My White Monochromatic Room

Welcome, I am thrilled to have made it to my third Metamorphosis Monday! You experienced bloggers make it look effortless, but I realize how much skill goes into your posts, and give you maximum credit! Your amazing creative work has given me something to strive for!

I want to give a special thank you to our lovely hostess Susan, at Between Naps On The Porch. You can visit her site to view additional before and after transformations.

This was one of my first posts, and since I am a new blogger I thought most of you have not seen it. Please forgive me if I am wrong.

I am also holding my first GIVEAWAY, you can click HERE to enter!
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy your visit! Cathy

Before: I moved into a new home, and this is how the Family Room looked the day I signed the closing papers.

My home is colorful, but you might not realize it from looking at these photos. I have moved around a bit, which is an understatement. When I set up a new place, it can be challenging getting this room to flow gracefully into the adjoining spaces. I love this creamy white, because it is serene and bright even on grey winter days. I never tire of it, and it’s definitely the room people ask me about most often. Once someone told me my white room was famous, which gave me a good laugh! That was when I lived in Dubai which seems like a lifetime ago.

After: I am in the States now, and happy to be back home. I am a collector and enjoy finding unique objects. I search for that special something, even if it takes years to find. One of my favorite stores is a funky consignment shop called, The Treasure Mart, in Ann Arbor. I can easily spend half a day poking around, and rarely come home empty handed. I love places like this, because you never know what you will find. I don't have the inclination to rush around chasing after the latest fad. I like an updated look but, generally plan my purchases in a thoughtful manner.

Since, I am an Interior Designer people are often curious about my place. Sometimes new friends feel intimidated and don’t want me to see theirs. I never judge someone by their home, because design is fun, and not something that should create a barrier between people. On the other hand someone will always have a more expensive home then me. What I appreciate is when someone has done something clever which I can learn from. I enjoy the creative process, value and cherish my life, which I believe is a healthy attitude to live by.

To lay some ground work for those that might not know; monochromatic simply means you work within a single color range.
When done well, it creates a sophisticated, dynamic space with a big impact. They inherently have a unifying quality that runs through them, from the lightest tint to the darkest shade this holds true. Without getting too technical, color is the first thing you notice in a space, followed by shapes and textures. The principles of balance, scale and proportion are key to good design, but vital in a monochromatic one.

During winter we can camouflage a few giggly bits under a bulky sweater, but on a beach in a swimsuit there is no where to hide and flaws are magnified. This is what happens when dealing with monochromatic. In other color schemes you can be influenced or distracted by colors playing off each other, and you may not notice much except the colors, and miss any imperfections. This feature is absent in monochromatic, which also gives them their unifying quality.

If you look closely there are many hues present, but on first glance the room appears only white. There are gold’s and soft sage greens, and a full range of creamy whites. To make it work, mix it up a bit or it becomes bland and dull. By including a subtle variety of colors, it also gives your eye a place to rest. Bringing in interesting shapes and textures helps give it added appeal.

My room has a bit of a Roman Neoclassical feel, but I am not a strict purist in my own home. I added curved shapes like these scrolls in the table. This keeps it from being overly stiff and formal. A trick you can use for yourself is remembering, good design repeats itself, which creates a cohesiveness. Basically this is an easy way to get a pulled together look!

These floor candle holders are an example how I repeated the scrolls, mentioned above. The urns also have scrolls on their handles. The real trick is knowing when to stop, and say enough is enough. I believe one of my strengths as a designer is the ability to filter a room effectively. When you do this it creates a sophisticated, high end quality. A room with everything but the kitchen sink, can look stuffed and over done. From time to time I evaluate what is placed in a room, and change things around to freshen it up. It is good to be selective and filter what you have because, sometimes less truly is more.

I included this photo for a couple of reasons. One to show how bringing in a pop of color gives your eye a place to land. It is a soft sage green, so it flows and fits in the room. I also want to mention yes, it is artificial eucalyptus! The past few years there has been a backlash against using anything artificial in a home. In a perfect world, I would have fresh flowers daily, but instead, I opt for the best quality silk florals I can find, and then don't over use them.