photography: Dennis Welch
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Find inspiration on your next walk in the woods. A green apple or the leaves of a fern can yield the perfect color for an upstairs hallway; the red of a tomato from your local farmers' market might look spectacular in your dining room—washed on the walls or draped over chairs as a slipcover, for instance.
"Poppies stop me in my tracks. When I saw the red poppies blooming in my garden I knew I had to try that same red on my living room walls. Reds are bold, and they energize any room. If you apply a red primer to the walls first, you'll be much happier with the final results. I ended up layering the walls of my living room with a coat of 'Shrimp' by Maine Cottage, followed by a glaze made of equal parts of the paint 'Tomato,' plain water, and water-based polyurethane. If you don't want to try the glazing yourself, 'Tricycle Red' by Benjamin Moore is a close alternative.”
Bring the feeling of fresh air inside. Consider painting an old wooden floor grass green or a ceiling sky blue. Wake up tired furniture with intense color. Paint an old wicker chair or flea market table the bold hue of an iris from your garden or a mango from the produce aisle. "The color of eggplant screams sophistication. I think it's because there’s such a range, from the pale purple at the stem to the shining black of the skin. For the area under our kitchen sink, I wanted a color that would make the cabinets recede so they didn't compete with the bright bowls and teapots on the open shelves. 'Deep Purple' from Maine Cottage is just right. Benjamin Moore's 'Tulsa Twilight' has all the same tones." | 
