Tag: color

Q&A: The Woodlands interior designer shares home decor tips

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR
Carla Aston has owned Aston Design Studio LLC in The Woodlands since 2001. Carla Aston’s studio designs residential interiors by creating meaningful and functional spaces. Her blog also includes examples of mood boards and information to help choose a color palette.

How can I choose the best colors to go with my hardwood floors?

The best way to determine the color of your wood floor is to compare it to other wood floors. Go to a flooring store or Home Depot; put your sample up next to a bunch of their options; take some photos of the comparisons; and when you get back home, study it, and the color will become apparent. Once you determine that, you can build a color palette that will work with what you have with more confidence.

Should I pick what colors I want for my walls or furniture first?

Definitely furniture. You always start with the items in a room you have fewer choices for and work out from there. There are a jillion different paint colors, so the paint should always be last if possible. You can get a shade of any color in any type of paint you desire, so to begin the design process with the item featuring the most infinite selection just doesn’t make sense.

How does light affect color?

Light does affect color, especially indoor lighting. Most people have gone with LED lighting these days and have different temperature levels. We usually use 3000K LED lighting to get a nice warm but whitish light. Most designers like 3000K for interiors these days as it renders colors best. Do not go with 5000K as it comes off really blue inside and can distort your colors.

How do I achieve a balanced look throughout my home?

To best achieve balance, it

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Joanna Gaines’ cabinet color will dominate in 2025

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
FURNITURE

Joanna Gaines has established herself as a leader in rustic yet modern farmhouse style – beginning with her Waco home. 

The HGTV designer is synonymous with earthy color palettes emphasizing her home’s original architectural assets – wooden beams and shiplap included. Her kitchen’s cabinetry color, however, is markedly braver –  and, say, trend forecasters, the top color trend for 2025.  

While much of Joanna’s kitchen follows her traditional earthy color scheme, the designer has injected a notably darker hue across her kitchen cabinets – a deep, dark blue, which contrasts strongly with the softer green shiplap walls and cream countertops. It is this color that the trend forecasters at WGSN and Coloro are predicting will shape future design trends. 

The exact color in question that forecasters have named as a future classic is Future Dusk, a ‘dark, moody and intriguing hue’ that is said to sit between blue and purple. It has a sense of mystery and escapism and feeds into themes of transition – making it perfect for a period of immense change – both in our interiors and our lives as a whole. 

‘For several seasons now, Coloro has seen brands shifting towards palettes with long-lasting appeal; Future Dusk is an inspiring color that supports this trans-seasonal approach,’ comments Caroline Guilbert, the head of creative content for Coloro. ‘It appears warm and deep, making it feel moody, mysterious, and timeless.’

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Boost your home’s happy factor by pouring on the color

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

I flip through a lot of home design books in this job. Frankly, most run together. Betsy Wentz’s “Design Happy ─ Colorful Homes for the Modern Family” (available Feb. 21, Gibbs Smith Publishing) stands out as the exception.

All the interiors featured in the book’s photo-filled 224 pages jump out for their bright, unapologetic use of color.

“You can do that?” I thought.

Yes, you can. Well, at least Wentz can.

Wentz, 49, grew up working alongside her mother, an interior designer who ran a design shop out of the family home. Wentz pursued a career in psychology and after working as a counselor, came back and partnered with her mentor mom in 2001. When her mother retired 10 years later, Wentz rebranded and launched her own studio near Pittsburgh.

"Design Happy" by Betsy Wentz
“Design Happy” by Betsy Wentz 

A designer trained as a counselor. This makes perfect sense.

But back to the book. Of all the traits I admire in designers, creative courage tops my list, and Wentz has this gift in (paint) buckets.

I mean, this woman did not pause before covering an heirloom antique wooden grandfather clock ─ which let’s face it, few people really want in their homes anymore  ─ with bright yellow citron lacquer paint, which made everyone in the family fall in love with it.

So, I called Wentz, who, proved just as colorful in conversation:

Q. You have a master’s degree in counseling psychology and were a behavioral therapist before starting a design firm. How do those two worlds relate?

A. At first, I didn’t think there was any correlation, but in fact, I use that degree every day. Designing someone’s home becomes very personal. From the moment you start working with someone, building that relationship is imperative, because that people piece is what makes a project

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For a great Wilmington garden, try these sweet shrubs packed with color and texture

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
GARDEN
A special sweetshrub hybrid introduced by N.C. State University is the Calycanthus Aphrodite.

A special sweetshrub hybrid introduced by N.C. State University is the Calycanthus Aphrodite.

In the interest of encouraging new and interesting trends in horticulture, I want to share some thoughts on simple steps you can take in your landscape to be very up-to-date with your yard’s fashion. These ideas may capture your attention if you seek to exhibit your stylishness and flair to the passing public.

For an infusion of trending color, let’s start with Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta. Recognized globally as a leading source of color expertise, Pantone Color Institute says “Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.” Consider punctuating your home landscape with this color found in the flowers of Florida Anise shrub, Illicium ‘Miss Scarlet’ or ‘Aztec Fire’. Other shrubs suited to southeastern North Carolina with magenta blooms include Grateful Red Hydrangea, October Magic Ruby Camellia, and LightShow Bottlebrush. A special sweetshrub hybrid introduced by North Carolina State University is the Calycanthus Aphrodite, with some attributes of a native.

The Camellia japonica "Fashionata" is an aptly named winter blooming shrub.

The Camellia japonica “Fashionata” is an aptly named winter blooming shrub.

Some magenta-colored perennial choices may include Raspberry Coneflower. A native hybrid, it may not be as useful to wildlife as the straight native species, but the flowers are still known to be attractive to bees and butterflies. Ember’s Wish Salvia is great summer color in the vein of Viva Magenta and it typically hardy as a perennial in our zone for all but the most extreme of cold winters. A colorful plant best used as a

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4 Budget-Friendly Bathroom Remodel Ideas From TikTok | Architectural Digest

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME IMPROVEMENT

On TikTok, the #bathroommakeover hashtag has over 1 billion views. Scroll through the videos and two things become apparent. First, be it a subtle refresh or a complete overhaul, TikTok creators have so many clever bathroom remodel ideas. Second, while some creativity may be necessary, breaking the bank is not.

“For many homeowners, myself included, a full-on renovation isn’t always feasible,” says Phoenix-based content creator Lidia Salazar, who goes by @everyday_homedecor. Salazar recommends mini makeovers, which she says are ”a fantastic way of making the best with what we have.”

Julian Thomas, of Brooklyn, known on TikTok as @marfastewart, echoes that sentiment. “Let’s be frank: Bathroom updates can be pricey.” For DIYers on a budget, he recommends “focusing on elements that you can change by yourself and in a day,” like doorknobs, sink fixtures, and vanity lights.

Here, a closer look at four of the most inspiring, wallet-friendly bathroom remodel ideas on TikTok, plus tips for recreating them at home.

1. Choose decorative tweaks with a big impact

TikTok content

This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

For renters or DIY’ers on a budget, Salazar says “don’t underestimate the power of decorative styling in your bathroom. Simply adding some decorative pieces like a statement vase with floral stems, framed art prints, and a beautifully textured hand towel can make such a difference.”

With a bit more effort, you can create visual interest with minimal budget and effort.  When Salazar set out to makeover her home’s powder bathroom, changing out mirrors, light fixtures and faucets was a total game changer. And, with over 147k views of her mini makeover, her viewers agree. “Getting rid of the 1980s builder-grade mirror was the biggest aesthetic change,” Salazar explained. A fresh coat of paint in a moody

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Looking to renovate your kitchen? Try these quick, easy design tips

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME IMPROVEMENT

Thinking of remodeling your kitchen — and thinking the better of it when you hear the horror stories about how hard a project like that is these days? Between supply chain issues, wild cost increases, and the near impossibility of finding skilled tradesmen available to perform the work, it’s enough to make anyone leave well enough alone. I’m in the final weeks of a nearly two-year-long whole-house renovation project so I can tell you firsthand, that it’s tough out there.

But what’s a person to do if their kitchen is feeling tired and in need of a pick-me-up?

Well, a lot, actually! 

To get some ideas for a more minor kitchen refresh that doesn’t call for a single hammer or power tool, I chatted with local designer T.K. Wismer of Department of the Interiors. From $5 and five minutes up to a few hundred dollars (OK maybe more for appliances) and a few hours, her kitchen refresh suggestions are totally doable ― and several would work just as well for renters as for homeowners.

So here are her tips for how to upgrade your kitchen on a budget.

How to add peel-and-stick wallpaper to your kitchen

Peel and stick wallpaper, like this Tempaper zebra pattern in a <a href=studio kitchen Courier columnist Dana McMahan recently designed, are an inexpensive DIY project that can pack a big punch.”/

If you think wallpaper is making a comeback, Wismer wants you to know it never left. What’s new though, is an abundance of temporary wall coverings. 

“We’re seeing expressive designs coming into the kitchen space,” Wismer says, and “people are getting more comfortable with using color and then kind of personalizing those spaces.”

What is natural wine?4 things to know about the wine trend, including why it’s so popular

In the world of peel and stick wallpaper, there are “just so many

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