To a T Interiors Newsletter

If you have a blank wall that needs some art, consider creating a family photo wall. It's a great way to enhance visibility of individual photos and reduce the clutter on tabletops that often have too many framed photos.

1) Placement: Consider using a hallway or stairway wall for your family picture gallery. You want to pick a place where guests can take a closer look and not have to scan multiple table tops to see the family highlights from over the years.

2) Groupings: Family pictures are generally small in size and should be placed in close proximity to form a grouping. Don't get carried away and try to hang every family picture that you have. Go through your photos in advance and use only your favorites. Consider buying new frames in one color/style to get a unified look.

Place all of the black and white photos together and don't mix them in with color photographs. If you have both black and white and color photos, consider creating a vertically aligned grouping of one type on a narrow portion of a wall.

3) Preparation: Lay all of the selected photos on the floor in front of the wall (if space permits) and rearrange until you get a grouping that is pleasing to the eye. Covering 2/3rds of the width of the wall is the perfect proportion. Avoid hanging something that is too narrow for the overall wall space; the photos will feel dwarfed and overpowered by the remaining wall space.

4) Hanging tips: Begin by hanging the largest photo first (in the center or just off center of the overall measurement) to anchor the grouping. Then build the grouping from the center outward. Remove the easel on the back, if there is one, so the pictures hang uniformly and rest snugly against the wall. For extra security and to keep them from getting cockeyed, use adhesive felt or rubber dots in the bottom corners of the frame.

Paint Color Q & A

Q1. I'm looking to update my living areas with paint color. What are you seeing for paint and color trends for the coming year?

A1. Credit the experts at Sherwin-Williams for insights as to the state of color for 2011. Surveys they did found that the trending colors are greens, blues and neutrals. Colors losing significance are reds, yellows and purples. Green is the biggest color trend, most likely from its environmental meaning plus it's continuing influence in other aspects of decorating.

Q2. I've heard the ceiling called the fifth wall and see how nice it looks painted in decorating shows and magazines. How do you select a ceiling color that will be warmer than white but not feel too dark?

A2. As a general rule of thumb, the taller the ceilings, the darker you can go but the ceiling color should not be darker than the wall color. The safest color choice is to do a percentage of the wall color. Ask your paint supplier to mix a separate gallon at 25%-50% of the wall color. If you feel a bit more daring, go with a light to medium shade from the room's color inspiration (be it art, fabric or area rug).

Q3. What is a good paint color for a powder room?

A3. The powder room is a great place to experiment with color. Even though its generally a small space, a dark color in a powder room can make a dramatic statement. So pick a color you love and have fun with it!

A 'Primer' on Viewing Paint Samples

In a previous issue we've discussed the effect of metamerism, where paint colors appear to change depending on the conditions they are seen under. I had some first hand experience with this phenomenon in a recent color consultation. A trim color that looked great in multiple locations had a pink undertone in a hallway. At first we thought it might be due to the overhead light but then realized that the client was wearing a pink top that was influencing the color. As soon as she stepped away, the pink undertone disappeared. Be aware that if you are wearing strong colors, they can affect the paint samples you are looking at up close.

The same client asked for a follow-up consultation to help with the final selection of a living room paint color. The one she liked best had a yellow undertone that she had not seen before and she wanted some help making the final decision (the painters were coming the following day). After she contacted me, she went into a paint store and, in talking about her challenge, was told that the underlying paint color (an institutional green) could be influencing the sample. She was told to tape white printer paper around the entire sample to mask any effect of the existing paint. She did that and I was able to see the effect with and without the white border at the appointment. Putting up the white border as a buffer against the underlying color was absolutely essential to accurately view the color sample so please remember this tip when you are deciding on paint colors.

Keep in mind that To a T can order 9" x 7" paint samples for you in any Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams color. So if you are frustrated by the small size of your sample chip and not sure how it will look covering an entire wall let us know what colors you need. Its a good idea to tape the larger samples to the wall and live with them for a few days to be sure you like them in the various lighting conditions of the room.