Tag Archives: acanthus

Week 14: All Chalked Up

black wall, black wallpaper, black wall paper, painted chairs, chairs painted black, painted upholstery, fortune cookie, good fortune, chalk art, floral chalk, chalk flower, yellow flower, yellow floral pattern, large flower pattern

It’s true, the pattern you see on the wall is more about chalk than paint, but A. the black background is chalkboard paint, so technically I did paint this week. And B. I didn’t think you wanted to see more painted jars (see previous post), so really this is for your benefit. ;-)

Anyway, here’s the story:

black wall, black wallpaper, black wall paper, painted chairs, chairs painted black, painted upholstery, chalk art, floral chalk, chalk flower, yellow flower, yellow floral pattern, large flower pattern

I painted a giant panel of chalkboard paint in my office…

dana tanamachi, chalk artist, chalk art, chalk panel, chalk board art, chalkboard art, chalk board ideas, chalk ideas

Because I love Dana Tanamachi’s work.

Nagging Doubt Pinot Noir from Dana Tanamachi on Vimeo.

And history shows that I like writing in my work too.
old english writing, writing mural, writing on the wall, painted gate

rockstar, pink lips art, writing art, orange writing, shannon kaye, commission art

I wanted to do something really elaborate and cool… but then I remembered this image I’ve been saving for a year or so. Everything about this picture inspires me: the colors, mix of styles, shapes… (I don’t know anything about this image. If you know who designed this wallpaper, please let me know!)

black wallpaper, yellow floral, big flower pattern, big floral pattern, red sofa, coral sofa, victorian sofa, oversize floral print, floral print

 

So I grabbed this acanthus inspired stencil I designed (about 13 years ago!) and added the curly yellow petals, almost looks like the blossoms are bursting open just in time for spring.
black wall, black wallpaper, black wall paper, painted chairs, chairs painted black, painted upholstery, fortune cookie, good fortune, chalk art, floral chalk, chalk flower, yellow flower, yellow floral pattern, large flower pattern

I drew a simple frame and started tracing the stencil with chalk.

And when all was said and done, I had a nice little vignette that I’m enjoying right now as I type this post. Love when that happens; when a bunch of the ideas that have been noodling around in your brain, not only finally see the light, but a bunch of bits and pieces get thrown together in a way you couldn’t have planned until that moment.

black wall, black wallpaper, black wall paper, painted chairs, chairs painted black, painted upholstery, fortune cookie, good fortune, chalk art, floral chalk, chalk flower, yellow flower, yellow floral pattern, large flower pattern

black wall, black wallpaper, black wall paper, painted chairs, chairs painted black, painted upholstery, fortune cookie, good fortune, chalk art, floral chalk, chalk flower, yellow flower, yellow floral pattern, large flower pattern

Making a Makeover- Choosing the COLORS and creating the plan

Looking over the rooms, I decide to go with a simple plan- a modern Colonial look with fresh versions of traditional colors, clean lines, and cheerful accents. Here’s the color palette:

This will be the entry color. I could use more colors to divide the space, but this fresh green will keep everything feeling wide open. I like that. I'm going to paint the front doors and all the trim on that wall in this color too. It's a great way to tidy up all the shapes and windows on this wall and draw the eyes towards the stair rail and chandelier

I'll go with this softer green for the dining room. Green isn't usually my first choice for dining rooms, but this room gets plenty of light and using a similar color as the entry gives the rooms easy flow between each other. I'll have the ceiling painted off-white so the pretty white crown molding will stand out and define this room.

When I first saw photos of these rooms, I thought I'd want the railing to be black, but when I actually got to the house, it was clear that the railing needed to be warm and quiet to keep this tall narrow space from feeling too crowded. How'd I choose this color you ask? CertaPro Painters was priming the railing in a light gray to get ready for black. But when I saw that color, I grabbed my paint deck and found this muddy stone color instead. Perfect!

Black is classic and I think I can use it to give the little heirloom dresser a strong silhouette. I'll use this for the chandelier too. The slender arms of the fixture will relate better to the Windsor chairs this way.

Every room needs a gorgeous color to add dimension to a quiet color plan. I'll use this to squeeze the country out of the red cabinet and push it more into Colonial look.

I'll bring in some heavy pale curtains for the dining room to dress it up a bit. I'll get long drapes and hang the curtain rod near the ceiling. The windows will look more dramatic and the wall will feel taller which will balance out proportions of the 2-story entry.

I have to change out that dated brass chandelier in the entry for a modern version of the classic lantern shape. I also prefer shades to clear bulbs in spaces like this because the lighting has to be easy on the eyes from all levels.

That’s basically it. Simple and to the point. This is a clean modern look with a traditional feel that  works with the architecture of the house as well as the family who lives here. So, CertaPro will get started on the walls while I get shopping.

 

(ps. We’re using Sherwin-Williams new Emerald Paint- I think it’s the best no VOC paint on the market. I used it for the DIY videos too and was instantly converted)