Ken Rader Interiors "Neutral Colors" Part 2

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As the new year continues to progress we are seeing certain colors rise to the top as it were.  The leaders appear to be Neutrals and Natural colors.  Most of the natural colors are Neutral and they are showing up on items that will be around for a long time.  One example is cars.  Yes after the resurgence of White we have seen Natural colors and Neutral colors taking center stage.
Of course the car that I drive is not in this class, I do like the color and would consider buying a Chevy or Ford in this color.

What are the trending color? Looking at the color trend reports for 2013 it becomes crystal clear to me that sustainability working hard for acceptance by the broader public. Natural colors are exploding in 2013! The best examples can be found in the colors for the automotive industry. After a revival of the color white it is now time for earthy colors like amber, brown and variations of ‘luxury green’ in European car design according to trend watchers of BASF Coatings’ international design team. They point out that luxury and sustainability are no longer strangers but go together well. In Germany already 12% of
new cars are brown?  Interesting to say the least.  Brown is Neutral and a Natural color.

Also in the home decorating colors we will see a lot of browns and greens in 2012 and 2013, next to several bright colors like yellow and red. This mixture of pleasure and nature is intriguing.  PPG Industry has made some nice color palettes illustrating how these colors match.

The colors on the left are in the natural/neutral whereas the colors on the right are natural/accent.
It's not just about colors in 2013. "Earthy textures lay a new foundation for palettes of blues and greens," I  suggest breathing new life into an existing room with several coats of ocean-blue paint.

The palette that mixes sandy brown, vibrant tangerine, peacock blue, and fiery pink together, is not for the color shy. "It's inspired by bright tribal tones," says Eiseman. "The colors are bold and forthright." And they were the perfect shades to create an inviting respite in Prudent Baby blogger Jacinda Boneau's courtyard entry. She used variations of the shades to make painted cushions for her folding chairs and to create the space's focal point: a DIY Native American God's Eye above the bench. To make your own,

Thisl gray room punctuated by one wall of deep, dark blue-green creates a sensuous atmosphere in the master bedroom. This sleek scheme takes a cue from Pantone's glamour palette of moody shades of gray and hints of metallic shimmer. We suggest introducing rich red or cobalt blue accents to add a bit of classic drama.  It is dramatic and look at all of the colors that are very subtle in use.

This should give you further food for thought.  As the year progresses we will be looking for the introduction of more Neutral and Natural Colors.

KEN RADER INTERIORS L.L.C. IS PROUD TO OFFER THIS INFORMATION.  WE OFFER ARTICLES ABOUT PAINTING AND DECORATING FOR YOUR EDUCATION AND ENJOYMENT.

WE ARE PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS AND DECORATORS IN FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS.
WE OFFER PAINTING AND DECORATING SERVICES THROUGHOUT NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

FOR ALL OF YOUR PAINTING NEEDS CALL US AT (479) 443-3686
EMAIL US AT kennethrader@att.net and be sure and visit our web page at http://www.kenraderinteriors.com
  AS ALWAYS “HAPPY PAINTING AND DECORATING!”

Popular Faux Finishes you can do!

 Faux Painting Techniques

By: Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

Professional Painters in Northwest Arkansas

Through the last decade faux painting has experienced ups and downs.  Several of the big box home improvement stores have gone through times of pushing faux finishing products and how to do it classes.  Perhaps because it is not as easy as regular painting or maybe we just don’t seem to have the time needed.  For these and other reasons faux painting has never taken off.  However,  you can really create some fantastic effects and looks for your home that are unique and a real pleasure to have in your home.

Perhaps a little explanation of the steps required and some explanations will get you inspired to try one of them.

Faux painting techniques can bring the look of leather, stone or fabric to walls and furniture using certain application methods and a variety of faux painting tools. Most techniques call for layering colors of paint or glaze with everything from sponges and rags to plastic sheets. Learning the different techniques and understanding the results is important in choosing the best faux painting technique for your projects.
Base Coat: All faux painting techniques require a base coat. Then other layers are either added to it (positive) or added and then partially removed (negative). The base coat is the color that will show through with either technique.
Color Washing: The top coat of glaze is applied over the base coat with a rag or sponge in a circular or "washing" motion. The end result is a soft, swirled look.
Dry Brushing: This technique requires a paintbrush dipped in glaze that is applied to the wall in a criss-cross pattern. Most dry brushing faux painting techniques require two different colors of glaze for best results.
Frottage: This is an example of a negative faux painting technique, where glaze is removed using a plastic sheet. Apply the glaze over the base, and then spread a plastic sheet over a section. Press the sheet over the glaze, and then remove. The texture left behind resembles marble.
Ragging: This technique is similar to sponging in that glaze is applied over the base coat with a crinkled dry rag. By moving the rag and rotating your arm, you will create a texture that looks like stucco.
Sponging: This technique is similar to ragging, but gives a much more subtle texture. Use a sea sponge to apply one or two colors of glaze over a base coat, and take advantage of the unique texture of this natural substance.
Verdigris: For the green patina look of copper sulfate, try this technique to mimic weathered copper or bronze. Apply a copper or gold base coat, and then apply dark green paint with a sponge, allowing the base to show through. A light green paint color should be sponged on top of the dark green, giving the item a mottled appearance.
These are just a few of the many faux finished you can do.  Give one of them a try.
As Always "Happy Painting and Decorating"
Ken Rader
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.
Painting Northwest Arkansas beautiful, "One house at a time"
Check us out at www.kenraderinteriors.com

Good Painting Tips for a successful painting job.

Some Really Good Tips for a Successful Paint Job!

By Kenneth Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

One of the best ways to give any property a new look is by painting it. In fact, many people who buy new property give it a paint job, irrespective of the age of the current paint. Some consider the paint of the house as just something that makes the walls look good, while yet others consider the colors in their residence and business locale as a part of their identity. Whether you are from the latter or former kind of people, you will have to put your house through a paint job eventually. A bad paint job will seriously hamper the look and feel of the house, and may do more damage to it than accentuate it, therefore, you need to consider some aspects while painting, and here are some of them.
1.  The very first tip to have a successful paint job is covering up everything that is not supposed to go under a paint job and the flooring and the ceiling comes first in this list. The best, and the most economic way to save paint dabs from globbing or dropping onto the floor is covering the floor with paper, cloth, almost anything that is not very expensive and will shield the floor from any color that was not supposed to be there.  The easiest is a paper drop cloth with a plastic layer on the bottom.  They are relatively cheap and will lay flat so that you do not find yourself tripping on it all the time.  If you use plastic by itself, it will bunch up on you and be a source of frustration.
Additionally, pay attention to the colors that you choose, and ensure that they match the room that you will be painting. Choose brighter, 'glad' colors for the Living Room and the dining room (if you have one), and more serene ones for the bedroom. You can also choose brighter colors for the children's room. The quality of paints also matters, as that would decide how long the paint looks bright and new, carry out some research and choose one that fits your budget and requirement.
2.  Secondly, you should cover up furniture, rugs, and even fixtures that exist on walls. Doors, doorknobs, latches, etc. are the most common victims of the stalking nature of the paints. You can cover them with blue tape or masking paper. Pay attention to the edges, as those are the prime areas that fall victim to the unrequited love of the painter and paints.  All time spent on this necessary task is well worth it.  The feeling of success and pure joy when you remove the masking and find no paint under it makes the time spent well worth it.
3.  Tools of the trade.  Use high quality tools.  Let me repeat this”Use HIGH QUALITY TOOLS!  Why, you ask?  Because you will need all the help you can get.  High quality tools to the trade will help even the least skilled painter produce a wonderful paint job.
Here is what you need.
Lambs wool roller ½ inch nap
The highest quality 2 ½” nylon/polyester brush you can afford.  Expect to spend $15.00 to $20.00.  I prefer a firmer bristle on the brush.  So check and see what it says on the brush.  Soft, firm, extra firm.  NO BRISTLE BRUSHES!  These are made for oil paints, NOT ACRYLIC OR LATEX.
Roller Handle.  I know that you see people using the roller frame without a handle all the time.  They are ignorant.  You are smart.  Get the handle and save your back and save some time.  Roller handles allow you to roll with wrist action verses back action with out one.  No Professional painter will roll without one.  I have several that reach from 2 feet to 24 feet.  That is right 24 feet.  You will probably never need one but I did.
A good Roller pan.  Get as deep a pan as you can find.  The thinner the sides the less paint you can put in the pan and the more times you have to fill it.
One final bit of advice.  When you are putting paint on the roller do not submerge it in the paint.  Just roll it up to the paint and let about 1” of the roller surface get in the paint.  Repeat this rolling action until all the roller surface is covered with paint.
These are some tips you should consider while getting a good paint job done. There are many companies that offer paint jobs, and almost every region either has well known brands, as well as family owned businesses that offer you painting services for almost anything. If you are looking for someone in the Northwest Arkansas Area (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bella Vista), let Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C. would be happy to assist you. Check us out at www.kenraderinterior.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors
As Always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”
Ken Rader
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.  professional painters in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

This Year's Favorite Colors

2012 THE YEAR OF COLOR!

PAINT COLORS WE LOVE.

THE MOST POPULAR COLORS

By Ken Rader
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.
Your FIRST CHOICE PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS
Painting Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas beautiful !
Each year we change our minds when it comes to color.  We like to think that we are happy with what we have at present but that usually does not hold true. We love change and while all colors have been around for 1000’s of years we are always seeing a different shade or hue that is new to us and we fall in love with it.
This year's popular home interior wall colors include a few carry-overs from 2011, but there are also some new, emerging trends worth understanding. A new collection of popular neutrals includes off-white, beige, sage green, teal-blue, yellow and smoky gray. Adding tans, browns, grays and purple to teal-blue softens and controls its power. Choosing red, blue, peach, black, green or coral to pair with yellow can create an energized space. Be careful of your shade of yellow, however, because natural and artificial lighting can change its warmth or coolness significantly. Lemony yellow is more associated with anxiety and should probably be left as an accent. Dark gray is the most popular neutral for 2012. It grounds a room and allows you the freedom to add vibrant pops of colors such as intense reds, yellows, purples, blues or black.
Once you have your neutral choice, it's time to jazz it up consider what to add to it.  For a compatible combination, match warm neutrals with warm-toned accents and cool-toned neutrals with cool-toned accents. On the other hand, 2012 is all about unexpected combinations. While bright, bold shades seem to be declining somewhat, intense colors and contrasts definitely have a place in today's home design. The following combinations pack a lot of punch: cherry-red with blacks, blues, whites and grays; juicy, tangerine-orange with dark reds, browns and blacks; and deep blue-purple with yellows, blacks, whites and reds.
 Interior wall color combinations can bring new life to the important rooms in your home:
Here are some suggestions for different rooms in the house.

• Kitchen - Increase the energy and warmth with tangerine as either an accent for gray or as its own main color. Bright blue and white is a clean, fresh combination. How about yellow-green supported with earthy neutrals? Charcoal gray and white together are modernistic. Dark wheat, browns and white are sophisticated and versatile.

• Bathroom - This year's color trends support calm, relaxing and natural spaces. Cool gray-blues or warmer purple-blues look elegant but unpretentious. Smoky grays are also subdued. Pale greens and browns continue the nature theme and work well for bathrooms with plants and flowers.  Beige has made a big comeback though it is not the same beige as earlier years.

• Living room - A new trend is to return to the glamorous elegance of the Hollywood styles of the '30s and '40s. For a more playful approach, mix in some unexpected, vivid colors. Bright yellow-green and dark brown neutrals are earthy and comforting. A gentle mix of apple green and fuchsia is uplifting and optimistic. Dark grays with rich purples are dramatic and interesting.  This is tricky.  If you watch movies from the 30’s and 40’s they are in black and white.  So you have to imagine the clothes, hats, rooms and décor in color.  What you are looking for is a style that says “Glamorous”.

• Bedroom - Monochrome color palettes continue to be popular in this romantic room. Dulled gold, mustard-yellow and sunflower mix with browns to form rich combinations. Greens and browns pull earthiness and nature into the room. Bright blue and sparkling white are modern and refreshing.  Such terms as Earthy, Farmhouse, Natural, Country and Country Chic should get you thinking in the right direction.

It is important when choosing your interior wall colors don't neglect your own personal preferences' the colors that make you feel comfortable and satisfied. Your choices may lead you to a soft, earthy, natural environment; an intense, brightly energized space; an ambiance of quiet sophistication; or a fun place for quirky playfulness. Use your favorites as accents, or splash them everywhere. Feel free to express your personality in your choices. After all, this is your space, so color it to your tastes.  2012 is well on its way and almost over.  It has proven to be a year of change in the world of color.  While we can make small additions and changes in our color scheme in the home the trend is to make big changes.  This calls for painting several rooms.  Painting one room will usually lead to painting others to make the style complete and make all of your living space fresh and new.
Go to your favorite paint department and see what is popular.  The colors really have changed as the year has progressed. Look at your favorite magazines or notice what is being used by the decorators on makeover TV shows.  Our taste in color is changing all the time whether we are aware of it or not.  You will enjoy and be happy with the popular colors of the day for quite a while.  So don’t be afraid to paint the room or rooms.  Change is important and can give us a brighter outlook which is a good thing.
As Always “Happy Painting and Decorating”
Ken Rader
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.
Professional Painters serving Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas with the finest the painting trade offers.

Color, What is Hot and What is Not, Part 2

COLOR, COLOR, COLOR

PART 2

WHAT ARE THE DESIGNERS’ SAYING?

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS THINK?

THEY DON’T ALWAYS AGREE WITH THE REST OF US.

According to some designers’ a kitchen should always be white!  Others say that a kitchen is usually a mess so be careful and make sure that white does not accent the mess.  However, the overwhelming color for kitchens is WHITE.

The Dining Room gets the most striking color, RED.  It creates warmth and drama- it’s great at night.  Red is passionate- a delicious ambiance. People look great in red rooms!

The Living Room is the next room that we spend most of our time after the Kitchen.  So it is important to choose the right color.  The color that the Designers’ picked was “Drum roll , WHITE!

Closely following White is Gray.  White and Gray won’t compete with art and rugs.  Warm white is like being bathed in sunlight.  Some gray’s can go tan, yellow and even green.  Which gray you pick will need to be tried with the furnishings in the room to make sure it works for you.

The Bedroom deserves the most attention according to designers.  These experts agree with the majority of people polled and said the color BLUE should be used in the bedroom.  Why?  It is like water- refreshing and restful at the same time.  Dreamlike, cloudlike, heavenlike.  There is a blue for everyone- it’s a safe color.

These are the color’s that the designers say will work in certain rooms, “at the present”.  But what does the future hold according to these color guru’s.

Well here it comes!

29% say green will start making a big statement.

27% pick purple as a sure winner.

24% still like pink

21% will use gold

20% stay with light blue (seems to never go out of style)

18% choose the passion, warmth and ambiance of Red

14% will suggest Orange

13% Will still favor White

12% Like gray because it is Fresh, Modern Neutral and works with everything.

10% Want us to use brown somewhere in the house.

9% bring Black in as the least to be used.

Now let’s get a little more detailed.  What colors were the top picks of the designers.

Ralph Lauren Paint- Light Sky RLIB221

Valspar- Prussian Cadet 4008-6C

Sydney Harbour Paints- Apple Crunch (Granny Smith apple green)

Benjamin Moore- Dusty Miller CSP-755 (Not quite gray and quite green, this is a putty color

Pratt & Lambert- Flint 32-20 (Smoky gray)

Pittsburg Paints- Applesauce Cake 316-5

Glidden- Hazy Sage GLN27

Valspar- Tropical Breeze 2002-2A

Glidden- Cherries Jubilee GLR03

Farrow & Ball- Borrowed Light 235 (Combination of serene blue and sedate gray)

Sherwin-Williams- Demure SW6295 (Pink with a touch of burgundy)

Stark Paint- Plum Brandy

All are very nice and lovely colors.  Without a doubt, our mood is affected by color.  Give it due attention and time. 

There is a lot of advice out there.  In the end it is what you personally like that will serve you the best.  Don’t be unduly influenced by polls.

They just give you a base to start from.  The polls and choices that I have written about can be found in the latest edition of HouseBeautiful, Sept. 2012.  I take no credit for the excellent advice and help that the polls and the insights of the designers provide for you.  I have picked and shared just some of the good information you can find in the magazine.

Check out our web site www.kenraderinteriors.com

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As always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

COLOR, COLOR, COLOR! What is Hot and What's Not!

COLOR, COLOR, COLOR!

THE PERFECT COLOR FOR EVERY ROOM

Over the past few months I have blogged several articles on the subject of color.  What is Hot! What is Not!  How you can choose your perfect color.

Just the mention of the word “COLOR” can send thousands of images through our minds.  Example, “ Orange, you might see a carrot one minute and then a sunset and then, your favorite shoes, well you get the point.

Color is clearly a hot topic with everyone of every age.  You might say “we are obsessed with color”.

What I will endeavor to do with this blog is to give you the findings of several surveys.  For instance, what are the favorite colors of people in general and then, what are the favorite colors of decorators and designers.  This will be fun so here we go!

The Favorite paint Color of the average person (not that I am saying you are average), is broken down in percentages of likes

RED- It is a fun, vibrant color and it energizes, but it was favored by only 8% of those polled.

PURPLE- It also only caught the attention of 8%

ORANGE- Though making a comeback in some areas, only got 4%

BROWN-  A meager 3%

BLACK- Is classic, contemporary, chic.  And for many “the only color” but a favorite of only 2%

PINK-  Many get a warm glow when in a pink room. And 7% like it.

GOLD-  6% is all it gets

GRAY- 6% but holds promise of coming back.

White- Only 5%, Which was surprising.

GREEN- Was runner up to the most popular at 21%. Green looks good in any light and makes you feel happy.

BLUE- Topped the list at 29%.  Blue is fresh and makes you want to take a deep breath.

Now, where do these colors go?  Even the colors that ranked low in percentage were very popular is specific rooms.  Go figure.

YELLOW- Conjures up delicious things like butter and cream, egg yolks and lemons.  It just add a sunshiny feeling!  Bright, Cheery and a fun color.  SO the room we paint yellow the most is “THE KITCHEN”!

GREEN- Fresh, like a salad.  Organic and alive.  It makes food look good.  Therefore, Our dining rooms  are the #1 choice to paint green though, believe it or not, RED came in #2 for dining rooms.  I have painted more dining rooms RED than any other color.

BLUE- Like waking up in the clouds.  There is a serenity in blue, it is calming and is the color most BEDROOMS are painted. This was far and away the #1 choice for bedrooms.

White- Last but certainly not least is white.  It can be warm, classic, timeless, airy and bright.  The Living Room is where you will find white used.  It did barely edge out Beige and Gray for the top spot in this room.

I personally do not like Beige and I prefer Gray over white.

In my next blog I will present the choices of the Designers.  What they say will be the next hot colors and once again which rooms get what colors.

Keep in mind that the colors and the rooms for them that we have presented in this article will be around for some time.  They will not change in the near future.  But if you like to be on the cutting edge then you will need to wait for the next article to pick your colors.

Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

Visit our web page at www.kenraderinteriors.com

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And of course look through our archived articles.  I promise a wealth of information to guide you in your painting and decorating project.

As always “Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader

Ten Ways to Make Your Home a New Place

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C. Ten Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like A New Place. It is possible!

Does the look, feel and style of your home make you want to just walk back out? If you are tired of your home's current decor, but your budget won't allow you to remodel or redecorate completely, what do you do?
  Ways to transform the look and feel of your home are easy to locate. They are out there, and with the right ideas and a few materials, you can choose from several options that will make your home feel like you want it to.
 Where to start?
 Decorating Tips for Your Home

• 1. Sometimes remodeling isn't necessary, especially if clutter is a big part of your decor. Organize some of that mess to change the look of certain rooms in your home. If you can, buy decorative shelving and fun boxes to organize certain items. Make sure you have the correct fasteners and fixings to put the shelving together and you will have no problem creating a whole new look.

• 2. Tired of the same old layout? Rearrange! Move your existing furniture around in the same room, or swap rooms altogether. While this may take a bit of elbow grease, it will make a world of difference.

• 3. If you have a friend who is willing to be honest with you, have them come into your home and assess any problems with your decor. They may be able to tell you exactly what to do to change the look of your house.

• 4. Fixing up and re-purposing old pieces of furniture can give your room an instant makeover. Use a fresh coat of paint, stain, or new fixtures to make old items look like new!

• 5. Using bolts and screws, attach a mirror to the inside of the back of an open cabinet or bookcase for a fresh look. If you don't have a mirror, or can't find one you like, you can also use wallpaper.

• 6. You may not be able to afford a new bathroom sink or new kitchen cabinets, but you can still make them look and feel brand new with the use of new hardware. Change out your old faucets, knobs, and handles on your cabinets, dressers, sinks, tubs, and storage units.

• 7. Make purchases you love. Don't buy something just because it 'fits' in your space or you like the price. If you don't love it, don't buy it.

• 8. Want to change the look of an entire room at once? Repaint it. Adding a new shade or color will make it seem updated and refreshed.

• 9. Artwork scattered throughout your house?  You know, pictures, wall hangings, clocks, shelves with items displayed on them. You can easily use it to give your space a new look. Arrange all of it on one wall, and then install accent lighting with the correct fasteners and fixings above it. This accent wall will draw your guest's attention and bring a new perspective to your space.

• 10. It is summer, so why not bring the outdoors in?  Fresh flowers in vases all over your home will add a bit of color to your decor.

Of course this is just a few suggestions.  There are hundreds more.  Look in some up to date magazines, watch some of the home improvement shows on TV.  It can be fun and for a little bit of money and some hard work on your part you can have the look you want for your home.

There are many professional decorators and painting contractors that are a great help.
In Northwest Arkansas check us out at www.kenraderinteriors.com
Also, like us at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors
As Always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”
Ken Rader

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR. SO, YOU'RE IN A MOOD.

The Psychology of Color

What Color is your Mood?

By Ken Rader-Ken Rader Interiors l.l.c.

Of the many things in our world that affects us, Color is on the top of the list.  You cannot escape color.  It is ubiquitous.  Yet what does it all mean?  Why are people more relaxed in green rooms?  Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms.

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures.  And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today in the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.

   BLACK

Black is the color of authority and power.  It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner, that’s right thinner.  It is also stylish and timeless.  Black also implies submission.  Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men.  I am not a fashion expert so I am not saying anything about this.  Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil.  Villians, such as Dracula,  often are portrayed in Black.

WHITE

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity.  White reflects light and is considered a summer color.  White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything .  However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean that other colors.  Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.  Painters, of which I am one, also wear white.  It implies clean and neat though some of my white pants have every color that I have painted in the last 2 years on them.  You start wearing them like they are some kind of badge of excellence, I think.

RED

The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing.  It is also the color of love.  Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. You disagree?  I’m just sayin’.  Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations.  Red cars are popular targets for thieves and get stopped more often by the police for speeding.  In decorating, red is usually used as an accent.  Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic color, PINK, which is a variation of red, is more a tranquilizing.  Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams  right pink so their opponents will lose energy.  Pink is also a symbol of hope and cure.

BLUE

The color of the sky and ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors.  It causes the opposite reaction as red.  Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedroom.  Blue can also be cold and depressing.  Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty.  People are more productive in blue rooms.  Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.  I tried it.  I am not a weightlifter so guess what?  It did not help me.

Food for thought.  While blue is one of the most popular colors it is one of the least appetizing.  When food is dyed blue and is served, study subjects lose appetite.  Perhaps we can come up with a” Blue Diet”.

GREEN

Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature.  It is the easiest color on the ey and can improve vision.  It is a calming, refreshing color.  People waiting to appear on TV sit in ”green rooms”.  Hospitals use green because it relaxes patients.  Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility.  Dark Green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth.  It is not by chance that the phrase “Green” is used to described environmentally safe products.

YELLOW

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter.  While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms and babies cry more in yellow surroundings.  It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused.  Yellow enhances concentration, HENCE THE YELLOW LEGAL PAD.  It also speeds metabolism so it is a very popular color for dining rooms.

PURPLE

The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic.  However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.  Purple is the color of my high school.  We were “The Purple Bulldogs”, that sounds ferocious.

BROWN

Solid, reliable brown is the color of  earth and is abundant in nature.  Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather.  Brown can also be sad and wistful.  Men are more apt to say brown is on of their favorite colors.  I painted the exterior of my house “Espresso Brown”.  My home is in the country and blends in with the surroundings,  I think is was the perfect choice.

Well, there you have it.  You may or may not agree with my thoughts on color.  But I do think that there is a measure of truth in what I have presented.  Check it out, you may surprise yourself at how each different color affects you or those around you.

Of the many wonders of this beautiful planet that we live on, color is the most spectacular.  Blue skies, green grass and trees, the endless variety of color in the animal kingdom, rich dark dirt, cotton white clouds, flowers of every color and of course “ The Rainbow”.  Drink it in, enjoy it everyday.  It is a gift from our creator.  We do not need color to live or survive but oh how wonderful it makes life.

As always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”

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Smiles

Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

Serving Northwest Arkansas since 1987

What is Style

What is Style?

That gets your attention straight away, firstly because you want to make sure that you have it, secondly you want to make sure you keep it.

What is style really? Something we naturally have, something we crave or something that is achievable by following instructions?

Style in relation to interior design can mean many things but overall it sums up the ability to be able to create an interior that is “good taste” flows within the home, is harmonious, well balanced, comfortable, practical, aesthetically pleasing to the eye and an overall creation that is memorable.

Of course there are styles of design that have a “formula” or set of parameters that dictate that style, for example English Country or French Provincial, then there is style from periods in time like Victorian and Louis XV. Styles were created by forms of decoration like art Nouveau and Rococo, furniture makers also set up styles like Sheraton and Chippendale. Then there are styles set up on where you live like urban style and country style and popular historic eras of change, hi-tech, art deco and minimalism, and if all else fails there is Eclectic.

So How Do We Find a Style?

This task is as daunting as creating a color scheme.

If you are decorating for yourself, it’s easier because you already have your own style or taste, you probably just don’t know how to identify it. The easiest way is to flick through magazines and books and bookmark all the interiors that “catch your eye” on first glance. Then go back through all the book marked pages and you will start to see a pattern of the style that you like. It is the same when you are going through a decorating store, there will always be a certain style of fabric that you are most drawn to, a style of furniture, paintings, decorative lighting etc.

That sounds too easy. Yes it is and now you just have to work with and be sympathetic to your environment. If you have a Georgian Style home, you don’t necessarily have to decorate it in that same period, but you do need to be sympathetic to that style as you can’t ignore the bones or structure of the home.

Style is creating the “X” factor.

Some styles lean to different environments, Country homes need a practical style with a rural country feel, solid functional furniture, easy care floors, warm and inviting and easy clean fabrics, simple decorations. Using a Contemporary style with clean minimalist lines, would look quite out of place.

Contemporary clean lines not appropriate for Country Styled living.

Style can change throughout the house but not to extremes. Often kitchens have a different style to the rest of the house and work if there is an element that carries through the remainder of the home to marry it together, a continuous timber floor perhaps, or matching glass inserts in kitchen cabinetry as the doors throughout the house.

Creating style is essentially being an interior designer or decorator. I don’t want to stand on anyone’s toes here, but I often believe that Interior decorators have a better natural ability with creating style and the interior designer often has a better natural ability to create great spatial environments. I know you will have your own opinion, this was a generalization of what I have experienced.

I can explain style another way. It is just like selecting clothes to wear. Anyone can get themselves dressed, but can everyone succeed in looking stylish? Some people have the natural ability or flair to visualize an entire outfit complete with accessories and as we know it is always the clever use of accessories that create the look or style. Very similar to interior design and decorating.

Yet another way to look at style is taste or charm. Taste or charm is the ability to create something that is well balanced, harmonious, pleasing to the eye and has a special “x” factor that you can’t put down to one thing in particular. It is the ability for everyone to appreciate it, not necessarily like the style themselves but love the taste or charm that has been created. I love Edwardian styled homes to look at, I find them enchanting, ye they are not to my personal taste.

So to summarize – “What is Style?” Style is creating an interior with an “x” factor a “je ne sais qois.” It can be in a particular decoration style or period but it isn’t essential. Style is created by personality and enthusiasm, it’s the ability to maximize the potential of the interior space using all the skills, knowledge and tools available to you.

There are literally hundreds of styles.  Some or most are variations of a particular style that contain personal choices.  If you give it some thought and then work your plan you will end up with a winning style.

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As Always “Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

Transform your Bedroom

Is Yours A Modern Bedroom That Looks and Feels Good ?

Is your bedroom an inviting oasis of relaxation? Or does it look more like a storage unit, a veritable wasteland of clutter, dirty clothes, dirty dishes and kid’s toys.
If your room is the latter and you’re finding it increasingly more difficult to find the bed when it’s time for bed, you may want to consider giving your bedroom a well-deserved makeover.
With just a few changes, some hard decision making and some tough love, you can transform you bedroom into everything you ever dreamed it should be. And it’s easier than you think.
Start with the basic
First, your bedroom is not a storage facility. If things in the room do not contribute to relaxation, enhance the beauty, add space or provide some entertainment, get rid of it. Pack it up, move it to another room or put it in the garage or trash. If you like to watch a little television before calling it a night, consider getting an armoire to hide it away when it’s not in use. If you’re an avid reader, make sure your nightstands have a drawer so you can put your book or magazine away, along with your glasses. If you love the latest fashions, add more dressers, wardrobes and a closet organizer to the room. Finally, get a hamper for the dirty clothes so you’re not tempted to leave them wherever they fall. As they say, "A place for everything and everything in its place."
Add Furniture to the mix
Now that your room is clear of clutter, it’s time to add beauty and charm to the space. Start by looking at your furnishings. Do they have the same style or at least complement one another? Are there pieces that should be moved out to make way for others? Does the style of your furniture match your tastes? For example, if you have a love of modern or contemporary furnishings, why do you continue to hold on to that monster of an oak four-poster? Creating a cohesive or at least complementary look is essential to promoting relaxation and a sound sleep. As you review your bedroom’s needs, consider the space you have to work with as well. If you are in desperate need of another dresser, do you really need the California King or can you do with a Queen bed instead? This is not the time to be in denial. Once a piece of furniture is purchased, it tends to stay with you for a long time, so you want to choose carefully and deliberately. Nothing is more maddening than creating a bedroom retreat where the furniture is so big you can’t make it to the bathroom without stubbing a toe or cracking an elbow.
Think of your future storage needs
The old adage, "stuff expands to fill the space available" is certainly true in the bedroom. Fashions change seasonally and what’s hot now may not be next year. So clothing and footwear seems to multiply as the years pass, even though storage remains the same. Here’s a couple ways to gain space in your bedroom without knocking out a wall or doing a major remodel. First, choose furniture that offers maximum storage. A platform bed with space or drawers underneath provides a surprising amount of additional storage without adding to the overall furniture footprint. The same is true with dressers. A nightstand with drawers is a better choice than one with a single open shelf. Several highboys take up the same space as a low dresser, but offer two to three times the space. The same is true of a lingerie chest. A shoulder height lingerie chest offers more storage than a Queen Anne dresser for your unmentionables.
When you’re evaluating the space you need to store your clothing, don’t ever think you have enough. It’s far better to have a few nearly empty drawers for a few years than to have drawers so tightly packed that you have to struggle to get them open in the morning. Nothing puts the damper on a day than getting a black eye from a bra strap that got caught on the back of an overstuffed drawer.
Don’t go it alone – ask an expert
A well-designed bedroom doesn’t happen by accident. If you’re not comfortable with doing it yourself, there are lots of good resources out there. The Internet has sites devoted entirely to the subject of interior and bedroom design. Another good source is a reputable furniture retailer. Because they deal with design, style and fashion at every turn, these experts can help you create a bedroom that meets your needs perfectly. They can also provide you with good advice about colors, materials and fabrics so you can mix and match with ease and confidence.
Decorating takes a commitment so,” be prepared to make it”.  The rewards are many and in the years that I have been in the Decorating business no one has said ”I should not have done that”.
There is also a measure of expense involved.  You are in complete control of that so do not be scared and allow that fear to paralyze you.
The main thing to keep in mind is that “something must be done”.  That is the only way that change happens.  Please keep in mind that there are some people that do not have a decorating bone in their body.  You may be one of those people.  If so, hire the professional.  Decorators are wonderful people that derive considerable satisfaction from assisting others to attain the look and atmosphere they want.  It is a very human thing.  So make use of it.
Please visit our web site at www.kenraderinteriors.com
Like us at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors.
As always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C. has been in business since 1987.  Offering Northwest Arkansas the highest quality in Painting and Decorating services.  Fully Insured and Licensed.

CONFIDENCE WITH COLOR,"YES YOU CAN!"

How Too Have Confidence with Color

Interior designer Katie Ridder decorates with color by artfully combining exuberant hues and vibrant pattern in a new Arkansas home. See the vibrant home, here

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In the bedroom, Katie covered the walls in green silk punctuated by blue trim. The distressed octagonal mirror and 1950s mirrored dance hall ceiling fixture "speak to each other," says Katie.

Photo: Eric Piasecki

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Confidence with Color

See this vibrant Arkansas home, and get the products from our source guide!

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Libraries drenched in aqua and dining rooms lacquered intense lime green are hard to pull off. But when a Fayetteville, Arkansas, couple asked decorator Katie Ridder to create the interior for their new home, they approached the project confidently. For years, the wife had been admiring Katie's stylish rooms in various design magazines. She knew that along with a palette of uninhibited contemporary colors, plenty of exotic embellishments, and a playful mix of antiques and new pieces, she would get that even rarer thing—a proper, old-fashioned family home. She wanted one where the dining and living rooms, not the kitchen, serve as the house's heart and where she could indulge her very Southern passion: entertaining family and friends.
On Katie's recommendation, the couple hired architect Anik Pearson to design the house itself. Anik modeled it on old Arts and Crafts mansions she had seen in the English countryside. Inside, she eschewed such popular conventions as a double-height entry and monumental staircase in favor of a quieter richness that's based on solid craftsmanship. "We looked to the old techniques of building," says Anik. "Walls are 16 inches thick, and the roof is slate. We asked the stucco installers not to use synthetic stucco and showed them how to mix lime plaster. They hadn't done it that way in decades."
This insistence on old methods of craftsmanship dovetails perfectly with the way Katie works. She is known for her attention to craft and her delight in it. She collaborates extensively with master artisans who create wonderful fringes, unusual lanterns and lamp-shades, leather and shagreen furniture, and complex upholsteries that mix different fabrics and trims in marvelous patterns and color combinations. "I sew myself, so I love all those details," Katie says. "The trims, the welts, the contrasts—I really have a lot of fun with those."
In the living room, where a large window looks out on a garden, she covered the walls in a custom-colored floral wallpaper scene and then pulled from it the enchanting palette of the room: creams, corals, blues, spicy reds, lavenders, greens, and yellows. Her idiosyncratic way of blocking and layering color across a large space is masterful. In this case, it's like being inside a Matisse painting. She mixes cool, summery colors with warm, rich ones, and somehow it works.
Other rooms led to even more color adventures. When Katie discovered that the homeowner collects glassware in shades of lavender, she decided to paint the dining room walls in glossy, hot lime green to set off the collection. With aubergine trim and a vintage mirrored pendant light that looks like a disco ball, it all makes a stunning backdrop for art and furniture, not to mention festive dinner parties. "All the paint colors I choose, you may think they're bright, but they're easy to live with because they have a lot of black or gray in them," she explains.
When asked what her favorite place in the house is, Katie might have said the sunroom with its cool Moroccan tile floor awash in tribal pattern, but she couldn't pick just one area. "In some projects, you have favorite rooms, but in this house, they're all beautiful and well thought out," Katie says. "The homeowner read plans like a professional. She took the time to analyze every tile and door opening, and she got this house exactly the way she wanted it."

Article: Mimi Read|From the May 2012 Magazine Issue

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This is a wonderful article for those of you struggling with color.  The author gives you a different perspective and I am Sure it will help.

As Always “ Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

www.kenraderinteriors.com

Like us at www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors