Have
you ever wondered why certain colors
become popular? Have you ever wondered
why when you go into shops all of the
sudden they are showing similar colors?
Since planning a stores selection takes
months of development and all these
stores don’t know each other to talk about
then what’s the conspiracy?
Stores
try to be directional, but one area
doesn’t lead the pack anymore.
Just ten years ago you could go to London
and find trends that were six months
ahead of the New York shops. I used to
say you were only as good as your last
trip to Paris, during my merchandising
days. Globalization has eliminated the
leg up London had over San Francisco
on fashion trends. This is good since
we now look to many countries for inspiration
not just Europe.
Why think about color anyway I ask myself.
Well because it is invigorating, it adds
refreshment to our routines, it can soothe
our soul and lend peace during havoc.
It can make us laugh and bring on memories
of love, family, and friendship. This
is what I love about color, design, and
texture; no pun intended but it is the
fabric of our lives.
We’re not trying to predict the
colors of the future and get on the color
forecasting wagon. But we are going to
mention what colors or we have been seeing
or responding to that appeals to our
Napa Valley lifestyle. There are
a number of trends, some new and some
continuing with new mutations or merging
together to create a fresh perspective
Neutrals are still
with us, while going into several directions,
away from or in addition to the beige
or beige tones, which are still popular.
There is a reason for this. Neutrals
are comfortable to live in, make a great
backdrop for adding color or artwork,
and can be easily be updated and changed
as the mood strikes. Neutrals are also
evolving into much stronger versions-rich
browns, ochres, deeper colors, all creating
a statement. There is both a rustic and
sophisticated feel to this palette. Schemes
of white-white with stronger color accents
are also making a come back
Retro is very strong,
not in style but in colors. A lot
of bright colors are showing up-lime
to pea greens, oranges in various hues,
electric blue, true reds, pinks from
soft to shocking, and yellows. Sometimes
these are used sparingly as accents or
together as a backdrop to white. It might
be a particular combination that is fresh
like brown with icy blue
Hot-reds, reds on top
of pink, and lots of pink with orange
and yellow is an exciting range which
can be used in a muted or bold way. When
muted and not used in the retro way this
palette can be earthy and almost reassuring.
It has the feel of our Napa Valley on
a hot late summer day as the vines are
changing color from green to red, orange
and gold.
Serenity colors evoke
a soothing meditative feeling. The look
has been here for awhile and will continue. Various
versions can be played but more often
than not you will see soft cool tones;
such as pale aqua, steely blue, soft
sages, and beiges. One of the keys of
this story is that it is monochromatic
and low contrast-that’s what makes
it so easy to live with.
In Napa our outdoor spaces can be updated
with color too. It should be an inviting
space for good food and friendly talk.
An outdoor room doesn’t have to
be big, in fact a smaller space can be
more intimate and inviting. You can create
a cozy space by defining it with stone
or wood flooring. Flagstone, brick or
gravel can be combined with mosses or
grasses and scented ground covers. Think
about adding a roof to your room. It
could be of fabric for a tent like enclosure
or build a pergola with climbing grape
vines or wisteria. Don’t close
in your room with walls, but using potted
plants or small trees in container to
enhance the feeling; spacing them in
various heights thereby adding visual
interest. If you want to hide a poor
view using portable bamboo fencing or
trellis of fast growing vines. As
a final touch add soft lighting scattered
amongst the plantings or along a path.
If you have a fixed roof a chandelier
would add magic or lace string lights
amongst the vines for soft ambiance.
Use color in your outdoor room also.
Think of your favorite palette. Do you
like plants in warm red, oranges and
purple why not add copper pots as metal
accents. If you like cooler tones
of white, light blues and pale pinks
then use rustic aluminum pots to bring
in the cooler tones of grey. Just keep
in mind that simple is better and not
to combine too many schemes.
Barefoot Entertaining
NV Life —August/Sept
2008
As we move into the barefoot lazy days
of summer most of us want to take our
entertaining outdoors. How about thinking
in terms of making your outdoor space
an extension of your living room or kitchen?
With a little preplanning you can easily
create an inviting setting to entertain.
First decide the purpose of your gathering;
is it a club tea, a casual party with
neighbors after the game or an anniversary
celebration for your parents. Next decide
on the amount of people to invite and
at the same time look at your space and
perhaps move the furniture around by
arranging existing pieces to create additional
conversation areas. By reviewing you
space you can host small teas, fun team
parties, raucous graduation events, summer
brunches, or elegant evening cocktail
parties. As a last planning step decide
if the event should have a theme. If
you can use a theme for the party it
gives you clearer direction for your
choices about outside decorating colors,
menus, drinks, and music styles.
Picking your outside colors can be put
together with your linens, additional
potted plants, and centerpieces. Dress
the table with colorful linens or add
a special element from the garden to
coordinate the mood. Tablecloths don’t
have to be formal, but you can find great
fabric at local shops that will be a
fresh addition to the mood. Cloth napkins
are great and can be cut from yardage
in a wild pattern. Big napkins perhaps
18” square would be a good start
and you would only need 1 ½ yards
of fabric to make nine napkins. Roll
the edges and top stitch to clean finish
the edges, but if you are not a craft
person then you can pink the edges or
fringe the edges by cutting off the selvedge
and leave the edges raw. Make sure your
cut piece is cut on the square (I call
it on grain) or when you fringe the napkin
it will be crooked. I prefer cottons
or linens which make great fringe rather
than polyesters. Polyesters wash well,
but I don’t like the way they feel.
Your fabric choice will help solidify
the theme and mood of the party. Solids
are more formal while a print can be
perfect for a child’s birthday
celebration or casual party. One of my
favorites is a tablecloth with a map
showcasing all of the states. It is a
great icebreaker for conversation with
quests that are getting together for
the first time. When dressing the table
don’t hesitate to use flowers from
your garden or use a centerpiece that
ties back to your theme. If you have
a quest of honor perhaps they have a
special hobby that can be incorporated
into the centerpiece. Sometimes name
cards are helpful when new people are
meeting and you are trying to start conversation.
Use your glassware and dining utensils
rather than paper plates and cups. The
food will look and taste better especially
for special occasions.
The next step is selecting a menu. As
the hostess people are coming over to
see you so make your life easier
and more enjoyable by being creative
but simple as well. Do what gives you
the opportunity to enjoy the party as
well. Don’t try out new fancy recipes
that keep you in the kitchen at slaving
over the grill. Serve your friends and
family what you like to eat and chances
are they will like it too. Consider making
several items earlier in the day like
chilled salads, marinated vegetables,
and a simple dessert of farmer market
fruits and cheeses.
Even in smaller spaces experts agree
that entertaining will be easier if you
set up a station for drinks and another
station for food. These stations will
get your quests to move around and not
congregate in one group; while it can
enliven the conversation as people move
about. Large tin tubs filled with
ice and various drinks make great party
containers for beer, soft drinks, juices,
or water. Offer a selection of local
wines in red and white or create a sangria
making use of our delicious local fruits.
If you decide to serve mix drinks keep
it simple by offering one or two signature
specialty drinks that can be related
to your theme, Margaritas or Martinis
anyone?
Grilling being ever so popular automatically
makes you think of beef or chicken as
your menu choice, but why not add several
foccacia to the grill? It easy
and tasty as you let quests sprinkle
a selection of cheeses, marinated tomatoes,
and various herbed olive oils on the
grilled warmed bread. It will be a new
hit with vegetarians and meat eaters
alike.
Enjoy your time with your friends during
these warmer summer months and try this
refreshing new salad at your next outdoor
fete.
Creating a Sanctuary
by Becky Schultz, NVLife fall 2008
In the hustle
and bustle of today’s busy lifestyle
wouldn’t it be nice to come home
to a relaxing spa of your own. Turning
your existing bathroom into a space of
comfort and sanctity can help to revitalize
your senses and revitalize your home. Bathrooms
are no longer just functional cold spaces,
they are places to relax and unwind. People
across the country are remodeling their
homes and adding value at the same time. Ever
stayed at a luxury hotel or seen a bathroom
in a movie that you just loved? Well,
it is possible to create a space like
that of your own, and companies are making
it easy by offering more and more creative
solutions to bathroom design.
The most daunting
things when starting a remodel are all
the numerous choices available to the
consumer. From glass, to metal,
to rare stone sinks, the possibilities
are endless. The
best advice is to do your research. Explore
magazines, and the internet, looking
for things that catch your eye. Pick
one main item that attracts you and use
it as a focal piece to choose other selections
around. Be it the vanity, the floor
tile, a beautiful faucet or even a shower
curtain that you truly love. Once
you get started things will start to
flow, but you have to get started.
There are many
items to take into consideration when
starting a remodel. You will need
to address the following items and even
some I may have missed. Start thinking
about these things and how they will
function in your space.
The Vanity
Will it be a built-in cabinet, a free-standing
piece of furniture, a pedestal sink,
or a floating shelf?
The Sink
Do you like undermount, vessel, farm,
or drop-in? Do you want it to
be porcelain, glass, metal, or stone?
The Tub
Do you want a free standing, a
built-in, an undermount, or a Jacuzzi
tub?
The Toilet
Do you want a one piece or two pieces? Do
you want it to be white or colored? What
about the flushing system is that important
to you? What finish is the trip
lever?
The Flooring, Countertops, and Tub
Deck
Do you want tile, natural stone,
concrete, Ceasarstone etc…?
The Plumbing Fixtures
Make sure your existing plumbing is ¾” to
allow for the water pressure to work
the luxury plumbing fixtures that are
out there. Nothing like installing
a beautiful large shower head that the
water will only dribble out of. Plumbing
is a science all its own and make sure
to use a reputable plumber. The
fixture styles available are tremendous
and style and finish choices will have
a huge impact on the overall design.
The Storage
If you want a pedestal sink, where
are you going to store all the necessities? Is
it logical to have or should you choose
a free standing furniture style piece
that has some storage below? Is
it stylish yet at the same time function
able?
The Lighting
Task lighting and overall room lighting
are two different things. Make
sure you have plenty of both and that
they turn on at separate times. Is
there adequate lighting for putting on
make-up? Don’t forget all the options
in fans out there, you no longer have
to feel like a jet plane is taking off
in your bathroom to get proper ventilation. Think
about the amount of natural light and
how much light you will actually need.
The Shower and Tub Enclosures
Do you want glass or fabric? Do
you need it to close, or would a splash
guard be acceptable? Do you need handicap
accessibility?
The Wall Treatments
Are you prepping for Wallpaper or
paint? Is
the wall covering washable or susceptible
to mildew and moisture? Do you
want texture or pattern? Do you
want a wainscot of tile with a shelf
on top for decorative items? Wall
space is a premium so think about towel
bar and shelving locations in advance.
As you can
see there are a lot of items to consider.
Make a scrapbook of the things you like,
and then head out there to investigate
the options. Try to be creative. If
you use large stone tiles on the floor
try putting a small mosaic accent tile
in the shower pan. Run a decorative
border along the vanity splash or as
an accent in the shower. Think
outside the box, run liners vertically
between large tiles, add glass to your
floor, put a copper undermount sink in
and use bronze fixtures. Using one color
natural stone throughout the space in
a variety of patterns or sizes can feel
very “Zen like”, simple and
clean yet interesting due to the texture. Pick
colors that soothe your soul and enrich
your environment. Take pictures
in nature that appeal to you and then
use those color hues when choosing your
selections. If you invest a little
research and time into your project it
will pay off in the long run. Imagine
soaking in your tub thinking “Oh
what a beautiful day” instead of “Gosh
I need to scrub this old tile again!”
Be creative, and
remember you can always ask a Design
Professional for advice. It will not only help
you avoid costly mistakes but it will give
you that second opinion that everyone needs. Designers
are trained in the latest products and
probably have some great suggestions that
you have not even thought about. Don’t
let yourself be overwhelmed and make sure
to get Contractors and Trades people that
have strong past references. Have
fun with it!
