California Wine Country Color & Design Project

Benjamin Moore White Dove Cabinets

Another fun project with my fave California clients - a complete renovation of their new vacation home in Paso Robles Wine Country.

New everything!

Paso Robles is a unique wine region halfway between Los Angeles & San Francisco along California's Central Coast.  

Benjamin Moore Van Cortland Blue Island
Benjamin Moore White Dove Perimeter
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Walls
Hickory Wood Floors

With it's a spicy and soulful vibe, Paso Robles has a beautiful mix of design styles.

And nature astounds with big day-to-night temperature swings, earthy landscapes with coastal influences, and a diverse mix of rich, unique soils.

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Walls

Paso has a bold spirit.   A bricolage of personalities.   I remember standing at an old stone fireplace in a winery, staring at a group of cowboys sipping wine.    Hats, spur boots, leather,  mixed with denim and fine wine, overlooking green vineyards with the bluest sky.    Need I say more.

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Walls

Below you can see a close up of the countertop -   Caesarstone White Attica is a quartz with a tad of edginess that looks great with a modern dark gray backsplash.

Caesarstone White Attica Countertop
Custom Designed Cherry Hood

And below is close up of the tile.   Many think it's a glass tile.  But no, it's a ceramic high gloss subway tile with a beautiful sheen.

 Ceramic Subway Tile Backsplash

The interior stair railing is designed in a modern style - black metal with wood.   It was originally a half wall, but we wanted to open up the stairway and make everything feel more connected and spacious.

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee Walls

The Powder Room was a real challenge due to a corner toilet that could not be moved.  Quite frankly, it was a dreadful space.  But no mission is impossible,  and I am proud to brag that I transformed that quirky space into a stunning powder room that everyone now loves.

Corner Toilet Bathroom 

Below is the renovated master bathroom - you can really appreciate the new hickory floors  that run throughout most of the home in below photo.   And of course the home needed a barn door!

Barn Door at Master Bath

Selected a dark, almost black floor tile.  I am a fan of dark floors in bathrooms to ground and warm up the space, and provide a contrasting pop.   And it really brings out the beauty of the adjoining wood floor.

Master Bath
Walls - Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin

Notice nature's gorgeous  Eucalyptus Trees outside the window!  Serene & magical.

Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin Walls

Below is a photo of one of the guest bedrooms that shows off the exterior views.    

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee - Walls

Adjoining Guest Bathroom below.

Benjamin Moore Silver Satin Walls

Hallway Guest Bathroom.  Yep - live, laugh, love print.

Definitely a fun color & design project with one of my favorite clients.  And I adored visiting the vineyards!

The project is not completely finished, we are working on the last phase now.  And will be sure to update when completed.

SoNo Corporate Color & Design Consult

Conference / Training Center

Honored to be the Color & Design consultant on this spectacular project.

Program - to create a high end corporate amenity space including lounge area, game room, fitness club, and conference / training center.

Concept - to create a sophisticated industrial warm modern space, with a nod to it's historical district roots.

Lounge Area Game Room 

Lounge Area & Game Room

Lounge Area  

Game Room 

Fitness Club Locker Room  

Fitness Club

Fitness Club

Absolutely thrilled with the bold beauty of the space.    Ahh, once again the power of color & design rocks.

California Coast Color & Design

It's always a delight  to color and  design in beautiful southern California.  

Goal was to create a modern version of this water view home, while honoring the existing old world architecture.   

The entire design project was done via a virtual consultation, including space planning, design, fixed finishers, furnishings, and wall art.

My client was an absolute pleasure to work with.  And her professional contractor skillfully transformed my sketches into reality.   

The design process went smooth, communication was great, and everyone was thrilled with the result.   

Benjamin Moore Eternity AF-695 Walls
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 Trim
 

The existing kitchen cabinets were in excellent condition, so we kept mosts, modified the rest, added high crown molding over the permanent soffit, extended island to create eating area, and designed a quintessential window seat.

All cabinets and trim were painted Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.   New white backsplash tile was installed to ceiling.   New honed Carrara marble countertops added authentic beauty.

A retro fit farm sink was installed, hardware replaced with polished nickel, and a new dark wood floor, all added to the transformation.   

Cabinets Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

The second stage of the Great room was the family room renovation.    Mission to update fireplace wall, and all new furnishings and decor.  

Walls Benjamin Moore Eternity AF-695

The existing raised heath could not be removed.  And keeping it reinforced old world architecture into a m modern transition.  

Woodwork Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65

Thrilled my client liked the classic modern Gray Malin photography - a perfect nod to our sophisticated coastal theme.   

Walls Benjamin Moore Eternity AF-695

We continued the Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace woodwork throughout the home, but lightened the wall color to Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray in the rest of the home.

Walls Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray HC-170
Woodwork Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65

 

Another successful project was accomplished thru great teamwork, and the power of color and design to complete transform a space into a meaningful and beautiful home.  

Modern Rustic Mountain Home with Benjamin Moore Paint Gray Horizon 2141-50

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

Loved working on this major Color & Design renovation project for a mountain vacation home with one of my favorite clients in Mammoth Mountains California.

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

Mission was to create a warm mountain feel with a modern sensibility.

So, we blended rustic finishes with modern elements and achieved an updated ambiance honoring the natural environment.  

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

The kitchen design combines shaker cabinets with a modern quartz countertop.

The white quartz slab backsplash not only brightens the kitchen area but adds a serene calmness to the walls and visually breaks up the wood surfaces.  

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

The paint color throughout most of the home is Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50.  

Horizon gray is a nod to nature and has enough oomph to hold its own with the heavy finishes and mountain views.   Yet the color is light enough to keep the walls fresh and cheerful.

And Horizon Gray works well as a backdrop for art and wall decor.

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

As usual, texture is essential to create interest and warmth in natural environments.    Even the modern light adds texture with its linear rhythm.  

Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray 2141-50 Wall Paint

And I love to add pops of white to emphasize a fresh modern vibe.  Shouldn't every vacation home bathroom have a spa personality!

Wow.   Wish this was my mountain home.  But I'm blessed to add this Color and Design project to my repertoire.

My passion to help create beautiful and meaningful spaces is boundless.  If you need a color and design consultation, do not hesitate to contact me.

Benjamin Moore 2019 Color of the Year Metropolitan AF-690

Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2019
METROPOLITAN AF-690

The day before Benjamin Moore released their 2019 Color of the Year, I pondered with excitement.

Funny, my wild guess was a neutral like Balboa Mist or Cumulus Cloud.   With all the saturated color in the design world today, a neutral wall color is often optimal.  Especially if you want to add lots of personality through wall art or wall decor.

I've been specifying mostly neutral wall paint colors for a while now.  Neutrals act as a wonderful foil for color through art, furnishings, and accessories.

So I was thrilled when Benjamin Moore chose a gray for 2019 with Metropolitan.

(And Balboa Mist made the cut for the other fourteen 2019 trend colors!)

Metropolitan is a sophisticated gray.  Leans towards green, but color is all about context and lighting. I've seen paint color do crazy, unexpected things, lol.  Always test the color before committing.

What I love about Metropolitan is how it sets the stage for a visual performance.  And how versatile it is.

Metropolitan has enough substance and integrity to hold its own in visual weight.  Can add lots of white & black with pops of bright or bold colors for an edgy, modern vibe.

And Metropolitan is a gray that looks great with woods, and other neutrals for a classic and timeless style.

Or a rustic farmhouse look with tons of texture and contrast.

Yet Metropolitan is quiet enough to feel serene with lighter and softer palettes for a harmonious or spa-like ambiance.

With Metropolitan, if I may use the phrase, the world is your oyster.

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist & Cloud Cover Beach House

White Kitchen Cabinets, White Marble Counter, Gray Glass Backsplash

This spec project was a major renovation to update a rather large and charming old home by the beach.   The owners called me to consult on the fixed finishes, materials, and colors in the home.

White kitchens are always fabulous - clean, crisp and airy.   The dark floors ground the old home into the earth, while the light colors provide a spacious and modern atmosphere.

White marble countertops are as modern as they are historical.  And there is something about polished marble that makes the light bounce throughout the room.

I'm a big fan of stainless steel appliances as they provide even more bling and reflection.

And the glass tile backsplash shines as well, as the medium gray color provides a balance between the white cabinets and dark floors.

Walls Benjamin Moore Paint Color Balboa Mist OC-27 and 1549

The adjacent dining room is painted a soft, warm, light gray - Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist.

Walls Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover  OC-25

The first floor office is a wonderful example of the power of contrast between the dark floors, light walls and white trim.

All the wood floors throughout the home is stained a rich and deep ebony.

Walls - Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover OC-25

The photo above is the seating area of the master bedroom suite.  Once again painted a modern and sultry off white called Cloud Cover by Benjamin Moore. 

And below is the lovely quaint porch area off the master bedroom.   I love how the ceiling slopes and gently meets the windows, as the view of the water is shortly beyond.

Now if this was my home you would find me every morning on this porch, with the windows wide open!

A beach house.  Sigh.  What a beautiful way to start the day breathing in that fresh salty air.   And I imagine this porch would be a special sanctuary for creative and dreamy thoughts.

Color & Design Mid-Century Modern Project Palm Springs

Now this was a fun color and design project - a mid-century modern home in the Twin Palms neighborhood of Palm Springs, California.  An Alexander and Krisel home built around 1957.

The home was purchased by one of my favorite clients, as a vacation rental property.   The house needed a total renovation and makeover.  

Do notice that fabulous iconic butterfly roof.

AFTER PHOTO TWIN PALMS EXTERIOR
BENJAMIN MOORE SIENNA CLAY  104 ACCENT COLOR
photo by Ketchum Photography

Love the linear rhythm of the architecture, magnified by the sun's shadows.

AFTER PHOTO
Twin Palms, Palm Springs
photo by Ketchum Photography

Next is the before photo so you can appreciate the transformation.

BEFORE PHOTO FRONT

Below you will see the floors in the main area were replaced with polished terrazzo tiles.

Notice the exterior of the chimney is the same color as the interior -  this was done to emphasize the interlocking architectural planes.  Also serves to unite the indoors with the outdoors.

And a new saturated accent color, Benjamin Moore Sienna Clay, brings life and excitement into the room.

AFTER PHOTO
BENJAMIN MOORE SIENNA CLAY 104 ACCENT COLOR
photo by Ketchum Photography

Below is the before photo of the living room.  

We of course kept the Nelson Saucer chandelier!

BEFORE PHOTO

Next is a close up of the Terrazzo tile with the paint chip.   The Sienna Clay color relates to the burnt orange specs in the tile.  

BENJAMIN MOORE SIENNA CLAY #104 & TERRAZZO TILE 

(Btw, the terrazzo tile is from Modern Home Showroom, located right in Palm Springs.  Wonderful showroom with great customer service.)

The new kitchen below has a bold backsplash that adds to the Palm Springs modern vibe.

NEW PALM SPRINGS STYLE KITCHEN
photo by Ketchum Photography

The color palette in the master bedroom below - spicy reds and pinks, honey golds, and a vivid green accent wall.

Once again the accent wall is the same color- inside and out- visually expanding and uniting both spaces.

Benjamin Moore Sherwood Green HC-118, is the perfect color to create a composition with the palm trees,  mountains, and the blue sky.

The green wall visually becomes part of the view - making the viewer feel more intimate with the landscape.   Another great example of the power of color to create a profound experience.

MASTER BEDROOM
BENJAMIN MOORE SHERWOOD GREEN ACCENT WALL HC-118
photo by Ketchum Photography

And in the master bathroom, love the way you can see the accent wall and palm trees reflecting in the mirror.

Renovated Modern Master Bathroom
photo by Ketchum Photography

Below is the new backyard.

Palm Springs vacation homes attract the fun loving Los Angeles crowd, so we needed to create a playful resort experience around the pool.

photo by Ketchum Photography  

The Design Within Reach Mid-century Sunshades have such personality and are perfect for our theme.  

Notice the Sienna Clay paint color on the outside chimney.

And the green balances out the boldness with a hint of nature's serenity.

CHIMNEY ACCENT COLOR BENJAMIN MOORE SIENNA CLAY 
photo by Ketchum Photography

Next is a photo of the private casita.

Modern architectural wall panels bring in texture and a gridded pattern into the white room.

Crazy about the Shaken Not Stirred print - sophisticated fun.

And I adore the gray and yellow blanket my client's mother made for the room - it's the perfect finishing touch.

PALM SPRINGS CASITA
photo by Ketchum Photography

PALM SPRINGS CASITA

So as you can see, this project was fun to color and design, and one of my favorite projects.   Palm Springs is a special place.

Nonetheless,  I must admit, it took me time to adjust to the climate and pace of the desert, as it's quite different from New York.  

But the desert is ruled by mother nature, or as I call her - the desert goddess - and by the time I left, she had me spellbound.