It Takes Guts to Paint Brick

Recently I had the privilege of working with yet another wonderful client who needed help on an exterior transformation.  (Being an Atlanta color consultant is so much fun!)  This homeowner had just expanded her home and, in the process, realized she couldn’t match her existing brick.  What was she to do?  Paint it, of course!  Here is what her home looked like originally:

ranch home in Dunwoody with drive under garage

Dunwoody Home – before

Dunwoody home before the brick was painted

Dunwoody Home – before

Isn’t that a beautiful, picturesque setting?  When I got there that day most of the structural changes had been made, but Jeannie needed help with a color palette.  Since the brick was going to be painted, the “unchanging elements” of the home we needed to work around were the gray roof and warm stone that had been added around the front door.   Jeannie knew she wanted a lighter body with a darker trim.  We decided to go with gray hues that had a slight green undertone.  Here is the palette we decided on that day:

  • Brick:  SW 7051 – Analytical Gray
  • Trim:  SW 7053 – Adaptive Shade
  • Shutters:  Black Alder (a Sherwin-Williams stain)

Ready to see the new look?

Dunwoody home transformed with painted brick.

Dunwoody Home – after

Dunwoody home in Analytical Gray and Adaptive Shade

Dunwoody Home – after

Isn’t that the coziest little cottage you’ve ever seen?  I love the new stone and “build-out” at the front door.  The decision was made to paint the garage door the same color as the brick since the homeowner wanted it to “disappear.”  If you want a garage door to stand out, paint it in a contrasting color.

While it took guts for Jeannie to paint her brick home, the transformation would not have been complete without doing so.  Way to go, Jeannie!  She is now working inside and has already painted her interior fireplace brick, but that’s another story for another day.

If you need to update your home, either inside or out, call Patsy at 770-843-2307 to schedule a consultation.  Color never sleeps.

Coastal Breeze Seafood Grill

Several months ago I received a call from a new restaurant owner in Buford, GA.  He had purchased an existing facility that had been out of business for some time and was now looking to open a new restaurant with an entirely different look.  He needed the help of an Atlanta color consultant.  Mike had gotten my name from a former client, Erik, who I had helped with a color palette for his restaurant some months prior, but that’s another story for another day.

When I arrived that day for the exterior color consultation, here is what I saw:

restaurant - before

Restaurant – Before

restaurant - before

Restaurant – before

The owner wanted a drastic change for this seafood restaurant near Lake Lanier.  I went to work and came up with a color palette featuring Sherwin-Williams paint colors:   Body – Turkish Tile, SW7610; Trim – Pure White, SW7005; Roof – Grizzle Gray, SW7068.  Are you ready for the “after”?  Take a look:

Coastal Breeze painted in SW Turkish Tile #7610

Coastal Breeze painted in Turkish Tile, SW7610

Coastal Breeze in SW7610, Turkish Tile

Coastal Breeze trimmed in Pure White, SW7005

What do you think?  Isn’t it AMAZING what a coat of paint can do to completely transform a building?  While the trim was painted, I believe the owner decided to stay with the original roof color.  I think that was a good call, don’t you?  The shimmery gray looks great with the rich watery blue.  If it ain’t broke…

As great a transformation as this was, we weren’t through.  Several weeks later I received a call from Erik, the guy who had give Mike my name to begin with.  Erik say, “Hey Patsy, I need your help with the restaurant up at the lake.  When can you meet me?”  Huh?  Why was Erik calling me to help with Mike’s property that had just been painted?  As it turned out, Mike had decided he had enough on his plate without opening a new restaurant in Buford and had since sold the restaurant to Erik, who was looking for a new challenge.  So now we had come full circle and I was back to working with Erik.

When he and I later met at the restaurant, it was to begin work on the inside.  Here is how the restaurant looked “before”:

restaurant - before

Restaurant with Jaws – before

Isn’t this fun?  You gotta love Jaws greeting you as you pop through the front door, but Erik was ready for something else.  Shown below is the new look:

The new Coastal Breeze with a fresh look

Coastal Breeze done in Pantry Peach, SW3106 and Creamy, SW7012

Quite a difference, huh?  While I selected paint and stain colors, Erik’s wife did the decorating and his mom worked on window treatments.  It takes a village.  Plus, the carpenter, Brian, worked night and day on recreating the bar.  Here are the before & after shots of that area:

restaurant bar before renovation

Restaurant Bar – before

Coastal Breeze Bar

Coastal Breeze Bar

I think Brian did an outstanding job!  While he worked his magic on the redesign, I selected the bar stain — Bright Cherry, SW3109 and the color for the accent wall — Brandywine, SW7710.

This was such a fun project!  I want to thank Erik for letting me be a part of it as his Atlanta color consultant.  The new restaurant, Coastal Breeze Seafood Grill at 5390 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford, GA, is now open and ready to serve you!  Here’s a link to their website.  Erik treated me and my family to lunch a few months ago, so I can testify personally that the food is GREAT!  If you see Erik, tell him Patsy sent you and let him know what you think of the new look.

Exterior - Coastal Breeze Seafood Grill

Coastal Breeze Seafood Grill

Is Yours the “Pink House” on the Street?

Earlier this year I received a call from a new Atlanta homeowner who needed the help of a color consultant.  The remodeling was almost done, but he couldn’t decide on paint colors for both interior and exterior.  Here is what I found when I arrived that day:

pink stucco Atanta home

Salmon Exterior – before

While this “salmon” exterior works well with the unchanging elements of the home — primarily the roof and stone –  it was time for an update.  I mean, who wants their home to be known as “the pink one”?

As we began the color consultation, the homeowner informed me that he had already met with one designer who tried to steer him in a direction he didn’t want to take.  See below:

exterior colors the homeowner was not happy with

Exterior Palette #1

People often ask me, “Patsy, how do you go about selecting exterior paint colors?”  Here is the process:

  1. Take note of the “look and feel” of the subdivision or area.
  2. Notice the colors of the houses on either side.  The home I’m working on should not be a duplicate of either of those color palettes.
  3. Ask the homeowner what direction he/she would like to take.  In the end, it’s his home and he should be happy with paint color selections.
  4. Always work from the unchanging elements of the home.  You may have seen colors on a home down the street that look fabulous, but will those colors work with your brick, your stone and your roof?
  5. Finally, working from color palettes, look for the best blend of hues to marry the unchanging elements of the home.

While the sample colors painted on the windowsill and body in the photo above were not bad choices, they simply were not the direction the homeowner wanted to take.  (Refer to point #3 above.)  He was looking for something much warmer and more inviting.  So what did we select?  (Please notice I said “we.”  I am not there to “dictate” colors to my clients, but to guide them through the process and prevent them from making costly mistakes along the way.)

This Atlanta home has gone from Salmon to Blonde.

After – SW6128 “Blonde”

Isn’t this lovely?  Since the homeowner knew where he wanted to go all along, it was simply a matter of finding the right hue of “sunshine” for his home.  The body is Sherwin-Williams 6128 “Blonde” and the trim, SW6126 “Navajo White.” 

The moral of the story is this:  always listen to your client.  Determine the direction he wants to take, then gently guide him toward making the best choices.  If he’s headed in the wrong direction, explain why that’s not the way to go; but in the end, it’s his home.  He must be happy with the color selections.  In this case, the homeowner knew he didn’t want the dark, brownish gray body the first consultant tried to steer him toward, but was very pleased with the results of the “honey” hues.

Credit:  “Before” shots taken by Mallory Pearson, who was assisting me that day.  Thank you, Mallory!

If you are having trouble selecting paint colors for your home, either interior or exterior, call Patsy, your Atlanta color consultant, today!  770-843-2307

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors.  770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured

 

White Raisin Does the Trick!

I absolutely LOVE doing Atlanta color consultations.  It seems that during the fall and winter I do more interior work, while in the spring and summer there is more of a call for exterior consultations.  I’m sure this has to do with the weather.  Regardless, I have some beautiful before & after pics to share with you today.

Superior Pro Painting Company in Marietta uses me as their Atlanta color consultant when they have clients who can’t make a decision on color selections.  This happens quite frequently.  In May I consulted with their new clients, Eric & Amy.  While Amy had a very specific idea of the direction she wanted to take with her home, she was having a hard time finding the right hues to carry out her vision.  Here is the picture she used as her inspiration:

Exterior colors - yellow body, white trim, black shutters

Amy’s Inspiration Photo

Isn’t that beautiful?  While most of my clients have an “idea” of the direction they want to take, very few of them are as specific as Amy was that day.  Here is what her home looked like when I arrived for her color consultation:

before photo of two-story traditional home

Eric & Amy’s Home – before

What you can’t see in this photo are the various shades of white and yellow that Eric & Amy had painted on either side of their front door.  I have found that many homeowners spend a small fortune on “sample” cans of paint trying to find just the right hues before I arrive.  I pulled out my Sherwin-Williams fan decks and 8 1/2″ x 11″ sample sheets of colors and we went to work.  Here is the palette we decided on:

  • Body – White Raisin #7685
  • Trim – Dover White #6385
  • Accent – Tricorn Black #6258

And the final result?

Exterior done in White Raisin, Dover White & Tricorn Black

Eric & Amy’s Home – after

Isn’t that amazing???  I can’t get over how striking the yellow is set off by the black and white and how we were able to nail Amy’s vision.  I applaud her for having such a clear picture (in this case, literally) of where she wanted to take her home.  Then it became just a simple (?) matter of finding the right shades, tints and tones of the yellow, black and white. 

Thank you, Amy, for sending the before & after shots for me to share with my clients!  Job well done!

Another Exterior Paint Transformation

Several months ago I was contacted by a homeowner looking for an Atlanta color consultant.  (He actually found me on Twitter!  Another social media success story.)  He needed to have the exterior of his house painted but wasn’t sure which colors to go with.  In the photo below you can see that the original colors for both siding and trim were a creamy yellow:

50's ranch home before being updated with a fresh coat of paint.

“Before” Photo by Kate Staley

This well maintained 50′s ranch is as pretty as a picture, but needs a stronger tie-in between brick and paint colors.  The homeowner already knew he wanted to use some red in the mix.  As always, we were careful to work from the “unchanging elements” of the home — in this case the charcoal gray roof and brick — and came up with a color palette of grays using a deep blue/red as an accent.

This home has gone from a creamy yellow palette to grays.

“After” photo by Kate Staley

Here’s a tighter shot with a better view of the correlation between brick and the new color palette:

House with grays and red accents.

“After” photo by Kate Staley

And what did this frugal homeowner do with the aluminum screens when he didn’t want to spend big bucks paying for new windows?  He painted them, of course!  How resourceful!

I absolutely love the way the gray and red plays off of the tones in the brick. Having lots of 8 1/2 x 11″ color samples in my tool kit helps tremendously in selecting the right shade of red, gray, or whatever is in order for any given job.  A special word of thanks goes out to this gentleman for sending me the before and after shots of his home so that I could share the new look with you.

Are you about to paint your home, either interior or exterior, but have no idea which direction to take?  Professional help is available!  Call this Atlanta color consultant today to schedule your appointment.  770-843-2307  And remember out motto:  color never sleeps.

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors 770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.

Don’t Be Afraid Of a Colorful Front Door

A couple of months ago I got a call from homeowners in Alpharetta requesting an exterior color consultation.  They wanted a bit of a change to their current look, but weren’t sure which way to go.  When I arrived, here is what I saw:

Rustic Exterior - before

In the above photo you are seeing only a portion of the home.  It is lovely being quite large and rather rambling, positioned on a golf course.  Dave & Joanne were ready to warm up the color palette, but weren’t sure which hues to choose.  I told them the same thing I tell all my color clients, “We always work from the unchanging elements of the home — in this case the roof and stone.”  I got out my Sherwin-Williams color palettes and we went to work.

Being an Atlanta color consultant I always request that my clients email me before and after photos.  Most of them forget.  (Yes, I forgive you!)  In this case, Dave & Joanne were faithful to contact me several weeks later with the shots.  Here is the “after”:

After a color consultation, this Atlanta home was ready to be painted!

Rustic Atlanta Home - after

How do you like the new look?  We used Sherwin-Williams “Sand Castle” #3006 for the siding, “Tavern Taupe” #7508 for the trim and “Black Fox” #7020 for the window sashes.  And you’ve gotta love the warm, inviting front door!  We chose the color based on the deep orange tones in the stone and went with “Sierra Redwood” #7598.  Had it not been for the brightly colored front door, the change would’ve been very subtle; but Dave & Joanne were up for a little drama and I think the final results are fantastic!  They were great fun to work with and I’d like to thank them for their follow-up email with the before and after photos attached.  It’s always great to see the end result!

If you are about to paint the exterior of your home but are struggling with color selections, give me a call.  I will come to your home with color palettes, two large notebooks full of 8 1/2 x 11″ color samples, and a form to write up our selections for your painter.  Don’t have a painter?  I can help with that, too!

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.

Can’t Decide On Paint Colors? You’re Not Alone

Last weekend I met with the sweetest couple.  They had just purchased a new home and were looking to put their own stamp on it.  The problem?  They couldn’t make a decision on a color palette.  As I walked into the family room and glanced at the wall, I had to smile.  Here is what I saw:

colors painted on the wall of this family room.

Family Room

Please notice the seven different color samples painted on the wall.  As an Atlanta color consultant I see this sort of thing on a regular (almost daily) basis.   I asked, “Do you mind if I take a few photos and post a blog on your color samplings?”  The homeowner replied, “Oh, you’ll have lots of photo ops in this home.  Feel free!”  She was right.  I had hit the jackpot.  The family room was just the beginning.

color samples on sun porch wall

Sun Porch

I can’t tell you how often I go into homes and see an array of paint colors sampled on the walls.

color samples painted on the foyer walls

Foyer with Confused Doggie

Notice the poor little “cone-head” doggie.  He had an injury on his leg.  “Mom & dad” had to put him in a cone to prevent him from aggravating the wound.  I think even he is confused by all the colors on the walls.

dining room with color samples painted on walls

Dining Room

Here is what normally happens.  The homeowners decide to paint.  They hire a painter.  The painter hands them a fan deck and says, “Let me know when you’ve decided which colors you want to use.”  (The painters have learned NOT to get involved in helping their clients make color selections.  It is a tedious process than can eat up way too much of their time — plus, they don’t want to be held responsible.)  So the homeowners start pouring over the fan deck.  They see some things they “think” they like, then start buying samples of the colors to throw on the walls.  The more they put up, the more confused they become.  Finally, they throw up their hands and declare, “We don’t know what we are doing.  Where can we find an Atlanta color consultant?  We need professional help!”

master bedroom with color samples painted on wall

Master Bedroom

The main problem I’ve found is that people simply don’t know where to start in making their selections.  In this case, we began in the kitchen working from the existing flooring and tile which was not going to change.  From there, we methodically worked our way from room to room making sure we were creating a good flow of color.  When I go back to help with the decorating, I will take “after” photos and post them for you.

I want to thank these homeowners for letting me share photos of their home to make a point.  If you can’t decide which paint colors to use, call Patsy Overton Interiors BEFORE you spend a fortune on sample cans of paint.  A recent client said, “For what I spent on sample cans, I could’ve paid your fee!”  That’s the idea.

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.

Can the Right Paint Colors Sell a Home?

One thing I love about being an Atlanta color consultant is that you meet the nicest people!  Take Sam, for instance.color palettes for your home

Sam had purchased a house in his own subdivision from neighbors who had fallen on hard times financially.  The plan was to purchase the home at auction on the courthouse steps, freshen it, sell it, then share the gain with the former owners.  Wouldn’t we all like to have a neighbor like Sam!

I received a follow-up email from him a few weeks ago.  Here’s what he had to say:   “I’ve been meaning to send you a note and share the wonderful comments I had on the colors you selected for 9020 Etching Overlook in Ammersee Lakes.  The house sold 38 days after listing, even in this horrible market.  The commercial paint contractor whom I hired was totally complementary and said that ‘your decorator sold the house.’”

So what did this Atlanta decorator, home stager and color consultant do?  Decorate the home by bringing in lots of accessories to high-light all the great selling features?  No.  Stage the home by bringing in rental furniture to this vacant property?  No, again.  So, what did I do?  I simply performed a color consultation to neutralize the existing hues and high-light key areas of the home to make it more appealing to the masses.  Yes, you heard me — that was it.  I met Sam at the property, walked the home noting the large open spaces, closed off rooms and bedroom suites, and advised him what colors to use throughout the house.

I don’t have before and after photos of Sam’s home, so I’m going to share with you pictures of another home where the wall colors were neutralized in much the same way.  BTW, this staged home sold in two days!

living room before staging

Living Room - before

living room with updated colors

Living Room - after

dining room - before

Dining Room - before

dining room which has been staged and painted

Dining Room - after

I don’t know about the housing market in your area, but in Atlanta we are still experiencing a record number of foreclosures and have a saturated inventory.  So, can the right paint colors sell a home?  You be the judge.

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors.  770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.

“So many colors, so little time.

 

 

Is Your Home “In the Pink”?

In today’s Atlanta market it’s difficult to sell any home, but nearly impossible when the exterior paint color has a pinkish hue.

Several weeks ago I met with a new client in Duluth for an exterior color consultation.  Alina and her husband had been trying to sell their beautiful two-story home for a number of months.  While the home is in immaculate condition both inside and out, there was still a problem.  Take a look at the “before” photos below to see if you can determine what needed to be corrected:

Duluth home with a pinkish hue

Duluth Home - before

Duluth home before being repainted

Duluth Home - before

Yes, as lovely as the home was, the exterior paint color had a definite pinkish hue.  Alina knew this was something that needed to be corrected in order to sell the home.  So how did this color consultant work with the homeowner to determine which palette to go with?  Here are the steps we took:

  1. We drove the neighborhood to determine the right “look” and “feel” that would be appropriate.
  2. We took note of the homes on either side and across the street from this home, being careful not to duplicate their colors.
  3. I pointed out the unchanging elements of Alina’s home — namely the charcoal gray roof and stark white window sashes — which we had to work from.
  4. Knowing that the current trend is toward gray, we came up with the palette shown below.
Sherwin-Williams gray color palette for exterior

While Alina loved the new palette, she still lived in fear of the colors turning pink on her.  After several reassuring phone calls, she took a deep breath and had the house painted by Bill Siegel with CertaPro.  Shown below are the final results:

two-story home with new gray color palette

Duluth Home - after

Duluth home with Sherwin-Williams gray color palette

Duluth Home - after

Now the home is no longer “in the pink” and Alina is thrilled.  Here is what she had to say in a follow-up email:  “Patsy, it’s STUNNING!!!!  Pictures don’t do it justice. Just the look I envisioned. You are a genius. Thank you so much. Now I don’t want to move!!!!”

I want to thank Alina for her testimonial and for allowing me to share her story and photos with you.  As the home was painted only a few weeks ago, to my knowledge it is still on the market.  If you are looking for a beautiful, spacious home in Duluth, you might like to put this one on your list.  Here are the particulars:

  • 7040 Sweet Creek Road, Johns Creek, GA  30097
  • Sugar Mill Subdivision
  • 6 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 1 half bath
  • Contact:  Lynn & Mitch Wieskopf, Harry Norman Realtors at 770-418-0990 or mwieskopf@aol.com

Is your home “in the pink”?  If so, you need professional help!  Call today to schedule your color consultation with Patsy.

If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors770-843-2307  Accredited, Licensed, Insured.

Channeling Tobi Fairley

As an Atlanta color consultant, I’ve seen it all.  I’ve been in beautiful million dollar homes in some of the nicest subdivisions around, and I’ve worked in $80,000 condos.  All homes are unique and inspiring in their own way, but what I saw a couple of weeks ago truly knocked my socks off!

I had just returned from Little Rock, having spent three days training under Tobi Fairley, an outstanding designer with a national reputation who has frequent magazine spreads.  If you are not familiar with her work, here are a few photos to bring you up to speed:

cream colored sofa with hues of orange and blue

Tobi Fairley Designs

living room with hues of aqua and orange

Tobi Fairley Designs

bedroom with painted desk

Tobi Fairley Designs

As you can see, Tobi enjoys incorporating lots of color in her designs.  One of her signatures is painted furniture, which gives an incredible updated look to traditional pieces that, otherwise, would look like “grannyish.”  To see more of Tobi’s beautiful work, click here for her portfolio.

So what does Tobi Fairley have to do with my recent Atlanta color consultation?  Take a look at the photos below:

dining room with turquoise painted furniture

Ginger's Dining Room

Can you believe it?  As soon as I walked through the door my mouth dropped open and the words “Tobi Fairley” popped out.  Ginger Moore, my client, said, “I love Tobi Fairley’s designs and saw on your website that you had just been to her design camp.”  Wow!  Ginger has totally captured the Tobi Fairley look with the complimentary color scheme of orange and turquoise and the beautifully hand-painted furniture and ceramic lamps.  In addition, take note of the totally cool light fixture which Ginger crafted herself by combining two separate fixtures.  Go girl!!!  Also, notice the lighter hue of turquoise Ginger has used on the ceiling which beautifully gives the room its finishing touch.  Very nice!

Next, take a look below at her living room, which she has turned into a reading room for herself, her daughter and friends:

turquoise living room with orange painted fireplace

Ginger's Reading Room

Isn’t this adorable?  Once again you see the Tobi Fairley inspiration with the pairing of orange and turquoise.  When I mentioned the framed silhouettes of her children, she told me those were done years ago at Disney World.  That was very interesting, as this is also a look that Tobi has incorporated into her designs.  Maybe she made a recent trip to Disney World herself!  :)

And one last photo of a grouping in her family room:

Ginger Moore's design

Ginger's Family Room

Aren’t you impressed with Ginger’s designs?  I certainly was!  This was definitely one of those jobs where I walked through the door and asked, “Now what on earth am I doing here?”  As it turned out, Ginger wanted me to help her select a new color for her family room to better coordinate with the undertones of her sofa.  In that area she utilizes softer tones of aqua in a large area rug, accent pillows, and artwork.  With that in mind, here are the colors we selected:

believable buff, quietude, antique white

Ginger's Color Palette

She will use Believable Buff on three walls of her family room, Quietude on the two-story accent wall and as an accent color on her bookshelves, and Antique White on the brick fireplace.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you — Ginger also paints her own canvases!

I want to thank Ginger for allowing me to post these photos of her home so you could all enjoy her beautiful work.  Also, they are a great representation of how you can take a “look” from designers whose work inspires you (like Tobi Fairley) and make it your own.  Well done, Ginger!

If you need the help of an Atlanta color consultant, call Patsy at 770-843-2307.  Patsy does both interior and exterior consultations.

“So many colors, so little time.”


Serving the following cities: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Auburn, Buford, Canton, Conyers, Covington, Cumming, Dacula, Duluth, Dunwoody, Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Loganville, Marietta, Monroe, Norcross, Oakwood, Roswell, Snellville, Sugar Hill, Suwanee and Woodstock
Serving the following counties: Barrow, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Newton, Rockdale and Walton

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