -not just violets - that are based on our cultural upbringings, amongst other things. Although there is an inherent sweet and floral association with many of these red-violet hues simply because they are the color of familiar flowers, much of our perception of red-violets is taken from what we’ve learned over time. Violets weren’t always associated with girly-ness. Purple was, and still is, a color of royalty. Red-violets can be very powerful and mystical...it just depends on the exact hue we are referring to.

"Red-violets aren’t just for girls. The deepest of these hues can be mysterious and powerful."

With that said, color is never viewed in a vacuum. That means that we experience a color with everything else that surrounds it. When we use a paint color on the walls of a room there are always other design elements that come into play and affect how we perceive that hue. To keep a red-violet room from becoming “too girly” it’s important to consider the other colors and textures in the space. Adding lace, dolls, floral fabrics and more red-violets to an already “lilac” room is only going to emphasize the girliness.

To create a less girly space, it’s important to bring in elements that are inherently less girly. Black and white photography, industrial inspired decor, streamlined furniture designs are just a few ideas on how to tame the romantic quality of red-violets. Also, pairing red-violets with colors that are not perceived as feminine, such as greys, blacks, browns, deep blues, etc, can help combat that girly feel.

BHG} What tricks are there for using lilacs/violets/purples? Does a little go a long way with the richer shades?

KB} The deeper shades of red-violet are actually less feminine and, in my opinion, easier to decorate with. The deeper the hue, the less sweet and romantic they are. The lightest tints of red-violets read as the most delicate and feminine, whereas the deepest shades read as more powerful and masculine. They also read more passionate. I would suggest to anyone painting their walls in these hues who is trying to steer clear of a romantic effect to go deeper in value.

BHG} How can you make lilacs/violets/purples be more livable?

KB} I think the first thing to do is to eliminate that assumption that they aren’t livable. And the idea that violet/lilac/purple is one hue. There is a huge range of violets, and, like any other hue, different variations create entirely different moods and effects. Next thing, remember that colors do not live in a vacuum. These red-violets can look very different depending upon what colors and textures they are paired with. Think about the overall mood you are going for in a space and then select a violet that supports that mood. Sophisticated and mysterious can be achieved using red-violet just as well as sweet and romantic can.

"The palest red-violets are like a sweet, fragrant whisper, while the deepest shades are a symphony for the senses."

BHG} What rooms are they best used for?

KB} They can be used in any room. Depends on what mood you are trying to create and what specific red-violet is being used. Also depends on your personal preference, color tolerances and psychological associations. I wouldn’t ban or promote violet for any particular space.

BHG} Is it a trendy color? Classic? Timeless? What tricks are there to giving it longevity?

KB} Any color can have longevity as long as it speaks to you. If you love violet, use it. If you don’t love it and you are using it simple because it’s trendy, it won’t have any longevity.

A Colorful Trip to The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs - Part I

2011-12-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the amazing opportunity to visit The Ace Hotel and Swim Club in Palm Springs. I was invited, along with a handful of design and lifestyle journalists and bloggers, to participate in a color experiment sponsored by The Comex Group and Arkitip, Inc. Comex, based out of Mexico City, is the parent company of PPI (Professional Paint, Inc.) which they acquired in 2004. In California, you might recognize their paint brand Frazee. Arkitip, based out of Los Angeles, is limited-edition art publication and also the curator of a "plethora of creative endeavors." For this project, Arkitip worked with their client, Comex, to create a color-focused installation at the Ace Hotel. This was a new experiment for all involved, and I have so much to talk about I think it's best if I break the story into a few parts.

Let's start with the Ace Hotel.

The Ace Hotel Group, brainchild of hotelier and uber-cool guy Alex Calderwood (whom I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting) currently has four locations - Portland, Seattle, New York and Palm Springs - with plans of expansion underway. Each hotel has its own style and feel, and careful consideration is given to the architectural and cultural history of each place. The Palm Springs location is no exception.

The 180-room hotel itself is "built on the foundation of a 1965 Howard Johnson hotel" while the adjacent restaurant, The King's Highway, is a resurrected Denny's restaurant. If you're lucky, while you're dining you can catch a performance by "Linda Fabulous", the resident show tunes belter/hostess who used to be an understudy for Barbra Streisand on Broadway. And The Amigo Room, with it's delicious artisanal cocktails and cave-like atmosphere, is an old school bar you don't want to miss. Much of the decor was kept in tact or re-purposed, providing the bar with colorfully rich layers of character and history.

The King's Highway set against the mountains.

The entire property is a visual feast. Its location is perfectly framed against the desert mountains, almost creating the sense that you are on your own little island...your own oasis in the desert. So, rather than talking your ears off, or, rather, writing your eyes off, it's probably best if I finish up this post with some photos of the property. And I'll continue my Palm Springs adventure in Part II...

The doors to the hotel lobby. Vespas (in reflection) are for rent.

Could that be Pantone's "Tangerine Tango" on the doors?

One of the exterior fireplaces featuring ceramic art installation by Stan Bitters.

Look closely - there's a beautiful violet-headed hummingbird in there!

"We have been called a boutique hotel. We're not sure what that is. We just love doing things our own way, and creating a neat experience based on a sense of place."

- Ace Hotel website

Have you been to any of the Ace Hotels? If so, what did you think?

How to Decorate an Artificial Christmas Tree

2011-12-06T16:15:00.001-08:00

This is my clients' home. Every year, for the past seven years, I've been decorating their home for the holidays. The first year I decorated, they purchased an artificial Christmas tree. Although I am partial to real trees for many reasons, there are definitely some advantages when it comes to decorating a tree of the man-made variety.

Now, there isn't just one way to decorate a tree - artificial or real - but over the years I have learned a few tricks of the trade.

Photos ©Vanessa Stump

Some of these tricks I picked up while working for Susie Coelho back in my early days of photo styling, as shown above. And many of them I have learned through trial and error. But there's always more to learn. So feel free to share your favorite tree decorating tricks here and hopefully we can all come away with a few extra styling skills.

1) Get a Pre-lit Tree

This tree is pre-lit. If you're going to purchase an artificial tree, I highly suggest getting a pre-lit one. It saves a ton of time not having to string the lights.

2) Straighten it Out

Take the time to straighten and manipulate the branches. These trees get crammed into boxes and look anything but natural if you don't help them out a little. But don't straighten the branches too much because real trees have their flaws. You're not trying to achieve perfection, just a more "natural" look. Although this step is kind of a pain, it's actually a decorating benefit to have wired branches that you can twist and turn into whatever direction you need.

3) Just Add Ribbon

Begin the decorating with thick wired ribbon in a color that will stand out against the dark green branches. The past few years I've used 3" wide red ribbon, but other hues will work great, too. This tree is about 9' high and uses three large rolls of ribbon. It's tricky to get the spacing right, so I first loosely lay the ribbon on the tree branches, as shown in the second photo. You will need to step back and examine the tree at all angles to make sure the ribbon spacing looks right. No steadfast rules here - you'll know if it looks off.

4) Work the Ribbon

After the spacing is tweaked, I begin working the ribbon into the branches of the tree. This is where you will be very happy you have wired ribbon! You want to make it look flowy - not too contrived - but also balanced. This is not an easy task, so give yourself lots of time. And keep stepping away from the tree to see how it's coming. (You will be doing a lot of this. Count it as your workout for the day.)

5) Top it Off

Get that tree topper on. Many of you probably wait until the very end to top the tree, but I like to put the topper on early in the decorating. Maybe because it gives me a sense of accomplishment? It's kind of a milestone when I know I still have a long way to go.

6) Stuff with Branches

Real or artificial, I love stuffing a tree with branches. This year the branches were artificial, but you can use real greens and berries, too. A favorite trick if you are using an artificial tree and miss the smell of pine, is to plug the tree with real pine branches or eucalyptus leaves. Either will create a beautiful smell in the house - much better than those pine-scented plug-in air fresheners. Here I've started with some artificial berries and red hydrangea flowers from Michael's.

7) Even Distribution

When introducing the branches, make sure that the different types are distributed evenly. You don't want all your red berries at the bottom, for example. Color and texture in general should always be evenly distributed. Again - lots of stepping back and assessing at all angles.

8) Sparkle, Sparkle

It's always good to add some sparkle. This is a collection that I've created for my clients over the years of gold pinecones, berries and eucalyptus. The pinecones typically come on large sticks which are too long to use at the top of the tree. Snip off a few so you can use them at the narrowest part of the tree without looking like you're trying to play a game of Kerplunk. (Ummm...does anyone remember this game?)

9) Fill in the Holes

Again, distribute each type of branch as evenly as you can. You'll start to eventually see where the "holes" are and it will get easier to place your decorations.

10) Extra Topping

If you want to add a little extra topper, stick a few flowers or ribbon at top of the tree. I used artificial poinsettias because I had them on hand. I could have used hydrangeas, but I didn't have any leftover. Sometimes you gotta use what you have!

11) More Texture and Color

For more depth, texture and sparkle, keep adding different types of branches. I love using the bright green leaves because it gives the tree a very fresh appearance...and those painted sparkly gold sticks are a must-have for any tree, in my opinion. Again, just keep plugging away and stepping back. And when you think you've added enough and there's just no more holes to fill, add a few more. You might need to tear the branches into smaller pieces so you don't get a clumpy look...and also so you can stick a few proportionately sized sprigs at the top.

12) Keepin' it Real

One thing you want to make sure you do is to plug in the branches, flowers and whatever else you are decorating with, at different depths. I usually like to have the gold branches stick out of the tree a few inches, while the flowers I keep more flush to the edges of the tree branches. This creates a more whimsical effect and a more "natural", imperfect feel.

13) Hang the Ornaments
The final decorating step for me is adding the ornaments. I have just used colored ball ornaments here, but obviously you can use other types. Try to stick with the same color scheme you've already established so it doesn't get too hodge-podgy. (If you like hodge-podge, by all means, disregard this suggestion. Sometimes sentiment wins out over coordination.) I prefer to use ribbon hangers as opposed to the traditional wire hangers (thanks in part, I'm sure, to my early exposure to the film Mommie Dearest.) Yes, it's slightly more time consuming, but I like the look. And with the artificial tree, you can manipulate the wire branches so the ornaments are super secure.

And here's the final tree! (It's an iPhone photo...scroll down for pics with the "real" camera.)

Another styling trick: Use consistent colors, textures and materials from the tree for adjacent areas of the room you are decorating. As shown, I used the same red hydrangeas, green leaves and gold sparkles on the mantle to create a continuity throughout the room.

And here's some final photos from last year's styling. My clients are having a big party this year, so all the furniture is removed from the space. Not ideal for taking after shots. But the tree is still just as lovely.

Last year I plugged in some magnolia flowers - they work great, too. See? No hard rules. There's a million variations for holiday decorating. Maybe even more.

Now, I'd love to hear your decorating tricks. Please share here or on my facebook page. Photos are encouraged!

If you need help styling for the holidays or any day, please call me at 650.867.3896 or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Grandma's Hutch Makeover - Before & After

2011-11-22T10:12:00.001-08:00

We've been in our new place for over four months now. You'd never know it by looking at the way it's decorated. I'm starting to get a little grumpy with its overall state of un-decoratedness. And I'm definitely getting past the point of being able to use the excuse "we just moved in." So, I've been making our place a priority the past couple of weeks. The progress is slow, but I do have an amazing project to share.

Hutch Before

This hutch was my grandmother's. Probably from the late 1950s. It sat in my grandparents' house for as long as we can all remember. It's not anything particularly expensive or fancy, but it definitely has good bones. I don't have much from my grandmother, so this piece is very special to me. Although I liked the wood finish, it was a little beat up (mostly from me using it as extra counter space in our previously tiny kitchen) and was begging for some TLC.

Hutch After Painting

After much deliberation, I opted to paint it black. This is where my dad stepped in with his sprayer. He also fixed a few broken edges, polished up the hardware and added new casters. Thanks, Dad!

Hutch After Styling

I'm in love with the final product...and now I've got a much-needed boost of energy to keep the decorating process moving. I'm hoping to share more projects in the upcoming months. Gotta keep that creative mojo going.

What furniture pieces have you resurrected? Share your photos by posting a link in the comments section. Thanks!

UPDATE: For those of you who requested more information on the painting process, here you are!
1) The hutch was first sanded to remove the existing finish.
2) Then it was primed. One coat with the sprayer. My dad used an oil-based primer and tinted it with black oil-based paint. (He wasn't sure how much black he added. Just dump some in.)
3) The piece was given a bit more sanding.
4) Then a single coat of Rustoleum oil-based satin black paint. About 10-15% paint thinner should be added to work with your sprayer.

That's it! My dad has a Graco HVLP sprayer with a "3 stage turbine." He thinks he used the "#4 nozzle." His biggest piece of advice - use a good sprayer. His model costs about $500 or $600.

Hope that helps! I sure am lucky to be able to outsource painting jobs like this. If you're handy and crafty, I'm sure you can do it yourself. But you can also hire painters to do the job, too.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

If you need help resurrecting or customizing an old piece of furniture, please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Interview with Lucite + Lavender

2011-11-17T09:36:00.001-08:00

Emily (a fellow Design Institute of San Diego grad) at Lucite + Lavender was kind enough to interview me for her blog. From favorite gadgets to childhood memories to guilty pleasures on TV, Emily asked me some pretty unique and fun questions. Head on over to learn a little more about me, and to hopefully get a good laugh from a couple of my stories. And while you're there, make sure you check out her other posts, as she's got some great design advice and projects to share.

Get to Know Kelly Berg of Arte Styling

Thanks, Emily! (Isn't she adorable?)

Woman's Day Color Story - Perfect Outdoor Palettes

2011-11-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

So excited to announce that I'm featured in this fall's Woman's Day Special Publication, "Remodeling & Makeovers." Page 14. On news stands until Dec 26. I found my copy at Barnes & Noble. (Ok, so I bought several copies as opposed to just one. But I left some for you. It's big news around here to get a spot in the tenth most popular magazine in the US!)

Don't you just love that red? Yum. (I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate that hue into my own place...)

If you are interested in color and interior design services, please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Fall Leaves - A Color Evolution

2011-11-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

I picked up these leaves on a hike the other day. It started with the brightest yellow leaf which caught my eye among all the brown dirt and dried up crunchy ground coverings. As I looked more closely, I noticed leaves in a rainbow of shades. It took about 10 minutes of searching to create almost a full spectrum. I believe they are all from the same type of tree. (If someone knows what type of tree, please share!)

What fascinates me most is that the life cycle of the tree leaves follows the order of spectral hues: Green to yellow-green to yellow to yellow-orange to red-orange to near-red to violet-y brown. So easy to take for granted, but think about it for a minute. The leaf colors could just as well be mixed up. Red orange could directly follow the green...and yellow-orange could be the most dead leaf of all. Instead, nature follows this beautiful color logic that feels so perfect we don't even notice how perfect it is.

When I brought the leaves home, they just beckoned to be photographed. In exploring different background textures and colors, I created a little study in simultaneous contrast. Basically, this means that colors change appearance depending on what colors they are next to. (This is where I am so happy to have my photo styling experience. You learn to use ANYTHING to create the right look for a shot.)

background: vintage cloth-covered cookbook in turquoise

background: vintage red velvet chair seat

background: white office desktop

background: wood dresser

background: yellow painted tea cart

background: vintage green velvet bench

background: black painted console table

Do you have a favorite?

photos © Kelly Berg 2011

October Skies

2011-10-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

Wow. Can't believe it's Friday already. How did that happen? And we are more than halfway through October.

We've had some crazy weather here in the bay area this month. The first week of October brought some hail and much cooler temps, but we've also been speckled with some very hot days. This weekend is supposed to get into the high 80s again. Can you say schizophrenic?

There have also been some amazing sites in our October skies. We just had a full moon. Did any of you catch it? So bright and magical. And Jupiter is fully visible this month...it is just beautiful. You don't have to stay up too late or get up too early to see it. Apparently you can even view its four moons with even the most basic telescope. And if you decide to stay up late (or get up early) you can also see Mars...and Mercury, Venus and Saturn will make a stronger appearance in November. (Check out Earth Sky for more info.)

Along with all this fantastic solar activity we have been blessed with some amazing sunsets. The colors have been glorious. Here's a few pics I snapped the other night. I am always fascinated by how quickly the colors change, and just how vibrant they are. These sunsets are a testament that, contrary to much of what we hear, "earth" and "sky" colors are anything but "soft and soothing." Just look at that fiery pink in the last shot.

Chronology of a Sunset
Photos © Kelly Berg, 2011

Have you seen any amazing skies lately? If so, please feel free to share photos on my facebook page. We'd love to see them!

Happy Friday.

Introducing The Colorscope - A Brand New Way to Plan Color Schemes for Your Home

2011-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not really introducing anything new here. This is an advertisement from a 1950s vintage booklet on decorating. The Colorscope was "arranged" by interior designer Vera Adams and offered homeowners "a preview of how your room will look if you combine certain colors."

"You begin with your carpet color and watch your room come to life. If you are considering the purchase of a new rug, the Colorscope will help you decide, for the 12 leading carpet colors are shown with complete rooms planned around them.

Every color scheme is described in detail and you learn why each color is suggested for walls, draperies, upholstery and accessories.

One of the most important features about Colorscope is that not just one manufacturer's color range is shown. Instead, every leading producer of home furnishings items is represented. You can choose from many colors."

And all this for only a buck! Man, times have changed.

I find it fascinating that the idea to create a systemized, monetized approach to color design is not new. It seems the advertising age of the 1950s spawned this idea that color systems can - and should - be packaged and sold. (Advertising legend Louis Cheskin even tried his hand at a color system for the home.) The funny thing is, none of these systems ever seem to stick. They get their moment in the sun, but eventually fizzle out. That's because our relationship with color is far too complex to be whittled down to a "pocket-sized shopping guide."

The Colorscope may seem silly and dated now, but the packaging and selling of color tools for profit is certainly not a thing of the past. There's a lot of money to be made in color. It's big business. Color is part of everything we purchase. As long as we keep shopping, there are going to be tools to "help" us shop.

Are there any current color tools out there that make you go "hmmmmmm?"

Color Poetry: Poem #1

2011-10-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have been writing poetry for as long as I can remember. Something about putting together words to create art...to create a story...is very magical to me. In high school I wrote a poem about a color. Not just any color but a very specific shade of pink. (I haven't been able to locate that poem for awhile. I'm hopeful that it's hanging out in my parents' attic. ) That poem has always stuck with me as one of my favorites. Funny how we come back to things in our lives. Who knew at that point that I would make color a very prominent part of my career?

I've recently decided to start writing more Color Poetry... and to share it with you on my blog. Here's Color Poem #1. I hope you enjoy.

Welcoming Fall

2011-09-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but it's been a crazy busy summer...and now, somehow, summer isn't here anymore. I always feel a twinge of sadness during this seasonal transition, but also a sense of excitement because fall is the ultimate marker of new beginnings.

As we move into the last few months of the calendar year things can get pretty hairy. The holidays are just around the corner, after all. Scary, I know. But there's no reason to get crazy. Fall comes every year and it is such a beautiful time. So make sure to slow down, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy it. No matter how busy you are. Nature puts on a great show for us and the least we can do is acknowledge her beauty. And a little thank you wouldn't hurt, either.

Happy first day of Fall.

"Everyone must take time

to sit and watch the leaves turn."

- Elizabeth Lawrence

all photos © Kelly Berg

Featured in Jax Does Design

2011-08-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Kelly James at Jax Does Design for featuring my green dresser on her Fab Furniture Friday blog post!

Kelly is a decorator and writer from Ottowa. Her blog, Jax Does Design, focuses on interior design, food, travel and pets...and now great furniture finds. If you have a piece you'd like to share with Kelly, send her a note as she's looking for material for future Fab Furniture Fridays.

Oh! And another thank you to Amanda Burdge at AB Home Interiors for the mention in today's post. Amanda is currently working on the Southern Living Showcase House in Nashville as one of a small group of interior designers. Head over to her blog to view the process. Go Amanda!

Happy Friday, everyone.

Crafty 3M Command Project #3: Vintage Towel Window Treatment

2011-08-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Time to share my third and final project using 3M Command Brand hooks!

Have you ever wanted to create a window treatment without the hassle of drilling a big ol' drapery rod into the wall...and with a little more style than a cheap-o tension rod from Rite-Aid?

Have I got a solution for you.

1) Begin with one bare window.

2) Attach 3M Command Metal Hooks on wall.

3) Clip vintage towel with cafe curtain clips and hang on wall hooks.

Missed Crafty 3M Projects 1 and 2?

Crafty 3M Command Project #1: Vintage Hat Display

Crafty 3M Command Project #2: Memory Party Game with Vintage Postcards

Happy weekend, everyone!

(Disclosure: I worked with Command Brand by 3M on this project. They kindly supplied me with the necessary Command products as well as monetary compensation for my work. I am not in partnership with Command Brand by 3M nor am I any sort of official spokesperson for their products. However, I genuinely am a big fan of the damage free hooks and highly recommend them for many applications.)

Inspiration from a Better Homes and Gardens Reader

2011-08-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

I received the following email from Kathy in Minnesota last week in response to my recent color story in Better Homes and Gardens. I wanted to share it with you because I think she has some great color words of wisdom.

"I really liked your piece in the August edition of Better Homes and Gardens.  It seemed that you - a designer - was giving me the thumbs up for the colors that I used in my bedroom and bathroom.



I have a really tiny house with tiny rooms.  I hesitated using any dark colors thinking it would make the rooms feel smaller.

 

When I recovered my headboard - with matching bedskirt  (patterned) with a turquoise blue/grey light coverlet - the white of the walls (actually it was a very, very pale pink) was too stark of a contrast.



It was not an easy task to paint the walls.  I couldn't move much out of the room, so I just moved things over and did small sections at a time.  I used a medium dark turquoise color - similar to the Acapulco Cliffs color that you had in your article.  It looked really good and picked up one of the colors in the bedding.  The ceiling was still white, but I thought that was what a ceiling was "supposed to be".



Months later, I decided to have the bathroom painted.  This time I hired it done.  I choose a medium toned greyed turquoise color.  The painters suggested that I also paint the ceiling.  Again, it is a very small space, but I trusted them.  So the ceiling was painted the same color.  The fixtures are all white with "silver"  or grey accessories - doors and trim are white.



When I walk up my stairs, I can see into the bathroom and really liked the look.  Instead of making the room smaller, it seemed to open it up.  So, before they left, I thought they should use that same color to paint my ceiling in the bedroom.  They could also correct my poorly done painted edge where the walls meet the ceiling (rounded edges,  plaster walls).   Without realizing it, I had picked colors from the same color strip, so they really looked good together.





Now that the ceiling is painted and I'm surrounded by the turquoise, it doesn't feel closed in.  It feels comforting.  Looks rich.

Whenever I walk into the bathroom, it seems so fresh and clean and I like how the color continues on the ceiling.  A perfect color choice.



Thank you for doing the article and I hope other people with take the ideas and add that color to their homes.  Good job!"

- Kathy from Minnesota

Thanks for sharing your color experience, Kathy! Readers - have you ever been pleasantly (or unpleasantly) surprised by the way a paint color looked once it went up on your walls, ceiling, trim, etc.?

Color Story with Better Homes and Gardens!

2011-07-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be in this month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens! Not only do I adore this publication, but the First Lady is gracing the cover. I'm very honored!

Thanks, BHG!

(This story is all about bold blue-greens (aka turquoise), which I absolutely love. Want my insight on citrus-y colors, another favorite color family of mine? Check out my interview from the February 2010 Better Homes and Gardens Color Issue.)

Crafty 3M Command Project #2: Memory Party Game with Vintage Postcards

2011-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

For my second project using 3M Command hooks, I designed a wall mounted "Memory Party Game." I used to LOVE this matching game as a kid. Here's the version I remember playing:

flickr

I adore the artwork! I think I'll have to buy myself a set on Etsy or something.

For my project, I wanted to make something a little larger in scale so it truly could be a party game. I also thought by bringing it to the wall, instead of playing on the floor or a table top, the game would be more out of the way, and could also be left up after the party is over as a funky piece of artwork.

Wall Before

Wall After

Want to make a Memory Party Game yourself? It's easy. Here's how:

Memory Party Game with 3M Command Hooks

I began with some vintage postcards that I picked up at an...you guessed it...estate sale. I made two copies of each postcard and trimmed them to equal sizing.

Because I made copies, the back side of each postcard was just a boring old white. I picked up some crafty scrapbooking supplies at Michael's to jazz them up.

Then I adhered 20 hooks to the wall in a grid pattern.

I clipped each postcard with a curtain clip and hung them on the wall.

Here's the backside of all the cards. This is how you would begin the game...

And here's the front side, after all the cards are turned over.

And here's my instructional video where you get to see me in live-action mode!

Crafty 3M Command Project #1: Vintage Hat Display

2011-07-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Back in December 2010 I entered 3M Command's "Take Command of Your Space Contest" and was a winner with my Jewelry Wall Art Project. Believe it or not, the project is still in one piece and I still love it! It's by far the best way I've ever organized my jewelry.

A few months ago I was invited to create three more projects using 3M Command products. After much brainstorming and a bit of creative space planning (I'm moving right now, so wall space is hard to come by!), I landed on three projects that I hope you'll find fun, useful and inspiring. 3M Command products are ingenius (and I'm not just saying that because they are paying me.) I absolutely LOVE these products. Their uses are only limited by the imagination. Let me tell you, once I got going, it was hard to edit my ideas down to just three. (You reading this Command? I've got more!!)

Here's project #1...

Hat Display with 3M Command Hooks

Step 1: Pick up an old window at an estate sale, salvage yard, dumpster, etc.

Step 2: Secure 3M Command Metal Hooks to glass panels. (Hooks shown - Large Antique Brass)

Step 3: Hang hats

And here's my instructional video:

Hope you enjoyed this project! Stay tuned for two more...

Current Projects (or Inside the Mind of an Interior Designer)

2011-07-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

I've got all sorts of things happening right now...on top of moving. Thought I'd share a few of my projects and what's been running through my mind on any given day of the week.

Project #1 - Physical Therapy Tenant Improvemnt, Burlingame, CA

Move in date is August 1st. Lots to do. Carpet, paint, space planning, furniture, etc. etc. etc.

Main space for therapy exercises

Waiting/Reception area

Client's space planning tools. This was a great start! And it was almost to scale.

Project #2 - Vacation Residence in Monterey, CA

Furniture, window treatments, space planning, accessories, etc.

Exterior courtyard and entry. The property is oceanside. So lovely.

Main living area. Working on seating arrangement and fabric selection.

Clients purchased this bed for the master bedroom. Major statement piece!

Project #3 - Interior Design and Styling for Residence, Redwood City, CA

Been working with clients for awhile to transform their new home into their own home. Furniture for living room, dining room, entry as well as accessories, rugs, etc.

Living Room before

Mantle needs serious attention. Any ideas?

Project #4 - Interior Design and Styling for Residence, San Mateo, CA

Wonderful client with tons of style just needed some refining. Wallpaper, space planning, styling, fabric...

Living room before

Chair and ottoman that are getting reupholstered

Need new fabric for bedroom drapes

And a few others...

Gallery art display before...

Gallery art display in progress

Living room before. Working on furniture, paint color, space planning, carpet...

Bathroom remodel before.

Living room before. Furniture, paint colors, accessories in progress.

Kitchen remodel before backsplash installation. After photos coming soon!

And then there's the bathroom remodel that I'm helping my parents out with. Tile and marble slab are ordered and my dad has finished building the vanity so we're on our way! (For some reason, my before photos are hiding on my computer somewhere. I'll try to find them for next time.)

I'm also working on a few special projects for 3M Command products. Remember my Jewelry Wall Art Project? Well, they liked it so much they commissioned me for three more crafty ideas using their products. I can't wait to share them!

And, later today Rachel, Lori and I will be recording a special podcast for Color Outlook. If you haven't checked it out yet, here's the link! If you are a member, it will be one of your new free perks.

If that's not enough, I've had several media inquiries over the past few days. Interviews and photo editing are involved. It's awesome and exciting, I just wish I had another brain cuz this one's getting overloaded.

Phew. Thanks for letting me take a load off. I feel so much better. Now... back to work!

The Emotional Process of Moving

2011-07-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

We all move at some point or another. To most of us, moving is a big pain in the you-know-what. As I sit here on my computer, surrounded by half filled boxes, I find myself feeling a broad mix of emotions. (One of them annoyance at the fact that my neighbor is blaring house music at 9am on the very day I finally hunker down to write this post! Ahhhh, the perks of working from home.)

We've been in San Mateo, CA since 2004. It was exactly seven years ago that we packed up our apartment in Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles) and drove up to northern California to start fresh. Well, now seven years later we will again be getting a fresh start. We're heading up to Novato in two weeks (ahhh! the clock is ticking) to be closer to my hubby's work in Marin. Poor guy's had one hell of a commute for over a year and it's time to give him a break.

It took me some getting used to the idea of moving before I even considered looking at places. I was quite resistant at first, claiming that my business would suffer, and that there was no way I could stay on top of client work while moving. I didn't want to disrupt my life. But then I realized that work was just an excuse. What I was actually feeling was fear. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being in control. And I realized... (oh great - now the gardeners are at the other neighbor's house mowing and blowing! Focus. Focus.)...and I realized that in all of my adult life I never had to move for another person. Moving had always been on my terms. Always. There was always a new exciting chapter in my life I was moving towards - school, a new job, a beach life in San Diego. It was always about creating a more independent me. This time I have had to embrace the idea that the move was for us. And I had to get past this dreaded feeling that I would be moving away from everything, and instead reformat it in my brain that I would be moving towards something, I just might not know what it is yet.

Leaving this space is going to be hard. We love our little house. More than half or our marriage has been spent among these walls, floors, and windows. (Oh great. Now I'm getting teary-eyed.) We've raised our pooch here. I can only imagine how those of you feel in a home where you've raised children! I've built my design business here. We've made friends, hosted dinners, laughed and cried and have really gotten to know ourselves and each other. In a sense, this home has become part of our relationship, and a huge part of our lives. It knows everything. And sharing everything with something creates a very intimate bond. Which makes it so very hard to leave.

But change is good. Despite the fact that this has been our little haven for so long, it is time to say goodbye and to embrace the new. There are plenty of things I won't miss (house music at 9am, for one thing) and the things that I will miss will either be replaced by new good things, or be recreated in our new home. We've found a cute little house to rent with almost the exact same floor plan, so it shouldn't be too hard to settle in. And I can paint the walls! It was such a huge fear of mine to be stuck in a place where I wouldn't be able to paint. Renters, you know how it is. (Although I'll never understand why so many landlords think painting a space is such a big deal. Don't you want your tenants to be happy and stay and keep paying you rent???)

So, as I pack boxes and try to figure out the logistics of our move (hello, U-haul. Seems we will reunite once again.) I try to remind myself that even though we are leaving a lot of wonderful things behind, there will also be wonderful new things around the corner. I also try to remind myself that it's ok to grieve. Leaving something that you love is never easy. It is a process, and that process can be very emotional. It's best to let yourself feel what you feel and then move on. And most of all, it's best to remind yourself that change doesn't have to be so scary. Change is inevitable. And as uncomfortable as it may seem at first, it always brings a new bloom of life.

Introducing Color Outlook: An Innovative Approach to Color Trend Forecasting

2011-06-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Finally - I can share this exciting new color venture! After months of top secret, undercover Skype meetings and emails I am pleased to introduce...

™

Color Outlook™ is the brainchild of color strategist Lori Sawaya, and really is an innovative approach to color trend forecasting. I've been working with Lori, along with Rachel Perls of Hue Consulting, for the past year on ColorPodz podcasts. Lori created ColorPodz as a way to provide usable, interesting - and hopefully entertaining - color information in an audio format. ColorPodz has racked up 21 episodes that are all available for FREE on iTunes. If you are a self-declared color lover, you are really missing out if you haven't downloaded them yet. We've discussed everything from the color yellow to Johannes Itten to synesthesia. The podcasts have proven to be extremely popular with over 20,000 unique downloads to date.

ColorPodz has been a ton of fun, and I have learned so much in recording these podcasts. And the best thing about them? They are timeless. We speak of color from an historical, cultural and psychological perspective. This kind of information is always extremely valuable - it never gets dated. We don't have any plans to end ColorPodz, so don't worry. There will be more down the pike.

But for now, we've turned out attention to color trend forecasting.

Yep - you heard me. Color trend forecasting. This might seem ironic from a group of color pros who aren't really on board with the whole color trend thing. (If you've listened to our podcasts, you know where we stand.) However, Color Outlook isn't your mother's color forecasting. We've given it a new spin. We're not declaring a single "it" color for the year, and we're not over-sensationalizing color predictions with fancy brochures and ad campaigns. We are a group of six color professionals bringing you timely, focused and relevant color information straight from the trenches.

Take a look at our team. In addition to Lori, Rachel and I, we've added three new faces to the original ColorPodz group to ensure that we have a well-rounded perspective on what's happening in the world of color from the West Coast to the East Coast. Our newest team members include Annie Elliot of bossy color, Amy Woolf of Amy Woolf Color Consulting, and Paula Doelling-Lynn of Doelling Decorating Center. For me, it's been fascinating to hear everyone's views on color and to learn what's happening outside of California on the color front.

You see, although we noticed a lot of similarities in overall color direction (one hot hue is decidedly making a BIG comeback), we don't share the same views on everything. Are grays currently popular all across the country? Listen to this free Color Outlook™ snippet to see what Amy Woolf has to say.

If you like what you hear, you're going to LOVE Color Outlook™. If I wasn't a member of the Color Outlook™ team, I'd be signing up right away because there really is nothing else out there like it. It's a great tool for anyone working in the color industry. You get access to six different color professionals who not only work with clients on a day-to-day basis, but also are constantly absorbing color information from many different sources. We don't just work with color, we LIVE color. And we want to share it with you.

Color Outlook™ isn't free - the information is just too valuable to give away. But membership IS offered at a very reasonable cost. We also have free perks for members. Right now, members have access to a full-length podcast on the History of Color Trend Forecasting in the US. It's packed with fascinating info that I think everyone in the color industry should know. And, in addition to the Color Outlook™ audio report, we're also providing members with show notes - approximately one page of color insight from each member of the team - as well as a customized color card featuring 36 paint hues we have found to be in high demand from our clients right now.

It's really pretty cool. And I'm very excited and proud to be a part of this color venture - can you tell??!!??

Want to know more? Here's the skinny on Color Outlook™ straight from our press release.

Get the Latest Dish on Color Trends;

Color Outlook™ Podcasts - the ultimate color destination for industry professionals

Color trend forecasting is big business. Currently, color industry professionals rely on one-size-fits-all color forecasting that focuses on what is going to happen in the world of color rather that what is happening right now.

Launching May 31, 2011, Color Outlook™, a new series of podcasts brought to you by the producers of ColorPodz, offers an alternative solution to traditional forecasting by providing color information that is relevant now. Color Outlook™ presents reliable color information straight from the trenches- designers working directly with clients.

With self-declared “experts” emerging daily, often broadcasting misinformation, it can be difficult for color pros to find an efficient, trustworthy color source. Color Outlook™ promises accurate and timely trend perspectives. It’s a destination customized for industry professionals of color, paint and design, but available to anyone with a passion for color.

Color Outlook™ podcasts in a nutshell:

Where: ColorOutlook.com (launching May 31st)
Length: 60 minutes each podcast
Structure/tone: condensed, succinct quarterly outlook reports from each expert for 1st half hour, then lively, free-form review and group discussion for 2nd half
Price/availability: Offered four times a year $125/podcast or buy 3 for $375* and get 1 free. Purchase by Aug. 31st, 2011 for special introductory rate of $99/podcast or 3 for $297* and get 1 free (*non-refundable, up-front charge) Intro rate of $99 maintained with uninterrupted membership.
Launch: First podcast to be released May 31st, 2011
Delivering: what’s hot in color right now from design experts dealing with clients on a daily basis
Included: transcript of “show notes” from each speaker plus color card overview

I hope you'll check out Color Outlook™ and consider a membership. If you have any questions, you can contact me at kelly@coloroutlook.com or Lori at info@coloroutlook.com

Bedroom Makeover: A Few Small Changes Create a Brand New Look

2011-05-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

Last spring, my bedroom underwent a bit of a makeover. It took about a year, but after a very painful deliberation process, I landed on its new wall color - Sherwin Williams' Fleeting Green.

Well, the bedroom now has received a mini-makeover. Though the paint color remains the same, a few tweaks in the accessory department awarded me a brand new look.

I could tell you that this makeover happened over the weekend, but I'd be lying. It's been a gradual process, starting with the introduction of this amazing dresser that my dad built last October.

Then we had new hardwood floors installed, one of the more positive outcomes of a burst kitchen pipe.

I picked up a few new bed linens a couple of months ago, including the crazy, furry green throw which has acquired the nickname "The Magic Woobie" due to its incredible healing powers. (It's amazing how a soft, cuddly throw can somehow make you feel better on really crappy days.)

I also gave the table lamps a little love with some green pom-pom trim and a few squeezes of fabric glue.

I scored this green velvet upholstered bench at a recent estate sale for $30. Let's just say I was pretty excited that day. Major shopper's high.

Here's the before and after.

Now, there was nothing really wrong with the before. I still adore the turquoise and yellow color combination and might go back to it at some point. But sometimes we need a change. Sometimes before and afters aren't about what's better and what's worse. Sometimes a before and after merely reflects the evolution of a space as we move through our lives. So for now, I will make a conscious choice not to judge and compare and analyze every little detail and just enjoy the space that it is today, knowing that when I'm meant to evolve it will evolve right along with me.

If you need help with your design evolution, please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

How to Order Flowers in the "Right" Colors

2011-05-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

Another good reason to buy local.

The California Cut Flower Commission has put together a Color Chart to to "make it easier to compare variations of color and to help communicate floral color between buyers, sellers, and floral designers."

If you've ever had trouble communicating to a florist what color buds you'd like in your floral arrangements, here's the perfect solution. The CCFC's Color Chart has has assigned a number to a broad range of hues making it "so describing your vision of "peachy pink" or "bluish purple" won't get lost in translation."

What do you think? Will you use this tool next time you order a flower delivery? Is this an extra incentive to buy local?

I know I am planning on making a bigger effort to buy local flowers. If you didn't know already, almost all of the roses we buy in the states are imported. It wasn't always that way. Here's a good blog post on the topic from CCFC's website: Where do your roses come from? Probably further than you think.

California Paints Color Challenge Update

2011-04-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was informed by California Paints that four of my color palettes were winning entries for their 2010 Color Challenge. (You might even remember playing a little forecasting game with me, trying to guess which of my 10 California-themed color palettes were chosen.) Well, last week it became official. The interior and exterior color cards arrived featuring a beautiful array of palettes created by talented designers from all over the country. Congratulations to all the winners! You can read the official press release here.

Here's a few pages from the Interior Color Card book:

And a few from the Exterior Color Card book:

If you'd like to read more about what inspired these palettes and the designers who created them, California Paints has put together an online Designer Gallery. Be sure to check it out. Maybe you'll see some familiar faces.

For more detailed information on my palettes you can go directly to my online Designer Page or visit these earlier blog posts.

California Paints Color Challenge (And a little color forecasting test)

The Final Four (Color palettes, that is)

(If you pay close attention, you'll notice I tweaked one of the palette concepts a bit from my original entry. I'll be honest - I didn't have the appropriate photos to support one of my California themes! You get a gold star if you can find the one I changed. )

Congrats again to all the designers. And a big thank you to California Paints for the opportunity to share our colorful creations.

The Top Five Most Useless Interior Design Terms

2011-04-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of terms that get thrown around when people discuss design. Many of these terms are necessities in the design process - communicators of what a space should look like, how it should feel and what sort of function it should perform. Other terms are completely meaningless. Their very existence relies upon an extremely passive approach to design, creating a mindless vortex in which we all can get sucked into if we aren't careful.

I'm not going to lie. I've been guilty of using these terms from time to time when speaking to design. But the more and more I see the following descriptors getting tossed around like croutons on a salad, the more and more I have begun to despise - yes, despise - these words and what we're supposed to think they mean. Why such strong feelings towards such seemingly harmless groupings of letters? Because these words don't help anyone. They don't help me, they don't help you and they don't help my clients. These terms are so vague, they only create confusion when applied to design and a sense of inadequacy for those who think they don't understand them. I am here to tell you that if you don't understand how these terms relate to your home, don't worry about it. You don't need to. And if you hear a design professional use one of these words, ask them what they mean by it. If they can give you a logical, cohesive, sensical answer and can go on to describe a space or a style on a deeper level, you've got yourself a good designer. If they start babbling nonsensical gibberish, beware. Good design starts with a good concept...and a good designer should be able to speak to that concept without making you feel like a deer caught in headlights.

Ok, on to...

The Top Five Most Useless Interior Design Terms

1) Timeless
Also known as Classic. I see this one over and over again. At first glance, it might seem completely harmless. But when this word is used to describe an interior or a style I cringe. Timeless essentially means eternal, infinite, and ageless. Now, tell me, how exactly does this transfer to a design direction? Perhaps it's a brown leather club chair in front of a brick fireplace? Or a colorfully painted fresco depicting a biblical scene on your ceiling? Or maybe it's a stone cave carved out of the side of a mountain? It would be difficult to argue that any of these designs aren't timeless. So when a client tells me they like timeless design, which of these styles are they referring to? Exactly. We don't know. None of us know until we dig a little deeper.

2) Eclectic
This is a good one. I've certainly used this term myself and I'm vowing to eliminate it from my design vocabulary right now.

Here's the definition of eclectic design according to dictionary.com:

noting or pertaining to works of architecture, decoration, landscaping, etc., produced by a certain person or during a certain period, that derive from a wide range of historic styles, the style in each instance often being chosen for its fancied appropriateness to local tradition, local geography, the purpose to be served, or the cultural background of the client.

Huh?

Maybe it's a decent definition of what eclectic design is, but it doesn't help much when we are designing spaces. If a client tells me they have eclectic tastes, that's fine. I get it. They have different tastes and like to mix different things together. But what sort of different are we talking about? Eclectic can mean a whole lot of things to a whole lot of people. Is it an art collection from the 1960s mixed with a Room and Board sofa? Is it a grouping of Arts and Crafts style pottery resting on grandma's sideboard? Is this really eclectic...or is it just authentic, meaningful design? Shouldn't all homes have a sense of being eclectic? If we don't embrace eclectic - if we don't embrace the different - then we embrace sameness. And that's just boring.

3) Clean
I don't have much to say on this other than...what, do we want dirty? Clean is a state of not being dirty. It is not a design goal.

4) Ethnic
Otherwise known as Global. This is a funny one to me. If the design style doesn't originate in our own backyards then it's ethnic. Usually we see this term describing anything that's overly colorful or filled with trinkets from far-off lands. I'm all for incorporating meaningful artifacts and artwork from a client's international travels...but usually these places have a name. If something is from Tibet or Mozambique or Singapore, why does it have to be ethnic? It just is what it is, and should be celebrated. Using the term ethnic really dumbs us down by allowing us to group together anything "foreign" into one big lump of design.

5) Transitional
My favorite. Or, rather, my least favorite. Can someone please tell me how I made it through three years of design school without hearing so much as a whisper of this "design style"? This is, in my opinion, the absolute worst word to use in reference to design. Transitioning from what to what, exactly? To me, this word represents all that is generic, uninspired and unthoughtful about design. The very nature of the word suggests that the space is temporary, in transition...transient. Maybe this is a a good design descriptor for a subway station, but not a home. When a designer uses this word to describe their work, I get very concerned. It is usually used as an attempt to be all-encompassing...and I know that some designers stand by this term whole-heartedly. But, I can tell you that if a client ever uses the word transitional with me to describe their design style, it gives me absolutely nothing to go off of. Does it mean crown molding and a Mission style dining table? Or no molding with a trestle style table made of reclaimed wood? Oh wait - now we're probably getting into Green Design. Geez. Even I start to get confused.

So, are you with me? Will you vow to stop using these terms to describe design styles and to define design goals? Or is there a term here that you just can't live without?

Is there any other Useless Interior Design Term you'd like to add to the list?

Colorful Kitchen Remodel: Violet and Green

2011-03-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of all-white kitchens. They can look beautiful on the pages of a magazine, but, in general, I don't find them very livable. I'd much rather infuse a kitchen with color. For a recent kitchen remodel, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with clients who were ready to embrace unique color combinations. Although they ultimately decided on white cabinetry (gray, black and green were in the running), we were able to bring in a lot of color through the backsplash tile, paint and accessories. The final design resulted in a fresh, playful, authentic space that the clients absolutely adore.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Tile design drawing. Client wanted an organic feel, so I designed the backsplash with a random pattern. The tile installer interpreted it perfectly!

Tile backsplash installed

Backsplash tile design options. Clients opted for the third design from top, making only a slight change with the liner location.

Tile backsplash installed

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before (Adjacent eat-in space)

After

Before

After (We really wanted to move that funky wall at the end of the peninsula, but it was structural.)

If you need guidance with your kitchen remodel please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Color is NOT Easy...and Why That's a Good Thing

2011-03-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

If anyone ever tries to tell you that color is easy, be skeptical.

The very idea of color (color is, after all, just an idea...or perception) is highly complex. Since the beginning of time color has been a subject so integral to our understanding of life itself. Some of the greatest minds in history have devoted years, decades - even lifetimes - trying to make complete sense of how color works. Thanks to this devotion, and modern technology, we have a pretty good understanding of color from a scientific perspective. We know about rods and cones, additive versus subtractive, and the whole prism thing. Ok, well "we", meaning me, know some of it. The point is, the information and training is available if I ever wanted to become a color scientist. Probably not going to happen in this lifetime, but never say never. And although the training is available (you can get a Master's in Color Science from Rochester Institute of Technology) I highly doubt it is an "easy" subject to major in, as the program encompasses physics, chemistry, physiology, statistics, computer science and psychology.

Ahhh...color psychology. We've all heard about this. Personally, I think color psychology could be a major all on its on, because that's really where things start to get complicated. And because it gets so complicated it is an immediate target for what I consider one of the most dangerous words in the English language: "Easy."

Dangerous? Isn't that a bit harsh?

No, I don't think so...and let me tell you why.

"Easy" leads to magic recipes which in turn lead to color myths.

We've heard that red makes you hungry, and that blue is an appetite suppresent. So if you want to lose weight, just paint your kitchen blue. Easy enough, right? Zippo-zammo - you've solved two of life's biggest problems with one easy stroke of a brush. You know what color to paint your kitchen AND you're gonna drop a few pounds. Where did this idea come from? Some studies were done a number of years ago that, like a bad game of telephone, become diluted and misinterpreted over time. The information was then hijacked by "color experts" in an effort to prove their own worth as professionals. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

"Easy" also leads to arbitrary color "rules."

Ever heard something like "All trim should be painted white" or "Never paint a small room in a dark color"? These "rules" attempt to simplify color and neglect to take into account the ever-evolving and highly unique set of circumstances, preferences and personas involved in each color project. Creating color "rules" certainly makes for easy-to-follow advice and looks great as a quote in a magazine. But, in my opinion, it is completely irresponsible for any color professional to design, sell, or subscribe to any of it.

And why is all of this bad? Well, for a few reasons. First, simplifying color doesn't lead to well-designed, well-functioning spaces. Color does, in fact, play an extremely important role in the function of our environments, and following "easy" color advice can often lead to bad design. Bad design can make us feel icky in our spaces. Imagine telling someone who despises blue that she needs to paint her kitchen blue simply because she's trying to lose weight? Every time she goes in her kitchen she's going to hate it. Maybe she'll lose weight, but it might be because she can't stand being in the space long enough to grab some food. Or, maybe that space will stress her out and she'll consume MORE food because she's an emotional eater. Sound ridiculous? Sure - but no more ridiculous than the original color myth.

Making color "easy" also can create a sense of fear. What happens if we don't adhere to these color "rules"? Will we ruin our baby's development if we paint the wrong color in the nursery? Will the value of our home decrease if we don't have all the trim painted in Decorator's White? Funny how "easy" doesn't seem so easy anymore. Although the "rules" are set up to guide us, they actually confine us, often times making us too frightened to appreciate and explore color by our own free will.

Ultimately, "easy" deprives us of a deep sense of satisfaction.

You still with me?

When we try to turn something into "easy", we immediately take away the prospect of hard work and reward. If something is deemed easy, we also have expectations that it won't take much time or energy.What's more rewarding - walking to the end of the street or running 10 miles? Running that 10 miles is probably going to be hard work (unless you're Carl Lewis or something), but you will no doubt feel an exhilarating sense of accomplishment when the run is completed.

Setting up this idea that color is "easy" takes away our ability to truly appreciate color and all it has to offer. Color is hard work. But it is in the hard work that we reap the sweetest reward. I believe that we are all capable of learning color. This idea that it's supposed to be easy is outdated and dangerous. It leaves people afraid and feeling inadequate...and leads to thoughtless designs. It's time to embrace the idea that color is NOT easy. Never was, never has been. And as soon as we stop trying to make it easy and give it the thought that it deserves, we will be able to harness its full power and beauty.

If you need help harnessing the power and beauty of color please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Portfolio Collages

2011-03-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

I've been working on organizing my portfolio photos for quite awhile. It's amazing how much time it takes to thoughtfully curate images. Of course, I've known this for quite a while, but every time I sit down to revisit my images, I am newly surprised at the hours that need to go into presenting my work in an interesting yet easily digestible fashion.

I'm still working on putting my images on my website, but have also begun really utilizing Flickr. (I know, I know - I'm a bit behind here.) I've still got lots of work to do, but I thought it'd be fun to share these color collages I whipped up. Trying to find a way to connect my styling and set decorating images with my interior design and color work...AND photography, I landed on the idea of organizing by color family.

If anyone has further suggestions or has created their own system for organizing photos, please share!

The Art of Hand-Colored Photographs

2011-03-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

My mom has recently begun the tremendously time consuming project of digitally organizing all of our family photos. This is quite an undertaking, as she is scanning slides and photos, sorting events, identifying and labeling family members, uploading to Flickr and adding images to her family tree on Ancestry.com. There are literally thousands of images to be sorted through, but, I gotta tell you, it is so worth the hard work. Once the photos are up on Flickr they can be shared with family members and also played as slideshows on TV using AppleTV. It is really cool.

I adore looking at old photos of family. Always have. There is something quite magical about it all. And now that the photos are digital, and not just hiding in dusty old boxes anymore, it's as if each person who is no longer with us has been brought back to life.

Some of my favorite photos are the ones that are hand colored. The hand coloring process was first used in the mid-1800s by various artists and painters in Europe and Japan. In the early to mid-1900s, hand colorization was widely popular among middle class families. Black and white photos were literally painted with a brush or finger using coloring materials such as watercolor and oil paints, crayon and pastels, and various natural and synthetic dyes. The end product became somewhat of a cross between a painted portrait and photograph, reflecting the colorists' artistic perspective.

Here are some of my favorites...

My grandmother on her wedding day.

My grandmother (ca 1935)

My mom.

My mom again. (She was the first child. Lots of baby pics!)

Mom

Mom. One of my favorites. I think she looks like Natalie Wood here.

Mom again. Ok - maybe a bit too much yellow on that dress...

My mother's uncle. This pic is especially artistic with the wooded background.

My mother's great uncle.

Another one of my mother's uncles.

Please feel free to share your favorite hand colored photos by linking to them in the comments. I'd love to see them.

Also, does anyone create the same effect using Photoshop or another photo editing software? Please share!

Kitchen Remodel - Sneak Peek

2011-02-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

I recently wrapped up a kitchen remodel in Belmont, CA. I haven't been over to see the completed project in person yet, but my client kindly sent over a few photos of their new space.

Here's a quick before and after. I promise a more thorough blog post on the project soon!

Before

After

Happy Friday!

If you are taking on a kitchen remodel and feeling overwhelmed with how to pull it all together, please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

The Most Colorful Car in the World...

2011-02-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

sits in a parking garage in San Francisco. (I think it had a flat.)

I sooo want to roll down Haight Street in this baby.

Look! It's a "living roof." Never seen one of those on a four-door sedan before.

If you look past the tackiness of whole thing, it's actually quite artistic.

The painted postcard-like depictions of famous San Francisco places

and things must have been quite a labor of love.

And it even has bedazzled hubcaps...

and rear-view mirrors.

What do you think? Wanna go for a ride in The Most Colorful Car in the World?

"Home" from a Bird's Perspective

2011-02-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Human homes come in many shapes, sizes, styles and colors. We've got Craftsman Bungalows, Mid-Century Modern Ranches, and Suburban McMansions. Some are built on the coast, some in the mountains, some in the city. We decorate our spaces with Pottery Barn sofas and Crate and Barrel rugs, vintage eBay discoveries, and treasured antiques. We spend hours, days, months and even years contemplating paint colors and materials as we strive to make our domestic environments suitable for our lifestyles and expressions of our artistic selves. We clean and we sort and we organize. In essence, we nest - preparing our homes for the lives that we live now, the lives that we have led in the past and the lives that we will continue to lead in the future.

There is a unique quality to each of our spaces, surely, as is evidenced by the many design blogs, magazines, etc. But when you really start to think about it, are our homes really all that different from one another? We all essentially just live in boxes. Boxes filled with things to sit on, things to keep us warm, things to eat, and things to keep us entertained. Humans, at least those of us fortunate enough to have proper shelter, pretty much all live the same.

source: Martha Stewart

This is something I've thought about quite a bit. This weekend, as we tackled some much needed yard clean-up, I was reminded of how similar all of us humans live. In fact, not just how all humans live, but how all living creatures make their homes.

For the past several years, we have been lucky enough to have birds make their homes in the jasmine plants in the front yard. They build their nests in the well-protected vines and raise their babies. Some babies fall from their nests (so sad) but most of them are tended to until they are big enough to fly away and live the life of a grown-up bird. They come back each spring, so, with the warm weather we've been having, I knew it was time to trim that jasmine before they began nesting again for the season.

While cleaning and trimming the jasmine, I came across at least 10 nests. A few of them had deteriorated, but several of them were still so perfect. I pulled them out and took a few photos to share before securing them back in the jasmine again. (Hopefully this won't affect their return! I tried to make it comfy.)

These nests were so beautiful, and so perfect, but all slightly different. I started to wonder, if birds could analyze each other's homes, would they notice the nuances like we do with our own homes? Would one say to the other, "I like that blue string you used there. Where did you get that? I want one." Or, "I wouldn't have used those brown feathers. They look dirty. White would have looked much cleaner." If one bird has a bigger nest in the next tree, does he immediately get working on his own nest, adding more bits of string, twigs, feathers - anything he can get his hands on to out-do his neighbor?

Or does he just appreciate his little nest for what it is? A humble shelter. A place to raise his young. A home built with his own two feet and...beak.

My Vintage Valentine to You

2011-02-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have a beautiful Valentine's Day, filled with love, beauty and a little bit of child-like excitement (just like my little vintage girl here.)

"Just say you're mine
and when it's said
We'll go and PAINT
The whole town RED!"

And if you need help choosing the perfect shade of red, give me a call at 650.867.3896 or send an email to kelly@artestyling.com.

The Final Four (Color palettes, that is)

2011-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Alright...are you ready to see the winners of the California Paints' Color Challenge? I'm sure the suspense has been killing all of you. Maybe even a sleepless night or two.

No? Ok, well I'll try not to take it personally.

The winning palettes are...

1) Redwood Forests (Interior)

This verdant palette creates the sensation of walking through a majestic Northern California forest. With the mix of vibrant, deep and muted greens, the fresh and earthy aromas of the forest come to life.

Photos: K. Berg

2) Snowy Sierras (Exterior)

Experience the look and feel of winter in the Sierras with this cool and sophisticated palette. Soft white, cool, pale grey and deep pine green instantly create visions of snow-covered slopes in Tahoe and the wintery wonderland of Yosemite.

Photos: source; source

3) Napa Valley Wine Country (Exterior)

This rich palette was inspired by my hometown of Napa. The trio of deep violet, earthy green and intense gold instantly transports me to the picturesque drive up Silverado Trail. The lush vineyards, flowering mustard seed and a glass of cabernet. Does it get any better than this?

Photos: K. Berg; V. Stump; K. Berg

4) Old California Mission (Exterior)

Wherever you go in California, you are greeted with reminders of the Golden State’s rich Spanish history. Inspired by the glorious missions that run up and down the expansive coastline, this palette borrows its hues from warm terra cotta tiles, the fertile soil, and the hot California sun.

Photos: K. Berg; source; K. Berg

Vegetarian Chili Recipe - Just in Time for Superbowl Sunday

2011-02-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

I used to love meaty chili as a kid. We'd often have a big bowl of it for dinner, using a flour tortilla as the base and topping it with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Since I no longer eat meat - haven't for about 15 years now - I had to devise a way to get the same flavor and texture profile as my childhood favorite, vegetarian-style.

I've made vegetarian chili before. I simply followed a traditional meat-filled recipe and left out the meat. Good, but definitely not worth blogging about. That was before I had my secret ingredient: Rancho Gordo Beans.

If you haven't heard of Rancho Gordo Beans and you love beans (or even like them...you'll probably love them after you try them) please go check them out! They are out of Napa, and provide the most wonderful product - Heirloom beans from Mexico and Central America. "The Rancho Gordo Story" provides a great read on the company's history and philosophy.

"American cuisine seems to be in a position of re-inventing itself and I'd love to include ingredients, traditions and recipes from south of the border as part of the equation. I love the concept of The Americas. I feel as if it's just as important as the European heritage many of us share." - Steve Sando, Founder of Rancho Gordo

I love that.

Ok, on to my recipe. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili (w/ Rancho Gordo Ayocote Morado Beans)

Ingredients
1/2 lb of Ayocote Morado (Purple Runner Beans), rinsed and sorted (BUY here)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp Chili powder (more for spicier, less for milder)
1 tsp Chipotle powder (more for spicier, less for milder)
salt
pepper
avocado
cotija cheese

Soak beans in water a large stock pot in water for approximately 2 hours (or until they double in size and soften a bit.) Make a mirepoix with the carrots, onions and celery. (This just basically means you saute the ingredients together with a little olive oil and cook until softened.) Once the beans are soaked, add the mirepoix, canned tomatoes, bay leaves and oregano to the stock pot. Turn on the heat to medium-low and simmer away for a couple of hours. You may need to add more water periodically, depending on how much water the beans were soaking in. The amount of water and the cooking time will determine how thick or thin your chili will be.

Near the end of the cooking process, add the chili powder, chipotle and salt and pepper to taste. (I stick a spoon in every once in awhile to taste the beans for doneness.) You may want to add the chili powder and chipotle in gradually to adjust for your personal spicy meter. I like things on the spicy side, so these proportions might have a bit too much bite for some of you.

Then - and this is the trick to giving the chili a more meaty texture - mash up about half the beans with a potato masher. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so, and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.

Serve with warm tortillas or tortilla chips and top with fresh avocado and cotija cheese.

(And I just have to say, for my dad and Uncle Mike...Go Packers!!!!)

California Paints Color Challenge (And a little color forecasting test)

2011-02-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

Back in November, I entered a contest put together by California Paints. The contest was called "Color Challenge" and was a call "to the professional interior design community to determine the featured colors for our 2011 color card series."

Each designer could enter up to 10 three-color palettes using California Paints' hues. Five palettes for interior schemes, and five palettes for exterior schemes. I went ahead and submitted all 10 schemes thinking I would increase my chances. Well, it must have worked because last week I was contacted by California Paints and was informed that the company would be using four of my color schemes in their color cards, coming out this spring. There will also be an online "Designer Selection Gallery" featuring the winners of the contest along with further information about their selected palettes.

I decided to give you a sneak peek of my color palettes, and also provide you with a little color challenge of your own. Below are the 10 palettes I submitted. (You might notice that I named these palettes after places in California. I was trying to bring some more "California" into California Paints, because, ironically enough, you can't actually buy California Paints in the state of California. I was assured by the Marketing Director in Massachusetts that they are currently working on a westward expansion.)

Anyway, here are the palettes. See if you can guess which four color schemes were chosen for winners! (Hint: three are exterior; one is interior.) On Thursday I'll post the four palettes that will be featured in California Paints 2011 Color Cards.

(Please note that these are photos of color cards, therefore the colors aren't 100% accurate representations of the actual paint colors.)

The Golden Gate

Crystal Cove

Monterey Coast

Old Hollywood

Redwood Forests

California Sunset

Snowy Sierras

Napa Valley Wine Country

San Diego Beaches

Old California Mission

If you are ready to create your own personalized color palette for your home or business, please call me at 650.867.3896, or shoot me an email at kelly@artestyling.com to discuss your project.

Color Theory Interview for The Art Institutes

2011-01-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

A big thank you The Art Institutes for interviewing me for the article "Color Theory Influences Design." You can find the story, along with lots of other great info, on Ai InSite, The Art Institute's online newsletter.

Head on over if you are interested in reading about the history and psychology of color theory, and the role of color theory in design.

And if you want even more info on the history of color theory, be sure to catch the ColorPodz podcast on this very topic!