Kitchen Appliances and Color. Is Neutral Best?

I still say choosing a color scheme for the kitchen is the most challenging. Ironically, it has the least amount of wall space after all the appliances and cabinets are in but the color you do choose, has to be perfect!

Just think about all the time you spend in the kitchen. From the time you wake up and have that first cup of coffee to when the kids come home in the late afternoon and use it as a homework station. We all know that it's the gathering place when we have parties and it is the the core and heart of the home.

Knowing this, the design and color scheme you choose has to be right on. From the wall color to the color of the grout you choose, all these factors have to be considered to make it the perfect room for you and your family.

When designing my kitchen, what color appliances should I choose?

Stainless steel seems to work well with the colors that I've been designing in kitchens. There's a lot of soft, smokey colors that are in the kitchen and these hues just work well with stainless steel.

KitchenAid

Black seems to be the second choice of appliance color in the kitchen. I have black appliances (hard to keep clean by the way) but it works well with my color scheme which is gold and burgundy. I like the contrast and to me, the coolness of stainless steel wouldn't work with the very warm colors in my home. Now for someone who has the white kitchen, stainless would be a better choice. So much depends on cabinet color, flooring and so many other factors.

Whirpool

I don't want to have a MAJOR appliance in any crazy color. What appliance can I have fun with as far as my color choices go?

I agree. When it comes to the stove, refrigerator, sink or dishwasher, I personally would keep them the “norm” - no crazy colors here.

Let's say you choose red appliances. Will you like red 1, 2, 3 years from now? What if you have to sell your home? Will the potential new homeowners like red to? Probably not.

I would use color in really small doses like this red mixer. I have one of these (white) and keep it under the counter. Let's say you have a white kitchen - keeping this red mixer out on top of the counter would make a great accent color for your kitchen.

If you have a black stove top, this yellow tea kettle may be all the splash of color you may want in your kitchen. Make sure the yellow coordinates!

Hand mixers are usually kept under the kitchen counter so I don't know if this is a great appliance to highlight a cool color. I vote for the classic silver, white or black for this.

Taking color outside with the grill. I LOVE this green grill from Crate&Barrel! Green is a good choice for a grill since we know it's going to match everything outside.

Can't decide on a color? White and stainless would be my choices for appliance colors for the kitchen. There are so many other ways to add color to your room that I really don't think highlighting an appliance is the way to go. 

For example. See this mixer? I bought one when I just got married over 20 years ago. What colors were popular at that time? I don't even remember but if I did go with the 'color of the year' I'd STILL have it now and more than likely, not like the color.

Stick with the basics when it comes to appliances for your kitchen - white, stainless or black. Still need a splash of color for your kitchen? Contact me, to help you choose color for your kitchen.

How can I use pastel colors in my home?

Do you like pastel colors?

Most people think of baby colors, nursery or “mature” decor when you say pastels. Not anymore! Pastel colors always rise up in the Spring. Today, I'm going to show you how you can use pastel colors in your home without it looking like a nursery or nursing home.

Aren't these colors just beautiful? These are actually my egg holders for soft boiled eggs. I should really start using them instead of just enjoying their colors. Anyway, you really need to be careful with pastels because one tint off and you're in the “easter egg, nursery, I just chose a baby color for my bedroom” look. 

“How do I use pastels in my room without it looking like a nursery?”

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At first glance yes, you do see a lot of pastel colors in this room. Does it look like a nursery to you? No. Do you know why? Because of the accessories that were used in this room.

When you accessorize your room, bring in furnishings that clearly indicate that this is not a room for a baby. That means using fabric with distinctive age appropriate designs and colors. Animal print is good and I like that think black accents that are in both the fabrics and drapery hardware.

“ I like blue but I'm afraid my room will look like a boys room.”

That's right! If you choose a blue that's just a little too light, yes, your room will look like a little boys room. I would try to avoid using white furniture in a blue room, unless of course it's a child's room. Use dark furniture, black or even a contemporary look with a metal but use white as your last resort.

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Color Tip

If you have a fairly good eye for color, choose pastels that are a little more muted, or contain more black in it. That will get you in the right direction. 

If you need pastel color for your home,  it's what I do! I specialize in just color for your home and I can help you get the look you want. 

It's not easy being green - or is it?

Sure it is! But you have to choose the RIGHT green.

So many people love green - myself included. But how do you decide on the perfect green for your home? That gets a little complicated when you have this many to choose from.

Sherwin Williams Greens

Here are some tips to help you choose the right green for your home.

Tip 1

If your room gets a lot of sunlight, you may not want to choose a green that has too much yellow in it. The green will get amplified and look a bit neon or just too bright.

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Tip 2

If you choose a green that has a lot of blue in it, your green will look more minty. 

Tip 3

If you keep your greens light and muted, you'll be in that sought after coastal look. This is a great choice for the bedroom or the spa bathroom since it's so relaxing.

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If you need additional help with your greens, contact me, Donna Frasca, a Color Specialist in Charlotte and I'd love to help you out!

I'll bring these!

The Welcoming Pineapple

Ever go into someones home or a Bed and Breakfast and see pineapples all over  the place? Not the fruit but in artistic motifs? Did you ever wonder what it meant? Other than looking pretty cool, the pineapple is a symbol of friendship and hospitality.

Get some pineapple in your home!

Try these delicious Benjamin Moore colors.

Color You Can Eat!

By Donna Frasca - A color specialist in Charlotte.

Behr Has The Perfect Cherry Red!

Who doesn't love cherries, shortcake and whipped cream? And, who doesn't love red? I'm talking about Cherry red, from bright red to deep, dark black cherry red. What a delicious color!

Like watching calories, you have to use red in small amounts. It's a powerful color and can either make or break the look of your room. 

Behr has this fantastic red called Cherry Tree. It's not too orange or too blue - it's really the perfect, classic red.

BEHR

Of course the first place people want red is the dining room. Which is of course classic and very typical. Where else can you put red? Really anywhere you want! Red is not just for dining rooms anymore, here are some other options.

Pictured in this luxury home in Firethorne subdivision of Marvin, NC you can see a very impressive foyer. This would be a great place to put an equally impressive color.

What you really need to remember is that the luxury homes of Charlotte really call for luxurious color to. What does that mean? Well, you have these beautiful, large, custom homes that have very basic, very traditional and very dated colors. If you look through any of the Charlotte Real Estate listings for luxury homes you find the most stunning homes, with the best decor and furnishings but look at the color - beige, light beige, green beige, tan or shockingly, STILL contractors beige or white. 

You'll also find homes that perhaps did choose a designer color but was it the RIGHT color? Did the color make a statement? Is it classy? Timeless? Elegant? 

There is so much to consider when choosing color for your home, especially these very large homes. Invest in the best color scheme to really bring out the beauty of your home. If you're looking for someone to choose color for a large home, you've come to the right place!

I'm a Color Expert in the areas of Charlotte, Marvin and South Charlotte. This is what I specialize in! Contact me and together, we'll choose the right colors for your home. You'll be surprised what I'll suggest!!!!!

If you want to read how Behr Paint has rated on Consumer Reports, you can read it here. It's a great rating!!!

Mardi Gras!

The colors of Mardi Gras!

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