Color, Pattern, Psychology, Emotion, and the Pandemic

The current American Painting Contractor has an article about how color choices in your home, clothing, and surroundings can affect mood. OK, we’ve known that for a long time. But here they’ve drawn parallels to the pandemic. Color in a work-from-home environment, feelings of uncertainty, comfort, optimism, ,,, well, I’ll let you read the article. (Much of it is right where that shiny spot is on the page.)

Coincidentally, this “freebie” magazine from a local realtor touched on the same points.
I’ll point out that pattern – as in, wallpaper! – also has an influence on mood and emotions.
I often say that I think I’m the only paperhanger in town who actually enjoys talking with clients about their pattern and color choices.
But it surprised me that consultations could touch on not just décor, but also mood and emotion and well-being.
For instance, I’m big on avoiding negativity. Like Facebook posts that disintegrate into name-calling and bullying.
But also … wallpaper patterns that cleverly disguise “edgy” themes like skulls or hunt scenes or orgies (trust me – they’re out there!)
Why not choose to surround yourself with something positive and uplifting, instead?!

Five Room Update – Kitchen Re-Do

Can you say ’80’s?! Dated and soiled, it really was time for this 30+ year old original paper to go.

Poor colors in this photo – the new paper is actually aqua and green a a bit of grey. One pattern was used for the walls, and another for the fir down / soffits.

A little better view of the true colors.

There is a pearlized or iridescent quality to this wallpaper.

Candice Olson’s line by York. Anything she touches, you can bet it will have a bit of shimmer and glimmer and glam.

Curlicues, caterpillars, or corn curls – this is a fun and active design, used just on the fir downs over the cabinets.

The Easy-Walls line in the Chesapeake collection by Brewster is a very nice pre-pasted paper, easy to install and easy to remove. It’s a very thin non-woven material, similar to another of my favorites, the Sure-Strip by York.

This shot, taken through the adjoining dining room, shows how beautifully the colors and patterns coordinate. Oh, and did I mention the beautiful new blue and green glass tile backsplash?!

The two-sister duo who selected patterns and colors for this League City (Houston) home did a superb job coordinating the two bedrooms, one bathroom, and the dining room and kitchen. The whole house has a very pulled together look, with a theme of gardens, light, fresh, and uplifting.

Notice Anything?

I’ve hung this wallpaper pattern before, and today I spent eight hours getting it onto the walls.

But it wasn’t until I was standing in just the right spot and while the light was hitting the paper in just the optimal way, that I noticed this.

Just left of dead center.

Personally, I find it beautiful and uplifting. In an Earth Mother, Garden of Eden sort of way.

But – shhhh! Don’t tell the homeowners. They have young children!

Cheery Blue & Pink for Shared Girls’ Bedroom

“Uplifting” and “cheerful” come to mind when you search for an adjective to describe this accent wall in a bedroom for two little girls in a beautifully renovated home in the Woodland Heights neighborhood of Houston.

Flowers, birds, pink, blue – a fanciful pattern and sweet color choice framing a view out of the window of a magnificent live oak tree.

The interior designer is Stacie Cokinos of Cokinos Design.

Wallpaper In Southern Living Magazine

I always love to see wallpaper featured in national magazines, so I’m thrilled that Southern Living has a spread honoring this beautiful wall treatment.

In the first photo, the fluffy dandelion seed heads seem a little busy to me, but they sure impart a fun and uplifting feeling to the walls of this breakfast room.

The second photo shows a muted tone-on-tone pattern that forms a soothing backdrop to a bedroom.

The last picture is back to fun – it’s faux chicken wire. Just what Joanna Gaines might order to top off her popular “modern farmhouse” look.

Lively Watercolor-y Koi Pond For A Flooded Powder Room

What a fun paper! I have a koi pond, so that makes me doubly crazy about this pattern!

I hung this lively pattern in a large powder room in a home in the Memorial area of Houston that had been flooded by Hurricane Harvey. It’s four months after the storm, and this is the first person whom I have seen who has had repairs finished and who has been able to move back into her home. (See the darker drywall at the bottom of the wall, in the top photo? That’s the new Greenrock that replaced the drywall that got damaged by water.)

The rest of the house is very traditional, with a lot of antiques. So going with bright color and a fanciful fish pattern was a bit of a leap. But you can get away with a lot of drama in a powder room, because you don’t spend a lot of time in there. And the homeowner was ready for something uplifting.

This pattern is by York, in their SureStrip line. I love both the manufacturer and this line of papers. It is a thin and pliable non-woven material, turns corners nicely, and will hug the wall tightly. It is nice to work with, and does not shrink when it dries, so no gaps at the seams. It is designed to strip off the wall easily and in one piece when it’s time to redecorate.