I’m a city girl at heart and was very excited to work on redecorating a fabulous Chicago Condo. It’s a 34th floor home, several blocks from Lake Michigan with floor to ceiling windows. The skyline views are breathtaking.

My client N not only moved to a new city, but she wanted her new home to be completely different from her any place she lived in before. So she sold all her antique furniture and accessories, keeping only a few special things. And decided mid-century modern was the way to go.

Every room needs a focal point. The focal point in this condo is the views. I love that she can stand anywhere in her home and  see fabulous architecture and even a glimpse of the lake. At night, it’s even more spectacular.

The condo was in very good condition. Other than removing the ugly carpeting and blinds, it only needed paint. N, a woman after my own heart, loves color. No beige for her new home. We had fun looking a many paint chips and settled on purple!

N‘s condo has an open floor plan. Living room, dining room and kitchen all one big open space. Her main seating area needed a TV. We found 60s inspired credenza in walnut. It fills the only big wall in the LR, fits right under the flat screen and houses her huge collection of cookbooks. The louver doors repeat the horizontal lines around the room.

Dark wood flooring set the stage for furnishings in shades of warm grey, off white and a touch of orange. The sofa and chairs were purposely chosen with low backs so nothing obstructs the view. The sofa is reminiscent of a Florence Knoll design.  I love the contrast of the tufted seat cushions with the fitted back.

The sleek contemporary oval coffee table has clean, modern lines. A nubby, textural area rug defines the entertaining area.

The corner “office” is the perfect place for reading, having a cocktail or just to enjoy the view. We added swivel feet to the leather chairs for entertaining.

Last summer we painted our exterior doors a lovely raspberry color. The colonial blue wood siding and white trim is perfect for our 1890s farm house. The doors were originally a dark barn red, but they started to look dated. I choose Sherwin Williams Framboise. It’s a much brighter color than the red, but I love it. My husband then decided our antique mail box should be the same color. Voila, a raspberry mail box!

A Valentine just for you! XOXO

Jar full of Love!

Inside, fill a jar with hand made Valentine’s!

Read more on how to make hearts from recycled wool sweaters.

Last week I shared with you the colors of the year for 2015 from Pantone (Marsala), Sherwin Williams (Coral Reef) and Benjamin Moore (Guilford Green). PPG (Pittsburgh Paint) chose a blue shade: Blue Paisley. It’s described as “a lavish, almost-but-not-quite royal shade of blue”. It’s bright and bold and the perfect accent color for pale shades of grey, yellow and green.

What do you think? Is this color in your decorating future?

It will be Valentine’s Day in a few weeks. Although I don’t decorate my house in the traditional sense for any holiday except Christmas, I do add a some touches. Instead of the usual heart decor, I like to use red in other ways. A stack of vintage red bound books on a shelf and a little red and white chair. It’s a Princess Petite chair complete with gold highlights and red velour upholstery. It’s from the late 1960s. Does anyone remember collecting Princess Petite? They made furniture for every room.

Pantone, the world-renowned authority on color, has chosen Marsala as the 2015 Color of the Year. According to Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director,”Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability. Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth.”

Pantone's Color of the Year 2015 Marsala

It’s name comes from a full-bodied red wine (Marsala). The reddish-brown hue is earthy, sophisticated and warm. It reminds me of curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book, a blanket and a glass of wine. It’s a winter color and would be a perfect accent to a variety of neutrals.

Marsala, 2015 color of the year

I love the contrast between Marsala and the blue-greys in this photo.

Sherwin Williams chose Coral Reef as their color of the year. Jackie Jordan, SW director of color marketing, said the “unexpected versatility (of Coral Reef) brings life to a range of design aesthetics, whether traditional, vintage, cottage or contemporary.”

Sherwin Williams Color of the Year Coral Reef

They are also pairing it with grey (what doesn’t go with grey?), pale yellow and green.

Benjamin Moore went in a different direction. They chose Guilford Green, a silvery shade of sage. Creative director Ellen O’Neill calls it “a neutral that’s natural.” I love it with the deep, purple walls in this bedroom.

Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year 2015 Guilford Green

BM 2015 Color of the Year Guilford Green

Which color do you like best? Would you use it to decorate your home?  I like Marsala (color and the wine!) and Guilford Green. I know I will NOT be using Coral Reef! Not a color I would ever use in home interiors or fashion.