What do you do when you have a blank slate? With nothing to go off but the knowledge your grandma enjoys yellow and blue kitchens? It’s something I’ve been pondering as I try to fix up her country home. More than anything I think it needs to be a cozy country home design. And I think I’ve nailed it.
It’s exciting when the vision just starts coming together. Not having a piece to inspire the design was tough but I’ll tell you what I did. I started with paint. I have to paint before I bring in furniture, decor, window treatments. It made sense to me as I’m repairing and prepping the walls to go ahead and start choosing the color(s).
I chose to go with Clare paint because I want to support a black owned business. It’s smart and helpful the way they chose to create a collection of failsafe colors. Instead of what’s been done before, having a gradient of every color, hue, undertone imaginable.
While I’m awaiting the paint swatches to arrive in the mail, I’ve gone ahead and chosen favorites for the design board.
Snow Day is a cool white with just a touch of warmth. It looks fresh and clean and I think it’ll help to brighten the whole house up.
Looking for a yellow, I gravitated towards Lemonade. A midtone yellow with an undertone that tones it down and makes it look more sophisticated.
And then there was Wing It. It’s interesting how this color became part of the color story. After deciding I was using these cabinet knobs, I wanted to match the copper finish with the lighting. That warm was exactly what this design needed. And Wing It compliments that copper color perfectly.
Non upholstered furniture will likely be wood but I do really enjoy a painted piece here and there. For that I plan to use Velvet Finishes because I know and enjoy their system and formula. Gilded, Exotic and Nostalgic became my choices. They go well with the wall paint colors.
The softest of the colors is Nostalgic. A barely there cool blush adds that touch of pink that I am personally a fan of. It’s feminine and a bit romantic and I think that was missing from the feel of this design.
Exotic is a brilliant coral with a hint of pastel. It’s undertone melts seamlessly into the other colors with still being a fun pop. It ups the whimsy and I think every home needs a little bit of that.
The yellow I needed: Gilded. I don’t actually know yet where any of these colors are going to go but I know gilded is the yellow that I’ll use. Not neon and bright, not soft and pastel. It’s sophisticated and golden with the undertone that coordinates with the others.
Imagining how the home is going to be used and how it ideally could be used is key for envisioning what should go into the home. Slower living, a cup of tea in solitude, an afternoon in the garden, a social cooking experience, a nap on the sofa, a gathering of family. All of those things influence what furniture, what textiles, and even what colors would be best.
To accomodate extra guests, I selected a sleeper sofa. The blue fabric and english rolled arms suits the room in a few different ways. The low profile is needed to disguise the very low ceilings – less than 7 feet! The rolled arms are softer and take up less space. The legs visually add space and lightness. So it doesn’t feel like such a heavy piece.
About those very low ceiling, they come with a small footprint. Utilizing vertical space without being overbearing is key. For a cozy country home design, there’s a few options. Tall cabinets with either full glass doors or just top doors. Open shelving also works. Or a variety of hanging storage. I plan to utilize them all.
Many, many practical changes need to be made. It’s over 100 years old with minimal upgrades. Double layered window treatments help insulate. Lightweight, water resistant flooring resists moisture damage and structural stress. Wall lights that either plug in or use battery operated bulbs help illuminate. Replacing hinges and knobs function better than old painted over and broken ones.
That’s my favorite thing about design. It’s not just making something aesthetically pleasing. Little details down to hinges make a true difference in the day to day. I can’t wait to see this cozy country home design come to life. I better get working on it again very soon.
