THINK DESIGN TIPS

By: Vivian Fuentebella-Sanchez

“New York state of mind” “Baltimore sky” “Crystal Springs” “Key largo Green.” No, these aren’t destinations for a travel site but rather the names from Benjamin Moore’s color palette. Painting our walls, especially with descriptive names as mentioned is a definite way to empower a room. Done with the right color, walls can calm, comfort, energize and inspire a homeowner’s mood. Simply put, house painting is such a quick and affordable way for anyone’s home improvement that it has become a given in the decorating world, just watch any HGTV or Discover Home episode where a paint job is certain.

 "sparrow" by ferm-living.com

However, painting can also have its faux pas, remember the sponging effect back in the early 1990’s? Fortunately, I did not join in this billowy trend but I do remember one summer afternoon in 1995 when I almost added faux crawling ivy vines to my dining room wall with the aid of a precut sponge (the sponge broke into pieces). Nowadays, walls in some homes and in many shops are given a bold shot of color as a highlight of some sort. For instance, a garnet colored wall in a relative’s powder room, Kelley green color on the display wall of a juice bar and retro orange painted on the back wall of a furniture store. Despite its daring effect, a jolt of color has somehow gotten to be predictable and ordinary in highlighting a room. What was once different and daring has become to me somewhat stale and expected in addressing a particular wall.  Until one Sunday afternoon in January, on an open house excursion with my family when we randomly decided to check out this 1900 remodeled Victorian home in San Francisco. I was greeted with white creamy walls in the living room and a rich espresso color all over the family room but what brought me to a design epiphany was none other than wallpaper. There by the stairway leading to the downstairs rooms was a wall papered in a graphic black and white modern heirloom in velvet no less (swoon!). What a visual treat to see an often ignored wall covered in art. As my luck would have it, I soon entered the rooms only to be further enamored with more wallpaper. The guest bedroom had half the room papered in an exotic green and cream damask design with peacocks (regal!), the bathroom had a copper metallic textured design (luxe!) and last but not least, the master bedroom had its headboard wall decorated in a modern brocade wallpaper in canary yellow (chic!). I have seen this kind of style before but more on a Palm Springs vibe, this house was more Italianate Victorian meets Hollywood Regency Style amongst the streets of San Francisco. Needless to say, I left that open house in awe of its style and in a wallpaper high.

My suburban design eyes were now wide open and so I began to revisit my library of design magazines only to realize these cool and modern wallpapers were already gracing pages 62-66, 100, 125 and then some! And now I want some, wallpaper that is, but until uber-stylish interior designer Kelly Wearstler takes me in, pro-bono, as her client, I have to face my reality with a do-it-yourself budget and the internet as my guide. I found www.Ferm-living.com has a great collection of wallpapers and even wallstickers (for the less committed) with nature inspired names like “Wilderness” “Family Tree” and “Sparrow.” They even have a whimsical wall sticker called “Coat Tree” that really lives up to its name once you add some hooks or pegs on the branches…great for the entryway. www. DesignPublic.com carries Graham and Brown wallpaper with literary names such as “Drama Midsummer”    and “Hemingway Macintosh Rose.”

 Drama Midsummer      Hemingway Macintosh Rose

Other favorites are from the retro-modern man himself www.jonathanadler.com where you can find wallpapers named “Nixon” “Bamboo” and “Ropes.” For an absolutely vast selection of wallpaper with designs like “Cherry Blossoms in Retro” “Blue Aqua Madison” “White Fleur de lis velvet” check out www.designyourwall.com. This site has about 2500 in stock with an array of wallpapers ranging from vintage to velvet to metallic to custom. With so many choices, I soon realized how overwhelming this project can be…do I do graphic, damask or nature inspired?   At the moment, we are in residential transition which sadly means I have to wait but that doesn’t stop me from checking out the many fabulous wallpapers out there. And to not be such a diva, I may paint a wall or two or three because let’s face it, nothing beats new paint on an old house. My two daughters are also excited with their upcoming wallpapered room, much to their delight, feminine floral designs in pinks are plentiful in this design department. As for my future master bedroom, I have yet to tell my non-stylish-beige-is-ok husband that I will defer his painting skills because this time around we will be wallpapering our room in a “Tempting Chrysanthemum in Chocolate and Turquoise.” Much better than stamped ivy vines.

Author’s Bio
I work for a pan-asian resaurant in the peninsula and I am a wife and mother of 2 girls plus a pug. I love design and style and have a Bachelor of fine arts degree but I equally love writing. Nothing like thoughts put into words. Email: vivsanchez@aol.com