Be My Guest: Colour Me Happy

By Kate Riley September 29, 2010

One of my favorite reads every day is Colour Me Happy, written by Colour and Decorating Expert Maria Killam.  Maria tackles all sorts of problems in decorating and design with a focus on choosing the right colors.

Some of my favorite tips are answers to questions like ‘Which Color Sofa Should You Buy?  or Maria’s informative suggestions in ‘What Everyone Should Know About Gray’.   I’m delighted to have Maria here this afternoon with her suggestions on ways to make your home a cozier space this autumn.

 

5 ways to Cozy your Space for Fall

by Maria Killam of Colour Me Happy

"I am thrilled and honored to be guest posting with Kate here at Centsational Girl.  She is so creative and talented; I just love her blog, this woman wields a spray can like nobody’s business!  Here are my top tips for a cozy fall:

 

1) Paint a room green. Green goes with everything, looks fabulous with your staple pieces in brown or gray and feels warm and spacious.

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This is a custom colour based on Benjamin Moore’s ‘Forest Moss’.   I love the way it’s mixed with charcoal, contemporary accent pillows and gold accents.

 

2) Add mirrors.

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Mirrors add sparkle and light to a darker space and are an inexpensive way to fill up a wall where art would normally be.   Check out Kate’s entire transformation of her family room (above) – the mirrors and the lamp makeover really add bling to the room.

*flattered you would pick my space Maria!

  

3) Introduce a dramatic colour to your living room

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This room has primarily red accents but it still works with the raspberry wall and keeps the space feeling fresh.  Keep in mind the white and cream in the room are necessary to work with such a clean colour.

 

4) Add Cushions with Pattern

 

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I recently saw a client who informed me that she didn’t like cushions at all, she simply has a gorgeous throw in all the colours of her living room, but I got her to commit to a minimum of three (for 2 loveseats).  Without cushions on a sofa, it can look naked.   Toss pillows do a great job of repeating the existing colour in your space!

 

5. Have an Ottoman with a Throw.  I am a big believer in ottomans, especially in great rooms. The first thing I want to do is put my feet up when I sit down at the end of the day and a throw is also a requirement to stay warm.

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Stick around, Kate has so many ideas on her wonderful blog!  How do you make your home feel like fall?"

 

Thank you so much Maria for sharing your tips today, it’s always a pleasure learning from you!   Speaking of fall decorating, be sure to link up to Julia’s Fall Open House Party and also Nester’s Fall Mantel Party too!  

 

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17 comments

  1. Hi Kate, Maria too! This was a fun, fresh read for a fall pick-me-up. Maria’s always has something great to share. And as for the mirror idea, I simply love that and have been kicking around doing a version of that in my dark, long-walled family room. I’ll let you know when it happens! Happy early fall!

  2. I am dying over that green and charcoal room. I never would have thought to put that together and it sounds like a turn off, but it’s gorgeous!!!

  3. Thanks Maria for the tips! And thank you kate because I found Color Me Happy before and didn’t add her to my blog roll! Now I’m definitely going to add her!

  4. Some great color ideas! I am kind of liking that raspberry wall and that whole room. I think your room is beautiful Kate with your color choices and your mirrors. Your colors are very peaceful and calming. I will check out Color Me Happy. Thanks for the tip!

  5. Hey, two of my all-time favourite blogs joining forces today – I love it! Thanks for the great article Maria, and as usual you found such good photos to accompany your post. I love the first one and it surprises me a bit as the green is such a strong colour, but it looks amazing with the gray and gold.

  6. Loved Maria’s design ideas for fall, especially painting a room green and adding mirrors. I feel that the first one will really add some life, while maintaining a “fall-ish” feeling. Also adding mirrors can really brighten up a space, especially with the change in sunshine-filled days. I also look forward to adding my fall decorations (adding darker tones, like magenta, and gold). Thanks for sharing!

  7. LOVING that green color!! Fun tips too especially for those wanting to add a pop of color yet not make the commitment with paint.

  8. I love Maria’s blog. I would never have thought gray and green would work together so well. That’s why I love her blog so much, she introduces new color palettes and ideas that I wouldn’t have come up with on my own.

  9. Love Maria’s blog! That is the first blog I started reading and had to go back and read ALL her posts. She does have such wonderful advice that I had to rethink the colors I was gonna use in my remodel. I want something fresh and clean like all of Maria’s work. Add a few antiques (thanks to Cote de Texas) and it should look wonderful. Thanks girls!

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