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#homedesign

What’s Your Home’s Palette?

March 5, 2021 By kimwheeler 17 Comments

Does your home have a color palette? Remember when people used to have their colors done? Well your home has a vibe and certain colors may suit it more than others. Some colors also may be more pleasing to you personally. These are all things to consider when choosing the palette for your home.

If your home stays in four to five colors or tones, you can make easier choices when shopping and decorating. I have a binder for my house with all the items from the renovation, and inspiration photos. The picture on the cover was my color inspiration/style for the house!

My house is variations of white, grey, light wood tones and some black accents, grey blues. With spring coming I’ve been wanting a change and a bit more color with my current favorite -soft blues. I added this striped blue and another blue pillow on top photo and a few other accessories to give it a coastal and springy vibe.

It all started when I bought this jacket from Anthropologie in the prettiest blue. I had it hanging on my coat tree and noticed it nicely picked up the blues about the house. The house is neutral, but there are pops of blue and a tiny bit of orange in a picture and my rug too..

Then I was at Pottery Barn and I noticed the same soft blue of these Modern Glass Candle Holders. I bought a blue one and gathered a few other blues like my Glassy Baby. So now with the blue pillows and a couple of things I already own, made the house feel fresh to me.

If you know your home’s and your own color story, you can keep it in mind when shopping and making design decisions for the house. You can create a binder as I have, with colors and pictures that reflect your taste and style. Referring back to that will confirm what you love and help you make smart choices. I know what colors I like and don’t so I can usually blow through a store or online shop pretty fast knowing what I am looking for and what will work in my house.

It doesn’t mean you can’t change things up and are stuck with the same colors. In fact, you might add in or subtract or focus on some colors more depending on the seasons. In fall and winter, I love adding more black accents -frames, and woods. In spring and summer I bring out more whites, my coral collection, and striped pillows and linen throws. The color scheme stays the same overall, just the tone feels darker and cozier or lighter and brighter, depending on the time of year!

If you’re unsure of your home palette, or don’t think you have one, start looking around and see what colors you use most predominantly. Also consider your personal wardrobe. What is in your closet? Do you gravitate towards white jeans and navy? How about denim shirts? If there are repeating themes in your closet than they are sure to be things you’ll love in your home and may already have.

Sometimes your kitchen or your fireplace material may move you toward a cool or warm look. You may have many colors in your house, but most people gravitate towards favorite tones. Walk through the house and see if there are threads of the same colors that connect your spaces, especially the main rooms. You may want to choose to use some during some parts of the year, and change out the the others. The most traditional way is adding warm tones at fall and cooler at summer. These colors actually have a psychological effect of making us feel warm or cooler, hence the seasonal use!

Sometimes you just need to find a look. This photo was an inspiration last fall. I used the warm cinnamon colors in this photo to add dried flowers, wood bowls and some candles in these tones and still kept my same neutral feel overall.

You don’t have to be limited to a small color family, but know what your look and tones are. Some people have a lot of color and live with it all. My friend Heidi, whose home and style I profiled for my Californian’s at Home is an artist and her home palette is many, many colors and it works beautifully for her eclectic and creative home and her art. Same with my friend Elizabeth, the Vintage Contessa, who lives with a lot of daring tones like chartreuse and bright yellow and luxe items. Cindy Hattersley is someone with many gorgeous neutrals and some beautiful blues in her amazing California home.

Cindy’s dreamy bedroom!

Some beautiful blues : Zinnia Pillow cover, Thibaut Serengheti Pillow, Coastal Blue Solid Velvet Cover, Serena & Lily Cuesta Pillow Cover , Perennials Rosemount Pillow Cover, Swansea Cotton Throw,

If you know what your colors are that’s a huge help in creating a beautiful home. You may have spring and fall, summer and winter looks, but know the main colors and what works with them. Have some fun thinking about setting your home’s style and colorways… maybe even make a binder as I have, or an inspiration board!

Kim

P.S. By the way, I am honored to be featured on Cindy’s beautiful blog, Cindy Hattersley Design today. She is showing more of our renovation. So pop on over if you have time. Her blog is a great inspiration to me personally. She’s amazingly talented.

Links may sometimes generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #colorpalette, #designtips, #homecolors, #homedecor, #homedesign, #homepalette

May House Update

May 1, 2019 By kimwheeler 26 Comments

I can’t believe it’s May already.. This year is flying by. We have two months until we move into our home and it seems like a ton to still get done. The past weeks have been so busy. In the midst of everything my beloved wisteria had the best bloom in years.. Thank you California rain!

As luck would have it, that was the week the painters came to paint the eaves black to match the new black roof and gutters, which I am loving. They very kindly pulled the wisteria off and hung it in a large wrap. Can you believe it? They put it back after no harm done. I was so happy as this vine is 40-50 years old and I am trying my best to preserve it with all this work being done!

I am mostly finished with choices for-tile, cabinets, lights, floors and I am so glad. My head is swirling all the time with this stuff. My days go like this- call the closet person, get back to the cement guy, meet the garage door people, check with the tile store, view the floor sample, get back to the cabinet guys, order those lamps, return the ones that didn’t work, think about bath mirrors…and so on!! I would be lying if I didn’t say I’ve had some anxiety.

There are SO many building choices and websites. You can pull a whole home together on something like Build.com and Restoration Hardware. I am one of those people who may do better with less choice. I love a LOT of things and styles. The anxiety comes from worrying about whether I’ve made the right choice and if it will all look good pulled together..Luckily now a lot of design is changing and there really is no ‘perfect’ look -just your own. I keep reminding myself that, and that I am going for my own unique home, but still I stress.

So look guys…this is the interior..Fireplaces and walls gone, drywall almost all up. This is the front view out. I love the large French doors to the little patio we are building. I plan to put my dining table in front of these doors.

This is the back of the house looking toward the new fold away La Cantina doors and our fireplace. Window seats will be on either side and to the left is the kitchen.

My biggest challenge with this house has been sticking to my look and style for this home. Not everything has to match, but I would like it to flow. I love when a home has a thread of continuity about it and the rooms feel connected in some way. This exterior of the house will be white with black details, wood floors and cabinetry, light stone accents, white walls and aqua blue in a few places. The house has no trim or moulding on the upper walls or windows and has contemporary feel inside.

This is the front right now. You can see the new path I tried to model after an offset path from my grandparent’s 1960’s house and the new patio to the left.

The front entrance has a portico that will have a little bench on one side for packages. The door will be glass and the sidelights also.

This is the back and you can see the new dark roof and gutters. This will be all stuccoed and painted white. Deciding on that color is next- hopefully something not stark.

Here is what is all over my house..tiles and cabinetry and flooring. I think you can see the look I’m going for here- whites, light oak, and stones.

This is the fireplace material below. I love this Italian tile and I think it will look modern, yet still natural. I cannot believe the gorgeous stone looking tiles that are coming from Italy. This is supposed to be like onyx and has about 400 different variations so using it looks just like the real stone for a lot less.

These two are the flooring for the mudroom/laundry/pool bath and the beautiful blue tile is the background for the wall in the pool bath part. I wanted something fun as the pool is just outside the door and it’s mostly used by swimmers. This tile has the slightest shimmer and is like the sun on the water. I love it!

I used this image for inspiration for that pool bath and I am sorry I have lost the source. I am having a vanity built like this with two floating shelves where I can wedge pool towels between. I like the modern stacking style of tiles and the wall mounted faucet too.

I am also excited for the wet bar which I decided to use something called Yesterday’s Glass from Jeffery Court on the backsplash. It’s like those 1970’s mirrored tiles that had that smoky look that my parents and Max’s both had. I hope this will be a little glam and reflect light. The upper shelves are floating and the lowers are light wood. I still have to figure the hardware, but there is a round hammered nickel sink and a dark pewter toned faucet.

This was one inspiration for the bar found on Instagram.

I wasn’t sure what kind of garage door to go with. I like the glass ones, but they seem more modern than my house is. I did not like the metal ones many garage door companies have. I like a very clean and streamlined look and a few neighbors have that. Turns out my neighbor Vivian designed her own and the other neighbors like it so much they also used her design.. Below is Vivian’s house and the look I want, but in black. Isn’t it modern and sharp? I think it’s perfect for my transitional style.

Then there is the driveway and I love this look below and am trying to recreate something similar, but offset like my walkway and with stones between..

I have always known I wanted a glass front door for the light. This is where I am conflicted -do I go very modern like the photo below or classic like the next photo? Max worries about the openness to the front, but you can always add a curtain that pulls over the windows and sidelights if you need more privacy.

I am set on having the door a color and this below is the front runner..

I think Palladian Blue is a good foil to the golds and wood tones that will be in the house, like these chairs shown above with it.

Great Barrington Green is also cool for the door of a white California house with black accents..

Speaking of color, these new Century Paints from Benjamin Moore are so gorgeous. Have you seen these? Any of these would make a statement on a door!

Thanks for following along. I would love to hear what you think and any tips you’ve got for remodeling choices.

Next week I’ll share more house things like wallpaper, my trip to So Cal and my lunch at the most beautiful San Francisco home.

Kim

Filed Under: Home Remodeling, Uncategorized Tagged With: #californiahomestyle, #homedesign, #homereno, #homerenovation

The Home Reno Has Begun!

July 12, 2018 By kimwheeler 13 Comments

How is your summer going? We were away on vacation and last week, two days after we got home, we moved into a rental house while we renovate for the next 6 months. It had been ten years since we have moved and I had forgotten how much work there is. GAH! I’m still recovering. My son Jackson and I were saying that moving should be required for everyone every decade as it really makes you evaluate what the heck you own and are living with, you know? Moving requires you to acknowledge and touch just about every darn item you possess and even those squirreled away in a closet or garage. It’s a big wake-up call. I thought I had been good about purging in the past few years, but clearly not at all.  My family especially got on me about the amount of pillows and books I own. I love my books, but yes we will be cleaning out more before moving back. The days before the move we took 3 huge loads to donation. It made me really feel guilty about how much ‘stuff’ we acquired. We all vowed to have less.

The house in its true state in the process of packing.. Mr. Cat none too happy.

Empty and sad looking! I loved these built-ins, but they prevented me from using that space in any other way. This- our largest room, was also seldom used as it was blocked by the fireplace wall and not easy to walk into.

The narrow front room below was also the entry point to the house and our tv/family room. We squeezed into here once a couch and chair were in and never really all fit for a movie or game night.

I have shared before about the reno plan, but its actually been an almost 2 year process, where we intended to just do the kitchen, then realized how much we could actually improve the flow of the house. We figured while we were at it, why not do it and also make the whole living space work better? That also grew to include the master bedroom, which will be enlarged by taking over a fourth bedroom that is seldom used.

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Filed Under: Home Remodeling, Uncategorized Tagged With: #bayareahomestyle, #californiadesigners, #californiahomestyle, #homedesign, #homereno, #remodeling

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Blogger, writer and explorer sharing about my native California, and parts farther afield. Join me here where I chat about things to love in the worlds of design, fashion, home, travel and culture.

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  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
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  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
A little reel of the pretty @bernarduslodge in Car A little reel of the pretty @bernarduslodge in Carmel Valley. We try and get here at least twice a year for a little weekend retreat. 

It’s in the perfect location as you can enjoy all the charms of Carmel -and soak up the sunshine while you’re at the resort just up the road from the coast. The rooms, pools, gorgeous gardens, and mountain views are soothing. It’s my happy place and if you are near Carmel, I can’t recommend it enough. 

#carmelvalley #carmel #carmeltravel #centralcoast #bernarduslodge #northerncalifornia #northerncalstyle
On the weekend blog I shared my favorite summer gr On the weekend blog I shared my favorite summer green salad. It’s the traditional with a few twists to make it have more flavor and crunch. A nice option for a Memorial Day barbecue if you’re having one today.. Link with details in bio.
@northerncalstyle 

We had houseguests and now a free day, but the weather has been dark and cool for this summer kick off.. 😕 Hoping you all get some time to enjoy this extra day off. 

I am thinking today of all those who gave their lives for our nation and democracy. ❤️ Their families are especially on my mind. 

#summersalad #californiatable
On the Weekend blog.. a @rails Summer capsule! I b On the Weekend blog.. a @rails Summer capsule! I brought some of these beautiful pieces with me on our weekend away in Carmel and loved how well they all work together!
More deets on the blog plus where we stayed and some pretty snaps of Carmel in bloom.

Don’t forget to visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet too.

 Our links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

Have a beautiful weekend .
This is a perfect time for a trip to Carmel-Monter This is a perfect time for a trip to Carmel-Monterey Bay as everything is blooming and the magic carpet in Pacific Grove is at its peak beauty! 

The beautiful flowers in the charming towns and the on cottages make it such a treat to visit. We had a fun two days and I’ll do another little reel on our pretty hotel in Carmel Valley. 

Have you been to Carmel in the springtime? It’s a bucket list item! 🌸

#carmelbythesea #carmel #pacificgrovemagiccarpet #pacificgrove #montereybay #ourgoldenstate #visitcalifornia #flowerstagram #californiadreaming
I splurged and bought myself this pretty planter f I splurged and bought myself this pretty planter for my favorite plant. This is from @beachwoodhome in Carmel which has beautiful things. It’s in the Carmel Plaza and I always love popping in there to see what’s new when I’m down there.

This plant is a peperomia plant which is so easy to keep alive! Yay. It loves to grow in cool shapes and needs just a few ice cubes here and there..

Hope you’re all having a good start to the week! 

#easyplants #houseplantsofinstagram #bluepottery #carmelbythesea #californialiving
Have you been to Tahoe in the summer? It’s just Have you been to Tahoe in the summer? It’s just magic. These are a few snaps of my Tahoe look, but on the blog I have more ideas and great pieces for you to consider when planning a summertime getaway there. 

You will find it’s very relaxed with an old school charm. Chill is the vibe and it’s all about comfort and California casual. Tahoe is all about enjoying the incredible nature and beauty up there! 

Find it all on my what to pack post with six of my friends sharing their destinations too..
Link in bio @northerncalstyle 
More on stories also!

#tahoe #laketahoe #whattopack #californiatravel #californiatrip #westshorelaketahoe #lakelife #oldschoolsummer #ourgoldenstate #californiadreaming #visitcalifornia
Hard to believe it’s almost summer, and are you Hard to believe it’s almost summer, and are you all ready for a vacation ?  I have the perfect blog for you today..a fun collaboration with six others, sharing their packing tips and outfits from their special spots in the country.. We’ve got Tahoe, Napa, Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Cruz, Florida, New York City, and North Carolina! 

These packing lists and outfit ideas plus favorite spots not to miss, make these posts savers! 

My blog is what to pack and what to wear for summertime in Tahoe- which I can’t wait for. 💙

All our posts are linked in our bios.. 
me/Tahoe @northerncalstyle 

Annie/New York City @most_lovely_things 

Juliet/Napa Valley @makemineaspritzer 

Dawn/SantaCruz @fashionshouldbefun 

Cindy/PasoRobles @cindyhattersley 

Elizabeth/North Carolina @pineconesandacorns 

Mary Ann/Florida @classiccasualhome 

See what my friends recommend to pack and do for your summer getaways! 

#packingtips #whattopack #travel #traveltipsandtricks #tahoetravel #californiatravel #ourgoldenstate
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas and to all t Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas and to all those who mother and nuture! 💐I hope everyone is getting appreciated and spoiled today.. I spent some time at a lovely lunch with the family yesterday and am enjoying the garden today.. except for the hurricane winds! 

I can’t wait until my youngest Griffin is back home for a bit from college. My favorite days are the ones when we are all together as a family again.  I love being with Jackson and Griffin more than anything and they just make me laugh so much!  I feel so lucky to have very kind sons …except they make me feel so short 🤣..and I couldn’t be prouder. 💛
On the blog today.. How to style white denim!  I’m excited to partner with some lovely ladies today and we are all sharing our ways to wear the closet classic- white jeans! 

I am showing what I’ve been wearing lately and some of my favorite pairs as well as a few cool options that have come on my radar!  It’s all about finding what works for your body and choosing the right fabric etc.. 

Are you a white jean fan??

Please visit my friend’s blogs ..All our posts are linked on our bios..
@northerncalstyle - me!
@most_lovely_things - Annie
@classiccasualhome -Mary Ann
@cindyhattersley - Cindy
@sherryhdesigns - Sherry
@lavieongrand - Noelani

#whitedenim #whitejeans #whitejeansoutfit #whitejeanstyling #whitejeansforever #whitejeanseason #californiastyle
If you miss the weekend post and still need some M If you miss the weekend post and still need some Mother’s Day gifts I have some fun ideas for you.. I love market totes- especially with flowers in them, beautiful wraps, some inspiring books for summer living, and a few other little luxuries.. 

If you need some local fun, I will be a the Palo Alto @Rails store on Saturday where they are having a Mother’s Day event with 20% off and a gift with purchase! Stop by and say hi.

Pop on by my blog post for all the details and more gift ideas… 

Don’t forget to visit my friends, Juliet and Elizabeth if you miss their weekend posts too..
 Our links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#mothersday #mothersdaygift #giftideasforher #californialiving #momsday
Do you love @rails beautiful California clothing? Do you love @rails beautiful California clothing? I don’t know what your weekend plans are, but on Saturday the new Rails at Stanford is having a fun event with 20% off, light bites, and a little gift with purchase.. 

I’ll be there for a few hours to help you pull together looks for summer or shop for a Mother’s Day gift - maybe for yourself? 

If you haven’t been to a Rails store, they are so inspiring and have the whole collection for women and men. It’s great to see the clothes up close and how gorgeous they are. 

Please pop by if you are at Stanford  Shopping Center and say hi! I would love to meet some of you.  I’ll be there 11-12:30, but the event is on all day and the Rails team is so great! 

Maybe a fun day out to shop with a friend or your mom and have lunch after at Stanford? 

Looking forward to this and meeting some of you! 

#rails #stanfordshoppingcenter #paloalto #railsclothing #californiastyle #californialook
It’s time for May’s Signature Style and Cindy It’s time for May’s Signature Style and Cindy and I are sharing our Summer Wish Lists.. ☀️My wish list has one shoulder tops, longer skirts and the super flattering small jacket- plus some other cute finds and accessories.

I’m sharing it all on the blog and Cindy is too..

As always links are in our bios and stories..
@northerncalstyle 
@cindyhattersley 

Looking forward to seeing you there!  If you want the links they are on the blog or I can send you the link in a DM.

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