Totally Transfixed on Tranquil Turquoise

As a designer I was thrilled to be issued a design challenge by Lisa at bigchill.com to reimagine my kitchen in a tranquil turquoise.  I'm no good at idea boards and my readers prefer real time changes so I endeavored to accept the challenge and actually make some brighter choices in my home.  I pick colors for clients all the time, but prefer textures and metals personally.

After having all my paint in the house custom mixed and focusing on saturated  neutral tones, I'm challenged to incorporate this color into my kitchen and breakfast room.  I will show the before and after pics.  I'm LOVING this color scheme and am happy that it blends so well with the other colors I have throughout.  

Having this much punch of color in these two rooms is refreshing to say the least!  I would love to have an appliance from big chill, with its throw back look and modern touches.  Plus each appliance can come in a myriad of colors!!!!

Yes I have blinged out chargers on my breakfast table 24/7 and 365.  A girl has to have her sparkle!

I changed out the placemats, pillows, drink ware and added a few little touches like my black flatware.  I have flatware in 4 colors.  Silver, gold, rose gold and black. I have so many placemats that I might need an intervention.  

I was able to continue my style theme "French Modern" by fleur di lis napkins and a modern acrylic napkin ring.  

Had to have a little fun as well.  I don't think design should be stuffy.  It's your home, add some whimsy or unexpected touches like these fur and iridescent metal pillows.  So cute!

On to the kitchen!  The heart of the house.  I chose a magnolia yellow to balance the deep chroma of my tranquil turquoise.  I have some beautiful cut glass chargers in golden yellow that were given to me by a friend that I dressed my island with.  I added yellow placemats (of course I had these already) and some fun cereal bowls in white, turquoise and yellow for a pop!  Keep scrolling and I will add my shopping list to the end of this post.

I am an artist as well as interior designer and I work with Swarovski crystals especially.  I knew that I was going to incorporate my kitchen art with this color scheme.  Here are two of my pieces...

They both have around 400 crystals each placed by hand by me.  

Needing a huge display of the color of the month I chose hydrangea to make my major impact on the room.  I have a set of matching metal tureens.  I spray painted one of those and a wrought iron metal candle holder the loudest turquoise I could find.  During this endeavor I ended up accidentally spray painting my hair that was blowing in the wind!  Thank goodness when I sprayed the large tray the yellow didn't end up in my hair too!  Now I have an hombre teal highlight.  No idea how to get this paint out of my hair!

My desk needed a major overhaul.  I swear this time I'm going to keep it straight!  Before...

I took everything off the shelves and wallpapered a teal and gold quatrefoil.  To it I added a great piece of art and a large French jug, and of course my silver Eiffel Tower.  I enjoy mixing metals all over my house.  I think it gives it a little bit of an edge to my design process.

I have a lot of interesting things on my desk. Eiffel Tower scissors, a gold daschund tape dispenser, a golden turtle and a blinged out kissy lips phone.  I can't help it!  I have to keep the priss going everyday.  My nickname isn't High Heel Holly for no reason.  

Well, if you have read this far let me know what you think!  What would be a color challenge for you?  

View my profile to see my other blogs and email me your decorating questions at hollyulmer@tx.rr.com

Shopping list:

Placemats - Target

Black Chargers - Tom Thumb (can you believe it?)

Cereal bowls - Target

Paris and London coffee mugs - Walmart 

White/Gold Lilly Pulitzer hurricanes 

Hydrangea - Hobby Lobby

Large woven tray - Target (sprayed yellow)

Metal Tureen - my personal inventory 

Wrought iron pagoda candle holder  - my personal inventory (sprayed turquoise)

Art over desk - Hobby Lobby 

Yellow florals - Hobby Lobby

Eiffel Tower - Trip to France

4 quatrefoil  pillows - Walmart

2 iridescent pillows - Tuesday Morning 

2 fur pillow covers - Hobby Lobby

Black flatware - Target

Goblets and water glasses - Walmart