ON-LINE – If you’re looking for an additional way to refresh your space (following an ACC paint color consultation, of course!), consider changing out your artwork. There are numerous venues for excellent recycled original artwork. Besides Etsy and eBay, you may want to check out Facebook Marketplace(click on the “storefront” icon two spaces to the right of your “house”. Type in what you’re looking for and make sure “Delivery Method” that you click onto “Local Pickup”).
LOCAL – Make it a day trip! The Virginia countryside has so much to offer from vineyards to craft breweries to great restaurants. Add a visit to a local consignment shop for a fun outing to search for new-to-you artwork. Start by heading out Rt 66. to The Plains, VA. Stop for coffee at Doppio Bunny Coffee Shop. Followed by a visit to Baileywyck Antiques. Lots of high end art. Drive west on Rt 55 towards Marshall, VA and stop by Marshall Curated. If it is a warm day sit outside and enjoy lunch from a double decker bus at Johnny Monarch’s. After lunch take a side trip west on Rt 55 to Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery and enjoy the view while you enjoy a wine flight. Next stop take Rt. 17 south to Warretnon, VA stop at the Fox Den. Don’t miss the great shops on Main Street and take in the Old Town Warrenton charm. Before heading home stop at Harry’s in the historic Airlie House for a light dinner or stay the night at Airlie.
With vaccinations widely available and social life back to pre pandemic, millions of Americans are reassessing leaving their home offices to return to their work spaces. The Washington Post reports there is growing evidence that a lot of people are “reassessing what they want to do and how they want to work.” Thousands of jobs remain work-from-home and will remain so even as businesses reopen their office space. Many have found they Iike working from home and don’t want to return to the office. Millions of people are quitting their jobs altogether.
America’s Color Consultants (ACC) is a business opportunity particularly suited for those creative/artistic types who have found that working from home has proven to be desirable, and for those whom the pandemic has taught that life is short. ACC consultants own their own business, and thus own their time – working part-time, full-time, even overtime if they want. They meet a wide variety of people and provide a valuable, efficient service in a growth industry, all the while exercising their creative muscles. And they operate their business from a home-based office.
There will be those who will happily return to their pre-pandemic work environments, but for those who seek something different, there are numerous opportunities for individuals to use their unique talents to both earn a living and satisfy their soul.
All artisan tiles are handcrafted by skilled craftsmen and there is a slight difference among all the tiles because they are handmade. Artisan tiles can be described as offering something timeless and utterly sophisticated. However, because they are unique, if you are someone who needs the exact same pattern and design on every tile, you may want to choose a machine-made product.
All the hard work, effort and skill of the artisan comes at a premium price. Artisan tiles are more expensive than machine made, mass-produced products. Because artisan tiles are made to order, make sure to buy 10% more than your actual estimate. If any damage occurs to one or more tiles, you can replace them. Otherwise, you may not be able to find the exact same design and shade color if needed in the future.
There are several artisan tile producers in Southern California, including Malibu Ceramic Works and Tierra y Fuego. They make custom handcrafted tile in the style of historic, iconic California tiles, such as Malibu Tile, Catalina Pottery tile, Batchelder tile and Hispano Moresque, among others. The tiles are recognizable due to their combination of raised and flat glazes and matte and shiny finishes. The same techniques used by the legendary Malibu and Catalina Potteries of the 1920’s are used by their artisans today, hand applying the glazes to outlined designs.
Yohen and Yuki border tiles are Japanese tiles recognizable for their long, thin design which are evenly stacked either horizontally or vertically. The first time the Yohen Border was commercially produced was for Frank Lloyd Wright for his famous Imperial Hotel in Tokyo in 1924. INAX Tile has been developing the Yohen Borders since 2000. The innovative designs and fantastic designs of these artisan tiles make it an excellent choice for a modern home or mid-century renovation.
The Yuki border is also created by INAX and is differentiated from the Yohen border by its gentle curve, which is obtained naturally by using a split bamboo
Quadri Tiles areitalianartisan tiles are created from porcelain, a material which is impervious to moisture and humidity. Therefore, they are long-lasting and can retain excellent color. Porcelain requires minimal care and can be cleaned quite easily. Since these porcelain tiles come in geometric shapes, you can easily align them and make them look completely uniform. Quadri Artisan Tiles create a geometry of vertical and horizontal planes with their tile that effect a weave with the tile. Tile designer Sebastian Herkner creates innovative and fascinating new tactile experiences with tile.
Plummage tiles are made into depressions or elevations that mostly resemble bird’s feathers. Many of these tiles are handcrafted in Italy, and the hand painting makes each tile have the very slight imperfections that create a unique environment in one’s space.
One of the most popular current home decor trends is removable peel ‘n stick wallpapers and murals. They are being featured on all the home decorating shows and are available everywhere – in stores, online, specialty stores, even Target! And they’ve come a long way from the days of contact paper: there is a wide variety of styles, patterns and colors available. They are perfect for mercurial personalities who don’t/can’t commit to a permanent wallpaper design, those who like to change up a space on a regular basis, and also for renters who have to change their space back to “blah” at the end of a lease. As with every product there is a wide range of quality, with complaints that range from toosticky and not repositionable to a lack of stick-ness. It is best to read product reviews before committing to a specific product.
Alexandria artist Ashley Spencer has been at the forefront of the removable wallpaper trend, designing and creating custom and semi-custom wallpapers and murals since 2009. The company creates unique, gorgeous repositionable, removable and reusable wallpapers and wall murals. Ms. Spencer has noticed that since the pandemic people are anxious to bring elements of nature indoors. Her clients like the instant gratification that comes with peel ‘n stick products, but are taking the time to research and purchase quality products like hers. Casart wallcoverings are print-to-order, which adds a sustainable practicality to her high-grade designer wall coverings.
Check out Casart’s website casartcoverings.com and for help with color and pattern selections, you can always turn to your friendly neighborhood America’s Color Consultant!
Birds & Birch, Cloud Murals and Shell Fish Tropical.
Everyone paints their homes, not everyone can choose the perfect paint color.
With vaccinations widely available and social life opening up, millions of Americans are reassessing leaving their home offices to return to their work spaces. The Washington Post reports there is growing evidence that a lot of people are “reassessing what they want to do and how they want to work.” Thousands of jobs remain work-from-home and will remain so even as businesses reopen their office space. Many have found they Iike working from home and don’t want to return to the office.
America’s Color Consultants (ACC) is a business opportunity particularly suited for those creative/artistic types who have found that working from home has proven to be desirable, and for those whom the pandemic has taught that life is short. ACC consultants own their own business, and thus own their time – working part-time, full-time, even overtime if they want. They meet a wide variety of people and provide a valuable, efficient service all the while exercising their creative muscles. And they operate their business from a home-based office.
There will be those who will happily return to their pre-pandemic work environs, but for those who seek something different, there are numerous opportunities for individuals to use their unique talents to both earn a living and satisfy their soul.
When working with clients to develop a color palette for their homes, I am often met with the sentiment “I don’t want my house to look like a clown house.” These clients fear color. As a trained artist and color expert, I use the four S’s to help them select what will be their ideal color solution.
Simplicity, Strength, Sizzle, Sophistication. These Four S’s have been used for decades as the foundation in graphic design, interior design, architecture and most creative fields. In each category the S’s might differ somewhat, but the general idea remains the same.
Simplicity – The simpler something is, the longer its life. When things are simple we do not tire of them as quickly. If you do not plan to paint for another 20 years, consider choosing this path. An example of this is a monochromatic color palette. Simple does not necessarily mean all white or beige.
Strength – This can mean something different for each person. For paint it means a bold, saturated paint color.
Sizzle – Some people just like things that are exciting – colors that create energy. Complementary and analogous colors can also create this color energy.
Sophistication – In the paint world this can also be defined as classy, refined or elegant.
Sophisticated color does not shout at you, and does not stand in opposition to its furnishings. These colors usually fall into the mid-range of intensity.
From Left to right: Bohemian Lace (HGSW-4052); White Diamond (BM-OC-61); Pure White (SW-7005); Alabaster (SW 7008).From Left to right: Mindful Gray (SW-7016); Revere Pewter (BM-HC-172); Classic Gray (BM-OC-23); Collingwood (BM-OC-28).From Left to right: Antique Glass (BM-CSP-695); Sea Salt (SW 6204); Borrowed Light (Farrow & Ball); Aleutian (SW 624l).From Left to right: Full Moon (SW 6679); Napery (SW 6388); Behr P270-2 September Morning; Kilim Beige (SW 6106).From Left to right: Urbane Bronze (SW 7048); Grizzle Gray (SW-7068); Stargazer (SW-9635); Lichen (Farrow & Ball). From Left to right: First Light (BM 2102-70); In Bloom (Magnolia), Dune Grass (BM 492); Behr RD-W14 Aria Ivory.
Sherwin-William paints are indicated as SW, and Benjamin-Moore as BM.
Happy New Year! It’s that time when all the new paint “colors of the year” have been revealed. And there is a hue for everyone! There are soft, muted colors, colors born in nature, bold colors, and dark, moody colors. You can easily Google “Paint Colors of the Year 2021” and find links (and lengthy tomes) from all the popular paint manufacturers. Some of these colors will prove to be trendy – lasting 4-8 years in popularity, and several will prove to be a fad – out of favor in just a year or two.
Many of the shades you see among the major players were developed in coordination with the home decor and furnishings industry several years ago. That’s why you find lots of items that “match” among those manufacturers in any given year. The past several years have seen the continuation of the neutrals trend with the current favorite, gray, now moving from the cooler shades toward the warmer ones being referred to as “greiges”.
America’s Color Consultants often work with people who have had their current furnishings from “a few” to “many” years and more often than not, want a refresh as opposed to a total home redo. Consequently, we are working with fabrics and colors that are not currently “on trend.”
When a client wants a more “modern” color (currently meaning gray) we see which of the beautiful neutrals on the market will work best with their rugs, drapes, furniture, light sources, etc. Because grays are actually black and white paints tinted with color, there is a gray shade of every color.
Over the past 15 years ACC has consulted hundreds of times with homeowners and small businesses and enjoyed the insights of national paint manufacturers and local paint stores, realtors and home owners. We have put together our first ACC Collection of Real Life Favorite Paint Colors (ours and our clients!). A few are personal favorites and colors we would love to spec for someone with bold ambitions; others have proven to be very popular for those planning to sell their properties in a few years; changing from a bright to a neutral; and several are those colors that have proven time again to be both popular and tried and true for clients on the east and west coasts.
Color is SO subjective and there are many factors that are considered when searching for a new paint color. We never push our own personal preferences, but when asked we certainly offer them! Our job, of course, is to educate our clients, guide the process, and assist in identifying the color that makes them say “YES – that’s it!” Experience, product knowledge and industry familiarity make us a valuable tool in your home improvement arsenal!
America’s Color Consultants Real Life Color of 2021 is Agreeable Gray (SW 7029).
While the name of this shade may elicit a yawn, and suggests it is neutral to the point of non-existence, nothing could be further from the truth, in our opinion.
This versatile shade of greige is happy to play with everyone. A medium light shade, it has an Light Reflective Value of 60, so it reflects a fair amount of light, but won’t wash out, and looks great with white or natural wood trim. It works well in any room with any furniture style and loves complementary earth tones. It can stand up to bold accent colors, too. It can comfortably be used in one room or the entire house. It has been a popular choice for all these reasons for the past 10 years with our clients and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.
A few years ago, I received a call from a desperate homeowner. She told me she had hired an interior designer, and she just hated her new living room. She told me that the room was beautiful, but she just felt something was wrong.
When I arrived for the consultation, I looked at the room: it was beautiful. She had paid about $14,000 for the new furnishings and paint job. So why did she feel it was not right?
It was because she hated blue, and the entire room was decorated in shades of blue.
Behr Peek-A-Blue T17-04
What is the difference between a paint color consultant and an interior designer?
Not all interior designers are experts in color or paint. They are experts on styles and products. Color is often just a single class in an interior designer’s degree program. Interior designers make their money on upselling products – buying at a significant professional discount and reselling to the client. The paint color of the room is often dictated by the available products for that year.
The Color Marketing Group works on forecasting future color trends which then defines product development and the colors that will be used that season. Interior designers often follow trends and buy those products for their clients.
Paint color consultants are experts on color. Their training is all about how paint is made, used, applied and perceived. Paint color consultants can improve the look of a room with color, at the same time using either existing furnishings or new. Understanding a client’s color perception and mutual communication is key. A good consultant will listen closely to the likes and dislikes of their clients, and will consider lighting, use and mood when helping select the perfect color for a specific space. Not everyone wants to change everything: nor can they afford to. A carefully selected paint color can go a long way to refresh any space.
So what did we do for the desperate homeowner? We could not do anything about the blue patterned rug and blue sofa and blue chairs. We DID change the color of the walls to a soft shade of white, removed some blue pillows, changed out the blue chairs with others we shopped from another room, and recommended the use of an analogous color (that we selected together) for accents to distract from the blue overuse.
Now she loves her new living room.
(BTW: We would never recommend blue if blue was strongly disliked.)
Hint: It’s not cheap! As members of the home improvement industry, we at America’s Color Consultants (ACC) are very lucky to meet and exchange ideas/information with people across the region, country, and even other parts of the world!
Below you will find a link to an extensive overview/analysis of the steps and costs of redoing plaster walls provided by a new colleague, Jen Miller of Jen Reviews. While dry wall is now the most common type of wall surface found in ACC’s work areas, those with older homes (and/or high budgets) should find this well-researched piece of interest. We would venture to say that lath and plaster work (found in most 40’s/50’s built North Arlington homes) is now considered a specialty field and prices for these vanishing plasterers’ expertise will reflect that.
Thank you, Jen! Jen Reviews are packed with lots of good information and excellent research on a wide variety of food, fitness and home products. Jen’s team of reviewers are all experts in their sometimes-niche fields. Check it out. The referenced article was originally published by their sister site, Happy DIY Home.
Going into a new decade, I am observing a strong movement towards “creativity”.
We are living in the Modern Era, which has included the Space Age and the Dot Com era, both based on science and technology. During the last 20 years I feel the Arts have been disregarded. Five years ago a guidance counselor at my son’s high school told him there was no point in taking an art class, because there are no jobs in art. I was horrified! Everything around us is, was or will be created by an artist: the computer you use, the car you drive, and even the label on the can of tomatoes you buy, all were designed by an artist.
Lately we are beginning to recognize this creativity. You can see it all around you. Paint colors for homes are no longer just shades of white or beige. Paint manufacturers are putting more time and money into promoting paint colors: everyone has a “Color of the Year.” We are seeking out more creative and unique products for our homes. Food products are more creative in stores, and presentation, in addition to taste, is an important element at restaurants.
In our era of shrinking job stability and stagnant wages, people are finding ways to generate additional income through their creativity. A “side hustle” is a common second or even third job. Creative sites such Etsy.com offer unique creations such as this Starry Night Birdhouse or Fantasy Hoof Boots . Visit your local farmers market and you will see that we are even becoming more creative in our local food products such as Immortal Mountain Chocolates.
If you have a creative urge, but don’t know where to start, a subscription to a site like mybluprint.com might be the answer. With on-line tutorials in everything from quilting and photography, to jewelry making and cake decorating, it is a fun way to exercise your creative muscles. Perhaps you caught the competition “Making It” hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. The goal of the show was simple: to encourage everyone to “Make It”! It was a “Project Runway”-styled show for crafts people with different skills and backgrounds in which the makers were given projects to create each week. The variety of creative skills and imagination on display was staggering: both impressive and inspiring.
Why all this creativity? Perhaps it is the resurgence of concepts such as Ikigai that are driving this new age of creativity. This Japanese concept means “a reason for being.” The word “ikigai” is usually used to indicate the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile, the word translated to English roughly means “thing that you live for” or “the reason for which you wake up in the morning.” Read more at en.wikipedia.org.
America’s Color Consultants franchise model fits perfectly into this new trend. We offer a home-based business which you can pursue part time as your “side hustle” by adding creativity back into your life. A great way to start the next decade.
