The Dirty Secret about “WHITE”

Everyone always complains as soon as they purchase or rent an apartment in new york city that it feels like a white box. Then they proceed to never change the color of the white box. This is due to one four letter word FEAR or hatred of WHITE ( oops five letter word)

 I personally feel that white has been getting a bad rap . All these pops of color can get tiresome. The base of a room is best when it is neutral. I am a big fan of neutral grays and taupe’s . Why have we abandoned WHITE .

 I love white. I love all white interiors. It is an impossible way to live if you have a pet, a child , a significant other ,but gorgeous none the less. Do not forget the invention of so many indestructible fabrics that make this lifestyle feasible for all. I digress.

 So, why am I featuring a blog about the color white you ask . Well everyone assumes that there is just one Color white and it is called SUPER. It is anything but SUPER.

 First of all before I proceed I am speaking Benjamin Moore talk . It is my native language. It is best to refer to both the color name and number. I am fluent in HC talk which is Historical Colors for those that only refer to a number . Benjamin Moore just produced a revised collection of colors that are the perfect collection of neutrals, The Historical Collection. They also created a new WHITE color card with the title GENTLE WHITES. Trust me the decorator, you cannot make a mistake if you follow these charts.

 The secret about selecting a perfect white is to think about them in terms of warm and cool tones. That is all you need to know. Does the white have a blue cool tone such as  DECORATOR WHITE or does it express a lot of yellow and warmth as in LINEN WHITE.

 Just take the white color swatch and isolate it on the wall. Make sure to mount it on a piece of white paper. There are so many sample options in the paint stores. I always suggest the oversized paper samples since they can be reused.  Best to place the same color swatch in a few places in the room to see how the light effects the color.

 The other BIG secret  is a tip I learned in my first color class at Parsons School of Design. Cut out a small rectangle in the center of a piece of paper. Over lay the paper on two swatches of white to see the difference. It will be like looking at black and white . The differences may be subtle but will appear with such clarity you can decide which color to select . Go ahead take a chance . If you don’t like the color you can always select another. Now you are hooked. See you in the paint store .

THE NICESET WHITES

Simply white OC 117 is very soft neutral white

White Dove 06 is a  good basic warm white

Linen White 70 has a great deal of yellow

White 01 is a good color base for ceilings

Super White 02 reads more cool and blue

ART IN THE EXTRA PLACE

There is never a moment in new york city when you do not see something amazing. I recently came upon a street called EXTRA Place. Of course I had to scan the QR symbol on the sign to find out more. Old news but again ART is always relevant and new to someone that has not seen it , just yet.

 It is a street that was leftover and just named Extra. Avalon Bay developed the block and provided renderings of street nirvana akin to the Left Bank.

 Well it looks nothing like Paris nor the former incarnation as the back of the Punk shrine CBGBS. If those brick walls could talk they would have a lot of tales to tell.

 The alley features a series of paintings applied directly to the freshly poured concrete. They were installed more than a year ago and have developed a beautiful patina that only a winter in NYC can provide.  I see such potential for this private public space. Most people that walk by look over with great curiosity and just pass .

 The artists that are featured were sponsored by FAB nyc . It is a rotating public art program that should be ready to rotate very soon. It opened last November with artists Abe Lincoln Jr. Jon Burgerman, Ellis Gallagher . Catch it soon before it disappears.

HISTORY

 http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/01/extra-place.html

On Saturday, November 19, Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc) will present Groundbreak, the inaugural exhibit in a rotating

public art program for Artist Alley @ Extra Place. This exhibit is the latest in a series of temporary art installations in

atypical locations in the East Village/Lower East Side through FABnyc’s ArtUp program.

BLACK AND WHITE QR CODE

Why does everyone love black and white. There is something very comforting about the clarity of a black and white image, graphic, cookie, outfit or interior. You know just where you stand, there is no ambiguity.

Perhaps it has to do with the most basic primal of images The yin and yang symbol. I am not sure if it is the circle or the fact that half is black and white. There is also the iconic image of the composition pad that identifies so clearly with the same symbol color scheme.

This is why I love the QR symbol. Despite the fact that many companies are producing them in colors now. I say, stay with the black and white.

 We have become so obsessed with the black and white symbol that is has taken over our
entire design studio. The amazing company LIGHTS UP just fabricated our QR code into a lampshade. It is kind of difficult to scan a circle as I discovered post fabrication. I love it
nonetheless. We are now producing QR bags, pillows, chairs and sofas . I went so far as to create a QR evening wear stole with matching bracelets and rings. Aka QUITE RIDICULOUS. I have adopted the QR symbol not just as a pattern but a way of life and vehicle of communication. Product development has always been my passion and it is now leading my existence. I have now adopted the QR CODE  with the same amount of fervor . We are  establishing a web site

that will be updated on a weekly basis. It will be connected to a collection of products.

If you are interested in following our creative sequencing send a request and KEEP YOUR SCANNERS READY!!!

YOU FOUND THE COLORS WHERE …

ON A TREE BARK?

Yes, inspiration can be found every where.

I took this photo in the morning and developed the color scheme by noon.

A design eye is always in focus.

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Why is it that most people apologize for having no color sense. It is often followed by the confession of being color blind. In most cases this has never been confirmed. It is a coping mechanism to deal with the fear of color.

 Color is such a charged subject , which invariably has its origins in childhood.  There is always some deep dark memory of color that is extreme. Extreme in a good way or extreme in a traumatic way.

 “ My mother would never allow me to select any color, everything is white “ . I can’t possibly select a wall color. Now that I have blamed every mother for bad color choices let me pay homage to the most important colorist of all, Mother Nature.

 As a designer I am always observing color and creating new combinations.

I spend a great deal of time observing nature. Flowers are the most readily available to inform strong color statements. I have included a close up of a giant hibiscus for example. The combination of those two colors can be directly translated into a drapery selection of pillow combination. Perhaps it is far too much color saturation for a room interior.  Notice the value of the pink and the orange , meaning the amount of white and black. They are of the same color intensity , hence the vibration.

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I will venture into color theory on the next few blogs but suffice to say this blog is intended as a reminder. This is a reminder to look outside when determining the color for an interior. A walk through a park in any season reveals the modulation of color in the finest form. For a literal example I have included an image of a bark of a tree that has a band of tape wrapped across the center. I have selected a number of colors that are found directly in the palette. Noted below are the exact colors that were taken to create a room interior . They are soft and very healing with not a great deal of contrast. I will feature the room that was inspired by this palette next month. Stay tuned. Remember to keep your eyes open and your iphone camera in position.

Palette selections inspired by the tree bark

Benjamin Moore

Minor Accent: Audubon Russet HC-51

Main wall area : Powell Buff HC-35

Major Accent wall: Providence Olive HC-98

Ceiling: Hepplewhite Ivory HC-36