A question about decorating a Master Bedroom with a gray

Q. I am decorating my new master bedroom. I want a room that is very sophisticated with clean lines, but still feels warm. I have dark furniture-black/brown wood, and I would love to incorporate a gray in the room either on the walls or accents.  I am looking for ideas on wall color, blankets and sheets, decor, rugs, etc.

A. My suggestion is to work with the gray as the wall color, and then bring in accent colors with the bedding, window treatments, rugs, etc.  Gray is the type of color that needs to work with everything in the space or it can feel a bit industrial.  When I created the grays in my color collection I made sure that they have a browner undertone so that they would work well with accent colors, and not come off looking too pink, blue or green.  For the walls I would recommend the MW-16 Rain Drop, and the trim and ceiling I would recommend MW-41 Glowing White.  For accent colors, I would consider bringing in eggplant purple and a rust tones as one option, or for a more serene type of feel bringing in blues and chocolate browns.  Also work with texture in the space, and consider bringing in vases or artwork that gives you small pops of color.  Sometimes less is more when bringing in accent colors! Good luck and Happy Painting and Decorating!

In these times, support the local paint stores!

Eagle Paint and Wallpaper, Englewood NJ

I am writing this blog because I found myself in awe when I went to a home center "box store" over the weekend and watched people purchasing paint.  I started to listen intently to what type of advice was being given to the "do-it-yourselfers" and I was a bit taken back.
   I will start off by saying that there will probably be some disappointed people that will be coming back complaining after they brought home their paint.  There was one women who caught my attention because it looked as though she was making a substantial investment in these products and she was trying to educate herself on how to apply this paint.  What struck me as odd was that she had sample boards that she was matching that she had painted herself.  (The one thing I can say in this industry that needs to be changed is the notion that you will always get an exact match when color sampling.  It is not always true, and I believe that this is a perfect example as to why it can be a bad idea.  That is for another blog entry...)
   I watched the employee take her painted board to put on the computer to read the color, and he did not even check the formulation.  Then the next question was, "Do you plan on doing one coat or two?" This is not a question that a seasoned professional in this industry should every ask! Her response was "I did not know I could do just one coat, but you would know better than I do".  Then he said "Well, you will use less paint with one coat, and since it is a lighter color, this paint should do the trick". The paint he tinted was a lesser quality gallon of paint-I will not mention brands because I do not want to offend anyone.   This woman probably thought she was getting a deal which is why she went to the box store in the first place, but now she will need more paint because there is no way it will ever cover in one coat, and in a year it will probably need to be repainted because that paint will never hold up on the wall.
    When the man took the gallon out of the shaker he did not even test the color.  He just handed it off and said "next in line...".
    This women spent her valuable time making this sample, and then trusted that it would come out exactly the same when switching brands.  Why would she not trust this? They are the professionals, right?
  Not only did she take the time to make a sample board to approve her color, but she also asked about the procedure as well as took the time to try the paint out before using it on her wall.  Now she does not know what color she got, and the product is not even the same as she tested out.
   I wanted to take her aside and send her to the local "town paint store", but the damage was done.  This is probably something that is happening every minute in this industry, and it is a shame.  People do not know what they are purchasing, and this is not like a shirt that will be worn a few times, and then sit in the closet.  It is a material that will be in their homes for years to come.  It is the overall appearance of the walls when you see your space every day.  I hope for her sake that the color matched, but something tells me that it did not, and she will end up repainting this space, wasting time and money, because of the careless procedure of the box store.  Not to mention that she will be back to purchase more paint for sure and probably end up spending more money.
    The moral of the story is this.  Shop local paint stores, and support small business. The type of service and products you get will be worth every penny, and the advice that you receive should be worth everything when your space looks fantastic in the end. Good luck and Happy painting!

Answers to your paint color questions...

Hello Everyone,
   I am always getting questions about paint and color, so I am starting to answer the questions in my blog for everyone to see.  If you have a question, send me an e-mail at mwcolordesign@gmail.com.  You can view all of the colors in the "Michelle Winick Color Collection" on my website http://www.michellewinickdesign.com/index.php/color-collection/color-collection/
Happy painting everyone!


     Q. I am looking for the perfect living room color that will fit my mood for all seasons. Our sofa is ivory white.  There is lots of light in the room and the trim, built-in bookshelf and the fireplace across from the sofa is white. We will be using a natural colored jute rug on the floor so our options are pretty endless.  Also fyi, the one color I would not like is a green.  Any suggestions for a soothing, livable color would be great! 


       A. You have so many options for this space because of the neutral tones that you have with the furnishings and the rug.  My suggestion is to bring in a paint color that compliments the spaces elements, and makes the neutral pieces stand out against the walls. I would recommend bringing in a blue-gray into the space.  This type of color will work great with the natural color of the jute rug.  It will pop against the white built in, and still work great with ivory sofa.  Since you are incorporating a white and an ivory, you need a color on the walls that will work with both.  Take a look at the MW-14 Ocean Rain for the walls, and the coordinating trim and ceiling color MW-41 Glowing White.  This is a combination that will give you timeless color, and will work on a winter day or a summer evening! Good luck and happy painting!

Paint colors can change your life!

 


A paint color in a room can change the way you feel every time you walk in that space. People are effected by the design all around them, and the color surrounding you will change your mood whether you realize it or not.  The way you feel physically and emotionally has much to do with the color. If you are happy in a room in your home, then it will make you feel better when you are there.  
   When I work with clients, I try to convey the message that your home should be your oasis.  Everyone will have an opinion of how they want your space to look, but YOU are the one that needs to love the space you have.  While we may all have things that we want to change about our home, we all deserve the right to love the space we live in.  We can all use paint in some capacity to change a space, and create a space that we can call "home".
  This is why I love what I do every day.  I get to bring something into peoples lives that can make them happier.  How many people can truly say that about their jobs?  In this economic climate, we are not all privileged enough to make costly improvements in our homes, but most of us can still afford paint.  You may be reading this article right now sitting on a sofa that you wish you could replace, or a kitchen that you want to rip out, and that will cost thousands of dollars.  We all sit and wonder, "What if I had the money to change this room in my house?".  The answer is that you can do that with just a few gallons of paint.
   In traveling throughout the East coast meeting paint dealers that are taking in my color collection, I have been able to get feedback from all different markets.  Some areas are considered to be areas where certain brands of paint dominate the shoppers that walk into a store.   They sell a great illusion with the pictures they put on their displays, or the advertising they do saying they are the best, but did they create something that is meant for a homeowner that is not a designer and does not have all the knowledge that they do about color?  The educated consumer is willing to look beyond brand name labels and see an innovative product that is not only selling a different kind of color appeal, but a brand that stands behind quality above anything else.  At its core, that is what the "Michelle Winick Color Collection" is all about.
  I was inspired to write this particular blog because I got a phone call from a person who listened to me speak passionately about paint and color a few months back.  This was a person who came to my seminar as a way of getting some information, and left with something invaluable.  He left with the opportunity to make his house his "home".  I explained to my crowd of about 25 people that day that I have not only created "paint colors" but something that has the power to change an environment.  I went into my seminar looking to educate the people that came to listen to me speak about color, and left with an experience that has changed the way I look at this palette of colors that I have created.  I have learned that this goes way beyond just a gallon of paint that someone puts on their walls.  It is a lifestyle, a feeling, a mood, an emotion that changes how one looks at their space.  The fact that a paint color can do that is remarkable.
   I urge everyone that is looking to repaint a room or a whole house to "think outside the box" and look at a palette of colors that has been created to make your space "color perfection".  A harmonious palette of luxury has been created for you, and only you.  YOU are the one who determines the feeling you want to come home to every day, and you now have the opportunity to do this will just a few gallons of paint.
   The "Michelle Winick Color Collection" is something that came from the need for usable, livable color in the paint industry. The collection has now developed an amazingly loyal following by the people that have experienced it in their homes.  I never thought when creating this palette that I would be told "if your color collection did not exist, I would be in therapy trying to put this entire house of colors together myself".  While we all know this is an exaggeration, we can all appreciate that our time is valuable, and when your get stuck in details of a project that become too hard to finalize, we could all use a coach in that field as a way to allow us to feel confident that we are not making a mistake.
   I leave this blog with this quote.  "There is no better feeling than loving your home, and paint can help you to achieve this goal.  Let your walls glisten, and your home sparkle."

Is Gray the New Beige?

   Gray at one time may have been considered to be cold or boring, but it is becoming the "go to" color in todays design trends.  Gray is officially the new beige...
    Gray is a color that is being incorporated into today's paint color trends in a very big way.  I am seeing clients request grays almost on a daily basis. Gray is a color though, if not chosen correctly for a space, can really fall apart when it gets on the walls.  Grays flip around more so than any colors, and it can have many different undertones in it.  I have seen grays look blue, green, or purple, to name a few. There are a couple of ways of avoiding this situation.  It is one of those colors that look so beautiful when done correctly, but can be a disaster if one of these undertones sneak through.
   When gray is viewed alone, is can look flat or dull.  In order to give it its flare, it must be paired with the right ceiling and trim color.  It is a must that a clean white is used with a gray on the ceiling and trim.  If you pair a gray with a warmer white that has a yellow undertone, it can turn the gray into a blue/violet.  If you pair the gray with a redder white, it can turn the gray into a greener gray. The gray and white combination is a classic, clean sophisticated look.
   When I formulated the colors in the "Michelle Winick Color Collection", I did quite a bit of research on the gray family.  I was mainly concerned with the tones of gray that people were bringing into their spaces.  I was seeing quite a bit of white carrara marble being brought in, and other marbles that had gray veins in them.  It became apparent when I saw 4 houses in one week putting all of the same white carrara marble in bathrooms, and that made me realize that this gray trend was here to stay.
  One of the ways I found the "perfect gray" was by studying these stones.  I wanted to see what tones I could pull from them to give me the most natural feeling gray.  What I came up with was MW-15 Morning Fog, MW-16 Rain Drop, and MW-21 Stone Mountain.  These 3 grays I considered to be my "gray perfection".  The key to these three grays was MW-41 Glowing White and MW-25 Crystal White.  Both clean whites that worked beautifully with these grays on ceiling and trim.  Putting these combinations of gray and white together is absolutely awesome.  I have seeing the spaces painted and they are magnificent.
   I also figured out a way to incorporate a beige tone (that will never go out of style) with the grays that coordinates beautifully.  MW-6 Fine Silk became the perfect transition neutral beige tone to the grays in my collection.
   Following these color trends has allowed for me to put out colors that you can trust.  These color combinations have been proven to work time and time again...
 

Paint is the least expensive way to decorate. Just don't go cheap on the paint!

When I go to a color consultation, the first thing that comes to mind is giving my client the best quality paint.  They are calling me into the job for my expertise right?
   It seems these days that people are always looking to save a buck, but are you actually saving money when you but a less expensive paint? The answer is no! Here are the things that people should consider before they start painting their home.
   One of the main reasons that people choose to paint over perhaps buying new furniture, or redesigning an entire space is because it is the least expensive way to decorate.  When you are having a painter come in your house you are going to pay for the labor regardless.  The difference between good paint and cheap chalky paint is only about $15 per gallon.  So if you are going to be using 30 gallons of paint that would be about $450 difference.  Over the average lifetime of a paint job (approx 6-7 years) thats a minimal amount of money. Would you spend more for a nicer quality piece of clothing that may only last you one year? Absolutely! So why go cheap on paint?
   One of the main reasons that I have been so comfortable with specifying the Muralo Ultra which is the paint used for the "Michelle Winick Color Collection" is because I know it is top quality paint.  It is one of the best selling points to the color collection.  The painters that I have introduced to it say that it is now their product of choice.  It covers great, and it looks amazing on the walls!
   You want your paint job to last for years to come.  When your children or pets touch the walls, you want to know that you have a durable paint on the walls.  The cheap paint does not hold up as well, and then in a year you need to repaint the entire wall.
  Colors also looks better when it is made in a higher quality paint.  You do not achieve the depth of color as nicely in a cheaper line of paint.  It tends to look hazy, which in turn makes the walls look not as clean.
  I constantly run into painters and homeowners that are trying to cut corners and go with the cheap stuff.  While it looks good at first, I promise that it will begin to show its age very quickly.
   The last piece of advice I have is for a homeowner who is getting a painting estimate.  Look into what kind of paint is being purchased if the contractor is including the paint in the price of the job. Even though they may say that they are using a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams for example, there are different lines within the brand that are not good quality.  They are contractor grade which are not made to withstand everyday traffic.  This is something that homeowners do not realize until its too late.
   Do your research and always know what you are getting before you begin painting your home...

What is the "Michelle Winick Color Collection"? Who is Michelle Winick?

Hello Everyone,
   I am new to blogging, so here it goes.  I am an interior designer and color consultant in the NJ/NYC area that has partnered up with the Muralo Paint Company to create the "Michelle Winick Color Collection".  This color collection available through various paint dealers in North Jersey. It premiered in Eagle Paint and Wallpaper in Englewood NJ, and is in Ricciardi Brothers in Paterson and Morristown NJ.  It is also available in the Ricciardi Brothers store in Parsippany and Harding NJ, but you will not see a display in the store at the moment.  You can also look at the colors on my website www.michellewinickdesign.com and click on the color collection tab.
   Before I go into what this is, I want to explain to you who I am, and why I have created this color collection.  I am an interior designer that was always looking for ways to make my clients lives easier when it comes to making decisions, especially when it comes to choosing color. My clients are smart, sophisticated people that are looking for practical and functional design.  They are also people that are coming to me because they may know exactly what they want, but do not know how to execute what they are looking for.  I have spent my time in consultations over the years not only looking at spaces, but listening.  I have walked into some of the most luxurious homes in Bergen County NJ, and I have seen just about everything. I have listened intently to what people have to say about color, and I have learned that people are looking for simplicity, and clean fresh color.  Generally speaking, my client is not someone that is looking to paint their kitchen hot pink or lime green.  They are looking for livable color, but also accents that make a statement.
   I have always been a designer that wants to make a statement with color, but in a subtle way.  I go for the wow factor, but I do not want the "wow, what were you thinking?".  I listen to what they want, because it is their home, not mine.  I do walk into every job and treat it as important as if it were my home, but I take into account that they are living there, not me (although some of those homes I wish I was living in : ).  I take lifestyle into consideration, as well as what may be existing in their home already to help guide me into what type of palette they will be wanting.
   A few months ago, I began the process into creating this color system.  I see it working every day in the field.  I wanted to be able to share my energy, and passion for paint color with people, and I knew the only way to do this was to create this palette of colors.  I am a firm believer in three things.  One: paint is the cheapest way to decorate, and it is the best bang for your buck.  Two: the ceiling should be considered the "fifth wall" in a space.  Three: Paint color can make or break a space.  The wrong color makes the whole design concept collapse.
   What has made this venture so interesting is creating this color system from the ground up.  I have created a system of colors that I know to be the "go to" colors that people are looking for.  I designed the color display rack that is in the paint dealers showrooms.   I micromanaged every single color to perfection.  I spent countless hours by the paint tinter tinting these colors to make each formulation for every color.  I created a fan deck, and cut the fan decks, and labeled the fan decks.  I wanted to truly know this color collection, and it became a part of me.  This may all sound a little crazy, but this is who I am.  I am a perfectionist, and I knew that the only way to make this color collection successful was to be involved in every detail and aspect of it.  Every swatch that is made (on display and in the fan decks) is hand crafted.  (That I must thank Mel for doing.  He is amazing for making these color cards, but that is top secret on how those are made!)  I know that the product and colors that I have put out are top quality, and that was the most important aspect of this.  Top quality paint, and top quality color.  Muralo Ultra Paint is one of the best paints on the market, and I am not kidding when I say that it is magical when it is on your walls.  The colors are well balanced, and then just melt into your environment.
   Many designers have told me that they have colors that they know work, and for good reason.  These colors match popular stones on the market, marbles, travertines, etc. to name a few.  They are also colors that allow for people to add decor into their home without the paint color dictating what they choose.  These colors make sense as livable color to put into a home, and have a sophisticated essence to them.  Simply put "these colors really work in an environment".
   I am not claiming to have reinvented the color wheel, I have just renovated it.  People walk into a paint store and are barraged by color swatches, and color samples, and they usually walk out of the paint store with something completely different from what they had hoped to find.  The color chips in my color collection are a generous size (9x12), and what makes them unique is that they are made with real paint!! This may not sound important, but believe me, it is.  Evaluating color is done best when you are looking at the real paint. The color cards that you get for free in the paint store are representations of the color (and are made with ink).  When you look at the real paint, you can see how the color reacts to the light, and see the true color.  There are also coordinating trim and ceiling colors that work with every color.
  As I go on with my posts on this blog, I will go into why this color collection will work for your home (I am not saying that you will find every color in this collection, but if you are looking for clean, fresh color, you will find it here).  I will also explain why using quality paint is an absolute must! Cheap paint will cost you more in the long run, believe me! I have seen even multi million dollar homes painted with cheap paint, and then need to be repainted a year later.  It isn't worth it.
  If you follow my blog, you will begin to see my passion for paint and color.  I love every phone call I get from a client after the paint job is done.  I have heard terms like "magical", "color perfection", and "simply beautiful" to name a few.  I live, eat and breathe color.  It is who I am, and what I do, and I want to share this with all of you.  Embrace the world of design and color, and allow my color collection to bring color and beauty to your home.