"The Distinctive Life" presented by the Distinctive Collection

LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGN

bold blue color with hot pink, pale blue, bright red, grass green—the sky is the limit.” Better Homes & Gardens' experts advise some caution when repainting a room, be it the living room, family room, kitchen, or office, to consider the amount of cabinetry and shelving. If those elements dominate the design, you may want to paint the trim in the same bold hue as the walls. Why? The magazine explains: “By painting the trim the same color as the cabinets and walls, it recedes into the background to create a cohesive, sophisticated feel.” A sharply contrasting trimmight feel too abrupt and distract from your intended design. CREATE STATELY, COZY OFFICES Does your home office or library need refining? We often focus on making our home workspaces practical rather than inviting. Even stately spaces can be elevated further with deep, bold wall colors and rich accents. Warm wine reds are among the most requested shades for library and office spaces. Interior designer Michelle Gage told Martha Stewart Living that she also believes that “we’ll see a rise in warm, juicy mulberry tones” this year. Home offices and libraries are often starved of natural light, either out of necessity or design, and we’re tempted to choose light colors on the walls to brighten the space. However, these spaces are supposed to

help focus us and inspire. Cooler colors can make the room feel harsher and without dimension. This is another reason to ditch light walls and embrace bold wall colors. Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball’s top color expert, told Martha Stewart Living : “When you are starved of light, it’s better to go for a really strong color to add depth to the room” and create a more welcoming environment. CREATE A RICHLY HUED BATHROOM From historic estates to modern minimalist homes, guest bathrooms are being upgraded from utilitarian to statement spaces. Here, the deep reds also shine. Whether you choose paint or patterned or textured wallpaper, crimson walls are in demand. Interestingly, so is the seemingly opposite approach. Better Homes & Gardens' experts report: “Dark, moody colors continue to be popular with consumers and color forecasters. Experts believe this trend will continue in the year ahead—and get even darker, with rich, almost-black charcoals.” Whether you choose the darkest shade of gray or the richest red or somewhere in between, bold wall colors can transform a guest bathroom from an unremarkable room to a truly luxurious space.

color, presenting a polished and inviting atmosphere. Of course, green is not the only color making its mark on elegant kitchens. Vivid deep blues, turquoise and red (particularly when used for framing) can make your new kitchen sing. Even black and charcoal gray paints, which are increasing in popularity for home exteriors, are being brought inside this year. A black kitchen may be hard to picture, but take a tip from a recent chic renovation, heralded by Southern Living , which saw “owners EJ and Whit Brown using the same bold black paint (Sherwin- Williams Tricorn Black, SW 6258) on the exterior and interior, creating a cohesive mood throughout.” MAKE BOLDWALL COLORSYOUR LIVING ROOM BACKDROP Design experts at Better Homes & Gardens are applauding the use of bold wall colors that act as a backdrop for other design choices. One of the magazine’s favorite recent refreshes saw the coating of living room walls in a rich navy blue, which became an “almost … neutral backdrop that could pair with almost any other color.” In that design, red accents on the coffee table, end table, lampshade, throw, and more made the room pop. But you don’t have to stick to that blue/red palette. The magazine suggests that you can “try the

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| THE DISTINCTIVE LIFE®

Volume 10