Color Calling

Latest

Latest find

If you follow this blog, you know how much I like chargers.

No, I don’t mean teenage daughters who want to go to Forever 21 with my credit card.

I am talking about the service plate kind of charger, as in dinnerware.

I just had to share my latest find, above, pictured with my Spode Christmas china.

Here it is:

I found this on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond (online).

Green-rimmed bone china chargers.

About 12 1/4″ in diameter.

$6.99 plus free shipping. Yes, $6.99. Whoo-hoo.

The best part of this, is, it looks good with my other china as well.

My Wedgwood Trentham (my grandmother’s china)

My Lenox Autumn

My everyday Basket by Villeroy and Boch

And it even looks nice with my set of Hunt Scene china (not sure of the pattern name) by Royal Doulton:

I just had to share my good luck in finding this great deal!

I think the quality is amazing for the price (there was a $24.99 sticker underneath the label).

Clearly, this is a very versatile piece of dinnerware.

You can check it out here. I received my charger plates within a week of ordering them!

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | December 11, 2012 | Categories: Christmas, entertaining, Residential styling | Tags: Basket china, chargers, Christmas china, service plates, Spode, Trentham, Wedgwood | Leave a comment

Sneak Peek: Independent Church Holiday Home Tour

If you are in the Birmingham, AL area, don’t miss this weekend’s home tour benefitting

the Fresh Air Fund of Independent Presbyterian Church, a very worthy cause.

This home belongs to one of my dearest friends.

She has the most gorgeous collection of antique English bone china

you have ever seen.

(The dining table looks straight out of Downton Abbey, with six gold-and-crystal Art Nouveau goblets per place setting!)

I had to dodge some photographers from “Southern Lady” magazine,

who were there photographing for their 2013 Christmas issue, but you’ll get the idea.

The decorations are the work of the fabulous Leah Hazzard,

another friend, and flower arranger extraordinaire .

All Images Color Calling

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | December 8, 2012 | Categories: Christmas, entertaining, entertaining ideas, Entry, Residential styling | 1 Comment

Is Green the Perfect Color?

Source: charmhomedesign.com via Melissa on Pinterest

With Green so often used in Christmas decorating

Source: tginteriors.blogspot.com via Lisa Farmer on Pinterest

and since Pantone just announced its 2013 Color of the Year

Source: pantone.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Let’s talk about the color green.
Here are the primary colors on a color wheel– red, blue and yellow:

Source: kmb-designs.com via tlm2 on Pinterest

The color green is sometimes called the fourth primary color.

This is not true, because primary colors can’t be made by mixing any other colors together.

Green is not a primary color because it is made by mixing blue and yellow.

However, I think this refers to its versatility in décor, as it is the one and only color

that has some shade of it which will go beautifully with every other color.

Source: Uploaded by user via iinviteall on Pinterest

Janice Lindsay refers to greens as “the chromatic peacekeepers, getting along with any color.”

Green is actually categorized as a secondary for color (as in paint, with the three primaries being red, blue and yellow),

but a primary for light (speaking in terms of wavelength, with red and blue being

the other two).

[credit: Janice Lindsay, All about Colour]

Source: outoforderdesign.com via Mich on Pinterest

When you think of nature, our Creator, the perfect colorist, gave every possible flower color an equally perfect leaf color!

Source: Uploaded by user via Betty & Gary on Pinterest

Source: finegardening.com via Mychelle on Pinterest

Source: thedphoto.com via Denita on Pinterest

When you draw greens from nature’s palette, the way colors are found naturally,

it is hard to go wrong!

Green, it really is the perfect color.

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | December 7, 2012 | Categories: Colors of Nature, Decorating trends, green, Residential styling | 1 Comment

Have you ever heard the advice, “If you want everyone to have a good time, crowd the table!”? Recently, a round dinner table set for 9 had to be turned quickly into seating for 11. The maître d’ did not think it could be done, but our host stayed with it. All eleven of us, at a 60″ round table! It was fun to be crowded. Conversation flowed. I can’t remember such laughter. Can you think of ways to crowd your table?

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | December 5, 2012 | Categories: entertaining, entertaining ideas, Residential styling | 3 Comments

Chinoiserie bedroom makeover for a young twenty-something

Design by Ellen Rhett

My young collegiate was anxious for an update to the room that had last been decorated when she was thirteen.

A college co-ed desires a sophisticated space to return to when she’s home.

Chic chinoiserie details pleased and surprised.

Pink dogwood linen fabric unifies the hot-pink wallpaper with the neutrals.

And repeats the Chinoiserie theme.

Existing strié wallpaper was kept.

Foo dog lamps add a youthful vibe and continue the Chinoiserie theme.

They also repeat the white in the dogwood fabric and bedding.

Remember, white is never a neutral in décor, even though it always is in fashion.

It must be repeated at least three times in a room.

White peonies, a favorite, are a natural in this room.

Design by Ellen Rhett

Custom padded headboard with expertly hand-applied nailheads (by my wonderful upholsterer)

Fun and funky and ultra-feminine light fixture, below, with plenty of sparkle and a dark finish.

Repeating the shape, movement, darkness, of the branches on the drapery and neckroll fabric.

Repeating the color of the lampshades as well.

And, a gorgeous on-trend sunburst accent mirror, handmade and all-wood.

Design by Ellen Rhett

Both sourced online for a song.

If I told you from where, you wouldn’t believe it anyway.

But, I know you, reader.

I know what you really want.

You want the before.

I’ll show you the before.

Get ready.

A little embarrassing so I’ll make this quick.

Here you are:

Before

And, one more time, the AFTER:

All Images Color Calling

Fabric Sources

Neckroll: Clark and Clark “Dogwood” (trade only)

Draperies: same as above.

Headboard fabric: Clark and Clark “Chinese Square” (trade only)

Bedspread, shams, comforter: Macy’s

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | December 3, 2012 | Categories: Chinoiserie, Decorating trends, lamps, Mirrors, Residential styling, using the color white | Tags: Chinoiserie, padded headboard | 6 Comments

Charger Plates

Here is a simple tip for making your holiday table look better.

Use a charger plate under your dinner plate. It gives a nice layered effect.

Sometimes called “service plates,” they are used to cradle the first course plates,

and are usually (though not always) removed for the entrée plate.

However, etiquette dictates that they are always removed from the table before the dessert course.

Here are some good looks for both casual and formal Christmas settings using chargers.

Source: google.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: barefootfloor.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: hyacinthforthesoul.blogspot.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: upnorthpreppy.blogspot.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source

Source: media-cache3.pinterest.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: betweennapsontheporch.net via Ellen on Pinterest

Posted by Ellen at Color Calling | November 30, 2012 | Categories: Christmas, Residential styling | Tags: charger plates, service plates | 4 Comments

Decorating for Christmas

I have a new go-to resource for my Christmas greenery.

The Curb Market, located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama.

Above is one of the large centerpieces, (there are two) which will go on my mantels,

after I gussy them up a bit with pine cones and holly sprigs.

And maybe some pomegranates and lady apples as well.

Here are my box garlands and wreaths.

The velvet bows came with the wreaths, and maybe need a little work before everything is hung.