I was reading one of my weekly favorites, Creative Thursday, and just learned that there is a new magazine out called Artful Blogging.
Granted, this post is a bit of departure from my color-centric articles, but I think it's great that bloggers are getting some recognition, and want to support that effort. More and more blogs pop up every day, and it sure is hard to keep track of all the new goodies out there. I can't wait to see if anyone we know gets covered!

Oh, how I love to see colorful spaces done well. Domino magazine has an online gallery up of beautiful bright rooms in a rainbow of fruit flavors.

"Theatrical color can distract from flaws. Confederate Red draws the eye from the unassuming laminate cabinets in this rental kitchen."

Be sure to read the little description next to each picture- it's useful to read about the effect they were looking to achieve, or the specific challenges of a particular color.

Looking at examples of how colors work together is a great way to get ideas for your own space. Worried about that deep rich eggplant color in your dining room? Look for examples of how others have handled that color. You may get an idea you hadn't thought of before!

I have a request for you all: I am looking for color enthusiasts to write some guest posts for Hue in July while I am moving across the country. If you've considered starting a blog, but don't want to commit to the time it takes to keep it running, or just have some fantastic ideas/ stories/ comments related to color that you'd like to share, please consider contributing! I would need the article(s) with pictures (eye-candy is key!) sometime before the end of June so I could set up the posts to run in July while I'm on the road. Even contributing one post would be fantastic. So, if you are interested, or know someone who might like to get some great exposure, please let me know.

Thanks so much for your help everyone!

Our latest reader design dilemma from Sarah on the Chesapeake Bay. This one is a little different because the space is still under construction, so you'll have to use your imagination!

I have a loft-like space (a large living/bedroom above the garage) near the Chesapeake Bay. The room has high vaulted ceilings (about 10 feet, though of course the peak is higher), lots of windows, and board and batten extending to 7 feet on the walls. The space has windows on all sides, so gets plenty of light. There is a desk/bookcase unit that divides the space into living and sleeping areas. The furnishings are going to be low and modern.

The space, under construction

In terms of color, I was thinking of a soft grey/blue for the 7ft board & batten section of the walls (something along the lines of Boothbay Gray from Benjamin Moore) and a deeper color above that extending up across the ceiling (perhaps Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy). The color would extend throughout the space (only the bathroom will be different). I will also need an accent color for the central bookcase/desk and the trim.

Alternatively, if we decide not to paint the ceiling, perhaps the Hale Navy for the central bookcase/desk. I would love some more color options for the walls, trim, and central architectural component.

Is this a workable scheme? Or would a dark ceiling feel too oppressive? Do you have any color suggestions? -Sarah

Here are my initial thoughts on Sarah's dilemma. Some things to consider:

1.) How are you going to use the space(s)?

In Sarah's case, it's a multi-use space, with one side dedicated to sleeping, and the other for living. So, given that each side of the space has it's own purpose, it makes sense to divide the space with appropriate colors for each end. This will visually set up the two sides, as well as emphasize the desired mood for each space.

2.) What are the architectural needs of the space(s)?
This expansive loft space has a high peaked roof. If she paints the ceiling dark, it will achieve one effect, while if she paints it light, it will present a totally different solution. Does she want to emphasize the ceiling, drawing attention to it's "loftiness" with a light hue, or does she prefer to make the space feel cozy and intimate, and visually erase the ceiling with a dark tone?

*There is no one right answer, as everyone has different design goals.
For example, here's a really bad picture I shot at my favorite little gelato shop in Baltimore (yum!). They have soft custard yellow walls, and jet black ceilings that just simply disappear. It works really well in this scenario.
As for colors, each one will have a different effect, depending upon the particular space. What looks bright and fresh in one space might appear dark and somber in another. If you have enough light in a space, it will be able to hold darker colors like Hale Navy.
As a rule of thumb, the spaces you see in glossy magazines are generally professionally lit and styled, so don't take the color you see in print to be the same you'll see once it's up on your walls. Always take the chip home, or paint a 2x2' test board first.
Gray is a tricky character, and will shift depending upon the type of light you get, as well as what it's up against. There are cool grays, warm grays, brown grays, blue grays, green grays... the list goes on. So be sure to look at it's undertone to make sure that's the look you are going for.

What else can I offer... I'd like to get everyone else's opinions and design suggestions on this dilemma. What would you suggest?

In the meanwhile, thanks so much to those of you who have expressed an interest in writing some guest posts for July. There are still some open slots for more articles, so please don't be shy-let me know if you'd like to write a little something about color!

The Port of Seattle has a re-designed logo, and some great commentary about the design is on Brand New.
The old logo was maroon, and supposed to represent cranes, containers and the port itself.
The new iteration is intended to represent air land and sea. They are also supposed to represent the three parts of sustainability: economic development, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

As one commenter astutely mentions, it's your standard "eco-friendly palette" at work again.
Here's a snapshot I took during a presentation explaining environmental certification agencies. I was struck by the incredibly similar color palette they all shared.

The update certainly refreshes the brand, but why such muddy murky colors? Perhaps they were chosen to reflect the grayness of Seattle's rainy weather? What do you think?

My friend Amy just emailed me about a fabulous product she read about on Daily Candy: magnetic chalkboard paint.
I remember when I was a teenager, my walls were absolutely plastered with pages from magazines (mostly cute boys), photos of friends, posters, mementos... You could barely see the walls. And I can only imagine the damage I probably did to the walls themselves, with sticky tape and thumbtacks. This product seems like the perfect solution.
I remember seeing a great use for chalkboard paint in a family's house- they painted the bathroom walls, then wrote notes to themselves and each other (keeping it clean, of course).

Evidently, you can make your own chalkboard paint, too (via Martha Stewart)

And here's another idea- the chalkboard paint doesn't have to completely cover a space- you can artistically end it wherever you please.

Alas, I can't vouch for the quality of the paint. Have any of you had any experience with this product? What creative ways would you use it?

Reader Penelope wants to give her "kit" kitchen a cosmetic make-over. So let's roll up our sleeves and see what we've got to work with!

"The cupboards are a pale pinky beige that I intend to paint white and install new handles (chrome), as well as install a new shelf (white) somewhere above the cupboards.

My laminate benchtop is a swirly, "natural rock inspired" pink/violet/blue monstrosity, but we're stuck with it, and I'd like to make the best of it.

Here's the room on the other side of the kitchen which we don't actually use as a dining area."

And for the most important part- what colors does Penny like?

"My eye tends to be drawn to soft colours, like icey pink and blue, even soft lavendar. I just don't know what will go best with the benchtops we have, although it does incorporate a mixture of these tones."

I think Penny is on the right track with her inspirational photos showing soft pastels with a retro feel. The counter-tops are unfortunate, for sure, but not a lost cause. With the focus drawn away from the counters, and onto the walls, they won't stand out quite so distinctly.

So, the first question I would ask would be about lighting. Is the kitchen dark during the day, or does it get lots of bright natural lighting?
In this mock-up, I pulled a pastel blue from one of Penny's inspiration photos for the walls, and a light pink for the ceiling.

A nice solution to give the illusion of sunlight is using buttery yellow, like this photo Penny submitted. Love the copper pots against the yellow and white-lovely!In taking a closer look at the second kitchen picture, I see other areas where color can be incorporated. Notice I pulled the yellow up onto the ceiling to de-emphasize it's low height. The curtain leading into a back room (pantry?) could be replaced by colorful upholstery fabric quite easily. Our designer-readers might have some good suggestions for what might work there.

To draw attention away from the mauve tones in the counter-top, you could try pulling out one of the other colors you like better, like light blue or lilac (as long as it isn't too gray which can quickly translate to dingy )

Also, by swapping out the back splash tiles (if this is an option) for something more updated in color, it would draw attention away from the mauve theme going on.
You might even be able to paint over it. (but -only- if it doesn't get wet frequently) A crisp bright white for the trim would also liven up the space. Perhaps a fun light fixture with some full-spectrum bulbs to brighten the kitchen? Play around with the colors of the items displayed on the shelves-you can incorporate the pastel palette more completely.


Since the kitchen is so small, several more shelves stacked above would offer more storage space, and more design opportunities. Granted, this kitchen example has lilac cabinets instead of white, but feel how refreshing and alive this space feels! Besides, who says cabinets have to be white or wood?

So, that's my initial take on Penny's kitchen make-over. What would you suggest for her space? Please share your ideas!

The NYT just published an article about the rise of super star color plum. Yup, plum.
Evidently, it's being touted as the "new black". Here's my take on the concept- black will never be replaced. Colors will come and go in trends, but we'll always have our staples like black, white, brown, neutrals.

In any case, it's refreshing to see variations of violet being embraced in the marketplace. In the past, it's been one of the least-used colors for marketing because it's so hard to pin down. Sandwiched in between red and blue, violet can swing in two radically different directions. Blue violets have similar characteristics to blue- calm, dependable, trustworthy, rational, cool. Red violets, on the other hand, tend to adopt those traits more like its companion red- active, strong, passionate, hot.
Violet has often been used to represent the mystical or spiritual. It's often seen as artistic, eccentric, or quirky, even romantic. Deep violets can be regal and majestic. So now, marketers are tapping into those associations to bring you everything from credit cards, internet service, and water.
Plum TV is a a channel available in resort communities like Aspen, the Hamptons, and Martha's Vineyard.

What fascinates me is the reinforcement of the color with the name. All these companies seem to feel they must attach the word "plum" to their products in order to get across their meaning. I think alot of that comes from the ambivalence of the color's attributes. Plum can range anywhere on the spectrum of violets, and perhaps without the term "plum", could be misconstrued as having different characteristics from those marketers hoped to convey.
In the article, a marketer reinforces this issue:

“When we were looking at the color of the plastic (during the planning stages), we wanted something classy and sophisticated, and the choice was a shade we called 'burgundy.' " But the company did not want to call it burgundy when marketing it, he added, for fear of confusion with wine brands.

What's your take on the trend? Do you think these companies need the word "plum" to drive home the point of using this color for their product or service? What do you think of when you see the color?

Some of you might notice I've got a new widget up on the right sidebar, part-way down the page. We're moving back to California at the end of June (!), and I thought this would be a neat way to keep track. After 7 years living on the east coast, first in upstate NY, then in Maryland, my husband, dog Lucy, and I are moving back to the Bay Area (we're both from the area originally). We've met so many wonderful people, and really grown attached to quirky B'more. I also thought the counter would be helpful for those of you in the Baltimore/DC area who might have been considering using my consultation services to help you with color selection, but hadn't gotten around to it just yet. Things are going to start getting crazy as our relocation date draws closer, so if you were thinking of calling me later, this is your heads up!

But not to worry, I love writing this blog, and will continue to pepper you with color tid-bits regardless of where in the world I'm living. That's the beauty of the blogosphere-isn't it fantastic?

There are three camps of coffee drinkers. Those who openly admit to loving Starbucks; those who love it, but are ashamed to admit it; and those who love to hate Starbucks. Don't you agree? That being said, whatever camp you come from, have you been into a Starbucks recently? Notice anything different about their logo?
After a hiatus of 9 years, Howard Schultz is back to rescue Starbucks from its sad decline. "Starbucks unleashed an unprecedented wave of brand nostalgia by deploying the original Starbucks logo on the masses"-Brand New

According to the Wall Street Journal, this new itteration isn’t permanent–the retro logo is being used temporarily. But as they so astutely say, "in the annals of brand identity, switching away from a high-recognition logo–even for a promotion–is an unusual move."
There's a tidal wave of talk going on in the blogosphere.

For your reference, here's where the logo has been, and where it has gone again:

From affirming green, to dull brown, I fear the change was not a good move, other than to stir up buzz. (get it? "stir" up "buzz"? Ah, I crack myself up...) The Starbucks logo had established quite an identity for itself. Even from far away, the green circle on a coffee cup was pretty darn identifiable. Brown is a difficult color to use for branding because it lacks pizazz. UPS chose to use the color because it hid the dust on their trucks. Can you think of any other well-recognized brand that uses brown successfully?

What do you think of this new transition from what the public is familiar with, to something less, dare I say, remarkable?

Randomly surfing the variety of design discussion forums out there, I found a posting on HGTV's discussion board that "revealed" several of Panera Bread's interior wall colors. I never knew they were top secret, but I can't tell you how many times I have had a client ask for their colors. Instead of using these exact colors, I steer people towards using colors appropriate for their particular spaces that may be evocative of this franchise's visual look.
That warm orangey color is from Benjamin Moore called Golden harvest 2157-02


The gold color on the right is evidently Ben Moore Semolina#2155-40, just for your reference.
Love the blue and orange combo-isn't it cheerful? And really plays up the warm honey tones in the breads.These were the only pics I was able to snap at my local Panera Bread, as evidently, picture- taking in the store is not permitted. I was quickly asked to put my camera away. Probably didn't help that I was toting this enormous camera with large lenses... Not the most subtle of approaches- I don't think I'd make a very good spy!

I love the description for this product: "a cheerful ode to urethane".
Soft Gems are squishy faux gems, originally used for costume jewelry, but now utilized for interior treatments. How cool is this panel from Philadelphia's Pod Restaurant? Has anyone been here? The site looks very futuristic and artsy.
What I like is the versatility of the product; here it is used for lamp columns.

My question, as a color fanatic, is: are the gem hues customizable to your specific needs? Not that I don't love the orange, pink, yellow and green palette. But what if someone wanted a cool blue palette, or all purple and reds?

How would you use these flexible panels full of colorful orbs?

images source

Has anyone else noticed the progression of Hillary Clinton's outfit colors as the primaries progress?

image source

“Hillary Clinton’s biggest criticism is how harsh she is,� said Mary Lou Andre, president of Organization by Design Inc., a professional image consulting firm in Needham. “I think by wearing certain feminine colors, she will connect with voters. I think the public knows she can do the job. It’s her likability that’s the issue.�(source)

Evidently a way to appear more accessible, she wore red in Texas, ginger in South Dakota and buttercream in West Virginia. It certainly sets her apart from all of those somber dark gray, black and navy blue suits out there in on the campaign trail. I am fascinated by how far color psychology can penetrate into marketing strategies. Just look at most official uniforms- navy blue is favored because the message it sends says: authority, dependability, and strength.
A Washington Post article dubbed her, "Clinton-the-human-color-wheel". But it's a smart way to set herself apart, to communicate more of her message through the colors she wears.

What do you think? Is it chauvinistic to focus on Hillary's clothes, or do we do the same for her male counter-parts? Do you think what the politicians are wearing have any bearing on their appeal as candidates?

I'm always amused when I read about certain "studies" paid for by companies to support some marketing project or advertising campaign. While there are most certainly credible research studies conducted on the efficacy of colors and how they relate to user/user experience, I must caution you. There are many many so-called "studies" out there that have absolutely no credibility. A sure sign is when a blanket statement is made, encompassing huge demographics and situations.

For example, I was at a lecture the other week, listening to an eco-friendly company rep talk about using green products for building. While he had a captive audience of color consultants in the room, he asked our opinion about a specific paint color chosen for a doctor's office.
The architect of the project had supported his color choice by declaring that "studies had shown" that this particularly dreadful shade of diarrhea green was calming and soothing to patients. I wish I had taken a picture of this color sample- it was SO awful!
I am immediately skeptical... A color-confidence index? Obviously, automotive companies invest a Ton of money on market research to reach their target audience. But honestly, this seems just a tad bit formulaic. Maybe it works for caricatures, but we're more complex than that.
According to CNW, here's what the color of a car says about the person who bought it:
They were also able to calculate the "moodiness" of drivers—how widely their confidence varied from one extreme to the other, in the course of a year.
What do they mean by "confidence"? See what I mean? Recipes involving colors just don't work. There's no validity to that. What if a subject chose their particular car, not based on a color, but instead based on availability of that model? My car is silver gray. Probably one of the last colors I would have personally chosen, had I had options.

Well, that's my take on this, in any case. Anyone share my sentiments?

Does serenity adds security? BWI (Baltimore Washington International Airport) will be rolling out the first of its kind pilot program for stress reduction in specific airport screening areas. I think this is a fabulous idea, as airports (especially post 9-11) are extremely stressful places. Racing to catch a plane, stuck in lines that move at a snails pace, then jostling to strip off all offending articles of clothing and accessories at the screening area, etc. I find myself much more anxious and short-tempered in airports.
This is a description of the special screening area:
But if these images from TSA's promo video are any indication of what is to come, I'm not sure how "soothed" I'll feel!
TSA planners have been tinkering for months in a warehouse at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, testing these new aspects "You can actually influence some behavior subliminally through color," said Catherine Lillie, head of the checkpoint-testing team. source

Coming from a profession where the psychological effects of color is basic knowledge, I have to chuckle at her seeming incredulity over the idea.

What do you think of the concept?

This just in from reader Holly:
She got this image in some product literature that a carpet rep brought in and wanted to share it with us.

Can you imagine sitting through a meeting in that conference room? It seems like it would be very agitating. And then the hallway...the complete opposite extreme! Grey upon beige upon taupe?

I concur, this space would not be one I would want to spend any period of time trying to concentrate in. Yikes! It would be fun to see what other horrible color mishaps people can find. Let's start a collection of what not to do with color- send in your best examples and we can vote on the worst!

FYI: there's a brand new color blog in the blogosphere.
Written by Elizabeth Brown, a fellow IACC member, she's just started the site, but I think it's going to be a fantastic source for color information. We eagerly await future posts!

But honestly, I was ready to slide my business card across the counter and offer to do damage control if they ever wanted some help.

Some very well-intentioned individual was on the right track, striving to liven up the space with a cheerful, friendly color. But this salmon pink is so over the top, it's amazingly bright. My photos don't do it justice, so you'll have to trust me when I tell you that standing in that space, you literally vibrate!

What do you do when you have combined living spaces that flow together? Do you paint them all the same color? How do you visually separate the spaces? Or do you want to make them more cohesive? We've got a great example of this quandary, submitted by reader Mary Beth.
Okay, here's my take on the matter. First question-why do the areas need to be the same? Who says they have to be the same colors? I say, each space has it's own purpose, and deserves its own color. Of course, there are architectural restrictions to work around. For instance, you shouldn't try to break a wall into multiple areas of color without natural breaks in the wall, such as columns, cabinets, or other elements. So, the structure and layout of the space does determine where colors are placed...to a certain extent.

So, where do we go from there?

First, you need to figure out what kind of lighting the space gets. Is it bright and sunny, or shady and cool? What design goals are you hoping to achieve with the spaces? Is the living room supposed to be relaxing, or energizing? Should it be spacious and airy, or cozy and intimate? These are all issues to consider before launching into color selection. That being said, since we don't have all those answers for this dilemma, let's play around with color:
Here's a soft sage green living room, paired with a neutral warm mocha color (you'd need to check how it worked with the detail work in the tiles, as I can't quite tell what color they are)
Alternatively, here's a cool gray blue, paired with the same mocha kitchen color.
Just to get daring here, pushing towards cleaner, brighter colors could further liven up the space. Here, I simply bumped up the saturation level of the green and added a cheerful blue wall for the kitchen.

You may wonder where I pulled the bright blue suggestion. When you are really stuck trying to figure out a good color for a space, try inverting the colors to find the compliments. If you have a photo editing program, you can do it digitally. Otherwise, grab a handy-dandy color wheel, and travel across the wheel for the color opposite your color in question. (Ie with a red couch, we'd be looking at blues and greens) Here, for example, are the inverse colors of Mary Beth's rug. Voila- a lovely complimentary blue shade.
As a last suggestion, to tie the couch into the decor, a rich burgundy wall would work really nicely-pulling in the living room colors with the reddish undertones in the tile work.

I'd like to hear from readers to weigh in with your suggestions. What colors do you think would work best for Mary Beth's kitchen/living room combo? How would you solve her color dilemma?

Phew! I am back from our whirlwind trip to the Bay Area to try and secure housing. Emphasis on "try"... Boy oh boy, are houses out there expensive! I guess it's all about "location, location, location".
While house hunting, I had a completely different perspective from that which I normally inhabit- that of adviser. Often, I have clients who want to spruce up their house, but are concerned about selecting colors that will make the house easier to sell, eventually. So, here I was, a potential buyer, examining houses for my own needs. I have to say that staging and colors helped a TON with the appeal of a property. Of course, I'm rather biased, but in my head, I imagined I could see through what wasn't there to what I would do to the spaces. But after days and days of touring properties, you don't want to expend the energy. Turns out, I was much more intrigued (as were other house-seekers I noticed), by those spaces with color.
Love, love, loved the colors in this house. We were ready to move in, and I didn't even have the desire to change their paint choices. This house wasn't staged, but really tastefully done by the owners. After peeking in an office cabinet, I discovered someone living there works as a color consultant.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, staging refers to taking a house for sale, and spiffing it up to make it more appealing to potential buyers. Sometimes, a stager works with existing furniture and accessories, editing where necessary, re-arranging items to maximize space and flow. Other times, stagers will bring in furniture and pieces into an empty house, to give the buyer a sense of how the space would feel when its inhabited.
Testing the authenticity of a staged "bed" that turns out was just cardboard boxes draped in fabric. Aren't these walls just screaming for chromatic assistance? A distinctly unsuccessful staging, I hate to say.

Sometimes, stagers will go further, advising refinishing floors or painting walls. I've got to tell you, it made a huge difference as we were strolling through our 15th house of the day.
Soft yellow walls and muted sophisticated accent colors (check out the throw pillows, rug, even the golden bowl on the table) really made this room appealing. The touch of green helped round out the palette. This was another favorite house, but alas, an offer was already in on it.
Those properties with unique, rich or even just understated colors on the walls certainly made the place feel more homey and more personal. Loved the pumpkin.
There's something so sterile about an empty, white walled house. This fireplace wall would have looked much better with an accent color to ground it in the space.
I'm not big on black counter-tops, as they are hard on the eyes, ergonomically. Not enough contrast between the work surface and items on top. But I loved how the stager took cues from the existing palette to bring in black and white plates in the empty cabinets and pulled in touches of bright blue here and there. I couldn't get enough of the sunshine streaming through the window-just like a cat, I suppose...

I noticed it in new apartment complexes, as well. They advertised "designer colors" and would point out accent walls in the model unit that were either standard, or not included. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera when we toured the complex, so I can't show you the cool hall and unit colors. In any case, evidently, the general public has become much more color and design savvy, for the salespeople to emphasize color so much.

So, that's just a little taste of our adventure out west. For the time being, I think we will settle for a rental while we continue the quest for our house. I'd like to hear from those of you who have gone house-hunting in the past: how important were the wall colors in your impression of a property? Did it make a difference in the end when you bought something?

The long-awaited second issue of Colour: Design & Creativity has finally arrived, and it looks fantastic!A sneak peak:

When people get ready to paint a room, does the color of the trim ever come into question, or do people always opt for white? A great post on this very topic over at My Notting Hill got me thinking about the dilemma.
I think the one-color approach works really nicely in this scenario because there is so much trim detail- the fireplace surround, chair rail, panels, crown molding, window trim... It adds visual interest to a large wall space without breaking it up as much as it would if the trim contrasted.
White against another color presents you with a certain level of contrast, heightened, obviously, the darker your wall color goes. Sometimes, white trim against another color just doesn't give you the desired effect, instead. In the picture above, white trim would have been too busy, and competed with the architectural lines of the furniture.

Are you frustrated by the limited color options out there for kitchen appliances? Not into stainless steel, white or black? Join the club. Reader Denise wrote to me, asking for some advice:
To help tackle Denise's appliance quandary, I brought in the help of the very talented and knowledgeable kitchen designer, Susan Serra, author of the blog The Kitchen Designer.
Take it away Susan!

Colored Appliances, it's all the rage now. Color is in our lives as never before, and has entered our kitchens, often with gusto! And, why not? We are loving our strong, pro, appliances and often want to showcase them in an equally strong way, or, for that matter, in a whimsical way. The rules for blending and matching color have been continually redefined, and not by the "experts" but by you. Individual expression now trumps "safe!"
Appliance manufacturers have gone color-crazy! We have purples, we have bronzes, many colors of blue and on and on.
I consider Viking to be a leader of color appliances, going back quite a few years now. Viking has only expanded their colors for their appliances year after year.
Aga, always into color, brought in a soft purple, called heather.
note: AGA discontinued the yellow and royal blue and added pillar box red which does not appear on their site
And one sees lots of color in retro appliances, such as the very cool Big Chill line of appliances. I'm not a retro fan, but this line is awesome.

And, talk about color? What about Blue Star? Sit down for this one...190 colors!

It's all good. Or, is it?

Of course, the appliance manufacturers would just love for you to buy a whole suite of appliances in the color of your choice. And, so, one will see this concept in manufacturer's advertising. But, wait, what happens if, down the road, one appliance needs to be replaced and that color is no longer available? Something to think about, to plan for.

Or, another elegant way to incorporate color, short of an entire suite of color, is to choose one appliance, perhaps the range, which may be situated as a focal point, and select a color that will be picked up elsewhere in the kitchen. Thus, the color is isolated, yet, significant. Yet, another idea is to have an appliance painted locally, vi