I love this concept from Benjamin Moore!  Affinity Palette Exclusive is a new  and original color palette to Benjamin Moore’s high performance Aura Paint! It consists of 144 versatile hues that all harmoniously go together.  So if you love one color and need two more to coordinate…….pick two more from the color deck and an instant color palette is created!

I was sceptical at first so I did thumb through the color deck and found that the concept really worked.  I think this a great tool for the ‘confused on a perfect palette’.  Benjamin Moore offers a wide selection of neutrals. Below is the neutral color, French Press, from the Affinity Collection.  This chocolate brown hue is striking offsetting the cream silk draperies.

The Scott Family used the grouped Affinity Colors in their Westfield Home and shared the project on their website.  Click on each color and view the room.  Job well done!  Good taste paired with The Affinity Collection makes for a beautiful home!

Weimeraner AF-155	Etruscan AF-355	Warmed Cognac AF-235	Dinner Party AF-300
Masada AF-220	Coastal Path AF-380	Tea Room AF-270	Atmospheric AF-500

Find Inspiration with144 Complementary Colors!

Check this out!  IdeaPaint is a paint that transforms any smooth surface into a dry-erase writing surface. This paint is perfect for the conference room, creative spaces, classrooms, home offices, kids rooms, playrooms… or any other spaces. Writing on walls?…..This time exceptable!

IdeaPaint comes in a variety of colors to make for a creative space.  This functional wall serves many purposes:

Surprising that IdeaPaint is also the most environmentally friendly dry-erase product on the market.  Good for IdeaPaint.  Dry -eraser boards or should I say walls gone wild! 

 Get your sample today! 

I am sure all of you have a favorite paint color and company you like to use.  The perfect shade and all the sample tries later need to be shared.

may vary from actual paint colors

I want to start off sharing my favorite color.  Palladian Blue from Benjamin Moore is my fav.  Currently the outside of my house is this color!  I have to admit, I was even scared when they put up the first coat, but nine years later I still love the decision.  The beauty of Palladian Blue is that it switches from blue to a soft green depending on the sunlight and person viewing the color.  I tell people, I am the blue house with yellow shutters and when they arrive, they tell me…….. “blue house, I see green”.

Blissfully Domestic  posted by Nester from Nesting Place discusses what their reader’s favorite paint colors are.  Here are some examples…….. Benjamin Moore (Aura) in Cotswold, Bonjour Beige ~ Home Depot (Glidden),  Lounge Green from SW, and Tobacco Road from Duron paints!  Visit to see the extended list shared by their readers.

Browse through 50 bold hues in action with Domino.  The above color featured is Regal Aquaglo in Confederate Red from benjaminmoore.com.

Regal matte paint in Waterfall from benjaminmoore.com offers a cheery laundry space!

Join me in sharing your favorite paint colors……don’t be shy!

 Attention all Moms!

Enter pictures of your baby nursery for your chance to win a $75 gift certificate from Pink Taffy Designs!  Inspire others with your great ideas and show off your work. 

Maybe you will win the prize!

Paint color seems to be a hard decision.  Sometimes, neutral seems too boring and you are thinking…. something with a little more color.  Try green! It is also a neutral.  Green is one of those colors that is easy to live with.  I find more and more customers are happy with a shade of green on their interior walls.  Males and females tend to adjust well with green inside.  I think because the color reflects the outside…… bringing nature into our homes.  

This Urban Country Kitchen and Dining Room pictured below is featured on an episode of Debbie Travis Painted-House. 

The unique checkerboard pattern with green paint gives a whimsical touch to the country kitchen.  The environment is warm and inviting.  I can just see Thanksgiving Dinner around the table! 

Osborne & Little uses cream walls to offset fabulous green panels accompanied by a brown sofa. Think about fabrics in shades of green, instead of painting your walls.  The combo of brown and green makes for an elegant and current room.  See other roomsets and inspiration to create ideas for your room palette.

  Green, a neutral, that provides color!

The election is only days away!  Americana comes to mind.  Red, white, and blue is a classic color combo that can feel warm and inviting to any room.  Designers Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren grabbed ahold of this idea from the start.  Not only do they make American inspired clothing, but they took it a step further into the home.

Pictured below is a beach house of Anna Spiro from Absolutely Beautiful Things shown on katiedid.  The clean white walls pop the red, white, and blue making for a fresh, cottage feel.

Coastal Living offers decorating tips on red, white, and blue.  Below shows a hanging flag which happens to be a hooked rug.  Thinking outside the box…I like that.

Go Vote!

Fun and festive area rugs that add to the season…..very ghoulish from Flor.  Modular flooring that lets you create a style all of your own.

Martha Stewart has put her stamp on a Flor Collection.  See her basic and classic spin on carpet tiles.  Martha thinks that decorating your floor is a very important part of decorating your home.  I could not agree more.

Above are a few of my favorites.  As an interior designer, mother of two messy boys, and owner of Abby, the family dog…… I love the practicality of floor tiles.  Spills and daily grime can easily be fixed by replacing only the soiled tiles, instead of the whole rug.

Read about Flor’s environmental efforts in keeping our planet clean.  Job well done Flor!

I am dedicating this post to my older sis, Laura Kroth, that just completed the Nike Marathon in San Francisco.  We are so proud of you.  An older sister that serves as my inspiration and no doubt someone to look up to.

I know this has nothing to do with interior design, but the message is worth the time.  The day started with a cool San Francisco morning and 20,000 runners all raising money for  Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($18M+).  I love the t-shirt that said “I might be slow, but I beat cancer”.  Can you believe they ran 26.2 miles?  Pictures of loved ones that passed away lined either side of the finish line as the runners hobbled their way in.  It was an experience that words can not express…you just had to be there.

I special thank you to Team In Training for their wonderful efforts for families facing cancer. 

Twenty Years of Saving Lives!

I will in San Francisco until the 23rd.  This will be my first visit, so if anyone has any great stops…..please email.  Thank you, Lesley Smith

Need affordable original artwork!  Ugallery.com provides art enthusiasts access to affordable original artwork while offering young trained artists a platform to launch their new careers.  The piece found above was painted by Ashley Barranger from Roane State Community College.  Rose Red is priced at an affordable $200.00.

This oil painting was done by Makana Hansen from Las Lomas High School. Can you believe high school?  Makana has taken seven pre-college classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and received numerous awards from his high school and the Academy of Art.  What a talent and his hard work shows!  Priced at $350.00.

Photography is another forum that Ugallery features.  Sarah Gross the photographer above explains,

She is well on her way to also becoming a professional photographer.  Beautiful photo!

Ugallery lets you use a virtual wall to place your artwork of choice into a perfectly simple virtual environment.  Select room size, wall color, and floor color and see the size of artwork in room before a purchase.  Helpful feature!