Today Stark Carpet’s Tim Cohen  from the Charlotte Showroom, presented the latest products from Stark at a lunch and learn. Thanks Tim for the lunch! Our favorite new product was Stark’s new paint collection. The palette is full of luscious colors fit for any area of the house!

 

Recent buzz about the paint has been in Elle Decor, New York Times and Home & Garden Magazine.

“Colorist David Oliver, designer, author and renowned colors specialist, brings an artistic, aesthetic expertise to designers through his knowledge of historic colors and their application to modern interiors.” Another plus?  The paint is non-toxic with no VOC’s. This paint is perfect for homes with children and pets.

Design Line’s favorites include “Squid Ink,” “Fog,” “Deep Water Garden,” ”Foundation,” “Elizabethan Red,” and “Diva.”   

Images: Stark Facebook Page & Stark Paint

In preparation for this series, this edition inspired by House Beautiful’s feature,  I polled a few of my male friends; “what are your favorite colors? What interior colors do you feel most comfortable in?” I asked.

My Daddy’s favorite has always been a deep green- hunter green. However, Neutral colors were the resounding answer, browns, & warm greys especially.  Think the colors you may find in an old map or portrait- like Picasso’s Portrait of Dora Maar

 

We have found that men feel comfortable in interiors with schemes featuring the following hues:

Charcoal mixed with Classic Black (even better with stripes)

Camel

 

 

Cowboy Boot Brown

Burnt Orange- this also translates into Copper tones & marries well with medium to dark green tones

 

 

Slate Blue

 

 

 

The other colors men love could happen to do with their local sports team loyalties, as we’ve seen our fair share of requests for NC State/Carolina Hurricanes Red (shown in the “man cave” below)  

 

or Carolina Blue

 

What colors do the men in your life, love?

-Brittany

As the temperature rises and summer heats up, I like to stay cool indoors! Don’t get me wrong – I love the outdoors, but in this weather, I prefer to surround myself with colors inspired by nature. My favorite colors for the summer are shown below.

I tend to gravitate toward the cool side of the spectrum – particularly the blues and greens. They create environments that are fresh, calming, and relaxing. I used two of my favorite colors in the laundry room at the 2008 ASID Designer Show House. Because the room was so small and featured 10′ ceilings, I used Waterscape on the walls and went one shade darker on the ceiling with Hazel.

My absolute favorite color is green – grass green, apple green, pear green – or Sassy Green, shown below. I used Sherwin William’s Color Selector to visualize my color, which will help you see the personality that the color will bring to your space. I would also recommend buying a quart and painting a test area before doing the whole room.

With colors like these, you will want to balance out the brightness with soothing neutrals like Sherwin Williams’ Accessible Beige or Quiver Tan. I recently painted my powder room in a custom color similar to Quiver Tan, and I love how cozy it makes the small space feel!

Want to see more of our favorite colors? For Brittany’s summer paint selections, click here, and for Ashley’s click here. And if you’d like professional help, we’re here for you.

The gorgeous photograph above is from the Mariette Hines Gomez collection for Soicher Marin

What colors make you think of summer?

See Ashley’s summer selections: here

P.S. I’ve selected these paint colors from Sherwin Williams, be sure to check out some of their color resources: like the cool ColorSnap app for your iPhone

Not only do these colors really appeal to any application they seem to carry a summer, winter, fall, and spring feeling.

I could see the blue’s in an office to create a relax and calming environment. The green’s go great where there is a view out to your yard. They complement the green grass and beautiful flowers in full bloom.

Not only can you fine refreshing paint colors but fabrics that can be used as new window treatments or new throw pillows on your lovely couch.

Our clients & friends, the Cummings family, recently painted their dining room a delectable orange color from Benjamin Moore after the installation of some lovely wallpaper we specified from Schumacher. I thought I’d share some before & after photos of the exciting process.

P.S Special thanks to the Cummings
for allowing me to post these images, I especially adore the wreath hanging in
the chandelier above the table.