This has been a stellar week, if I do say so myself. I’ve wrapped up a few projects, bid on a few more, and am getting ready to head to LA in a few days for a design bloggers conference. Independent business owners field all the highs and lows and keep on truckin’, or designing as it were. Things are moving along nicely right now and since long days and short reprieves rule my life, I decided to take a breather to enjoy a long lunch with my friends, Michael and Kendall.
I’ll get back at it tomorrow… until then, here’s a little feature on Houzz.com that you might like. It’s about fireplaces and mentions one of my older projects- yea!
Bringing all the details together takes a mix of exact measuring and visual fussing. For example, keeping the graceful elegant feel of the new Willa Home logo on these jumbo sized signs took a little fussing…
These are the Pantone colors the graphic designer and printer used for the logo and business cards:
The sign maker could’ve ordered these exact colors in vinyl for the sign, but the look would’ve been flat and thin- not good when you want people to notice you from their cars or walking down the sidewalk. So, concentrating more on the ‘feel’ than the exact color, I chose these stock vinyl colors for a fast turn around that’s worlds better than the custom hues for this application:
I also had the sign maker cut out the corners of the signs to match the panel detail on the business cards and striped panels in the store. Connecting the dots visually is the key to successful interiors whether you’re dressing up a boutique or updating your home.
Thanks, Phil!
Of course, it’s back to exact measurements when it comes to hanging these beautiful beacons. I’ll admit I did hang over Phil’s shoulder during installation, to make sure everything was perfect. No need to worry though, as always, he did a terrific job.
Okay, so I can check that project off my list! But stay tuned for photos by Lilias Petit-Scott (she shot my house for Apartment Therapy). I’m looking forward to seeing what captures her eye…
Thursday evening I got an urgent call about a color consulting project in Phoenix and by Monday morning I was flying out to meet Nathan Marmor, the local CertaPro Painters franchisee in the area, and Paul Calvisi- you Arizonians probably know Paul better as Paulie Pigskin, Sports Broadcaster for KTAR Sports 620 and Arizona Sports.
If you have to fly out and back in a day to tackle big color questions and call out bold plays of color, this is the team to have with you. CertaPro always takes care of their client, and Paul and his family were so laid back, so open to ideas, so excited to work on their home.
I'm no doubt explaining something fascinating about the delicate dance of color and light... Paul's seems to be thinking, "wait, did I have grilled cheese for dinner last night or was it lasagna?"
I met his family, got the grand tour of the house, then dove right into color. They wanted colors to update their house now that will still feel fresh with the improvements they have planned for the future.
Nathan Marmor, CertaPro Painter franchisee, stands by ready to catch the ball- er uh, the paint deck as we go over exact plans and finishes...
Paul was super cool and so was everything about his family and home. We came up with a really simple palette with thoughtful decisions around details like painting the baseboards to match the walls (why call out features that aren’t the best?!) and giving the bathroom a cleaner look with a light color that carried onto the walls and ceiling.
I like to carry a color swatches around the room to see how they'll look from every angle...
We went through each room choosing colors that looked great in every space and also worked well together for a more spacious and flowing feel.
Let's be honest, this probably isn't the most fast-paced game Paul's been involved in, but you can see we really had to consider some serious stuff here- like satin vs. eggshell! We're almost done here when I could swear I caught Paul thinking, "yes, yes, I am King of my castle" while I've apparently drifted off to, "hm, should I have grilled cheese or lasagna for lunch?"
All puns and serious faces aside, we really made a great team. Everyone’s excited about the project and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
Then it's back to the airport before the sun goes down. I'll touch base with Nathan and Paul in about a week and see how things are going.
We landed on a simple color scheme- just three colors- with a list of details to bring out all the best features of this comfy family friendly home.
Jody Gorlock, author of this 34 Secrets article, compiled color tips from an extensive list of designers to offer readers approachable advice for their homes.
Of course, it was a surprise to him, but I was thrilled when I first got the call back in November to provide color tips for the article. (thanks for the heads up, Lane! I’d almost forgotten to be on the look out for the March issue!)
It’s funny, sometimes my days run into each other and I’m not sure if me and my team have accomplished enough. Projects get held up by back orders, interviews are often done months in advance, video editing takes weeks of drafts, and timing purchases and services can take Matrix-like coordination. There are a lot of moving parts and, of course, my goal is to be moving them and myself forward at all times. So when these moments arrive- the magazine comes out or the video goes live or the finishing pieces go into a project- I just can’t help but stop for a sec and smile. I love my work!
Go pick up the magazine for lots of great color tips for your home, and stay tuned this week to see- in real time- what I’m up to every day to make the Shannon Kaye Making Room for More machine turn. I’m headed to Phoenix tomorrow for a last minute color consultation… can’t wait to tell you about it! Stay tuned…
Okay, this may be a little of ‘design’ target, but in light of losing beloved and troubled artist, Whitney Houston, I’m going to write about it anyway.
It was getting late (after midnight late) but I sat there determined to get all the content loaded on my new website- ah the drudgery, the torment, the unfairness of it all! I felt a bit overloaded and underwhelmed by the task at hand as my television rambled on. Then about 11 o’clock, Dolly Parton came on the Biography Channel and I couldn’t look away.
I’ve never doubted her talent, business savvy, smile… As I watched though, I also couldn’t help but notice her joy, laughter, wit, intelligence, generosity, creativity… and mostly her belief in herself.
“I knew I couldn’t be more poor, so I just went out and did what I could with what I had. I never thought I couldn’t have my dreams- that’s how silly or ambitious I was.”
Made me want to put on a sparkly top and laugh at myself for being overwhelmed by a silly ol’ website!
You know, Elvis’ manager wanted her to give away the rights to her famous song, ‘I Will Always Love You’ so Elvis could record it. She turned him down with sadness but without hesitation believing that what she created should always be hers. Some 13 years or so later, Kevin Costner, a huge Dolly fan, was doing the BodyGuard and it was his suggestion to use the song that lead to success and greatness for so many!
So, here’s what I’m taking away from this story:
a. you never know who will refer you, hire you, be inspired by you… so always do your best. It’s okay to walk when the relationship is done- just do it with as much grace as possible.
b. no matter how poor, overwhelmed, burdened, you can choose how you respond to your life- you can choose fear and tears or laughter and love.
c. ownership is yours to keep and give away. Whether your work is great or small, impressive or only quietly amazing- guard it fiercely, but share it with everyone
