Or maybe we should ask, if it’s blue can it co-exist with any other blue, or if it’s yellow can you use it with all other yellows? Not necessarily.

Have you ever decorated a room, and there was just something wrong with the colors, even though they should compliment each other? Or have you ever gone into a space that someone else has created, and something just doesn’t seem quite right? Chances are, some of the colors don’t work well together because they have different undertones that fight one another.

Undertones add a different element to all colors that are created, whether they are in paint, in wood, or in textiles. To understand how colors can take on different undertones, you should brush up on your color chart. Remember that except for red, yellow and blue (the primary colors), all other hues are created by mixing various amounts of the primary colors.

The undertone of the color created depends on the proportions of the colors that were used in its creation. A good example of this would be orange. Having mixed red and yellow, if equal parts of those 2 colors were used, the orange would be exactly orange. But if more red was used than yellow, the orange would be a red-orange. On the other hand if more yellow was used the color created would be a yellow-orange.

You will even find undertones in whites, blacks, reds, yellows and blues.  A white can have a pink, or blue or green undertone, and a black can have a blue or red undertone. It all comes down to the combination of colors used. Neutral colors also have undertones…there is no such thing as just beige.

Remember that when reds are used as undertone, it adds warmth to the finished product, whereas if you use blue or green as an undertone you get a cooler effect.

Too often when people are decorating or re-decorating a space, all the emphasis is placed on the predominant color, and the undertone is ignored which can be the demise of your decorating dreams. Always identify the undertone of the predominant color for your room and be sure that all of the other colors you use have the same.

If you would like help choosing that perfect color palette, give me a call.

206-282-2323

As a trained color consultant, I use color, organizing techniques, re-design and feng shui principles to design beautiful spaces. Spaces that reflect how you want to live.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, it’s where friends and family love to gather, visit and most of all eat. Much like the heart in your body, you want it to be healthy to support all the people and activities that depend on it.

Just as you want good food from your kitchen, you also want good feng shui in your kitchen. The kitchen is one of the rooms in your home that is predominantly compatible with the Yang energy which is the stronger of the Yin and Yang energies.

A good Feng Shui kitchen meets the following criteria:

• Flow – Good lighting, ventilation, hygiene and air circulation are key elements.
• Declutter – Clutter has a tendancy to pull the room’s energy down, robbing it of its freshness. In a room where food is prepared and eaten, the room and the food should feel fresh and inviting.
• Color – Because a kitchen is basically made up of cabinetry, there isn’t a lot of wall space for color. White is one of the best feng shui colors for a kitchen because it represents purity and a clean healthy look. It is also good for reflecting the natural light of a room. Yellow is a great color for a kitchen, it is known for aiding digestion. Accessories, trim and textiles can add a vibrant splash of color to help bring the room into balance.
• Simplicity – Keep the kitchen simple, keeping counter tops free of clutter and appliances.
• Bring Life – Keep fresh flowers and fruits or living plants on the table or countertop to add freshness and energy.
• Kitchen Triangle – The concept of the kitchen triangle holds true in feng shui. The stove which represents fire and the sink and the refreigerator which represent the elements of water should be kept separated, because fire and water don’t mix. This helps to keep the two elements from clashing as well as makes a good working pattern.

If parts of your life are feeling out of balance, if you would like to incorporate Feng Shui into your home, your life or your office, give me a call. I have been trained in Feng Shui at the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute.  206-282-2323

Have you tried choosing paint colors, fabrics and accessories that will help you create “that” space you have dreamed about?

You try so hard to choose colors that work well together, compliment each other and make a statement.

The problem is that the statement you ended up making wasn’t what you wanted to say, and the dream became a nightmare. Time to start again.

For most people, choosing the right color combination is not an easy thing. Very few of us have the color wheel and all of its combinations committed to memory.

We may remember what the primary colors are, but do we remember what the secondary or tertiary colors are? Do we even need to?

Nevertheless, color is fun. It’s exciting to go to the paint store.

There are thousands of beautiful colors to choose from – maybe that’s part of the problem. There are so many, sometimes you’re not sure where to begin!

That’s where a trained color consultant comes in.

After having visited your home, a color consultant will:

• Have a sense of your style.
• Understand your home’s architecture.
• Understand your vision of the redesigned space.
• Have a knowledge and understanding how the light in your space will affect the color choices.
• Be able to put together the perfect color palette for you. (In a relatively short period of time)
• Eliminate costly and time consuming do overs.

Trained color consultants understand color:

They don’t just understand how it looks, but how…

• Different colors react with one another
• How they can create harmony, symmetry and balance in a room
• How they can affect the mood and overall feeling of the room.
• Color can enhance how much you enjoy your home.

A side benefit of working with a color consultant is that it can be fun to have someone to brainstorm with. It’s an extra bonus that a color consultant can help take the stress out of choosing just the right colors.

I am a trained color consultant, and I am also trained in Feng Shui principles. I use color, Feng Shui, organization and redesign to create beautiful spaces. I love working with people to help them re-create and refresh their environment.

Testimonial:

“Nancy has a real gift for color and her enthusiasm is infectious! I have the perfect color palette for my home now. She took into consideration all aspects: the feel I wanted to create, the rooms’ use, and versatility, and more. The process is allot of fun. It is true that color makes a huge statement about the feel of a home. I am excited about getting the paint on the walls and having Nancy help me accessorize! It was truly a collaborative process. Thank you, Nancy for your expertise!”

~Helen Gmazel, Bothell

Does Your Home Qualify?

You’ve worked all day, dropped off and picked up kids, fought the good fight at the office, cooked dinner and chaired a neighborhood committee meeting.

It’s the end of the  day, you’re done. Where can you go for that little piece of heaven?

If your first thought isn’t of your peaceful home…you’ve got issues. Your home should be that one place, that sanctuary from the world.

What is a sanctuary?

A sanctuary is a place of safety, refuge and peace.

• In the Christian world, sanctuary is a sacred, holy place, a place of peace and respect. A place you can go for meditation, introspection and a renewed spirit.

• In Medieval times, people were safe from arrest once they had entered the sanctuary of a church or a temple.
• Sanctuary also relates to political asylum – receiving sanctuary or safety from hostile countries.
• Today, day spas, used for relaxation, are also referred to as sanctuaries.

Does your home meet any of this criteria?

With a little thought and effort, your homes can have all the qualities of a sanctuary. Make it a goal to achieve that.

Your home should be the place you and your families want to be at the end of the day. That one place to feel totally accepted, comfortable and relaxed. That place to renew after a long day, pursue personal interests and escape from outside pressures if necessary.

Simple solutions for a sanctuary home:

• Organize – De-cluttering and organizing your home are two ways that can relieve stress and promote relaxation in the home. Not only does it relieve the confusion of all the clutter, but it relieves the feeling of urgency to get things cleaned up.
• Color choice – Choose colors for your home that create the feeling and atmosphere that you want created there.
• Understand furniture placement – The placement of furniture is key to achieving that organized and relaxing feeling.
• Use Feng Shui – Understanding and using the principles of Feng Shui in the home can add balance and harmony.

As a trained color consultant, I can help you create beautiful color palettes for your home. I apply the principles of organization, color, redesign and Feng Shui to design beautiful spaces, and make your home your sanctuary.

We all know that the accessories you wear with an outfit can change it’s look. You can take a simple black dress and by adding pearls you dress it up, by adding a scarf you dress it down.

The principles of accessorizing your home can work in the same way. The items that you choose for a room will make it casual or formal.

If accessorized correctly the room will look cohesive and comfortable or it can look cluttered and disorganized.

Do you remember the last time you went into a department store and everything was arranged just right? It seemed to just pull you right in. That’s good merchandising.

Then think of a time when you went into a store and it was visual chaos… aisles in disarray, shelves overcrowded, displays mismatched and clothing racks unorganized. It seemed to push you right back out.

Our homes can leave those same impressions, not only with our guests, but with our families.

There are principles for good home accessorizing:

Homes that are devoid of accessories are extremely bland and lifeless.

• Personalize Your Home
  • Let your personality shine through
  • Use items that you love and make you happy
  • Use a few well chosen and framed family photos
• Consider Color
  • As you are making choices, remember to repeat the color at least 3 time in a room. A splash of color doesn’t mean just one big red pillow, use 2-3 other items of the same color to pull everything together.
  • Arrange groupings by color. Even if the items are totally unrelated, grouping them with like colors makes them appear unified and pleasant to the eye.
• Hanging Artwork
  • Have you ever walked into a room and the artwork is so high that you have to crank your neck just to look at it? Artwork should be hung at eye level.
• Bookcases or Shelves
  • Avoid having too many items on your shelves. These areas tend to become a catch all. Rather than showcasing special things, nothing is really noticed because there are just too many things.
  • If you are grouping items on a shelf, your groups should contain 1,3 or 5 pieces. Grouping in odd numbers is best.
  • If you are displaying books on your shelves, take off the dust covers, for a richer look.
• Use Mirrors to reflect something beautiful
• Use Area Rugs to define spaces and pull colors together
• Special Collections
  • If you have a special collection, don’t scatter them all over the house. Group them together to define a theme.

Most of us have many wonderful and useful accessories around our home that can be moved to other locations or arranged differently, and they will make a entirely new impact. Going shopping (as fun as that is) isn’t always necessary.

If you’re feeling challenged with how to accessorize a room or your entire home, let’s get together.

I am a trained color consultant, and I am also trained in Feng Shui principles. I use color, Feng Shui, organization and redesign to create beautiful spaces. I love working with people to help them re-create and refresh their environment.

Have you tried choosing paint colors, fabrics and accessories that will help you create “that” space you have dreamed about?

You try so hard to choose colors that work well together, compliment each other and make a statement.

The problem is that the statement you ended up making wasn’t what you wanted to say, and the dream became a nightmare. Time to start again.

For most people, choosing the right color combination is not an easy thing. Very few of us have the color wheel and all of its combinations committed to memory.

We may remember what the primary colors are, but do we remember what the secondary or tertiary colors are? Do we even need to?

Nevertheless, color is fun. It’s exciting to go to the paint store.

There are thousands of beautiful colors to choose from – maybe that’s part of the problem. There are so many, sometimes you’re not sure where to begin!

That’s where a trained color consultant comes in.

After having visited your home, a color consultant will:

• Have a sense of your style.
• Understand your home’s architecture.
• Understand your vision of the redesigned space.
• Have a knowledge and understanding how the light in your space will affect the color choices.
• Be able to put together the perfect color palette for you. (In a relatively short period of time)
• Eliminate costly and time consuming do overs.

Trained color consultants understand color:

They don’t just understand how it looks, but how…

• Different colors react with one another
• How they can create harmony, symmetry and balance in a room
• How they can affect the mood and overall feeling of the room.
• Color can enhance how much you enjoy your home.

A side benefit of working with a color consultant is that it can be fun to have someone to brainstorm with. It’s an extra bonus that a color consultant can help take the stress out of choosing just the right colors.

I am a trained color consultant, and I am also trained in Feng Shui principles. I use color, Feng Shui, organization and redesign to create beautiful spaces. I love working with people to help them re-create and refresh their environment.

Testimonial:

“Nancy has a real gift for color and her enthusiasm is infectious! I have the perfect color palette for my home now. She took into consideration all aspects: the feel I wanted to create, the rooms’ use, and versatility, and more. The process is allot of fun. It is true that color makes a huge statement about the feel of a home. I am excited about getting the paint on the walls and having Nancy help me accessorize! It was truly a collaborative process. Thank you, Nancy for your expertise!”

~Helen Gmazel, Bothell

You’ve worked all day, dropped off and picked up kids, fought the good fight at the office, cooked dinner and chaired a neighborhood committee meeting.

It’s the end of the  day, you’re done. Where can you go for that little piece of heaven?

If your first thought isn’t of your peaceful home…you’ve got issues. Your home should be that one place, that sanctuary from the world.

What is a sanctuary?

A sanctuary is a place of safety, refuge and peace.

• In the Christian world, sanctuary is a sacred, holy place, a place of peace and respect. A place you can go for meditation, introspection and a renewed spirit.

• In Medieval times, people were safe from arrest once they had entered the sanctuary of a church or a temple.
• Sanctuary also relates to political asylum – receiving sanctuary or safety from hostile countries.
• Today, day spas, used for relaxation, are also referred to as sanctuaries.

Does your home meet any of this criteria?

With a little thought and effort, your homes can have all the qualities of a sanctuary. Make it a goal to achieve that.

Your home should be the place you and your families want to be at the end of the day. That one place to feel totally accepted, comfortable and relaxed. That place to renew after a long day, pursue personal interests and escape from outside pressures if necessary.

Simple solutions for a sanctuary home:

• Organize – De-cluttering and organizing your home are two ways that can relieve stress and promote relaxation in the home. Not only does it relieve the confusion of all the clutter, but it relieves the feeling of urgency to get things cleaned up.
• Color choice – Choose colors for your home that create the feeling and atmosphere that you want created there.
• Understand furniture placement – The placement of furniture is key to achieving that organized and relaxing feeling.
• Use Feng Shui – Understanding and using the principles of Feng Shui in the home can add balance and harmony.

As a trained color consultant, I can help you create beautiful color palettes for your home. I apply the principles of organization, color, redesign and Feng Shui to design beautiful spaces, and make your home your sanctuary.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, it’s where friends and family love to gather, visit and most of all eat. Much like the heart in your body, you want it to be healthy to support all the people and activities that depend on it.

Just as you want good food from your kitchen, you also want good feng shui in your kitchen. The kitchen is one of the rooms in your home that is predominantly compatible with the Yang energy which is the stronger of the Yin and Yang energies.

A good Feng Shui kitchen meets the following criteria:

• Flow – Good lighting, ventilation, hygiene and air circulation are key elements.
• Declutter – Clutter has a tendancy to pull the room’s energy down, robbing it of its freshness. In a room where food is prepared and eaten, the room and the food should feel fresh and inviting.
• Color – Because a kitchen is basically made up of cabinetry, there isn’t a lot of wall space for color. White is one of the best feng shui colors for a kitchen because it represents purity and a clean healthy look. It is also good for reflecting the natural light of a room. Yellow is a great color for a kitchen, it is known for aiding digestion. Accessories, trim and textiles can add a vibrant splash of color to help bring the room into balance.
• Simplicity – Keep the kitchen simple, keeping counter tops free of clutter and appliances.
• Bring Life – Keep fresh flowers and fruits or living plants on the table or countertop to add freshness and energy.
• Kitchen Triangle – The concept of the kitchen triangle holds true in feng shui. The stove which represents fire and the sink and the refreigerator which represent the elements of water should be kept separated, because fire and water don’t mix. This helps to keep the two elements from clashing as well as makes a good working pattern.

If parts of your life are feeling out of balance, if you would like to incorporate Feng Shui into your home, your life or your office, give me a call. I have been trained in Feng Shui at the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute.  206-282-2323

It’s time to blow out the cobwebs, clean out the closets, and open the windows to let the fresh spring air in and usher out the old air of winter. Although cleaning is work, nothing feels better than having a clean, fresh organized home.

Not only is Springtime a great time to clean up after the winter, but it’s a great time to de-clutter your home. Going through closets, drawers and underneath beds can almost be therapeutic. Get everyone in the family involved, especially in the areas that they may be responsible for such as bedrooms or family rooms.

If you start early enough in the season, you’ll be finished in time to not only enjoy the freshness of your home, but you’ll be able to enjoy being outside in the great weather. And you’ll do so without having the guilt of an unorganized home hanging over your head. It’s definitely a “win win” situation.

Start by evaluating your home. Take a look around and pick out the problem areas.

• Maybe you have a linen closet that is overflowing.
• Is there a children’s toy area that needs sorting and thinning out?
• What about the junk drawer in the kitchen?
• Have you checked the storage area under the stairway?
• What about the pile of shoes in the entry?

We see these and other areas so frequently that we begin “not seeing” them, we get used to them, and that’s when they can really get out of control.

After the problem areas have been identified, take the time to figure out why they are such problems, why they can’t be kept organized. Maybe that junk drawer just needs drawer organizers to address the problem. Maybe the children’s toy area needs storage solutions for all of the toys. Whatever it is, taking the time to analyze why a space stays disorganized is half the battle.

Once you have determined what the solutions might be, you’re ready to begin.

• Make a plan
• Work in one area at a time
• Assemble the tools you’ll need
• It doesn’t have to be drudgery – make it fun!

 If you would like help organizing your home, give me a call. 206-282-2323

I use color, organizing techniques, re-design and feng shui principles to design beautiful spaces. Spaces that reflect how you want to live.

In Feng Shui theory, each room in your house is designated to be either Yin or Yang. The bedroom is designated Yin, which is the passive of the 2 energies. It is the energy of silence, slow relaxed movement and darkness. It also represents the energy of sleep, restfulness, relaxation and energy replenishment.

A Yin room should reflect privacy. Today, many of the newer and larger homes place a heavy emphasis on extremely large bedrooms and bathrooms. According to the Yin theory of energy, in a room that is too large, energy becomes scarce, which can result in chronic illnesses or a feeling of low energy for those who occupy the space. Many of these rooms become overly exposed, as better views are sought. They possibly feature too many windows which can influence energy in a conflicting or uncontrolled way. 

Since the bedroom is where you spend approximately 1/3 of your life, it is understandable why the energy that you want to create would be one of peace, harmony – a place of rest and romance and a place of renewal and refreshment.

Feng Shui tips for your bedroom:

• Bed Postion – The bed should be placed on a solid wall which gives a feeling of security. The bed should be facing the door but not directly in front of it. This placement puts you in command of the space.
• Lighting – Lighting should be flexible. it should allow for great natural light during the day, a softer light in the early part of the evening and darkness for sleeping.
• Colors – Warm rich colors and soft natural colors are recommended such as tan, cream, peach, light green, light blue and even lavendar. These colors create a welcoming and quiet feeling which invites a healing energy.
•  Avoid Clutter – Less is often more if you’re trying to create a peaceful space. Too many furnishings and unnecessary items in your bedroom gives the feeling of unfinished business which does not lend itself to peacefulness.
• Bedroom Only – If at all possible keep televisions, desks, computers and exercise equipment in another part of the house. If you must have these items in your bedroom, try to conceal them with such things as privacy screens or curtains. If you must have the TV in your bedroom, maybe it could be kept in an armoire or closet. The bedroom is a place of peace and relaxation, and these things keep the energies and stresses of the day ever present.

If parts of your life are feeling out of balance, if you would like to incorporate Feng Shui into your home, your life or your office, give me a call. I have been trained in Feng Shui at the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute.  206-282-2323