This is How I’m Creating a Cohesive Color Palette

I’m sorry I left most of you hanging the other day.

As promised, I am sharing my two favorite choices for a mural downstairs.

Oh, hold on a sec; I’m getting a message:

 

WE INTERRUPT OUR PROGRAM FOR AN IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS STORY!

Please tune into our sister station for the latest concerning an important development in the killer spiral staircase saga.  This one’s a doozy for sure!

 

Then, please come back to see the two beautiful murals! No worries, we’ll wait for you to return. ;]

If you have already read Part 1, please click the link below to read Part 2. If you’re here for the first time, please keep reading so the post makes sense.

 

Part 2 Begins Here

 

Hi Everyone,

 

Happy November!

 

Okay, yesterday we looked at tentative plans for the downstairs entry, hall, and staircase area.

I also answered several of the comments while I was getting my hair colored. lol

As I said, we’re continuing this topic, and I thought we would be focusing on lighting today, but let’s put that aside for now.

 

I have some exciting news on that front, as well.

 

The only thing I have to say is that all of the lighting rules are in the 333 Decorating Rules & Tips (You Need to Know) Guide. Please note that my helpful interior design and blogging/website guides are going up in price at the end of the year.

However, there was one comment by Constance that brings up my choice of colors, a cohesive color palette, as well as a wall mural and its colors I want to address.

 

Here’s the comment:

 

So enjoy following your journey, Laurel. Not just the renovation information but, perhaps more importantly, how your home/community enhances your life and well-being! You’re truly an inspiration in that regard.
Related to your request for feedback about the downstairs entry, I offer you only comments based on my experience as a homeowner and most certainly not a design expert. For me: Lighting and continuity. I never really understood the power of light in design until I moved to my second waterfront home and was astonished at the colors we chose because of the light. It was completely obvious when choosing between variations, but never the colors I thought would be chosen when seeing options in a different light. Trust yourself in the mood you want to experience every day you walk down those stairs.

In regards to continuity, I love the idea of continuing the black and white floor to bring continuity between the levels. Bravo. I don’t, however, recall teal as being a color you love or one that will be incorporated/blended throughout the downstairs area. For me, the continuity between spaces brings harmony to homes.
You have such attention to detail that I feel sure whatever you choose will be fabulous.

 

Okay, Constance has brought up some great points. But, I have to laugh. Obviously, she doesn’t own the Laurel Home Paint and Palette Collection. For if she did, she’d realize that I adore the warmer shades of blue. Like, I’m mad crazy about them.

Currently, there have always been teal, turquoise, and green accents wherever I’ve lived. If one goes through the hundreds of blog posts, this is a prominent color in most of the color palettes.

I figured out early in my design education that I adored the verdure melange of greens.

Like this beautiful verdure tapestry fragment, above.

There’s a new source on Etsy that sells these gorgeous wall tapestries and they are quite reasonably priced!

 

Every color palette for all of my homes for the last 23 years has emanated from one source.

 

Yes! My prized antique Zuber screen I’ve had now for 23 years. I love it as much now as I did then.

 

There it is. Yes, it may end up on this wall between the new sconces!

But let’s get back to the cohesive color palette and my love for teal.

Now, I don’t expect everyone to read every word or post. I’m amazed that you’re here at all!!! However, a few weeks ago, I did mention in this post I was planning on painting the den a color similar to the one below.

 

Clerkenwell Blue Cabinet by DeVOL kitchens

 

This one looks a bit more blue, but the color might very well be Benjamin Moore Twilight.

Above is a dining room mood board I made using Twilight as the key color for the Laurel Home Paint & Palette Collection.

 

Above is Benjamin Moore Narragansett Green hc-157 in a beautiful room by Nate Berkus

Another beautiful, very deep, rich teal is Benjamin Moore Narragansett Green.

 

 

And, deep is what I want.

Someone commented about maybe running the deep teal color behind the chest. I could, but the problem is, what happens next to the door? And, where does it stop? Does it go up the stairs?

No, I don’t think that would look good. And I don’t think it would look good in the area where the hidden doors are either.

Then, there’s the linen closet wall. There’s about 15″ of wall between the closet and the stair wall with hidden closets.

Since I don’t wish the space to look too choppy, I love the idea of only doing the deep teal only under the mural.

 

Could I do the mural from baseboard to crown and leave off the wainscoting? Yes, I could. However, the pattern will be larger, and I like how the wainscoting anchors the wall.

Let’s look at my three favorites for the mural. All of them are from the beautiful French Mural Company Ananbo.

Please also check out their gorgeous Instagram account.

The one in the Instagram photo is called Bali

 

For all of them, I’ve trimmed them to fit in the space I have.

 

Since each panel is 100 cm wide, I’d need to order three panels and trim one or two. All items can be custom ordered in increments of 10 cm height-wise, from 140cm to 400cm. So, if you’re looking at some of their hotels with mad HUGE murals, it’s because it IS huge. But, your mural could be half the size or less.

 

Ball is quite dramatic and not as golden as it appeared on Instagram. I did brighten it up a bit. However, of course, I would need to order samples of all murals under consideration. While I love the moody quality of this mural, I think I want something a little more uplifting.

 

No problem. Ananbo specializes in DREAMY images!

 

I think it would work better if the colors were more like this. However, they aren’t, and it still looks a little heavy.

 

This next mural, I adore, but it’s not right for my small entry hall downstairs.

 

Tana Mural by Ananbo

Laurel, why do you want something tropical?

 

Is that a trick question? ;]

Why not?

These murals are beautifully rendered, and I find them transformative in that looking at them takes me to a far-off exotic land where there are no packs of testosterone-laden males riding motorcycles without mufflers and revving their engines at eardrum-shattering decibels… :/

 

Plus, Ananbo knows how to create an exquisite, cohesive color palette!

 

The compositions are enigmatic and balanced in terms of light, medium, and dark.

There’s one other thing, and this isn’t really a factor, but the Victorians were known to love decorating with exotic furnishings from India and the Far East. Therefore, I’m 100% on trend with the 19th century. haha

 

However, I also don’t want an image overpowering the space.

 

One color I want to see is ochre or gold. It is so beautiful with the shades of teal and green. I never tire of that combination.

 

This next one I also love, but I don’t think it’s “the one,” either.

 

Voyage a Nankin from Ananbo

This one looks amazing with Narragansett. At least, here, it does. Narra does look brighter on the wall than on the chip. Of course, I will get samples from Samplize!

Twilight is beautiful with all of them, too. It’s more saturated. Still, with mostly artificial light, this deep color will most likely look quite dark. Yes, please.

 

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention.

 

There are 13″ above the doors for about 9 inches of wall and four inches of crown moulding. So that, too, would be painted a creamy white. Only the doors and mural wainscoting would be the dark teal.

I also love this combination with the black and white floor and black iron stair railing. The wood-tone accents bring warmth into the space, as well. Since I’ll be passing through this area a lot, I want it to give me joy.

 

Laurel, if you like the mural above, why wouldn’t you do it? We all know you love Chinoiserie.

 

Yes, I do; this piece is in the number three position. That’s because there are two others I like even more.

However, you’re going to have to wait to see them until Thursday, I’m afraid.

 

WHAT? You can’t keep us in suspense like that, LAUR—REL!

 

I’m sor—ry (but not really, hehe). However, I’m busier than a one-armed paper hanger. (One of my Mommy’s favorite sayings.)

Look, I was at a house party last night. And, I have been forced to go on a chocolate tour tomorrow morning. Then, I have mahjong in the afternoon. See what I mean? Very busy. ;]

But for real, in between and afterward, there’s always stuff to do for the renovation. Plus, the blog, website…………

 

And then, I am working on updating my guides for later this month.

 

I have decided to release them the weekend before Thanksgiving. In recent years, I’ve done it on Black (Kaching) Friday.

But, it’s a super burnout and wrecks Thanksgiving pretty much every year.

 

Last year, I did the updates on November 30th.

 

Even worse. That’s because it was hanging over me all during Thanksgiving!

This year, I plan to send out the new Rolodex and Etsy Guide updates the weekend before Thanksgiving. That way, my holiday will only be semi-wrecked. lol

Guys, if you’re looking for your download links, or you lost your hard drive in the Marianas Trench, or have any questions at all, please read this first before contacting me.

 

Laurel, I just subscribed to your blog about three months ago and have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

Okay, sure. I’m talking about my exceedingly helpful digital interior design guides that thousands of readers have purchased since 2015. Two of them get updated every year.

 

To find out more, please start on this page.

 

You can also find the link in the main menu, which says Rolodex + Paint + Blogging Guides. From there, you can get more detailed information on each guide. I created each of these, and each is a labor of love.

 

Okay, in closing, please be assured there will be a mad-good update on Thursday evening, November 2nd.

 

Please get ready for some very exciting news! Well, let’s just say if all goes according to plan.

 

*********************************************************

Part 2 Begins Here

 

Hi Everyone,

Well, the surprise wasn’t quite the one I was expecting to share with y’all. If you missed the drama with the spiral, please check out the latest in the renovation news and deets.

 

In the meantime, I promised you two more gorgeous murals from Ananbo:

 

India

 

and

 

Varanasi

 

I love them both, which is why I put them in alphabetical order.

Here they are below.

India by Ananbo

Above is Benjamin Moore Narragansett Green

Varanasi by Ananbo

 

 

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. I manipulated the murals to be something like they would be on the wall. It’s not perfect because of the obtuse viewing angle, but it’s an idea of the pattern and colors.

 

Here’s India with Narragansett Green.

I have to say I kind of love this one.

Now, let’s see the Varanasi.

I think this one looks a tad too somber.

Let’s try it with a greener color.

It’s better but still not quite right.

Okay, one more try.

Let’s go back to the white door.

Oh, so interesting. This is the slightly greener wainscoting. Maybe Essex Green, like Melissa T used in her gorgeous sunroom.

However, the white door provides a bright note that keeps this one from looking too sad. I love this one, too!

 

Okay, so it’s this version of Varanasi above or this version of India below.

 

 

Why not the white door with the India, Laurel?

 

Great question! Well, I could try it, and probably will, except I already love it with the dark door. India is mostly very pale, with maybe 1/4 medium and 1/20th dark tones.

However, Varanasi is mostly medium tones with maybe 1/3 pale tones and only very few dark tones. The wainscoting gives the heft needed, and the white door brings on some much-needed freshness that makes this mural very beautiful.

I’m torn; not so torn I’ll need stitches. ;] but I really cannot decide. One is a hotel in colonial India, and the other is a hotel in Paris.

 

Well, Laurel, what’s happening in the embrasure hall, bathroom, and bedroom? Doesn’t that factor into your decision?

 

Ahhh, now, you’re thinking like a designer! And, yes, it most certainly does.

However, I think I have my answer. Which one do you prefer?

A. India with a dark door.

B. Varanasi with a creamy white door.

I’ll look forward to reading your responses!

xo,

 

Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES!

By the way, it’s BLACK NOVEMBER. Yes, indeed, the holiday season has begun. But, you know, Thanksgiving is only three weeks away, and Hanukah, if that’s your holiday, is pretty early this year.

There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below. Thank you for the suggestion!

Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.

To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put

A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.

Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.

Thank you so much!

I very much appreciate your help and support!