Contemplating Color – Three Year Round Up

Contemplating Color – Three Year Round Up

In the spirit of the process of the necessity of the…well…updating, overhauling, revamping, refurbishing, and just re-ing the online presence of the ArtiFactory Studio, and Artissima ventures…and, about to add/subtract/move around work from my site, I thought I would share some of the color design work completed since my last site update…er, 2010…and spend a few happy moments contemplating color, and its magic.

This Berkeley bungalow went from nondescript drab to warm and inviting, all due to a color shift. The owners were really ready for this, but finding the right colors which worked on the structure, integrated into the neighborhood, and didn’t get washed out by the strong sunlight, took awhile to find.

The welcoming red door reflects the red in the plant, contrasting just enough from house body color to  become an accent. To me, this combo looks “good enough to eat”, and fits with the intimate and accessible bungalow style.

The new colors, a chocolatey brown framed in cream, completely transformed the garage and made it clean, attractive and integrated. Color can do that.

This modern condo building  graces the urban landscape in San Francisco’s Twin Peaks neighborhood. It’s quasi-industrial style called for a streamlined color scheme that made the most of its details: a wall of windows, large garage door, metal house numbers, and a  bright wood front entry door. Though urban, green trees flank the building.

The green-gray body color is set off by a darker green-gray hue on the garage door and trim, which grounds the building. The many window sashes are called out by a deep burgundy red, relating to the bright entry. The palette emerges industrial yet elegant.

The story of this quaint cottage-like house extends back through two paint jobs! The owners were not happy with colors original to the home when they purchased it, nor with a new palette designed by another consultant. They decided to keep the strong purple and green trim and accent colors, but tone them down with a deeper body hue which would tie to them, and thus minimize their visual impact. Red plantings in the window boxes add a splash of accent color that animates the scheme.

The lower part of the house is painted in a stronger (more heavily tinted) concentration of the body color,  making it appear darker and more solid. This feeling of solidity makes the viewer feel reassured that this foundation can support the upper part of the house. The quiet field color makes an effective foil for the accent colors, plantings, foliage, and beautiful trees which grace the property.

San Francisco is famous for its Victorian-style homes, and their multitude of decorative architectural details, can make designing a color palette both challenging and fun, to say nothing of gratifying.  The owners of this Victorian wanted an integrated scheme that highlighted its details and design, but in more subtle and retrained manner then some of the nearby “Painted Ladies“!

Thus we chose paint “specs” (specifications, IE, the paint colors) within one color spectrum, including the pale trim, which, with its greenish undertone, related to the rest of the colors. The front and service doors, window sashes, undersides of the overhangs, and architectural details were painted in a total of seven colors.

The front door, service door (shown above) and garage doors were each painted in a different, yet related hue. The colors range from the creamy trim, to the deep bronze-hued front door, and ornaments painted in metallic bronze. A great deal of effort, but worth it!

This apartment building , called  ARIA, is in Canoga Park, in the San Fernando Valley Area of Los Angeles. The color scheme ideas, in coordination with the builders, operations manager and director of capitol improvements involved, ranged from brick and black colors, to earthy browns, ochers, greens and roses. Quite a process. Out of all this emerged an inviting palette which accentuated the clean lines of the building, and played a bit with its details, doors and balconies.

The service door is painted in a more intense version of the balcony color.

The inner courtyard serves a a central “boulevard” for the residents.

The bright doors, and brown accents identify important areas, and assist in path finding.

The devil is in the details!  Residents personalize their spaces.  Some like skulls, apparently.

The play of light on the painted surface affects the way we see the colors. Warm light will make the color appear to be just that.

The building on the other end of the block, SONATA, is a different style, but  color design of the two buildings, including their interior courtyards, was done as one integrated job.

Using the same color on the exterior balconies on both buildings serves as a sort of “color connective” tissue.

A “tri-play” of color: foundation, body and accents hues, set off by the white trim color..

The green-toned hue on the stucco foundation of the building grounds it, as discussed above, and ties it to the surrounding plantings.

Sonata’s inner courtyard. As I understand it, plants will be added. Awnings add a homey touch.

My favorite image from the project- the back of SONATA. The muted colors on stucco, and the stairway,  railings, and balcony remind me of time spent as a student in Southern France.

Who knew?

Give me your color weary, your peeling paint, your faded siding and scuffed up stucco!  It is my pleasure, my joy, my challenge and my calling  to recreate your architectural color to as near perfection as I can and give new life to your buildings, your spaces, your environment, and maybe even your soul!

Color on…Cheers!

Featured Work: Berkeley Bungalow

Featured Work: Berkeley Bungalow

Berkeley, California is a place of bungalows. There are many, many bungalows in Berkeley.  You might even say that Berkeley is a bevy of bungalows.  These charming houses, home to many a professional, family, and couple, are clothed in a myriad of hues, which upon occasion, an owner will decide to change.  One such delightful owner (referred by the San Francisco-based painting company, Modamas Fine Painting) engaged me  last September to guide her through the initially overwhelming and confusing process of choosing new colors for her home’s exterior. Our our first step was  to not only look at her home’s exterior with a critical eye,

but also to walk through her neighborhood  and peruse the color schemes of other bungalows.  She had several color directions in mind, and needed to narrow down the choices.

We discussed cinnamons, greens, teals and grays for the house body,  though she really wanted purple.   Ultimately, a rich yet soft Benjamin Moore brown was chosen,”Chocolate Pudding-1014“.

The warm Benjamin Moore “Antique White-OC-83” made a perfect trim accompaniment, balanced by elegant black address numbers and bannister.  The black detailing created a graphical counterpoint to the generous areas of creamy white trim.

We were then on to the all-important front door. Despite her penchant for purple, my Client saw that it did not work.  Wanting warmth and degree of contrast, we went towards red instead. Red doors are a frequent accent in Bay Area architectural color schemes, but, which red was the question?  Benjamin Moore “Apache Red-1295” reflected too much pink.  “Sweet Rosy Brown-1302” added just the right degree of redness, without creating unwanted pinkish undertones.  The entry now radiated warmth and welcome.

Finally, the front steps were painted in Benjamin Moore “Fresh Brew-1232“, grounding them and the house in a deep earthy brown, and  completing the delicious ensemble.  The steps bring out a bit of the earthy red in the door as well.

Warm white trim frames the house, giving an upward feel to the roof. The white against the sky and  tree connects the earthy house colors to the blue and green of nature.

White trimmed windows look crisp against the house’s boxy side, which is also softened by the natural wooden fence, and greenery.

Greatly  improved by the new color scheme, this area now looks tidy, compact, and integrated with the rest of the house, a perfect set of bungalow qualities!

The detached garage also greatly benefited from a new suit of “color clothes”…

Amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do…with the proper prep. of course,

especially in the “right” colors.  In this case, Benjamin Moore “Classic Colors” collection was our go-to  color source. “Chocolate Pudding”, “Sweet Rosy Brown”, “Fresh Brew”,  what a visual feast!  My visionary Client took the time to have samples put up of each color we considered, and observe how the color played on the house surface during different times of day, light, and weather.  She had the patience and the perseverance to see her project through.  As she confessed to me, ” I can’t wait to finish this project. Several times I just wanted to let it be, but I want to be thoroughly happy.” And, I am happy to report, she IS!

Have you had a interesting color connection lately?  A visionary client, an innovative creation, a heartwarming transformation?

If you feel so inspired, please share it with us here.  We love to hear from you.  Remember, we are all coloring through this thing called Life, together.