When the owner of this software company approached me for a color consultation, he stated clearly his desire for a modern look. We played with three colors to spark interest in the long hallways, create the finish in different spaces, and break the monotony of an office space. Using color to accent the walls added variety while simultaneously relating the functionality and purpose of the area. The blue gray by Allen Cannon’s full spectrum colors elevated the mundane functional institutional spaces such as the fax/copy area and water fountain into a classic look.

On a private estate, a performing arts center got a face-lift with color and was then dedicated to the late conductor of the Auburn symphony; who conducted the orchestra and choirs for a private community for 20 years. The warm yellow connects to the larger estate’s Mediterranean feel. Inside the building, we chose three kinds of cream that highlight the dark warm woods and allowed a neutral backdrop for the variety of performances that took place at this arts center. Originally, this space had a strong craftsman look with the sky-light window frames, dark wood, and a wide band over the soffits in dark mahogany. I like natural materials and usually prefer to incorporate them into the general look of a building. However, in this particular case, though painful, I choice to paint these accents white to visual lift the ceiling of the room, creating the sense of open light. Occasionally we must sacrifice a small aspect of beauty to create a more coherent, open, light, and beautiful look for the overall atmosphere of the whole building.

A private estate with a small concert hall needed a fresh look. Two full spectrum creams from Ellen Kannon were chosen for the ceiling of the stage and the rest of the hall.

What a beautiful setting for a tasting room! Just as a bottle of wine contains the flavors of the earth and sun, these colors reflect the native red-earth clay color with the complimentary blue-green of sky and water.

This Internet café lined with small oriental rugs from Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Kazakhstan is both inviting and welcoming. The burnt orange leather couch and olive green tablecloth harmonize with the oriental tribal look.