Susan Jamieson 1/10/20 Susan Jamieson 1/10/20

Hue Are You? with Vicky Serany

A weekly blog series exploring different creatives' views on color and its use in interiors, art and design. We will dive deep into their obsessions with color. How and why they use color. You will get to know their stories and you may even gather some tips for using color in your own home. What is better than learning from the experts!

Designer Spotlight: Vicky Serany

Vicky is an interior designer from Cary North Carolina. She is the, Founder + Principal, of Southern Studio.

Vicky uses fresh combinations of texture, pattern, and color to create luxury interiors that meet the needs of each client. By paying attention to every detail of a project, she is able to meticulously transform the design vision into reality. Her inspiration comes from the beauty in everyday life and travel to fascinating places. Vicky’s extensive work in residential design and new home construction has earned her awards both locally and nationally. Vicky is an Allied Member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and lives in Cary with her husband, Dan. This empty nest mom jumps at the opportunity to spend time with her two grown children. When she’s not creating inspired interiors, Vicky enjoys spending time at the beach, sharing a bottle of wine with close friends, and exploring new adventures on her bucket list!

Let’s learn about Vicky’s view on color …..

Susan Jamieson: What one color represents your design style?

Vicky Serany: Texture. It’s not a good color answer, but I love almost any color when it includes layers and layers of texture.

SJ: Do you use color as a dominant role in your designs or as an accent?

VS: Accent. A combination of neutrals combined with a splash of color is always a win!

SJ: How do you feel about matching colors in a room?

VS: It’s all about the layers. A room layered with color is always evolving! Carefully combined color values and intensity add interest to a space without being boring.

SJ: What color represents your personality?

VS: Sapphire Blue. Always striving to be sincere, enthusiastic, and compassionate.

SJ: What color comes to mind when you talk about:

Your favorite city: Charcoal Gray
The house you grew up in: Creamy White
Last fabulous dinner you had: Caramel
Your favorite flower: Blush Pink
Your favorite season: Fern Green
Your favorite piece of art: Sea Blue
Your favorite room in a home: Amethyst
Your favorite beauty product: Crisp White
Your favorite article of clothing: Classic Black

SJ: Name a color you never use?

VS: I prefer to never say never, but orange is a color we rarely use. It’s a stimulating color and a little bit goes a long way.

SJ: Name a color you use frequently?

VS: Steel Blue. It’s universally loved and adds peace and calm to a room.

SJ: If you could pick a name for a color what would it be?

VS: Peace. It would be the perfect soft and creamy neutral that brings calm to a space.

SJ: Do you have a pet? What color reminds you of him/her? Do you have a nickname for this pet?

VS: Our all-black rescue pup, Captain Morgan, is always up for adventure.

SJ: What is the now Neutral?

VS: Winter White. It’s soft, serene, and can be layered with a multitude of hues.

SJ: What is your prediction for the next big color trend?

VS: Rich colors like emerald green, peacock blue, and tuscan gold.

SJ: What are the best color combinations?

VS: Right now, I’m loving the combination of sapphire blue and amethyst layered with lots of creams and beiges.

SJ: Best advise when it comes to picking paint colors?

VS: The appearance of a color is affected by surrounding colors. Always consider colors in adjoining spaces as you begin to develop your color palette.

Susan Jamieson 10/4/19 Susan Jamieson 10/4/19

Hue Are You? with Angela Todd

Designer Spotlight: Angela Todd

Angela is an interior designer from Portland Oregon who has been designing magnificent interiors in the Northwest since 2007. She believes that every project has its own style, challenges, and framework. Her strength is her ability to create a space with function and beauty, one which is designed within a realistic timeline and budget. She is a live wire full of creativity, passion, drive, and enthusiasm and we can’t wait to share with you her views on color!

Here we go …..

Susan Jamieson: What one color represents your design style?

Angela Todd: I see it as a combination of colors. I am always looking for a multi-colored item like a fabric, a piece or art or even dishware to inspire a project. I ideally like a palette to be grounded in both warm and cool colors. I like rooms best when they have this play of colors on each side of the color wheel.

SJ: Do you use color as a dominant role in your designs or as an accent?

AT: A color palette is the first thing I decide when I begin a project. I feel the colors to use. I don’t know if that is unique to me or not. I think whether to use color as a dominant role or an accent depends on the personality of the client and/or the intended personality of the space.

SJ: How do you feel about matching colors in a room?

AT: I am a fan of bending the rules always and often. I don’t particularly like matching because it can feel contrived, elementary, and planned.

SJ: What color represents your personality?

AT: I am confident and bold like red. I am focused and genuine like blue. I am happy and jovial like orange. I am grounded like green, and I am focused like black. I don’t mean to avoid the question, but truly a multi-colored palette represents me best.

SJ: What color comes to mind when you talk about:

Your Favorite City .......Orange. I went to Quebec City by chance when Mirage Floors invited me to tour their wood manufacturing facility. The city is fortressed and full of amazing history and stone homes from the 17th century. The restaurants and cuisine were unique and memorable, the people were lovely, and the stories of the city and architecture left me promising myself to come back.

The House You Grew Up In .........Blue. My Mom had great taste and could accessorize well, but we had all these things that were just for looks and off limits to use. For example, we had a living room with white carpet that we only used at Christmas and for adult parties. We solely used our dinner china for Sunday dinners and holidays. We had towels and soap in the powder room we couldn’t use. This attitude shaped me. I believe in livable luxury. If you live there, you of all people who enter deserve luxury, so bring out the china, buy the quality towels and say no to the white carpet.

Last Fabulous Dinner You Had ........Gold. Clyde’s is a steakhouse in Portland in East Portland. I kept hearing they had great steak. The exterior of the building doesn’t give you faith. Inside the dining area is surprisingly beautiful. It was the best steak I have ever had in Portland. It is a hidden gem.

Your Favorite Flower .......Pink. Dahlias, and anything that looks good in a bouquet!

Your Favorite Season ......Green. Springtime. It reminds me of renewal, rebirth, second chances and hope.

Your Favorite Art ......Multi-Color.

I think what often makes art special is a story associated with the piece. I have an oil painting of the Columbia River Gorge in my bedroom. A friend who was great at many creative pursuits painted it. I attended a gallery opening for his work 17 years ago and bought it on the spot. It was out of my comfort zone at the time, but it spoke to me. The colors are complex, oranges, pinks, golds, blues, greens and neutrals of the landscape. Secondly, I have watercolor print of blue boy and pink lady that my Grandma Margaret always had in her bathroom. I remember seeing them often as a little girl in her bathroom in Michigan and later in Florida where she retired. Today they hang in my master bathroom above the toilet as they did hers. They are probably dime store items, but they mean a lot to me.

Your Favorite Room in Your Home .....Black and White.

The nook in my kitchen was formerly the back porch of my 1916 foursquare home. It faces east and is full of sunlight each morning. It is magical. As I look at what I love about homes I design, it is generally the room with challenges in architecture, the quirky, or the unusual. Those become the best spaces because they aren’t predictable

Your Favorite Beauty Product ....Multi-colored like the containers!

I have been using Drunk Elephant skincare for a few months and it is truly amazing!

Your Favorite Article of Clothing ......Blue.

This time of the year my garden boots. I slip them on each morning and walk my garden, while I do light weeding and think about my to do list for the day.

SJ: Name a color you never use?

AT: I can’t use Burgundy. I can hardly spell it, let alone use it. Well maybe I could use it, but I wouldn’t call it burgundy.

SJ: Name a color you use frequently?

AT: I think there is green in every project I have ever completed, but it isn’t always obvious at a glance.

SJ: If you could pick a name for a color what would it be?

AT: How about Portland? It would be a complex shade of green!

SJ: Do you have a pet? What color reminds you of him/her? Do you have a nickname for this pet?

AT: Sugar is my English cream and I associate her with Pink like her cute little nose. Finnegan, who I regularly call Finn, is my red golden retriever and he favors blue.

SJ: What is the Now Neutral?

AT: Remember A-E-I-O-U and sometimes Y? Green is like that for me. Black, White, Gray, Chocolate, Cream and sometimes Green.

SJ: What is your prediction for the next big color trend?

AT: I see saturated jewel tones in the purple and red family and hot accents of ochre yellow coming into trend. However, I am still enthusiastically enjoying blushes of pink. So let’s wait a while shall we?

SJ: What are the best color combinations?

AT: It depends on the mood you want to convey. From my perspective, complementary colors give an energy to a space. While monochromatic rooms are serene and peaceful, and analogous color schemes tend to feel restful. However, I feel like almost any mood can be achieved with any color combination if I you dial up or down the values of the colors. It is a lot like how the sky changes throughout the day and night. Dawn breaking, high noon, sunset and twilight all have multiple colors in the atmosphere, but the mood is totally different because of the value and saturation of the colors.

SJ: Best advise when it comes to picking paint colors?

AT:

1) In the most successfully designed spaces the color on the wall isn’t the first thing you notice. It is the supporting cast.

2) Colors change based on what is surrounding them. This includes other colors, wood tones, and natural and artificial light.

3) Don’t pick your paint color first. It should be one of your last decisions.

4) When in doubt call someone who has picked a paint color hundreds of times more than you.

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Susan Jamieson 5/17/19 Susan Jamieson 5/17/19

Hue Are You? Designer Spotlight: Arianne Bellizaire

We are pleased to have as this weeks guest, Baton Rouge based interior designer, Arianne Bellizaire. Arianne is the owner and principal designer of Arianne Bellizaire Interiors LLC. Her design philosophy is to ensure that each client achieves their projects needs while making the experience as painless as possible. Her designs are not a "one size fits all" approach. With an informative and inspiration design blog called "Inspired to Style" plus her home renovation videos which include her husband and her kids, Arianne is full of design tips and if you are lucky enough to hire her then you'll get a gorgeous completed project too!

Let's pick her brain about color......

Susan Jamieson: What one color represents your design style?

Arianne Bellizaire: If we’re talking color psychology, then I would have to say that yellow is probably the color that best describes my design style. It can be cheerful and welcoming in its lighter shades, but it can also add punch and drama in its darker shades. There is also a sense of optimism and intellect represented by the color that I hope my designs reflect.

SJ: Do you use color as a dominant role in your designs or as an accent?

AB: Early in my career, I definitely used color as the driver of my design concepts. Now, I find that I use color in a more nuanced way—another layer on top of a firmly established, solid design foundation that focuses on function and flow first, then the specific elements that we’ll bring into the space. Because there are so many options available to us for customization, it’s not hard to create a piece that’s the right color or develop a custom paint color that is the perfect thread to tie a space together.

SJ: How do you feel about matching colors in a room?

AB: Again, something I’ve learned over the years is that the more layers and gradients of colors we use (or the pairing of complementary colors) the more interesting space it makes. I don’t believe that colors should match, but I do think that the mix should “feel good” to the person who will live in the space.

SJ: What color represents your personality?

AB: Here’s where that pink comes in. LOL! I think pink is inherently feminine but it’s also playful and there is a sense of whimsy associated with it. A dusty rose has the femininity but there’s also a maturity to it. It’s what makes the color palatable to even the most “masculine” man.

SJ: What color comes to mind when you talk about:

Your favorite City ....... London. I think pink because of the beautiful floral displays during Chelsea Flower Show Week

The House You Grew Up In ......... Yellow because the exterior siding was painted yellow.

Last Fabulous Dinner You Had ........ Golden Brown because it was the color of the southern fried pork chop I ate at South of Beale in Memphis, Tennessee.

Your favorite Flower ....... White because it’s the color of my favorite variation of hydrangeas.

Your favorite season ...... Orange for Fall. I love house the air is crisp and foliage is so colorful.

Your Favorite Art ...... Black because there’s an abstract piece by Alyson Kahn that I’ve recently fallen in love with. Although the piece is quite colorful, it is grounded by just the right amount of black.

Your Favorite Room in Your Home ..... Blue for the Master bedroom. I love to make this space restful and tranquil.

Your Favorite Beauty product .... Seafoam for my Kale and Spinach Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid facial moisturizing cream by Youth to the People.

Your Favorite Article of Clothing ...... Blush Pink for my favorite ALDO high top sneakers.

SJ: Name a color you never use?

AB: I can’t say there is any color I wouldn’t use. If the color is right for the space and the client, then it’s the right color!

SJ: Name a color you use frequently?

AB: I actually love the color pink, but it’s a tough sell for design projects! I find that most of my projects incorporate some shade of blue—whether it’s a pale blue-green or a bold indigo. This might be the case because many of my projects involve couples, and blue is a good compromise color. There’s also color psychology that says that blue encourages feelings of trust and credibility, and this is something that I really focus on with clients from the first interaction to the last!

SJ: If you could pick a name for a color what would it be?

AB: Hmmm. This a tough one. I’ve been known to describe colors as delicious and yummy. Maybe it stems from a love of food! LOL! If I could name the perfect shade (whatever that is) I’d probably call it “Scrumptious.”

SJ: Do you have a pet? What color reminds you of him/her? Do you have a nickname for this pet?

AB: No pets. L

SJ: What is the Now Neutral?

AB: I think we’re moving away from gray as the go-to neutral and back into beige or pale taupe territory.

SJ: What is your prediction for the next big color trend?

AB: I’m hesitant to predict trends, but from what I’m observing in the design landscape, I think there is a general shift to more color, period. Instead of neutral-based or white-on-white-on-white, people are embracing the opportunity to use bold colors to show off their style and personality.

SJ: What are the best color combinations?

AB: I love the classic Black and White combo because it creates the perfect foundation for a modern minimalist space as well as a bold traditional space and everything in between.

SJ: Best advise when it comes to picking paint colors?

AB: Choose the paint color last. There are so many options, it’s easier to find the right fit after fabrics and hard finishes have been selected!

Susan Jamieson 3/8/19 Susan Jamieson 3/8/19

Hue Are You? Designer Spotlight: Hooper Patterson

Hooper is an interior designer with office locations in both Wilmington North Carolina and Chicago. Her projects are diverse in style, geographic location and budget. Specializing in mixing patterns and texture, Hooper's style has been described as "traditional with a twist" and includes a "current, yet timeless, Southern Bent."

Let's hear how this Southern girl uses color and how her recent move to the windy city has influenced her.

Susan Jamieson: What one color represents your design style?

Hooper Patterson: I love blush tones. They are neutrals, warm and feminine. I love how they glow with natural light, candlelight and how they pop with crisp white trim. Blush tones are beautiful with grays, saturated colors like peacock and artwork really shines with blush as a backdrop.

SJ: Do you use color as a dominant role in your designs or as an accent?

HP: I see it as an accent. I love bold color in fabrics, wallpaper or carpets. Pops of color, layered with pillows, throws, lamps and artwork add the personality to a space.

SJ: How do you feel about matching colors in a room?

HP: I don't prefer to match. I know clients often feel comfortable when colors, furniture and fabrics match. I find it to feel too much like a showroom - it seems to lack character. When you can pull colors that compliment and contrast, you create a space that feels more collected and tells a story.

SJ: What color represents your personality?

HP: I love green - the bright leafy green. It has always been one of my favorite colors. It pulls from the outdoors, can be punchy and still feels organic and fresh, all at the same time.

SJ: What color comes to mind when you talk about:

Your favorite City .......right now, we are living in Chicago for my husbands job. It is winter, so gray comes to mind. However, we live on Lake Michigan. We just moved from Wilmington, NC, my hometown. It is on the coast. As long as I am looking at the water, I feel at home. There are days in the winter, when the Atlantic and the Lake have a dark blue undertone. I love that saturated smokey blue. In the Summer, the rich aqua of the Atlantic (and a color, I am hoping to see this Summer in Chicago) is one of my favorite hues. It exudes coastal living - wherever you are. It also exudes warmth - something this Southern girl will be ready for!

The House You Grew Up In .........The house you grew up in: We had a kitchen in my early childhood home that had mustard cabinets. It was the early 80's and it still scars me to this day. It is a color I am hesitant to use. Who knows, maybe my mom was on trend at the time?

Last Fabulous Dinner You Had ........It was last night. I ordered a pasta with pesto and the bright leafy green sauce was not only delicious but one of my favorite hues.

Your favorite Flower .......

My favorite flower is the Daffodil. When I was a child, my uncle had a daffodil farm. We picked them as children and it has always been a promenade flower at the centerpiece of family gatherings, weddings and most recently, at my grandmother's funeral. That flower and bright yellow hue always bring a smile to my face because it reminds me of my "Mimi" - she loved them and to this day, every time I see them, I think of her.

Your favorite season ......

Many hues of Blue - Summertime. Growing up at the beach, we spend summers on the water - swimming, boating, shelling. I get to work on a lot of homes on the coast and clients always request hues that can be found in the sea. Blues, aquas and everything in between remind me of my favorite season.... Summer!

Your Favorite Art ......

makes me think of gold.... Last year, for my birthday, I bought my first "major" piece of art. I fell in love with it the second I saw it and knew I had to have it. Her name is "Grace", by Brenda Bogart, and she is made of paper and gold leaf. I have her lit in a very prominent spot in our home and her gold leafing just glows.

Your Favorite Room in Your Home .....That changes but right now, I am really loving my dining room. I painted the walls and trim the 2019 Ben Moore color "Metropolitan" in a high gloss. The back wall is accented with a gold leaf/floral by Anna French. The wall color is rich, yet it is still a neutral. It's a glossy gray with a hint of green. Throughout the day, it changes. At night, it looks almost like a smokey green which pairs great with candlelight, but in the morning light it feels bright and fresh. It is certainly unexpected with the wallpaper.

Your Favorite Beauty product .... Pale pink. My favorite beauty product is a lip gloss by Sara Happ. It is called "the nude slip". It has just enough pink not to wash out my skin tone, but is natural and feminine and works day and night.

Your Favorite Article of Clothing ......That changes too! Right now, I am loving a pleated navy and gold velvet skirt. The navy is so rich and it looks great with a dressy black blazer or a brown leather jacket.

SJ: Name a color you never use?

HP: I never use red. I use tones of it - wine, pink, blush, fuschia, cranberry, even shades of orange, but I really struggle with integrating red into my designs or my wardrobe. When a client requests it, I always work it in and am so happy with the result, but I always hesitate. Maybe I need to expand my horizons!

SJ: Name a color you use frequently?

HP: I have used Benjamin Moore's "Pink Damask" in several different types of spaces. It is romantic in an bedroom, but sophisticated in a living room. It reminds me of "Duchess" by Bridget Beari paints. It is subtle and beautiful!

SJ: If you could pick a name for a color what would it be?

HP: If I was going to name my favorite green, I think it would name it "green with envy"

SJ: Do you have a pet? What color reminds you of him/her? Do you have a nickname for this pet?

HP: We have two dogs. "Teddy" is a buff colored cocker spaniel and "Herald" is a solid black cocker spaniel. Herald is so black, his fur is almost navy. Teddy's coat changes throughout the year. It bleaches out in the summer months, but in the winter, it is a medium copper.

SJ: What is the Now Neutral?

HP: Blush!

SJ: What is your prediction for the next big color trend?

HP: I really like dark purple tones. I have been using lilacs over the last few years, but am now really leaning toward the dark purples and rich wine tones. Not Burgundy - that is not my favorite, but more like eggplant or deep purples.

SJ: What are the best color combinations?

HP: I love lilac and blush tones paired with really saturated colors like peacock blue. I always love the richness of chocolate with any shade of blue or orange - or both! Being a beach girl - all colors that come from the ocean view are gorgeous paired together. Blues and aquas go great with pale greens and bright saturated greens - it reminds me of the Summer marsh along the Intracoastal.

SJ: Best advise when it comes to picking paint colors?

HP: Seek professional help if you can. A designer has so many in his/her bag of tricks that they know are tried and true. If you can't - be careful of neutrals. I have had people tell me that they picked a gray or white because it should have been easy. It isn't. There are thousands of shades of both. I have seen grays go purple, green, brown and just plain drab. I have seen whites go pink, lilac, blue... so do your research. Sites like Pinterest and Houzz make good recommendations if you don't have a designer to help you. They also show spaces with the selected color so you can gauge if it will work for you. If you can get a small sample, do it. Paint it on a wall or a piece of cardboard. Tape it up and look at it throughout the day and night. It will change dramatically.

Susan Jamieson 1/25/19 Susan Jamieson 1/25/19

Hue Are You? with Regina Sturrock

Hue Are You?
Designer Spotlight: Regina Sturrock

I love having my designer friends on this Blog series and Regina Sturrock is a special friend from Toronto Canada. She has been a designer for over 20 years and has projects all over the globe. Her firm specializes in highly customized renovations and new builds within the luxury home market. Born in Graz Austria, a city steeped in Old World culture, Regina understands how the human spirit responds to the ideals and beauty of classical design. Her projects are beyond stunning and I am thrilled to hear how she works with colors and light!

Susan Jamieson: What one color represents your design style?

Regina Sturrock: I suppose the color that would best represent my design aesthetic is blue. It’s a calming hue that evokes a strong sense of peace and serenity; an essence that speaks to the order and clean classicism in my interiors. If I could see color as a design principal, blue would absolutely distinguish itself with symmetry and harmony. There’s a deep integrity to this hue.

SJ: Do you use color as a dominant role in your designs or as an accent?

RS: Yes, and yes. I love to have color evolve in my interiors and in that process, I often begin with a one-color wrap that plays within the architecture. Whether this color is light and bright or dark and moody, it serves to sculpt the envelope. From there, layers of color can play out as either a monochromatic scheme that continues to compliment the structure or it can make brilliant statements in textiles, art, and accessory. There’s a definitive beauty in an elegant transitioning of the same hue and nothing can be quite as powerful than a large and vibrant masterpiece that holds every color in the rainbow.

SJ: How do you feel about matching colors in a room?
RS:I always like to bring in a bit of tension. It’s amazing what just a hint of unexpected color can do. Imagine a room that falls predominantly within a softened green and yellow palette and then shocking it with a bold touch of fuchsia or throwing a sophisticated black and white mix into the scheme. Taking it a step further, a slightly ‘off’ layer of color (just a small touch) can add spirit and character.

A perfectly matched room can be terribly boring. I’m not talking about a balanced and monochromatic palette; one that is inherently interesting within its nuances. It’s the safe and contrived look that I stay clear of and it’s liberating to allow a bit of the ‘mis-matched’.

SJ: What color represents your personality?

RS: Emerald green. I’m a person who loves to connect with nature. It’s where I find peace, balance, and inspiration. Green is a color that reflects these things, hovering between the optimism of yellow and the calming insightful side of blue.

As a jewel stone, Emerald is associated with the heart. It’s nurturing and carries an energy of compassion and patience. I like to think that this aligns with who I am….and it’s my birthstone!

SJ: What color comes to mind when you talk about:

Your favorite City ....... Red: The red oxide roof tops that are bright even on a cloudy day bring me home to Graz, Austria.

The House You Grew Up In ......... Avocado green…in the guise of flocked damask wallpaper!

Last Fabulous Dinner You Had ........ Pink: It was capped off with an unusual, yet somewhat relatable desert of smoked cotton candy served in a stainless-steel tissue holder at my favorite restaurant, Launceston Place, in London.

Your favorite Flower ....... White: I fill my home and studio with white lilies each week. They bring in a pure and fresh beauty.

Your favorite season ...... Yellow: Fall. The last days offer the most intense color. Everything is clear.

Your Favorite Art ...... Gold: Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by my favorite artist, Gustav Klimt

Your Favorite Room in Your Home ..... Lavender: A haven room such as my den is where I relax, read, write, paint and reflect. Often these types of rooms are the smallest and the most precious. Mine has an airy pastel vibe, filled with stacks of books, collected bits of everything, small sprays of fresh flowers, and a hint of lavender always lingers.

Your Favorite Beauty product .... Fuchsia: my personalized ‘Bite’ lipstick color

Your Favorite Article of Clothing ...... Bottle Green: my silk chiffon polka-dot maxi dress from Barcelona

SJ: Name a color you never use?

RS: There isn’t a color that I would consciously boycott. Any hue is possible depending on the client’s preferences and the atmosphere we’re looking to create. I suppose a less likely color choice would be orange because I find it to be very intense and perhaps overbearing as a predominant theme. But then again it could easily pop up in an art piece. Overall, I prefer more soothing and quieter palettes.

SJ: Name a color you use frequently?

RS: Blue. I love all shades and intensities of this color. The scheme possibilities are endless. I’ve created many different environments using blue from soothing neutral compositions that play with gradient levels of the same hue to very dramatic and luxurious settings of deep cobalt to lapiz lazuli.

SJ: If you could pick a name for a color what would it be?

RS: ‘Rocaille Blush’ My favorite building in Graz, Austria is Luegg Haus in the heart of the old city. The soft-pink stucco façade is ornamented with flourishes of rocaille that look like icing on a fancy cake. It’s a fantasy structure filled with childhood memories….and it houses Swarovski!

SJ: Do you have a pet? What color reminds you of him/her? Do you have a nickname for this pet?

RS: Of course, and his name is Seymour. Absolutely, Cerulean Blue for its calm and reflective qualities. He’s a gentle soul and he’s a thinker. He can stare across the lake forever, it seems. His nickname is ‘Boo Boo’ (sorry can’t help myself…he’s really cute).

SJ: What is the Now Neutral?

RS: I call it an ‘almost neutral’, holding the softest hints of color. Muted pastels; chalky, timeless, gender-neutral shades from blush to lilac grey are very ‘now’. It’s a refreshing tilt away from the greys and particularly effective in a minimalist setting complimented with natural materials or softly-veined marbles.

SJ: What is your prediction for the next big color trend?

RS: I saw it begin to emerge at Salone del Mobile in Milan, last spring; a strong hinge to a movement that will be fully explored in 2019. A deep and moody character of color was showcased on walls, cabinetry, and even countertops. I knew that it would make a further transition into this year as a true departure from the all-white interior. It’s also a step away from the intensely saturated and vivid hues that recently began to spread wings in the new quest for color. The next big trend is more about the intensity and depth of hue; a rich and settling embrace of color that dips into fully-covered and deeply-muted envelopes. The palette is earthy with a slight urban edge; greens that depart from the arboreal, blues that are almost black and purples that are inherently rich yet slightly mellowed.

SJ: What are the best color combinations?

RS: Ones that bring balance and harmony are the ideal combinations. Often these are inspired by nature. I love to see palettes that one can easily live with; relax to. From this perspective, I typically tend to use analogous combinations of 2 to 3 colors (ones that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel) as the basis for the scheme. Imagine a muted lilac, dark blue, and a misty-grey blue. With this as a grounding, any rich complimentary accent can strike the right chord; like that distant golden glow of the sun’s last rays in a twilight sky.

It’s essential to consider the color space as a three-dimensional impression combining not only hue, but its value (how light or dark it is), and its saturation or chroma. Ultimately, just about any color combination can be beautiful if we balance the three as we do with elements that hold form. It always leads to composition.

SJ: Best advice when it comes to picking paint colors?

RS: Light and color are synonymous. Always consider exposure and the quality of light when selecting a color. How much and what type of natural light fills a room can greatly affect the way a color behaves. This also applies to the color rendering index that interior light sources emit. I often get asked for the color name when I post a project on social media and I answer with a cautionary note because color is not always a cut-and-paste option. It’s a chameleon and animates with light. Bring the color home (paint a small wall section or canvas) and see how it plays on the walls from morning to night. A good color choice goes far beyond matching it with a textile or its appeal in a magazine.