Over the weekend, I found a wonderful resource that I want to share with readers. When you want to make the biggest impact for the least investment in your home, a fresh coat of paint with an appealing color is the best option. Designers and realtors all preach this message and numerous programs on HGTV provide examples for viewers. 

Getting the color chosen is generally the obstacle which I refer to as color phobia.  A visit to the neighborhood paint store is a great resource but intimidating.  With thousands of options, the issue is to narrow the selection and more important suit the hue to your home.

In this post I share a very helpful website to get the color selected and on your wall.  Start browsing at MyPerfectColor.com. Search colors by how you plan to use them. I like the suggested color combinations or learn what colors other people are using in the same room, or discover the top selling colors are in your state. (WA favorites are Roasted Sesame Seed, Alpaca and Metropolitan all from Benjamin Moore). And, after you narrow your choices, contact your local paint store. I suggest you ask them for a small mini-can of paint to test. MyPerfectColor will send mini-can samples to your door as another option.

About MyPerfectColor.com

Brothers Jason and Dana Shaw are transforming Breslow Home Design Center, a business started by their grandfather in 1924, into an innovative web enterprise. MyPerfectColor.com is the first website of its kind. Offering color matches of over 100,000 colors across over 100 paint brands, MyPerfectColor not only offers an unprecedented selection of colors but also offers customers the ability to choose lighter or darker versions of any color. Any color is available in a pint-sized paint sample mini-can, or gallons and quarts of any finish of Benjamin Moore paint.

Recently I spoke to three 30 year olds about purchasing furniture.  One shared that he went to a consignment shop with success for many items.  My daughter needs lots of items from upholstery to wood pieces and wants to be  responsibly green so she searches online for used furniture near her home. After my post on Heath Ceramics, Alek commented and I investigated her blog.  She shared her favorite furniture that she moved from Paris to Seattle. Her proximity to great flea markets in Paris places her in an enviable position.

So where am I going with this post? I want to provide some considerations about purchasing new or used furniture and I hope to receive some comments from readers.

On a personal level as an interior designer, I advocate for furnishings made in the United States and share information with clients about where products originate. The closer the manufacturing source to Seattle, the better to reduce environmental impact.

The percentage of furniture produced and imported into the United States is much greater than most people realize. Confusing this issue is furniture that is ‘finished’ in the United States vs. manufactured. 

To save dollars and reduce environmental impact I encourage a search of auction houses or consignment stores. This is a smart idea for wood furniture and wood framed chairs since you can touch, see and sit.

Used Upholstery Issues

About the evaluation part, upholstery is tricky.  The expensive parts of re-upholstery are the labor and fabric, especially on pieces like sectionals and sofas which use 10 to 20 yards of fabric or more. Here are some questions to ask:

• Is the original  a quality product?
• Are there cracks in the frame; are the cushions ‘dead’?
• How are the springs, or webbing?
• What will replacement fabric and labor cost?

If the outcome of this evaluation results in a nay, there are alternative options.  Contact an interior designer for critical advice about style, suitable fabric, size, and overall construction considerations and order. Or purchase from a local manufacturer. Use a recommended, professional upholsterer to build the frame and upholster a sofa, sectional or chair. There is no long distance shipment. You can also observe the progress and develop a relationship with the upholsterer.

Please share your comments and suggestions. 

With the hassles of flying and cost of travel overseas rethinking ‘HOME’ and how we live in our home takes on new meaning.   Over the past months whether it’s the price of a gallon of gas, dining out, movies, the economic message is stay home.  And why not? As one considers this option, an investigation of our surroundings is an opportunity to examine the condition of our comfort zone and what improvements are possibilities.

As a designer, I commit to the motto that you should ‘come home to a place you love’.  Do you?  What alterations, tweaks so to speak, make that phrase come alive for you? Would new wall color inspire you?

How about fresh accessories like accent pillows, a lamp, a new chair or sofa, an area rug? 

Or you could indulge yourself with a kitchen remodel intending to gather friends and family at the table for memorable meals and conversation. A very personal luxury inspiration like a spa like bathroom makeover diminishes all that stress from your workday. 

As we enter the indoor months the chance to entertain around sporting events or movies makes that large flat screen very appealing.   Watch your favorite teams with friends and swap stories in the comfort of your home.  Compare outcomes of favorite reality television programs over snacks or watch the movies you love or missed at the theater in the comfort of your home.

A few months ago, Stephen Drucker, editor of House Beautiful, penned a great post.  It captured the importance of your home.  “I can’t mention the economy anymore. It’s in the news, it’s at the gas pump, it’s in the air every day. To everyone who hesitates that decorating is a luxury at this unsettled moment, I’d like to say that I think home is more important than ever, not a last priority in your budget, but a first. Now is the time to set a beautiful table and invite friends for dinner, rather than go to a restaurant. Now is the time to get a deal on that big TV and create your own home theatre, rather than go out to movies. Now is the time to paint a room a pretty color, or buy some pillows for your sofa, or dress up your bed in new sheets. And now is definitely the time to renovate a kitchen or bath, or even add a room, as contractors become less busy and more eager to please. Home isn’t a luxury; the money you spend, you’ll enjoy every day. “