Patricia Gray's Tips for Making Colour Work in Your Interior

 

Don't be afraid to use colour. Have fun and use colours you love in the accessories,  

which don't cost a lot to change out. If possible, change them seasonally to keep 

        your interiors fresh.  

 White is a wonderful colour for kitchens. Just as simple white plates are a beautiful 

 way to display food, everything looks delicious against white counters, cabinets and 

        walls.    

 Before you commit to a colour, try many. Buy sample pots and large poster boards 

 and paint the boards. Move them around the room so you can see how the colours 

        change in different light depending on the time of day. 

Two perfect blues: Heaven on Earth and Under the Big Top, both by Benjamin

Moore. 

 Choose original artwork you love and then look to that artwork to create layers of 

 colour. Pull different shades and vary them in throw pillows, accessories like blown 

        glass, flowers and fruit.  

 Keep accent colours in a single family for a unified, sophisticated result. Editing is a part of the process.  With too many objects in a room, you don't appreciate any one thing.   

Accents of citron and ultramarine blue pop against a neutral backdrop of beige, taupe and brown in the family room. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

A soothing shade of warm taupe on the walls is a perfect backdrop for art and accessories in the den. Cushions pull a shades of brown from art by David Edwards. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.   

The master bedroom, painted a delicate shade of pure summer sky, imbues the room with a relaxing atmosphere. A vintage Louis chair received an update with silver paint, white leather upholstery, and nail heads. Art is by Karen Lorena Parker. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

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Patricia Gray's Tips for Making Colour Work In Your Interior

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview 

What a week we had. Last Friday I was contacted by Shaw TV to be featured on a segment on their Dream Homes show. Tuesday morning Shaw TV showed up with camera crew and shot for three and a half hours to get approximately four minutes of air time. Although it was quite exhausting with many retakes it was a lot of fun and the weather that day was perfect. Here is the link for the preview of the segment as it aired on Shaw TV Channel 4 yesterday. There will be a another segment airing next week. Stay tuned!!!

YouTube link Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Let There Be Light

Have fun with accent lighting. Finding just the right lighting is one of the most difficult things for me as an interior designer, but when it happens it is magic. I think of the room as the perfect little black dress with the perfect cut, the one that dresses up or down according to the occasion, and the perfect lighting fixture is the jewelry that finishes off and compliments the little black dress.

I have written an article for West Coast Homes and Design, a supplement in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper,on how the right lighting is one of the most important aspects in achieving atmosphere in a home. Lighting is a discipline all to itself and often is one of the most important parts of an interior. Bad lighting can ruin a good interior: good lighting can almost salvage a bad one. For example….. (more)

In kitchens it is particularly important to get the lighting right as food preparation along with the eating and social aspects that go on in this room are a vital part of our lives and involve all of our senses. Kitchens need to be well lit with good overall ambient lighting and task lighting over islands and countertops. Add a little fun and pizazz with accent lighting as I did over this island.


Lighting in a bathroom and bedroom needs to make you feel refreshed and energetic in the morning, ready to face the challenges of the day ahead, but at night should engender a feeling of relaxation and harmony. In a bathroom, good lighting for putting on make-up should come evenly from either side of the mirror so shadows are not cast on the face. The rest of the room needs to be lit evenly from overhead, but be careful of placing recessed pot lights that are directly over your head when standing in front of a mirror or else you will have shadows under your eyes. I put the lights for the make-up lights and the overhead lights on different switches to further enhance the options to create different moods.


Left: Wall mounted LED swing-arm lamps were used in this bedroom for task light.
Right: Candles can add to the mood and ambience in a room and make a dramatic statement.
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PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel. 2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™