Color messages- why recipes just don't work

Branding firms like to use color messaging lingo to plump up their argumentation for a design. "X" color communicates _____. It's true that understanding the psychology of color is imperative in developing a successful product or service. The issue I take with this is that companies risk making blanket statements that are too broad and generalized to stand up to further scrutiny.

Take for instance a recent example of color messaging manipulation.

Fiserv provides automated account-keeping and other technology to help banks and credit unions operate efficiently. They wanted to be seen as a "vibrant, fresh and energetic" company (source). My first thought was, this is an enormous $4.7 billion dollar company, they've sucked up more than 140 companies while in business, and they work with financial institutions. Fresh and vibrant? Um, yeah right. But, since that's how they want to be perceived, off they go to be re-branded. Tada! The new face of fiserv. Your perception of the company is totally altered, right?

Brand New makes a great point about their new look, "this is a simple, strong corporate design and major bonus points for ditching the industry-issued color blue in favor of orange."
Orange is a great alternative to banking blue because it stands out in a sea of corporate clones. They further support the color choice by adding that it "has a certain heat and energy to it, but not the kind of danger you perceive when you see red,"(source).

True, but does this rule work for every case? Is red inherently taboo in the financial institution world? The resounding answer is, "nope".

I give you, HSBC Direct banking, branded by the same firm that designed fiserv. The very same firm that argued against using red as "dangerous". Go figure. Snark Hunting did some detective work on Landor's design and dug up the case study. "The strong use of white exemplifies the clarity and simplicity of the brand while the bold red registration pods demonstrate how HSBC Direct is a future-facing and contemporary brand."(source)

So, it just goes to show you, color recipes do not work. There are just too many nuances within color, and without the context around which a color is used, it's meaningless.

How climate affects color choices

In San Francisco, the fog rolls in, covering everything in a blanket of subdued gray. Other locations deal with white hot sun beating down daily. While some cities fight the wash-out from weather with brights (think Albuquerque or Miami), San Francisco opts for a more sophisticated palette of hues. Now, there are certainly exceptions to the rule: take Painted Lady Victorians, for example. But even within that palette, you won't find much lime green or turquoise as the dominant color.

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In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, it's discussed how the weather and fog effect San Francisco design. Three different designer's approaches to coping with the fog: select opposites, embrace it, or fight it all together.

Do you think the regional climate in your area has an effect on how you chose colors for your home? If you've lived in different cities, did your palette change, depending upon where you were living?

The blogosphere and how you fit in

I'm having an aha moment. Whether you write, read, or write/read blogs, I think this can apply to everyone.

Learning about blogging etiquette and trends has been a fascinating process. Some blogs have been around for years, with a small handful of loyal readers. Others have just started up, but have a huge following. Some blogs get 2, maybe 3 comments per post, while others collect 30, 40, sometimes even 100's of comments. I got to wondering what it was about blogs that inspired people to come back again and again...and comment to boot!

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Through Curb Appeal (via another new favorite read of mine, Color Me Happy), I read an interesting post by Penelope Trunk, a career therapist. She says that the most interesting posts are not those written with absolute certainty, but those topics about which you are uncertain. That leaves room for dialogue, and everyone, writer and readers, on more equal ground, opening up the topic for discussion. No one wants to write in a bubble. The concept of two-way conversations is an intriguing one- to inform readers, while still engaging them in discussion. I want this for us! I know many of you are bloggers yourselves, and still more are dedicated readers of at least a few sites. So, what brings readers back regularly? What inspires you to comment on a blog? How has blogging been for you?

What else can you do with paint chips?

David Stark has a love affair with paint chips. Instead of the end product, he uses them as the building blocks for his larger creations. Like dabs of paint in an impressionist painting, or squares of color in a Chuck Close montage, Stark uses the chips to create color fields that snap into focus once you step back.

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Here's his table for Benny Moore's Dining By Design entry in 2008. That wall behind the table? Yup, all paint chips. See, there are things you can do with paint chips once you've selected that perfect color.

For a great interview with the designer, head over to Living in Color with Sonu.

Anthropologie knows color

Have you seen the latest Anthropologie's July catalog? They always chose a strong theme to base each photo shoot around, and this month, it's all about form and color. I love that it's all about the structures and angles behind the model, the negative spaces, and the environment created by the colorful shapes. I'd love to know where they shot these photos. Any ideas? Of course, the clothes aren't too shabby, either.

But what I loved the most were the incorporation of color quotes:

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way- things I had no words for." -Georgia O'Keeffe

"It is not the form that dictates the color, but the color that brings out the form." -Hans Hofmann

Take that, architects! Form cannot exist in isolation, it needs color and texture to define it.

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"Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment" -Claude Monet

Do you have a favorite quote that encapsulates something you are passionate about?

Color education goes prime time- hopefully

One of my fellow IACC-NA colleagues is a contestant on HGTV's Design Star this season.
Way to go Jennifer! I'm certainly going to tune in to see if she can incorporate some color education for the viewers into her projects. It's high time a professionally-trained color consultant gets some air time.

One thing the website got incorrect: "Jen is one of only 51 color consultants in the U.S. certified by the International Association of Color Consultation...."
Actually, we have close to 100 members in our North American chapter now. Then, there are the much larger chapters in Europe and Asia.

Tune in Sunday nights, (Premieres Sunday, July 19, 10/9c ) and let's discuss the show. I've never seen it before, so I'm curious to see what it's all about.

Thanks Lori, for the tip!

Phone color apps- are they really all that?

I don't personally have an iPhone, or other blackberry type device, but I'm always fascinated by the latest and greatest apps available...the color-related ones, in any case.

SW's Color Snap

Designhole recently wrote a great review of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams color-matching applications, both free for downloading. She astutely summarizes, "No color app is going to identify a color correctly when the camera is the problem. How could both companies fail to see this? At least they’re free."

BM Color Capture

The cliff notes version? These apps are a great jumping-off point, but just remember you are looking at two completely different types of color- additive (light source) and subtractive (pigment). There are so many factors that get in between you and the recording of your perfect color. Like any other camera/compute screen, color calibration, color cast, light source, and many other factors will influence what you see. Color is all about context, so if the white point on your iPhone monitor is leaning more towards a warm tone or a cool tone, your color will not be accurate.

For another take, you can read this color app analysis.

Anyone have either of these nifty applications? What do you think of what paint companies are trying to do? Do you think it's successful? Let's discuss!

(Added 7-6-09: be sure to read the comments from this blog post, as there was a fabulous discussion that ensued. Great nitty gritty details about subtractive versus additive color mixing)

Designer advice...it depends

The Washington Post just published an article entitled, Grad Design Guide. There are some great little tid bits of advice, like

"for walls, use a super-matte finish, which will conceal imperfections."

So true. Shiny paint will only draw attention to any bumps, drips, nail pops, etc in the wall surfaces.

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Notice the difference in the wall surface between the shiny stripes and the matte/flat stripes? The shiny finish really magnifies those wall imperfections.

But I take issue with one of the tips in the Paint section:

"If you paint, use one color rather than trying to find a different color for each room; that will help the overall space seem larger."

So not true. Define each space so that it has it's own unique character.

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By paying close attention to how one color flows into the next and works as a cohesive palette, you can actually make a space feel bigger by mixing up your color use.

Anyone have any great color design tips they'd like to share? What tips would you advise someone just moving into their first teensie apartment?

In honor of SF Victorians

I give you: eye candy

I am always blown away by the spectacular color treatments of these buildings. They are all over San Francisco, but these particular ones are from the Hayes Valley area.

Color gets a boost Up in 3-D

You simply MUST go see the latest Pixar movie, Up. Make sure you see the 3-D version, as it adds a ton to the viewing experience.
The colors and the animation are just phenomenal.

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At the beginning of the film, a short montage, called "Married Life" fills the viewer in on back-history of the main character, Carl, before moving to the present tense of the story.

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It encapsulates Carl and his wife Ellie's life together, including a daring dip into reality with a really sad scene at the doctor's after a miscarriage. What really helps to drive home this montage is the use of color to illustrate each stage of the character's lives together.

I was thrilled to find an article that touched upon this topic a little bit:

If you watch the scene closely, you also will notice that the color palette shifts to reflect the nature of Carl and Ellie's relationship. When they are young, the shades are sepia-toned, suggesting something from the 1930s. In the prime of their lives, the colors are richer -- vibrant greens and blues. "Hopefully it's not something the audience is even conscious of," [director Pete] Docter says.

There aren't too many movie stills online yet, so you'll have to go see the movie to experience the full effect.
I am especially fond of the old man's house. A funny coincidence: before I saw the movie, as a joke, I had just created an outrageously colorful mock-up for a client, so I was tickled to see Pixar's version of an equally-vibrant paint job. Oh, how fabulous would that be to work for Pixar? Their campus is a mere 10 minutes away from me in Emeryville. Too bad they don't have a job position exclusively for color consultations. Ah well, one can dream...

all images (except my crazy house) copyright Pixar/Disney

Playin' it cool

Can mayonnaise be cool? Miracle Whip, the mayo substitute, is sure trying.

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Before on left, new label on right

Gone are the swirly-twirlies, the sunbursts and loopty-doo's. Instead, Kraft has reverted to a largely white label and simpler look. The brand colors are the same, but the balance has shifted from spritely blues to sterile white. To me, this feels distinctly "generic", but maybe that's because I've grown up associating white or plain labels with discount brands. Does anyone feel the same? I imagine European brands must have a different look and feel to them.

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With this brand new look, and a slick ad campaign, Kraft is courting youngsters in the 18-35 year old age group, relying on this sparse, retro feeling label and 'in your face' tag line, "We will not tone it down". But come on folks, it's still just mayonnaise! I never really pictured mayonnaise substitute as a rebellious, live-out-loud type of condiment.

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Added to that, they have placed videos on YouTube, and even have a Facebook page and free application called Zingr. I understand their demographic has gone digital, but this seems to be a bit of a stretch. Of course, they've got me writing and linking to it, so maybe it does work.

"If we can get 'zing' adopted as part of the digital vernacular, it will be tied into everything else we're doing," says a company spokesperson. (source)

Personally, I can't see getting that excited over mayonnaise. Any takers?

Healthy hospital design

Hospitals are for healing, right? So why do most fall short when it comes to the design aspect of the building? They always seem to be imposing, cold, sterile, and impossible to navigate. But there are some shining stars out there that take a completely different approach. Take King's Mill Hospital in the UK, for example.

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The designer chose warm colors for the entrance, drawing visitors into the building and putting them at ease. The colors become cooler blues and greens around the sides of the building, reflecting the countryside location and providing a calming feeling.

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This color coding also helps to direct visitors to the appropriate areas of the building.

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I just love that the designers have broken out of the monochromatic box to give patients, visitors, and staff a cheerful, uplifting environment in which to work and heal.

What do you think of this building?

Texting emotions

Not sure of the tone of a message? Soon, you'll be able to just check the color of your key pad. Nokia is applying for a patent for a system that would allow cell phone users to program a color to glow on the recipient's phone key pad according to the mood the caller/texter wants to convey.

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According to it's patent application,

"Light messaging allows a user to express a mood while having an ongoing call or while sending a text message. The light messaging may set the tone of the communication. People react to lights and colors very deeply and emotionally. Thus, using lights of an electronic device for light messaging allows enriched and improved user experiences with a new level of communication"

What do you think of this? Do you think people will "get it"?

What a difference a make-over makes

Want to see the power of color? I recently had coffee with a local interior designer, Florence Goguely, to chat about her collaborative work with Cecile Picard involving color design. While scrolling through images on her laptop of a fabulous elementary school project (more on that in a later post), I caught a glimpse of some amazing 'before' and 'after' shots of hotel make-over. Intrigued, I wanted to see more. Florence was kind enough to share those photos with me, so that I could in turn share them with you. Using just paint and a few decorative elements, this hotel went from blah to hazzah! Color me impressed.
The Stanford Terrace Inn was nothing worth stopping for, design-wise. Located in posh Palo Alto, across from Stanford University, it lacked the pizazz to draw visitors. It's drab exterior said 'out-dated residence', not 'chic, sophisticated boutique accomodations'. But wow, swap out the green awnings, brighten up the palette with warm, cheerful, punchy tones, and it suddenly becomes an entirely different establishment.This dark gauntlet of a hallway was anything but inviting. With a coat of high-gloss sky blue paint on the ceilings to reflect light, sconces on the walls, some big mirrors with ornate painted "frames", and a warm peachy wall color, it's a totally different story, now.
Love that mediteranean color palette. Add a few citrusy umbrellas, some potted plants and deck seating, and voila, a welcoming, relaxing environment.Can you believe it's the same hotel?
What an amazing transformation.

images copyright Florence Goguely

Sophie's Colours

I just came across the work of Sophie Smallhorn, a British artist.
Best known for her wall-mounted, chromatically-inspired pieced, she also takes commissions on larger pieces, working as a color consultant. Her work is vibrant and cheerful- more like fine art than interior design. She certainly has an identifiable "look" for which she is commissioned.

Here are a few examples I found of her work:
The City Academy school in Nottingham. I love how each floor or area is defined by it's own gradated palette of cheerful hues.

And a fabulous treatment of colored vinyl bands for revolving doors at the Canary Warf in London. Inside...images source

...and outside. So playful and whimsical.

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This installation makes for a dramatic greeting- bold blocks of color at the entrance to the Underground Station from Canada Place Mall.
It's amazing what art and color can do to spice up other-wise boring, utilitarian spaces, don't you think? Have you seen any great public art installations?

Gradated buildings

I'm on a UK kick. You read one article, which leads you to another interesting topic, and then another one. All in all, London seems to have really embraced the gradated, colorful facade. It certainly breaks up the mass of a building and catches the eye!

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This is the Westminster Academy at the Naim Dangoor Centre, London. Drivers only have a few seconds to catch a glimpse of this school as they fly by along a busy highway. I would imagine this certainly catches their attention, right? "A key aim was to create a new civic landmark in which the pupils, staff and wider community felt a sense of pride and ownership and the boldly coloured exterior reflects the new sense of aspiration."(source) Very citrusy and fresh, I think.

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Or how about this one. Question: if you had to live in public housing, where would you rather live: here?

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...or here?
Wansey Street Housing is "a gap site between different typologies, the scheme reinterprets the terrace with 21st century requirements for density, flexibility, sustainability, ownership and security. The graduated, striped composition of the façade - a progression from canary yellow to vermilion - links buff-coloured, London stock Victorian terrace and red brick former town hall." (source) I just love the color treatment!

Of course, part of what draws me to these buildings is the bright, saturated colors. But I don't think they would be nearly as successful if the bulk of the facades weren't broken up into smaller parts to break up the massive feeling of the structure. What do you think?

Significant Colour Exhibit

London seems to get all the great exhibits related to color. From May 8th to June 27th, the Aram Gallery will be exhibiting the show, "Significant Colour". The gallery website has a great little essay on the impact of color.
"an exhibition that will examine objects and artworks where colour is the first aspect that the viewer responds to, and the impact of colour, their most memorable feature."
I love that the exhibit delves into why people respond to color as they do. Case in point:
"A very intense and saturated blue can be much more energizing to the heart and mind than a dark, somber red, defying the common notion that blue calms and red stimulates. Colour is a powerful tool capable of affecting emotional well-being and intellectual motivation."(source)

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Anyone near London care to check it out for us and report back?

All things mini

I have a soft spot in my heart for miniatures. I don't know why, I've just always been drawn to tiny things- little dollhouse furniture, mini tools, baby corn... If it's small, you're certain to get an "aw" from me.

"Toys represent a microcosm of man’s world and dreams.
They exhibit fantasy, imagination, humor and love.
They are an invaluable record and expression of man's ingenious unsophisticated imagination."
-Alexander Girard

While in Santa Fe, we visited the Museum of International Folk Art, where they had the puppet exhibit I wrote about earlier. On permanent display at the museum was an ENORMOUS collection of toys, traditional arts, village scenes, textiles, and other art collected by Alexander and Susan Girard. And talk about a colorful exhibit!Even the ceiling beams have colorful accents. No sterile white gallery space here. They spent their lives traveling around the globe and collecting. And boy, did they ever collect. We're not talking a trinket here, and a little object there. On their honeymoon, they traveled to Mexico and returned with a carload of dolls, toy, and things for their home.

With 100,000 objects, entire village scenes can be represented. Dolls are not just displayed on the shelf with nice lighting- they are placed in a scene, creating little worlds.

There are over 100 countries represented in the exhibit which Girard designed personally to showcase the art objects. The amount of energy that must have gone into the creation of this exhibit is mind-boggling. Every piece is placed in an appropriate environment.

Astonishingly, only 10% of the full collection is on display- there's still 90% in storage somewhere! I say they need to put together a traveling exhibit so everyone can enjoy the collection.

Black in Design

Great little article in Stir magazine about black walls. Want to see more?

Santa Fe, the City Different

I'm finally getting around to catching up on my blog posts from our recent trip to New Mexico. Thanks for your patience! And now, a little from the "City Different":

The colors of New Mexico are fantastic. With the dusty pink earth and sage brush everywhere, the accent color of choice is blue, blue, blue. Look, they even accentuated the overpasses in turquoise: nice touch, don't you think?

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In historic downtown Santa Fe, there is a strict ordinance about the style and color of buildings.

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Desert earth tones are the only acceptable colors permitted for the Pueblo Revival and Territorial style buildings- it's quite a sight for those who have never seen Santa Fe.
This inlaid stone design gives you a pretty good idea of the palette. Beautiful soft adobe tones.
I thought this was funny- one writer said Santa Fe buildings looked like boxes that had been buttered and rolled in brown sugar.
Here's another view across the Plaza.
The ordinance does go to some rather ridiculous extremes. Even the ATM machine is appropriately dressed for downtown.

There's been a lot of debate over the restricted architectural styles allowed in the historic district. Some complain that it's too strict, and impedes development, while others argue it protects a very unique place, giving it the character that makes it so memorable.

What do you think? Thumbs up, or down?

Benjamin Moore Hue Awards

Every year, Benjamin Moore paints hosts a competition to honor the best use of color in architectural interior and exterior design. "Send us your best work using the power of color" is their call to action.
Can you believe that there is not one professional color consultant on their panel of judges? Ah, but we do have a cosmetics person (?!)

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There are four categories you can enter: residential exterior or interior, or contract exterior or interior. The awards always seem to go to the most use of color, instead of the best use of color. Let's get some quality pieces in there. Anyone have a project they might consider entering? I'd like to encourage anyone who has created a color design for a building or interior space to enter!

Deadline for submission is October 9th, 2009.

Chameleon and computer wizardry

I once tried persuading a chameleon to change colors, and the effect was much slower and more subtle. Ah, you gotta love video editing software- neat effect, don't you think?

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Wayang Puppetry Exhibit

While in Santa Fe, we went to the Museum of International Folk Art, which was amazing. We saw an exhibit of Indonesian shadow puppets called Wayang Kulit. The puppets (wayang) are flat leather creations elaborately decorated and perforated, casting the coolest shadows on canvas behind which the puppeteer sits. These performances are accompanied by an orchestra of drums and other Indonesian instruments, and lasts for about 9 straight hours, from dusk to dawn. People come and go, generally only staying for part of the show, whereas the puppeteer must perform the entire production from start to finish. Now that's stamina!

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Audience members can casually move back and forth between the front and back of the screen to see shadows or the actual puppets.

Used as a method of communication and social commentary, these shows pay homage to important ceremonies like weddings, elections, or holidays. Performances are usually based on classical Indian literature and incorporates contemporary issues into particular scenes. While not traditional, I thought this interpreted storyline was great. Yup, that's Saddam Hussein and George Bush.

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They are insanely intricate.

What fascinated me was the traditional used for creating specific characters of wayang. Each represents a particular identity, essence, and social status.

Some characters have round, wide eyes with big pupils, and others have thin slanted, downcast eyes. Turns out, the round eyed characters (called kasar) are "uncouth and poorly-mannered", whereas the thin eyed characters (halus) are "refined and gracious".

Standard colors are also used to portray personality traits and moods.
Human characters are gold, black, white or red
Gold=dignity and calmness
Black = strength, anger, inner maturity
White = youth, innocence, or nobility
Red = intense, violent anger, callous nasty personality, or boldness

Faces can also be painted pink, blue or green.

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Clown characters are particularly well-loved by audiences.

So, why don't the characters look anything like humans? According to one source, Islam forbids the depiction of the human form which is one of the reasons given for the highly stylized appearance of Javanese puppets compared to their counterparts elsewhere in South East Asia.

I find it fascinating to learn about symbolism in other countries and cultures. Doesn't it make life that much more rich and interesting?

*Unless noted, I took the photos

What color is your fitness approach?

Here's a fun(but complicated) little quiz, modeled on the Myers- Briggs personality type test, to assess how you approach exercising and fitness.
The 8 Colors of Fitness Quiz

The quiz works in conjunction with a book called (surprise, surprise!) "The 8 Colors of Fitness; a guide to help you discover your color-coded fitness personality and create an exercise program you'll never quit"

I'm intrigued. It seems sort of like a horoscope prediction, but I'm willing to give it a shot. As a rather easily- distracted person, I can hyper-focus on something for a short period of time, but rarely have the discipline to stick it out, long-term. I absolutely need an exercise buddy to accomplish my fitness goals. I wonder what it will say about me... let's all take it so we can compare notes.


but I don't really agree with the results, so if I take the test again, what will it say?
Hm, this is really hard. Similar to a polarity profile, the questions ask you to select one of two choices for each descriptive phrase about your approaches in life. I have trouble pigeon-holing myself into one option or the other.

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Well, I certainly wouldn't be caught dead in that 80's unitard, so it's a good thing I wasn't purple!

Did you find this difficult too?

Thanks to the the Color Association for the tip!

Google design tips

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the colors you find on Google pages are arbitrary, given their simple nature. You couldn't be farther from the truth.
For instance, how did they come up with a particular shade of blue to use for a specific toolbar?

A designer had picked out a blue that everyone on his team liked. But according to tests conducted by a product manager, users were more likely to click on the toolbar if it were a greener shade of blue. After this dilemma, Google tested 41 gradations of the competing blues to see which ones consumers might prefer. Just blue? I don't think so.

Another tidbit of interesting trivia. Ever wonder how Google came up with the minimalistic home page design? Thank Marimekko prints for that inspiration: bold blocks of saturated colors against a white background. This design is the brainchild of Marissa Mayer, Google's director of consumer web products (essentially Google's gatekeeper). Her aesthetic runs towards clean and simple, mirroring her childhood home and current penthouse in San Francisco which is painted in neutral hues and decorated with colorful pieces by Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol, Sol LeWitt, and Roy Lichtenstein.

A lover of simplicity, coupled with vibrant color and a touch of whimsy...now that's my kind of designer!

It's elementary, my dear

Do you remember your elementary school? Maybe your children's school(s)? Were the buildings particularly interesting or colorful? I've been searching high and low for good examples of elementary schools that utilize colors successfully. Often, a designer will fall into the trap of assuming that bright, primary colors are the only solution for children. Are there 'out of the box' thinkers when it comes to sheltering children during their school days?

Here's a peak at a wild example.:

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This kindergarten is called the Adharshila Vatika Children Center, located in India. Essentially a remodel of an existing structure, the building uses basic identifiable shapes such as circles, triangles and rectangles to form the exterior.

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Color played an important part in defining the character of the building. The designers intended for the building to reflect Disneyland in its use of colors.(source) In their statement about the design, they say,

"pastel shades were the obvious choice avoiding bright or dark colors like red, green, orange. The form & colors are like a composition with one complimenting each other and not standing apart, it’s like fruit basket where all the fruits of different shapes & colors form a perfect composition." (source)

I do love that they were willing to take chances, and truly commited to embracing color.

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Alas, I think the result is more Nickelodeon cartoon and less functional design. I just keep thinking, "children's play structure at the mall". Is it just me? Maybe it's my taste that runs more towards clean, simple forms and palette, but this just feels SO over the top and out of control to me. My take? Stimulus overload!

What do you guys think? I'd love to hear your opinions.

Birthday traditions

I'm back from New Mexico, and had a fantastic time. Thanks for all your great suggestions for my trip.
The skies in the southwest are completely amazing, and seem to go on forever. I'll put together some posts on wonderful colors of the region just as soon as I get a chance.

A birthday tradition I treasure is one my husband and I started years ago when we first moved in together. Instead of store-bought gifts, we give each other hand-made birthday "crowns" for our special days. They have gotten more and more elaborate each year. The idea is to make a crown that encompasses some personal or joint experience from that year. This was the crown I created for my husband this year, depicting the journey we have taken over the past 7+ years for his education. A loosely-interpreted yellow brick road and emerald city. The yellow velvet fabric road represented hope and the pursuit of wisdom (life experiences can sure give you that). The emerald city (those green sparkles stick to everything!) was the "destination".

My husband's crown for me was a tad more technically-complex. Since we moved across the country back to CA this past year, mine was an interpretation of the bay area, complete with 3 bridges and several landmarks that lit up in the dark with LED's. (Treasure Island isn't really that big, but he had to fit my head in somewhere!)
Here you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Richmond Bridge, and a bit of San Francisco. Yup, that "ocean water" is green shimmery jello! Little styrofoam balls created the pockets to represent waves. I was blown away.

Do you have any fun traditions you've created for birthdays?

Black ceilings go the distance

While perusing my favorite daily reads, I stumbled upon this fantastic bathroom make-over. ('before' shots here)
The thing that struck me the most was the black ceiling- it completely erases the boundaries of where the room ends, and gives the illusion of much more space than is actually there.

In the owner Anna's own words,

"The bathroom is only about 5×6 feet, but the ceiling is more than 10 feet high! By carrying the white paneling and wall tiles to a uniform 8 foot height and then painting the upper portion of the walls and ceiling black, I was able to give the room a greater feeling of width and space. It’s an illusion that really works. I can’t believe how much more spacious the room feels now!"(source)

By incorporating black flooring, the space is grounded and cohesive.

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So, when you're looking for a solution to make a space look and feel bigger, don't rule out black. It really can work wonders.

Vacationing

Hubbie and I are taking a little vacation for my birthday to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Having never been to the southwest, I automatically assumed I should be packing shorts, t-shirts, maybe even tank tops and a swimsuit. So imagine my surprise when weather.com's forecast for today was:
Yikes! What is this, the north east?! I thought we were done with winter on this side of the country!

Not to worry, wonderful readers, I've got some posts all set up for next week while I'm away.

Any travel tips for Santa Fe or Taos?

Trimmings for the basement

Speaking of basements, Sarah in Minnesota recently moved, and has big plans for her basement. But she's stuck on where to start, to make the space livable before renovations. She has set her sights on tackling the trim first.

"It's very overwhelming. Do I go with what I like (white trim), or match the rest of the house (wood trim) even though it's not my favorite? I always keep resale value in mind even if I plan to stay somewhere forever. At this point I'm just trying to pick trims (white or lightish wood?) and carpet. We're eventually remodeling, adding a bedroom, a bathroom, a wet bar, fire place with built in bookcases, a game area, and a closet." -Sarah

Here's some examples of Sarah's wood trim upstairs.
And here's the basement. It's pretty much a blank slate at this point.

So, readers, what would you suggest Sarah do about trim for her basement? Should she install wood, or white?