Monday Meandering

I hope everyone is enjoying this last long weekend of the summer (here in Canada and in the US it's a holiday today).   Most summers seem endless but this summer for some reason flew by in a heartbeat.  I can’t believe it’s over.

The upside is that Fall is my favourite time of year and like the beginning of a school year, it’s a time for a fresh new start, a time to set new goals and make some changes.  (I’ll get right on that!)

So, here’s some holiday reading from around the web:

1)  Canadian House and Home staff picked their favourite paint colours for the Fall.



2)  Speaking of paint colours, if you are thinking of painting your front door, Fall provides the perfect weather for tackling this project.  To give you some inspiration, here are some images from my Pinterest account. I’m currently mad about yellow as a front door colour although it’s not that common in my suburban neighbourhood.















3) If you follow Michael Penney’s blog or you read the House and Home article on paint colours which said “former Style Editor Michael Penney,” you know that Michael left H&H.  Tomorrow he will be starting a new position working with none other than Sarah Richardson.  He will be working on season two of Sarah 101 with Sarah, Tommy Smythe and the rest of the team.  Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Sarah 101 is looking for homeowners who want to “redecorate or lightly renovate” their home - if interested read here.  (If you aren't chosen, then call me :) )

4) Hope all of the kiddies out there have a fun week back at school (I know my girl is not looking forward to it!) We head back on Wednesday.  Canadian Family has a Back to School Guide filled with tips to ensure a smooth transition. I’m looking forward to trying some of the breakfast ideas.

 
(PS See that cute little redhead on the cover, that’s Christine’s daughter.)

5) The wonderful, unexpected part of blogging is the friendships you make. Tim had a few of us over to his beautiful condo for dessert last week. Had so much fun chatting about blogging, design and what’s new with everyone.  Read his post here. (Note to self: don’t stand beside the oh-so-trim Tim in a photo. I look like twice his size – must be my top or the fact that I only went to the gym twice this summer!)

6) Don’t forget about the Geovin sale which ends on September 15th.



Have a happy week!



If you need decorating advice, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis(dot)com.

$5 Makeover

Have you seen the new Martha Stewart Living paint colours available at Home Depot?  280 beautiful colours including some of Martha’s favourites.  The complete colour palette (below) arranges all the colours as if they were on a colour wheel – so easy to find that perfect shade.


You can get a tester of any of the colours for $4.99.


I bought this colour and painted the mirror in my family room.  The colour is similar to the colour in the fabric on one of my chairs.



Before:



After:



 



The great thing is it only cost $5 (actually $2.50 because I used half the pot!)   If I tire of the colour and want to paint it a creamy white (which was my first preference), I can.  I may also do another coat of the Arrowroot to darken it.  I realized this would have been a great “How to lighten up for Spring” post rather than posting it in the Fall when everything is earth tones! 

What do you think?  Have you done any inexpensive DIYS  around your house to freshen it up or for a change?

I’m sharing this at Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch and Funky Junk Interiors.  Head on over to see some other DIY makeovers.

Painting out Wood

My sister lived with the orange stained wainscoting and faux grasscloth wallpaper for a dozen years (at least!)  Well, she had finally had enough  and called me over to help her choose paint colours.

Before:

Before:

Before (they removed this unattractive 80’s light fixture as well):

Before:

After:

After: Doesn’t it look all fresh and bright?   I chose Benjamin Moore HC-173 Edgecomb Gray (one of my all-time favourite colours) for the top and Cloud White for the wainscoting.  They wanted colour (yellow or red) but I suggested keeping it neutral and fresh because they planned on hanging their lovely collection of original art (painted by talented family members) throughout the room.  Edgecomb Gray is neither gray nor beige – somewhere in between and it changes throughout the day.  It also works beautifully with the colours of the stone in the fireplace.

My skilled (and oh so nice) painter did a lovely job and when I went to see it yesterday I was blown away by the transformation.  My sister and brother-in-law couldn’t be more pleased as well.

They still have a few things left  to do in the room.  They had the table and chairs made by a local craftsman who is also making a wood mantel to fit over the existing stone one.  They were going to replace the stone fireplace but decided to keep it as they really didn’t mind the look.  The mantel and a larger, more neutral area rug will be installed over the next few weeks. 

When am I coming over for dinner, Sissy?  (Did I mention that my brother-in-law is a talented chef?)

I’m linking up to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

If you would like to transform a room in  your home, please email me at vanessa@vanessafrancis.com.

New from Farrow and Ball

Yesterday, I (and a few other design bloggers) was invited to meet Nikki Chee (above), Communications Manager for Farrow and Ball from the head office in the UK. She talked about the company's exquisite paint and wallpapers as well as previewed a new collection of papers launching in September. We weren’t allowed to share any images, but I can tell you they are beautiful! Nikki was a treat too. Arren did a post on her awhile back.

Farrow and Ball was started up by two gentlemen (yes, Mr. Farrow and Mr. Ball) in the 1930’s and still uses traditional methods of manufacturing their paint and wallpaper.

What sets Farrow and Ball apart from other paint manufacturers is the quality of their ingredients. There is no plastic content in their paint which is made of natural ingredients like china clay, lime putty and linseed oil. All their paints are zero VOC (except the Interior Wood Primer and Undercoat which is low VOC.)

There are 132 colours in 13 finishes in the paint collection (interior and exterior) and although they retire some periodically, you can always get a discontinued colour. They have small test pots of all of their colours.

I know that some people try to colour match Farrow and Ball with another paint manufacturer to save money.  Nikki showed us Rectory Red matched by two paint companies and they weren’t even close to the original Farrow and Ball colour. The Farrow and Ball colour was richer and had more clarity and purity. So, spend the extra few dollars and get the real deal.

Nikki describes the paint this way: “it’s like you could push your hand through the wall,” describing the paint’s depth. A high level of titanium oxide in their paint creates depth when light hits it.

Their wallpapers are so beautiful and unique because paint is applied to paper rather than ink. They are either block printed or trough printed. Wallpaper is made to order but only takes a week to get from the UK to North America.

They also have a new book coming out in September called Living with Colour and features a number of UK homes. “Divided into chapters according to style, including Classical, City, Modern Country, Cottage and Country House, the first part of the book shows Farrow & Ball paints and wallpapers in a wide range of unusual and beautiful interiors. Part Two of the book is devoted to colour. From the themes of All White and In Neutral to Softly, Softly and Bright and Beautiful, each chapter explores a particular palette and shows how colour can be used to create atmosphere, character and charm.”