Buttercream Walls

In creating overall background colors for large residential pallettes, the whole picture must be established. Analyze furniture wood tones, textile colors, accents established. If none of those have been determined, then look to client taste, clothing worn, areas of the home that are most used, and why, lifestyle influences (does the client only use this home at certain times of the year? Are the formal spaces left vacant and unused? Is the whole house used everyday, for multiple types of users? (children, pets, those working at home?) As this profile of interaction takes shape, you begin to see a color scheme emerge.

I am using Buttercream as a basis for a very active family. Their textiles are mostly woven patterns (hide soil, impervious to daily wear and tear). The use of leather is optimal. (highest wear areas like barstools, family room lounge furniture, ottomans) The warm and mellow yellow give a warm basis for a color scheme of action, and comfort for this busy family. In using an eggshell finish, we offer a washability factor with out a sheen in the walls. Add to that semi gloss trim in a warm off white neutral. Deeper tones are chosen for true family spaces. Using faux finishes under chair rails for drama (with 10' and 11' ceiling height, make sure the faux does not get too dark, or the effect is unsettling - too weighted down) The color pallette takes shape in the warmer butter tones with warm undertones of caramel and warmer dark beige.

The color scheme is shaping up. Textiles begin to be pulled. Woven patterns are inter connected with large, med and small patterns mixed to create interest and increase wearability. All fabrics are selected with many factors considered. Cleaning codes, fiber content, wear rating (double rubs testing), and inherent hand or feelability. These are the critical selections of the house. Without the right fabrics, rooms cannot function. Without wearability the fabrics fail and replacement is necessary very quickly.

As the textiles pull the house together, area rugs are chosen, and furniture styles are inputed. There is such a wide range of period specific furniture available today at good pricing levels. Look for detail in American made pieces, and interesting faux finishes from imported pieces (easier to get consistency from supplier to supplier if faux finishes are used with imported pieces - that is why manufacturers do it.) If you do not see detail photos of pieces that you are buying, ask your designer if it is American made or imported. What you will find is that carving and wood details on imported pieces tend to be simpler and larger. We still do our best carving and forming of cabriole legs, amimal footed pieces and decorative details with carvers here in the United States. I am not saying that this part of the industry will not change quickly, it will. Right now we have the edge, as we have been doing it longer and the standards are accepted easier here, for now.

Follow American furniture manufacturers and the product lines that they carry that are made here. Century Furniture has a huge offering. So does Hickory White, Harden, Baker, and McGuire. All of the product lines above use some imported pieces to round out their product offering. But if you seek them out, the beautiful details in American carved pieces can still be found.