50 Shades of Blue

I recently finished two small projects that had only two things in common; they are both in the same home and both utilize the color blue as the main theme.
The first was a painted background for a massive bed in a guest bedroom.

The bed is very dark. And my client wanted to utilize the bedding that you see pictured. The walls were a beige with absolutely no personality, and not nearly strong enough to balance the visual weight of the bed. We were both reluctant to paint the room very dark, but needed something to balance the furniture.
I chose a color from Benjamin Moore’s new collection called “Color Stories”. “Sheer bliss” was indeed the perfect blue. I then designed a backdrop for the headboard to tie it all together. Painting was slow going given the texture on the existing walls. Here’s the backdrop completed.

Here’s another shot with the bed back in place.

Pretty sweet!

I had fun using the graphic elements found in the carved headboard to incorporate into my design.

And here is a close up of the corner post area.

The lovely monochromatic blue palette was perfect for the room.

The second project was the creation of a painted night sky that reflected the owner’ studies in the American Indian Hopi culture.

The interwoven red and gold border represent day into night and seemed to me to be a perfect choice to surround the night sky. Centered in the dazzling sapphire blue of the night sky is the image of the Hopi “Star Blower”.  He represents one of the petroglyphs, or rock carvings, honored by the Hopi.  Star Blower tells the story of the Hopi’s ancestors that had travelled through endless space before reaching earth. To emphasize the drama, I glued hundreds of Swarovski crystals to the design. I stopped counting after 900.

This ceiling design was painted in the loft area of the family room and can be appreciated from 25 feet below, or when listening to the mesmerizing sounds of the drum beneath it.

Two vastly different approaches to the same color. Might you have a favorite we could have some fun with?

I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news. Just got confirmation from lead designer Bobbie Sue Smart (Smart Design of Sandy Hook, CT) that I am going to be part of a renovation for the show Property Brothers!