Color Wheel and Color Importance>>>>

LESSON #2

Developing a skill in using colors begins with the study and understanding of colors and their relationship to one another on the color wheel! The color wheel is a device that enables us to study these relationships from a scientific point of view and adapt them to our human view!

PRIMARY COLORS - RED, YELLOW, AND BLUE

SECONDARY COLORS - ORANGE, VIOLET, AND GREEN

TERTIARY COLORS -RED-ORANGE, ORANGE-YELLOW, YELLOW-GREEN, GREEN-BLUE, VIOLET-RED

COLOR SCHEMES:

1. Monochromatic-The use of one single hue with varying values and intensities

2. Monotone- The use of a single hue with a single value

3. Analogous- The use of a few adjacent hues

4. Complimentary- The use of hues that are directly opposite from each other

5. Split-complimentary- The use of adjacent hues of the direct compliment

The proper balance of color and its properties plays a very important role. The use of color in a room is dependent on many factors; such as size and quantity of furniture in the room, but most importantly, the personal preferences, -the likes and dislikes- of the OCCUPANTS! Many people thrive on bright and vibrant colors, while others prefer softer tones....YOUR individual tastes will help guide you but never be afraid to "try on something new" once in a while!

Cheers, French;)

A lesson in design and style

First all colors are not solids! Many of the colors we use in our homes come from the various patterns on the fabrics, wallpapers, accessories, and even the flooring. The color schemes are not the only factors to consider when working with this balancing act! The patterns or design on them are also an integral part of your room's success. The skill of combining patterns takes a little practice and becomes easier if you follow these guidelines! It is not important whether or not you choose patterns, it is important HOW you use them!
BASIC PATTERN GROUPS:

1. LARGE FLORAL
This category consists of most large patterns, consisting of, printed cottons, wall murals,oriental rugs, large paintings.

2. GEOMETRICS
This category consists of most linear patterns such as stripes, checks, plaids, diagonals, chevrons, circles, lattices, etc......

3. MINIPRINTS
This category consists of the small scaled prints that are both floral and geometric. This difference is in their size. These consist of small dots, calicos, paisley etc...

4.SOLIDS
This category is perhaps the most important of all. The effect of a solid serves to accent or compliment it's companion fabrics. This consists of walls, floors, ceilings, upholstery, accessories, window treatments, etc...

Remember that patterns do NOT come from fabrics, or wallpapers alone! These might be paintings, brick work, flooring, architectural details, or even the views from the windows!

These are some notes I had from my recent Interior Design class....I learned so much in this class..things I had no idea about! I look at rooms from an entirely different perspective now... the juxtaposition of items, the art, the color, everything. Perhaps this might help some of those having trouble with their rooms!
Cheers
French;)

British Colonial History

Travelling chest and cases
Palms and plants

Chairs with caning..

The master bedroom has a tray ceiling~~~so called because it looked like an inverted tea tray. Tray ceilings are typical of Caribbean homes. This added height, and also helped accomodate ceiling fans which helped the air circulating. Bedside tables offer another opportunity to create tablescapes from prized objects...they are there to continually remind you of your adventures abroad but also support more personal things like family photos and night time reading. Most of the things listed here can be found in the book listed above..

Second....
British Colonial Furniture
Said by Karl Marx to be the greatest civilising force in history the British Empire held vast tracts of the earth, built up over a period of three centuries. At its peak the empire's dominion extended to all continents with about a quarter of the world's population and area under its control.By the Victorian era of the mid to late 19th century the imperial British had extended their empire around to more exotic parts of the world, from Singapore to East Africa, from India to the British West Indies. With them, they brought their language, their ideas on government, their peculiar customs, and of course their furniture and designs. The Victorian era was a rather formal time and the British, although they enjoyed traveling to the distant outposts of the Empire, were often loathe to forego the comforts of home. As a result they brought the solid and sturdy furniture designs of England and adapted them to the tropics. Along the way, they adapted Asian and African motifs into those traditional designs. This melange became British Colonial style and it is easily recognized by its sturdy, yet sometimes fanciful pieces, of teak and mahogany as well as its use of rattan, leather, and animal prints.Hardwoods, such as teak and mahogany, were particularly suited to the humid climates of the Empire. Unlike softer woods, like pine, that tended to warp in the tropical humidity, these woods stood up to the most extreme conditions and were readily available in most of the colonies. Often furniture was carved by native craftsmen using British designs, and you'll frequently find little flourishes of Asian, Caribbean, or African art, intermixed with the original carving. If one looks carefully at that mahogany four-postered bed, you'll notice, perhaps, a carved pineapple atop the posts.
This information can be found at Chisholm Gallery~~~Your lesson for the day!

HGTV and my home Shoot!

The entry piece they want to re-create
The day of the shoot..lights, camera, action... OMG!
Another entry shot....
They also wanted the fireplace...I love my hubby for building this for me and finishing it in very short notice due to the show! (phew)
The fireplace/family room shot!

Hey Lisa,We’re still on for the 14th! We’ll shoot from roughly 11am till about 5 or 6pm (including setup time). Our day will consist of some setup shots, the interview, and our live video conference, with the RMS couple and Angelo. As far as the questions for the interview, they should be no surprise, they’ll be focused on the piece in the entryway. We were also hoping to incorporate a few bites about the mantle over the fireplace. After seeing it on the video, we wanted to incorporate it as we’re building our mantle as well. I know that your project isn’t quite finished yet. Lastly I wanted to see if your husband was available for the shoot as well. I know it’s coming up quick! (That’s our production schedule for you!). I’ll shoot you over the questions by the end of the week.Best,xxxxxx



I have hesitated to say anything for several reasons but honestly think it's time to share one of the most awesome experiences of my LIFE!!

This has been one of the most scary, exciting, times of my life and I did not want to lose the opportunity so I went for it and threw caution to the wind, and faced fear HEAD ON!......It was TOTALLY worth it! I have no clue what we will look like or how we acted on the taping I was afraid to look and see myself looking stupid so I have no idea what they will keep and what they won't! (Yikes) The best part of all of this was receiving the email the day of my anniversary (April 21st) and how fitting that my husband read it first and then said "honey I have a present I think you will really like come and see it" He's so silly! But he sure took me off guard with that...I read the first email a thousand times thinking "is this for real" are you serious? my home? My first instinct was "no way" this is national TV..then my husband said "honey we have always worked really hard decorating our home why not be proud of OUR work and have it seen? He really is my "hero" and my rock! Hope you all enjoy the show and I hope we all tune in together and support one another! The producer asked that I not show his picture so this is the only one I could show, I respect his privacy and his wishes.....but want to thank him sincerely for making us feel so comfortable and making this so much easier than we ever anticipated!


Cheers~~~French and Kilt (aka Lisa and Gordon)

My crystal ball tells me it's time to take note~~~~

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

For me it's time for peace, searching, mending, and silence.......

French and Kilt's Home

Tribute to Mr. C and family~~

Lou Gherig's or ALS......something I have seen often in my nursing career but for whatever reason this particular case has touched my heart so deeply....so I am sharing some information for those interested please read....MR. C......YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME, YOU HAVE GIVEN ME STRENGTH IN YOUR TIME OF WEAKNESS, YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME COMPASSION, WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS ALREADY COMPASSIONATE, YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME COURAGE IN THE FACE OF DEATH, YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME PATIENCE WHEN I FEEL THE NEED TO RUSH, MOST OF ALL YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE, RESPECT AND WISDOM NOT TAUGHT IN BOOKS....YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THE KIND AND GENTLE SOUL YOU ARE AND FOR THIS I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.......

At the onset of ALS the symptoms may be so slight that they are frequently overlooked. With regard to the appearance of symptoms and the progression of the illness, the course of the disease may include the following:
muscle weakness in one or more of the following: hands, arms, legs or the muscles of speech, swallowing or breathing
twitching (fasciculation) and cramping of muscles, especially those in the hands and feet
impairment of the use of the arms and legs
"thick speech" and difficulty in projecting the voice
in more advanced stages, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing
The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied in different people. One person may experience tripping over carpet edges, another person may have trouble lifting and a third person's early symptom may be slurred speech. The rate at which ALS progresses can be quite variable from one person to another. Although the mean survival time with ALS is three to five years, many people live five, ten or more years. In a small number of people, ALS is known to remit or halt its progression, though there is no scientific understanding as to how and why this happens. Symptoms can begin in the muscles of speech, swallowing or in the hands, arms, legs or feet. Not all people with ALS experience the same symptoms or the same sequences or patterns of progression. But, progressive muscle weakness and paralysis are universally experienced.Muscle weakness is a hallmark initial sign in ALS, occurring in approximately 60% of patients. Early symptoms vary with each individual, but usually include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches and/or uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying.The hands and feet may be affected first, causing difficulty in lifting, walking or using the hands for the activities of daily living such as dressing, washing and buttoning clothes.As the weakening and paralysis continue to spread to the muscles of the trunk of the body the disease, eventually affects speech, swallowing, chewing and breathing. When the breathing muscles become affected, ultimately, the patient will need permanent ventilatory support in order to survive.Since ALS attacks only motor neurons, the sense of sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell are not affected. For many people, muscles of the eyes and bladder are generally not affected. Most people affected with this disease do not survive more than 5 years after being diagnosed........................................

Inspiration rooms

The view the view, eventually these are the shutters I want for my own room

Round Hill Villa..Ralph Lauren designed rooms~~most of you would know the movie "How Stella got her groove back" this is where it was filmed~~~

My bed....
Love this look in here...
Simple but Island look Island look #2

West Indies feel...

British Colonial style emphasizes elegance and adventure by combining traditional British style with exotic tropical elements. The use of bamboo, rattan and palms coupled with rich woods, woven textures, and earthy hues give these homes a comfortable yet sophisticated elegance. Something I am trying hard to achieve!

Hopefully our next vacation to Jamaica will bring home some treasured goodies to add more of this feel in my home!

Here are some of my inspiration rooms!!

Macro you say??

One of my fellow RMS"ers (Marti) discovered something about her camera she didn't know~~macro mode! The pictures were breathtaking! I kept thinking to myself surely this camera of mine has something similar so after pushing every button, (who wants to read the book right?) I finally discovered not only do I have macro but I finally figured out my flash too....that's another long boring story I won't get into today!! Here are a few of the sample pictures hope you enjoy!

French

Nursing vs RMS~not for the weak hearted!

The first sign that something is going wrong with a patient that isn't obvious to the naked eye...the first stage of a "bug" use good handwashing skills....second stage use gloves.....third stage where a mask....and when it gets really bad....pull out that gown too! Sort of reminds me of the RMS crowd and folks. There are those that come in and leave very quickly I will call those the "outpatients" and then there are those with minor illnesses that come in and stay overnight only, I will call those the "surgical patients" then there are those who are truly sick, the "sick ones" then of course the last and most unwanted the "critical care patients"..Working in a critical care setting has really sort of opened my eyes to the world in which we live..because in a critical care setting you see people at their worst, and sometimes there best. Unfortunately, it's usually the worst....Imagine a job where you regularly clean bodily fluids! Sounds like fun right? It's not but someone has to do it! I have been up to my eyeballs in crap, urine, blood, sputum, just to name a few, and all the while I have to remind myself that someone has to do it! Do I consider myself to have a strong stomach? No, au contraire~~these things bother me quite a bit but I know that should the day ever come that I need this sort of help I can only hope that someone will be there to help me! I have seen things that would make grown men fall to their knees and women crumble.....I have smelled things beyond disgusting, where no amount of Chanel No5 would hide! I have done things unimagineable to most and still I continue, and survive to talk about it despite being......over-worked, underpaid, and definitely not appreciated and thanked! Sort of seems parallel to the RMS world...you have the invisible ones who pop in and out leaving nasty "bug" but they don't last long! Then you get hit with, the "gloves" stage where you esentially prepare to battle but they too quickly leave and run because no host can be found..then comes the mask stage those are a little trickier...they hide very well but nonetheless eventally cower away with their tails between their legs...the most difficult of course is the "gowned" ones..they come in fully dressed prepared to battle and quite enjoy bothering the "host" they are difficult to get rid of because they tend to multiply very quickly and despite today's antibiotic's they are so much stronger and quickly learn to reproduce themselves! They are forever changing and multiplying, they want what they can't have and are quick to jump into another "host" for fear of being conquered...this often leaves the "host" feeling completely drained and more often than not, their already weakened body has no fight left it then gets really ugly...the only hope then is pulling out the big guns....the CRASH CART! Most people can be revived with a simple 300 joule shock, and then the right mix of medicines, help them keep up their fight...often these ones are lucky enough to survive and talk about it! But unfortunately there are those that despite, all the antibiotics, and all the medicine just have no fight left and despite the, medicine, despite the machines, despite the human care and touch, they decide they have had enough and it is their time to go, quietly and peacefully! I mean after all there comes a point in every one's life where they say enough is enough...should you ever feel that point coming on then remember to re-cap the ways to fight if YOU want to that is!



Remember the 5 points of "right"



1. Right patient



2. Right medicine



3. Right dose



4. Right time



5. Right route







RMS version



1. Right time



2. Right place



3. Right reason



4. Right choice



5. Right move

So before you enter the battle the best thing to do is to prepare yourself, come fully armed expecting the worst! That way you are prepared! Also know that there are antibiotics and machines there that will keep you alive if you so choose...Too many people focus on the negative, and I for one have been caught in that trap before...you get 56 great messages and 1 bad one and you can't help but focus on the "one" negative~~~so today is a new day I will focus only on the positive, and reap the knowledge of those advising, and teaching but to the "gowned" ones I say pfft find another "host" my immune system is rock solid once again!!
French

Hear No Evil-Speak No Evil-See No Evil

For the first time while shopping I decided to take my camera. Accessories I thought! Today is about accessories, then while at my first stop Pier 1, I seen this and couldn't help but laugh! I am sure the woman behind the counter thought I was insane as I stood there laughing! All I could imagine was how appropriate this would be for Gollum's site! Imagine RMS being a place where nobody could, hear, speak and see no evil! What a concept I thought! Isn't that in fact the idea behind the site and the show originally? Where people could go to get and ask for simple decorating advice without feeling belittled, resented and or envied? The idea is wonderful, get ideas, show ideas and share! The opportunity of course of anything on the web always offers the chance to also make friends, and many have done just that! You have everything from gardening to contemporary, to even the sharing of pets among friends! Does this bother me? No, because if I am not interested or just because someone is posting something that may not interest me, it's a simple click to move on by~~~so why is that so difficult for some? I have often posted for ideas and very specifically asked for it and have also posted to share something I was proud of~~and that doesn't mean I want advice. So the question is how do you post without getting unwanted advice? Simple.....you can't! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what may seem hideous to one may be beautiful to another, so then who is right and who is wrong? NOBODY! What a boring life it would be if we all had the exact same taste! Seriously wouldn't it be kind of creepy sort of like " The Stepford Wives" club? The funny thing is that being unique on RMS is actually well not usually accepted? Why I ask myself? I think it goes back to simple media pull and push! The Crate and Barrels and the Pier1's of the world sort of dictate what is "in" and what is "out"! Decorating much like music is something generally controlled and dictated by the area you live, the stores you have and the past influences on your life, oh and let's not forget money! People have been down right rude to those which have it and sometimes the opposite is true, people admire and relish in what is available to those which have it! BUT, the simple and most obvious truth to me at least is that regardless of cost, place, time etc... good design is good design! Good design incorporates, color, texture, stripes, solids, prints, and so many other elements. So what if I don't like the proverbial "roosters" that's my personal preference, but that is not to say I am unable to look at a space with those elements and not enjoy the design elements where they were used! Learning is all about seeing different elements of design and how they are incorporated into a space! It's about giving "helpful" suggestions without being hurtful, it's about learning to appreciate the hours of labor that went into a project regardless of whether or not it's your taste! There are thousands of designers and hundreds which will tell you perhaps they weren't chosen for a project, does that make them any less worthy? Not at all it's a simple personal choice! So before you make a comment, before you give advice, it's simple, be nice! Not hearing, or seeing or speaking evil would surely make RMS a nicer place for all to visit! French;)