The Perfect White Kitchen - A Design Myth?

Thinking about remodeling your kitchen? Picking a new paint color is the most inexpensive way to transform the room where you spend so much time. If you page through design magazines, you'll find that designers adore the white kitchen. It's timeless, they say. Some of us who lived through the white kitchens of the 80s might disagree with that theory! Although white is a fine choice, many people feel that it comes off as sterile--especially when paired with stainless steel appliances and stone countertops.

Thanks to House Beautiful's Paint Brush. I've "painted" some kitchens to show you some interesting color choices to use with white cabinets. Soft pastels, tans, or even warm browns are unexpected choices that will make your kitchen so special. And remember, paint colors never look the same in your home as they do online. Be sure to look at the colors in your own kitchen to make sure you get the exact color you want.

If you want specific suggestions to find your perfect colors, call 702.202.7543 for a Color Design Consultation.

Why Exterior Paint Colors Can Go So Wrong

You've decided to update your home's exterior. You've chosen the perfect paint colors. The painters begin the transformation, and you are so excited to see your new home. You walk across the street to take it all in. To your shock and dismay, the beautiful rich taupe you've chosen is in fact, green. What happened? Something must have have gone terribly wrong when they mixed the paint color. The painter pulls out the color chart and hold it up to the house. It's an exact match! Now what?

Unfortunately, I've received many panic calls for help as a result of this scenario. It's the reason that choosing colors for home and building exteriors is so difficult. This phenomenon is called "color shifting." Color is dependent upon a number of factors, most of all light. Tans and grays are the trickiest because they are a combination of many colors. They can subtly shift orange, pink, yellow, purple and yes, even green. It depends on the direction the home faces and even latitude. The sunlight in the desert southwest is much different than the sunlight in upper midwest.

So please be careful when you see a color idea in a magazine. Chances are, that color will look nothing like the picture when it's applied to your home. Whether it's a house or a homeowner's association or a retail shopping center, nothing is more disappointing than spending a fortune painting only to have to do it again. For beautiful results, seek paint color advice specific to your exterior and its architectural features.

To pick the perfect colors for your home or business, call 702.202.7543 for a Color Design quote.

Deep Colors in the Master Bedroom and Bath

When choosing colors for the master bedroom and bath, clients often feel that they should choose lighter colors to make it more restful. Those colors will work for you only if you like lighter colors. It's all about balance and light. When I see an example of an unconventional color choice that works, I love to share. In this case, it happens to be the master bedroom and bathroom of Seattle Seahawk TJ Houshmandzadeh. His home was featured on MTV's Cribs. It caught my eye because so many celebrity homes are done in neutral beige and white.

When I pull out a color sample in a beautiful blue paint color like this, the reaction is typically, "I don't know.. I like it. It just may be too much." So let's take a look at why this color works. Most importantly, there is a lot of light in this room to illuminate such a saturated color. Then, there's the large white crown molding and window treatments, not to mention the white sheer fabric adorning the bed. The white accent color gives the blue a fresh and clean look. It feels airy and reminiscent of a beautiful Caribbean sea resort.

There are no photos, but they continued this blue in the master bathroom, too. I'm all for deep colors in a master bathroom because typically there is very little wall space. With all of the cabinets, mirrors and fixtures, the wall color is really an accent framing everything. The bathroom is great place to start with color if you're feeling uncomfortable about using it on larger room walls. If you are drawn to deeper colors, consider peacock blue, emerald green, or iris purple. These velvety-rich colors will create the perfect restful retreat for you.

To find your perfect colors, email maryfrances@mycolordesigner.com or call 702.202.7543 to schedule your Color Design Consultation.

HGTV Design Star Color - Would You Do Wysteria?

One of my guilty pleasures is getting my fix with HGTV's Design Star. Yes, I know the design situations are unrealistic and completely set up for disaster. But, I love seeing what the designers come up with on the fly. And of course, I'm especially interested in their paint color choices. So yesterday, I saw the celebrity design episode, featuring rooms for Tiffani Thiessen, Jason Priestly, and Kathy Griffin. I guess Jenny Garth and Tori Spelling were busy. Lonni played it safe with eco-friendly neutrals for Tiffani's guest bedroom. I got a little nervous when I saw the blue and green choices by Dan for Jason's nursery. I was worried that the color would be overwhelming in such a large space. I breathed a little easier when he explained that he would be breaking it up with the curtains and other design elements. And that he did. Good move. I have to admit that Antonio left me scratching my head with his color choice for Kathy Griffin's office. Candice Olson called it "wysteria", a hot, trendy color. I thought for sure that the judges were going to let him have it. Much to my surprise, they loved it! Don't get me wrong. I've used my share of purples in Color Designs. I use it quite often actually--in homes. When choosing colors for offices, you should take into consideration that there are a number of people working in the space. In my experience, there are people who *love* purple and people who absolutely can't stand it. And, there are certain shades of purple that actually make people feel nauseous. Trendy or not, there was a lot of purple in that office. I also felt, that in conjunction with the new dark reddish laminate flooring, that the space was dark and cave-like. With the green movement, we are moving towards more natural light in the workspace. It inspires associates and makes them feel good. I can guarantee that people working in this space would be gravitating toward the outdoors whenever they had the chance. This is one case where the color worked on a technical level but struck out on a psychological level. When choosing office colors, go for light and harmony and balance to create the optimal environment where people love to work.

Orange Walls in My Living Room? It May Be the Perfect Color for You!

When choosing colors for their living rooms, many of my clients think neutral. Bold colors are for dining rooms, kitchens, kids rooms, accent walls and bathrooms, right? When the furniture is neutral, warmer and more vibrant colors are perfect for living rooms. Look what happens to the fireplace and door when orange is used together with white. Features that would have disappeared with white walls are now special elements in the room. Orange is the universal color for happiness. What a great way to counter the gloominess of cloudy days and lift your spirits. You could spend lots of time and money accessorizing a room and never the same impact as a vibrant color. If strong oranges are too much, find a lighter version that suits you. If you tend toward more earthy colors, choose more of a burnt orange. Some of my favorites are Sherwin Williams Mandarin SW6891 and Inventive Orange SW6633. Look beyond the basics to find the perfect colors for you.

For a color design consultation to find the perfect colors for you , call 702.202.7543.

A World Without Color

A dear friend of mine passed on the following video about the gift of being able to see in color. It took my breath away. I've always been overwhelmed by the beauty of color in nature. It was my first connection in being drawn to color...and the basis of my work in bringing the joy of color to people's lives. Take a moment to appreciate this special gift:

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Colors/

House Beautiful The Color Issue - The Best Way to Choose the Wrong Colors for You

As a color design professional, I was so excited to see that the September issue of House Beautiful is devoted to color. Upon perusing the article titles, my heart sank. Upon reading them, I was downright irritated. Here was a credible design publication providing readers with completely inaccurate information about color and how to choose colors for their personality. It made me wonder how many people will waste their time and money only to be ultimately disappointed.

The first article I read was called "How to Fix Your Home with Color". Sounds easy enough. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Concentration

Yellow increases your focus. It is known for enhancing intelligence and mental agility. It can help stimulate conversation and clarify thoughts. Try a yellow...No. 2 pencil, bookmark, pad of Post-it notes.

A pad of Post-It notes will increase concentration. That's all it takes? Wow. So if that's the case, and I paint a classroom yellow (and give all the children No. 2 pencils for good measure), all of the kids will be focused and be A-students of course. I would also want to paint one of the walls orange since that is the universal color of happiness. Because who wouldn't want happy, high-achieving children? Then we'll get the teacher a green desk because that's the color of prosperity, and then the teacher will get that well-deserved raise.

I wish I were exaggerating, but these ideas were taken directely from the article. If it were this simple, would we be vexing over choosing colors the way we do? If there was a formula, couldn't the paint companies produce 8 standard colors and scrap all the rest? I'm trained in Applied Color Psychology, the science behind color and the human response. I'm sorry to say that no color is going to "make" you feel a certain way. Yes, certain colors have a measurable physiological effect. Short-lived in most cases. Whether it's our personality or experiences we've had in our lives, we do have individual responses to color. Some of us need more stimulation than others. Blue isn't necessarily a calming color. Some people feel cold in a light blue room.

My frustration levels soar when I see color myths like this being perpetuated. My clients get confused about how their homes are "supposed" to be to make them feel good. It's all about you. When we work together, we learn what YOUR colors are. No quiz is going to do that. A newspaper reporter once described me as something akin to a "color mystic." It's not that complicated, and I'm no psychic. I just listen and learn about you and use my experience and training to create the perfect color design for you.

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An Amazing Visit to the DMV. Thanks to Color, Nature, and Design

I recently purchased a new car. The one reason I really don't like buying a new car is that it forces me to go to the DMV. I put it off until almost the last day of my temporary registration. I braced myself and walked into a sea of annoyed people who didn't want to be there...let alone for hours. Everywhere I looked people were agitated. I didn't like how I was feeling in this building. While waiting in line for a number, I took everything in. The walls were a dingy color. Fluorescent lights of course. It felt dirty and cold. I sat down with a book, knowing there were about 70 people ahead of me. It took me all but 5 minutes to get up and leave. There had to be another option. I actually came back later in the afternoon thinking that it might be less crowded. I must have a better sense of humor than I thought. I walked through the front doors, saw even more people and again left. Driving away, I remembered another location that was much nicer. I had renewed my drivers license there a couple of years ago. I decided to head over there early the next morning. It couldn't be any worse.

When I arrived, all of the same good feelings came flooding back...despite a long line...and wouldn't you know it, about 70 people ahead of me. Why did it feel so different than the day before? The building was obviously designed an architect who understood user-centered design. There were huge walls of windows in both the Information area and waiting area. The waiting area looked out onto a beautifully landscaped courtyard and the mountains. Natural light poured in. Fluorescent lights were used as task lighting for those working at desks. The ceilings were high and expansive. The color palette was in soft yellows and creams with natural wood accents. The floor was neutral. The harmony was wonderful. What was most noticeable of all was how people were behaving in this space. They were calm, waiting until it was their turn. Had they been any less annoyed in having to come spend hours at the DMV than the people I had encountered at the other office? No. The design influenced how people felt in the space. People gravitated toward the windows like they were in a park rather than a high-stress office. It was even pretty quiet.

I must give credit to the architecture firm who designed this building,--Tate, Snyder, Kimsey of Henderson, Nevada. They designed a space for the people using the space. If user-centered design can make a 2.5 hour wait at the DMV peaceful and enjoyable, what can it do for your home or business? Think about that the next time you think the design doesn't affect people. And go to the Decatur DMV...and experience it yourself.

For a user-centered design color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

What Color Do I Paint the Ceiling?

We don't think much about ceiling colors until it comes time to paint. So during color consultations, the questions often arises about what to do with ceilings. There are a couple of issues to consider. Does the ceiling continue on to other rooms? This the classic open floor plan problem. Sure, you can paint the ceiling the same color as the walls in the kitchen and family room. But, that same ceiling continues on to the living room. In that case, you have two choices. Go with a white ceiling. Or, chose neutral color in the tan family for all of your first floor ceiling. I love using a neutral to bring down the sometimes stark contrast between the walls and ceiling.

Self-contained ceilings/rooms are a different story. If you have crown-molding, I like applying the wall color to the ceiling as well. It makes the ceiling special. Plus, you get the added benefit of not having to deal with those troublesome ceiling paint lines. Unless you are an expert, it's tough to make that line look professional. A skilled painter should have no problem making it look great. Another room where I like to continue the wall color on the ceiling is in bathrooms. Is there any good reason to draw the eye to a white ceiling in such a small room? Not really.

Most resistance to the idea of painting the ceiling the same color as the walls comes from conditioning. People perpetuate this practice often times without any thought. It's what they know. Broaden your ideas and color palette. You'll love the results.

For questions about color consultations, call 702.202.7543 or email maryfrances@mycolordesigner.com .

Why I Don't Recommend Lowe's for Paint Color Matching

I'm a notoriously impulsive painter for my own projects. I get in the mood to paint and off I go. It's been a while, but that's exactly what happened on Thursday night. I moved into a new home in February and had yet to choose my own colors. My friends *love* giving me a hard time about my ivory walls. I'd been eyeing Bunglehouse Blue by Sherwin Williams for my fireplace and media niche. I thought it would be a fantastic complement to my ruby red couch and oak floors.

I often work with Sherwin Williams colors because they have great oversized color samples, in addition to beautiful color selections. The most important reason I recommend their colors? The paint color is exactly like the samples, so what you see is what you get. You'd think I'd follow my own advice. Sherwin Williams was closed, so I headed over to Lowe's. In every color consultation, I tell clients to go to a paint storeto have the colors mixed because they are professionals and do the best job. I've even had new clients come to me to redo their colors because they didn't get good results from a box hardware store. I figured that I would be the exception. I got home and excitedly opened up the paint can to get to work. I thought it looked a little dark. I was sure that once it was applied and dried, it would be the right color. I was wrong! The beautiful blue I expected came out as a blackish green. This morning, I headed over to Sherwin Williams to start over again. Wouldn't you know it, my new paint looked exactly like the sample. I LOVE it.

I thought about people who get many gallons of paint for a large project. I'm lucky it was just a fireplace. So much time and energy and money spent on colors that just aren't right. It doesn't have to be that way. Lesson learned. Go with the professionals for the best results and for the colors you love.

To schedule a color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

Choosing Colors for Your New Home

I recently received a call from a new client. She and her husband had purchased a new home, and they were ready to paint. She told me that they had vibrant colors in their last home and wanted something different for the new home. She was frustrated because they kept gravitating towards the colors they had before, therefore they needed help.

When I arrived at their home for the color consultation, I saw pops of bright colors in their furniture, accessories and artwork. Right away I knew. They keep going back to these kinds of colors because they really like them! Typically, we feel the struggle in choosing colors when we're going against our intuition. Does that mean we're stuck with the same colors forever? Of course not. We chose a color palette that used cleaner hues with more of a punch. By combining citrus-y oranges and yellows and greens with a splash of aqua and java as accents, we created a unique and inspiring palette for their new home. Some of the colors were similar, but the home felt entirely different and their own.

To schedule a color consultation, call 702.202.7543.

Medical Office Colors - Do They Matter?

Recently, my daughter and I were patiently waiting in the examining room at the doctor's office. Stark. That's the only word I can come up with to describe it. Most of the time we spend in medical offices is spent waiting. Many times, we are apprehensive and uncertain about being there. Poor design contributes to this experience. On the other hand, a few simple changes to the examining room colors would make patients feel more comfortable and nurtured during their visit. Good healthcare design offers a balance of warm and cool colors. 

Which examining room would make you feel better?

www.mycolordesigner.com

702.202.7543

The Many Colors of Starbucks

In a color consultation, I spend time getting to know my clients and their color associations. It plays an important part in determining what color families feel good to them. Every once in a while, Starbucks comes up. "I love the colors in Starbucks!" It's an interesting observation because unlike some stores, the colors in Starbucks are not the same from location to location. So it's not necessarily the particular colors, it's how they are used and how they make you feel. I'll ask my client what it is about the colors that they like. Words like "warm", "welcoming", "cozy", and "comfortable" come up. These feelings all have different color associations depending on your experience. These are the clues for me in creating a color palette for your home that feels this way to you. And might I say, Starbucks knows exactly what they are doing. They purposely create an environment where people want to get together and spend time. Think about it. Isn't that exactly how we want our homes to feel? Whether it's Thanksgiving dinner or movie night or a shared cup of coffee at the kitchen table. The right colors will make your home the place where your family and friends love to spend time.

www.mycolordesigner.com

To schedule a consultation or discuss your project, call 702.202.7543.

Choosing Color with Your Heart, Not Your Head

In getting to know one of my clients and what she wanted, she showed me a number of pictures from interior design magazines and websites of what she had in mind. Most of the photos featured walls in numerous shades of tan. Then she showed me a living room wall that she had painted with those little tester pots from the paint store--a few different greens. "I don't like any of them. I don't know what to do. I know I should go with tan, but it just doesn't feel right to me." Bingo. I smiled and said, "Good for you. You're going with your gut. You already know that's not what you want. That feeling isn't going to change when you put it on your walls." She knew what she didn't want, but she was trying to talk herself into it because that's what she was "supposed" to do. 

When it comes to color, it's all about choosing with your heart rather than your head. It's sooo easy to let your mind talk you out of what you love because it isn't "right." Choosing with your head is what sent you to the paint store half a dozen times only to come up empty. You know the moment the color isn't right. It happens all the time in a color consultation when I put color samples up on the walls with clients. They squint their eyes and shake their heads, "No." We eliminate the "no's" and begin a search for the Yes. When I've hit up on the right color, their whole demeanor changes. A smile emerges. Everything opens up. Most often, it's a color that never occurred to them. Then the questions begin. "It's okay to use blue in my living room?" Absolutely. There are no wrong colors. Once we find the ones that make you feel good, I show you how to coordinate them and where to put them. All of the color theory and application? Leave that to me. I create the perfect color palette for YOU. All that vexing over color becomes a distant memory, and you're thrilled about what your home will become. 

You deserve to feel excited about your home. Let's make it happen together.

www.mycolordesigner.com

702.202.7543

What's the Big Deal about Color?

Unless you're an avid HGTV watcher, you probably never knew that there are people like me who help you choose colors for your home. After a business meeting just the other day, I was introduced to a man in the office, "This is Mary-Frances, she is a chooses colors for homes and businesses." He smiled and scratched his head, "You mean like some kind of feng shui thing?" I smiled and explained to him that my background is in Applied Color Psychology. I think that made a little more sense to him, but he still looked a little befuddled. I get this questions like that all of the time because it's an unfamiliar concept to most. So I spend a lot of time talking to people about what I do and why it's so important. I'm more than happy to have these conversations because it's so important, and educating people is part of the process.

I was drawn to Color Design because my work makes people feel good, plain and simple. So, what's the big deal about color, you ask? Have you ever heard someone say that their favorite color was beige? Seriously. Regardless, we live in a sea of tans. Let's look at the word neutral. With the exception of Switzerland, is it a good thing to be neutral? The dictionary defines neutral as "not aligned with or supporting any side or position." Okay. So the home builder hands us the keys to a home that is aligned with nothing--that includes the people who will be living there. It's a curious philosophy because when the builder wanted to sell you a home, the model home was bursting with color. You walked through the front door and fell in love. That's where I come in. I choose colors that make you feel that way every time you come home. And don't get me wrong, neutrals have their place in a color palette. It's all in how you use them in combination with other colors that make you feel good. My gift is learning about you and what colors evoke those wonderful feeling within you. The colors that make you want to snuggle up with your kids on the couch. The colors that are reminiscent of the beach where you spent your summers as a kid. The colors that relax you after a long day at work. 

Creating the color palette of your life. THAT'S the big deal.

How Do You Choose Paint Colors?

Since my background and training is in Color and the Human Response and Humane Design, I am fascinated with research and science that explains why we feel the way we do about color. Recently, I came across a study from Australia that describes how people choose paint colors. 

The researchers found that the subjects fell into 4 distinct categories for their starting points:

1. Abstract Ideas: How they wanted a room to "feel" or the "style" of a room with no specific color in mind. 
2. Objects: Color inspiration from an object, such as a piece of furniture, fabric, or artwork. Furniture was the most influential in this category.
3. No Idea: No clue where to start. This group researched ideas at the paint center and online.
4. A Color in Mind: Not only did this group have a color in mind, but they associated a quality or attribute with the color. The color may be "tranquil" or "warm".

The study also found that women were primarily responsible for choosing paint colors for the home. The women felt that men didn't understand the color selection process. I have a number of male clients who might take issue with that! Furthermore, people found paint chips, color samples, brochures, magazines, and model homes to be very helpful in the selection process. Technology like computerized color visualizers ranked low on the helpfulness scale. In my experience, computer generated examples do not reflect reality when it comes to color. It's very difficult to replicate paint color with computer monitors and printers with any degree of success. 

How do you choose your colors? Ultimately, color associations, emotions, and nature play the biggest roles in our decisions. It's all a matter of choosing colors that *you* feel good.

For more information on choosing colors, visit www.mycolordesigner.com 

Deep Colors in Children's Rooms

When designing children's rooms, people often think of pastels or light and airy colors. I always say that there are no wrong colors. It's all in how you use them. This 5-year-old girl's room has only one window, dark wood floors, and a large bed that partially blocks the window. Conventional wisdom would say to use light colors to make the room feel brighter and more spacious. In this room, I took a different approach. Going lighter on the walls would create a lot of contrast with the mocha-colored floors and dark furniture. Instead, I chose violet and fuschia colors that were similar in value to the dark woods. Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Choosing a color palette with similar values creates a harmonious feel in a room and a home. There is another advantage to choosing deep colors in a room with limited light. When a room is dark, less saturated colors tend to become washed out and actually lose the essence of their color. Pastels, for example, can become grayish or neutral-looking. As you can see in the photo, the deeper colors remain rich, maintaining the feel of the room. Furthermore, these colors will grow with her. They don't feel juvenile and can transition with her as she grows older. The bedroom feels cozy, welcoming, and timeless--a beautiful retreat for this lovely little girl.

Flooring - A Key Element in the Color Palette

When clients are doing a renovation or designing a space, they often ask me to make flooring choices for them as well. How does flooring play into an overall color palette? It is a key element. In terms of square footage, floors can actually be a dominant color in the space, so the color aspect is not to be ignored. In order to achieve a harmonious color palette, the wall, floor, fixture, and furniture colors must work well together.

So where do you begin? If the flooring has already been installed, the wall color should complement the floor color. So let's say you have honey-colored wood flooring. You'd want to choose a paint color that is warm and works well with golden tones, like reds, oranges, and greens with a yellow-ish undertone. You could also go with complementary hues like warm,deep blues and purples. In this case, you would avoid golds and yellows because they are too close in value to the flooring--it would be too much of the same, creating a monotonous feel. If you're more attracted to neutrals, again choose colors that are warm like chocolates and deep caramels. If the floor color is too much for you, consider colorful area rugs to infuse other colors into the room. This is a great option if you want to keep wall color neutral.

If you're not in a position to change out the floors and you really don't care for them, there is still hope. You can use wall color in a number of ways to help you out. Let's say you have gray tile, paint the walls in icy blues or soft greens. You are creating a cool color palette, and the overall look will be as if you chose the gray tile deliberately. If you can't live in cool colors, and some people really just can't, draw the attention away from the floor by using a warm strong contrasting color. The eye will be drawn up and away from the neutral floor. Use area rugs and boldly-colored furniture and accent pieces to reinforce the look.

Ultimately, paint color is the simplest and most inexpensive way to transform and harmonize a room.

Consumer Reports Interior Paint Review 2009

Consumer Reports just released its review of interior paints in its March 2009 issue. Rankings such as this one create a lot of buzz about why one brand is superior to another and whether the results are important.

As a Color Designer, I choose paint colors for residential and commercial projects. In addition, I specify the brand and type of paint to use. Clients often ask, "Does the type of paint you use really matter?" Absolutely. Of course there are many good choices on the market, but real-life experience is important in choosing the type of paint you use. Consumer Reports ranks paint based on practical standards such as fading, hiding capability, coverage, etc.. While these are all relevant factors, there are other issues to take into consideration:

Color Matching and Tinting: What is the point of carefully choosing colors if the paint you purchase looks nothing like the sample? Year after year, CR given Behr the #1 ranking in their tests. Behr is sold through Home Depot, so it is widely available. I don't doubt that it is a fine paint brand. But, I get a lot of calls from people who have purchased Behr paint and are entirely unhappy with the way the color turned out on their walls. They tell me that the color does not reflect the sample they chose. And these are Behr's own colors! I can't imagine what happens when they are matching another paint brand's colors. There is nothing worse than going through all of the trouble of painting and having to do the job all over again.

The Green Factor: The paint industry is going green with substantial changes to their product lines. They are reducing the levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in their paints. VOCs affect negatively affect the environment been linked to respiratory illnesses and memory impairment. It's important to take this into consideration when choosing paint, especially if someone in your home suffers from asthma or has breathing difficulties. The downside to using low or no-VOC paint is that the coverage is affected. You will most likely need an additional coat of paint to achieve good results. In the CR report, the low-VOC paints ranked lower because of the coverage issue. It all depends on what is important to you.

Color - An Inexpensive Way to Renovate Foreclosure Homes

Because of the economic slowdown, I'm often asked, "How's business these days?" Much to their surprise, I tell them that I'm extremely busy. How is that possible given the fact that I'm working in one of the foreclosure capitals of the country? Foreclosure sales are accounting for the majority of home sales in the Las Vegas market. Buyers are getting great deals and want to renovate their new homes before moving day. Personalizing the home with a new paint color palette is the most inexpensive way to transform the entire look and feel. Color is such an important factor for buyers that banks are actually painting foreclosed homes with custom colors to make them stand out in the competitive resale market--something unheard of in years past. Whether you're an HGTV do-it-yourself-er or you want to leave the painting to the experts, it's a great time to make your home a reflection of you.

Humane Design

I often get the question, "Why do you do color?" People are perplexed about why I'm so passionate about color. Throughout my whole life, I was aware that I was affected by color. Through my studies in Color and the Human Response, I learned that all people are dramatically affected by color whether they are consciously aware of it or not. Creating supportive and nurturing environments with color is only one aspect of the branch of design called Humane Design. It is design centered around those who inhabit and use a space. Designers and architects who embrace this philosophy aren't only concerned about how a place looks, they want to make it user-friendly. How a space is designed affects whether or not people want to spend time in a room or building. This is especially important in the workplace, schools, and medical facilities.

This hit home with me just a few minutes ago. I'm sitting in a hallway at UNLV, waiting for someone to finish an appointment. As I pulled out my laptop to work on a magazine article I'm writing, I felt uneasy, and definitely not inspired. I looked at my surroundings...vending machines, stark white walls, fluorescent lights, and an open trash can. Imagine that. I'm not feeling very comfortable or creative. Just a few feet away from the elevator are floor to ceiling windows. I dragged my chair in front of it and felt so much better. Through the windows, I budding green trees, a cloudless gorgeous blue sky, and a nicely landscaped courtyard. All in addition to an abundance of natural light. Now, I was ready to write. The same holds true for places where we spend time everyday. Why do people sneak outside for some fresh air whenever they get a break at work? Why is recess the favorite part of a child's school day? People are drawn to nature, and it is an important part of our lives. The green building movement is taking all of this into consideration by providing windows that open to allow fresh air to circulate. Full-spectrum lighting that mimics natural light is replacing fluorescent lights in office buildings. The colors of nature and natural materials are being incorporated into schools and hospitals. It ALL makes a difference.

The next time you question whether it's worth the time or money spent to allow for humane design, think about a space that made you feel like the hallway I was in today. It may be your workplace or a doctor's office or your child's school (many in Las Vegas don't have windows in the classroom, by the way). Think about the creativity that is being surpressed and how negatively the morale of those spending time in the building are being affected. Humane Design. THAT is why we do this. We improve the quality of people's lives.