December 1, 2011
Kathy Banak’s Interview on Brashenomics – If You Missed it, Listen Now!
Just a quick follow up to Kathy’s interview on Seattle radio’s Brashenomics. 
If you missed it, you can listen to the MP3 recording on our website, go HERE to our “Where’s Kathy” page and click on the word here at the end of the Radio Guest on Brashenomics announcement.
Listen to Kathy, the creator and founder of Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ discuss the mis-conceptions about hiring an interior designer and picking out paint color to create your Authentic Home.
Brashenomics, is a local radio program hosted by Ben Brashen covering Financial Planning, Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance, The Job Market, and other Business News in Seattle.
Need some help creating your Authentic Home? Contact us at 206.937.3070 or email us for more information on a color consultation or interior design appointment.
October 27, 2011
It’s Not Just A Can Of Paint! Part II – The Meaning of the Color Blue
Continued from last week’s blog post…It’s Not Just A Can Of Paint!
Meaning of the Color Blue
Blue is the overwhelming “favorite color” and is the coolest color – the color of the sky, ocean, sleep, twilight. A pure blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality. Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed. The color of sky and the ocean, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives.
Blue brings down blood pressure and slows respiration and heart rate. That’s why it’s considered calming, relaxing, and serene, and is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. Be careful, however: A pastel blue that looks pretty on the paint chip can come across as unpleasantly chilly when it’s on the walls and furnishings, especially in a room that receives little natural light. If you opt for a light blue as the primary color in a room, balance it with warm hues in the furnishings
and fabrics.
To encourage relaxation in the rooms where people gather family rooms, living rooms, large kitchens consider warmer blues, such as periwinkle, or bright blues, such as cerulean or turquoise. Blue is known to have a calming effect when used as the main color of a room. When going with blue go for softer shades of blue. Dark blue has the opposite effect. Dark blue evokes feels of sadness. So refrain from using darker blues in your main color scheme. Stay with the lighter shades of blue to give you and your loved ones a calm effect.
How the color blue affects us physically and mentally
* Calming and sedate
* Cooling
* Aids intuition
My goal in creating the Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ line is to bring awareness to your emotional connection with a particular color. 
By arranging the Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ colors into five mood palettes, Elegant, Serene, Playful, Fresh, Regal, you now have a starting paint to begin the selection process so to achieve your desired feeling for your home. I invite you to enjoy exploring the meaning and effects color can have on you and your life.
Contact us this month and get $100 OFF a color consultation or a $100 CREDIT against your 1st design invoice. Call 206.937.3070 or email us to make an appointment. HURRY! Offer expires Nov 30th 2011.
September 28, 2011
Ideas for Home Harvesting this Fall
Fall is all about harvesting, nesting and sharing time indoors with loved ones. It is also a time to prepare for all of the upcoming holiday home activities. Here are some new idea’s to get your home ready for the fall and impending holiday rush.
Room Flow – analyze the room flow from the entry of your home. Ensure that there are no bottlenecks or areas in which is cluttered with too much furniture or “stuff”. Rearrange furniture or eliminate some items to create a cohesive flow from room to room.
Area Rugs – if you have hardwood floors, add some new area rugs in the foyer, living room, kitchen or den. Select a geometric or more modern design and color palette than you are used to.
Focal Point – select a new paint color for a focal point in your room. Update the fireplace wall or art wall with a fresh new paint color.
Lighting – purchase a new lamp with a shade with light is facing down. Make sure that the size and style of the shade complements the style of the rest of your room. Use a soft white or pink light blub instead of a bright white blub to create instant warmth to any room.
Visit our website to contact Authentic Home and Kathy Banak to help with your decorating dilemma’s, or give us a call for a consultation quote and appointment. 206.937.3070
September 1, 2011
Finish and Accessory Trends
I have noticed a trend in home accessories, furniture and plumbing finishes over the past year and would like to share my thoughts with you.
Glass and metal candleholders are perfect accessories that are a great investment. Here are some glass and brass metal ones that I’ve seen recently and adore!
With the holiday season approaching, we like vases with metallic finishes, specifically the mercury glass-inspired designs. Why? For starters, they can be dressed up for formal presentations or dressed down to complement the more rustic finishes you’re seeing in medium high-end catalogs and retail stores right now.
While the variations are many, the hues poised to dominate in 2011 are warmer, more casual and more natural than the topcoats you’ve seen in recent years.
Rather than hide the species of wood under layers of paint and finish, a new crop of furnishings is favored because it honors wood grain and naturally occurring markings.
Why the transparency? For starters, consumers are more cautious about how they spend their hard-earned dollars. As a result, there’s been a swell of demand—across many product categories, including home furnishings—for what’s real and genuine.
There is an environment-friendly theme to these products, too, as many are made from reclaimed woods, discarded byproducts of the harvesting process, and renewable plant-based materials such as bamboo.
In fact, according to a 2010 survey of recent home furnishings purchasers (by World Market Center Las Vegas and the Sustainable Furnishings Council) half of respondents said they would be “definitely interested” or “very interested” in buying green home furnishings, if they liked the style of the product and it cost about the same as other options.
The warmer finishes trend is most evident in the contemporary and transitional furniture categories. Gone are dark espresso and wenge finishes that begged for only chrome and polished silver complements. Instead, wood tones are softer, more Mid-Century Modern in color and shape—think “Mad Men” meets today’s modern loft. In both the contemporary and transitional style categories, walnut veneers guide the trend.
Solid brass electroplated with chromium – more commonly referred to simply as chrome – became the standard for faucets in the 1930s and remains one of the most popular looks today. Sophisticated, tarnish-resistant and durable, chrome replaced nickel-plated brass as the faucet material of choice.
The menu of faucet choices now available includes a smorgasbord of silver-tone finishes, as well as gold, bronze, mixed metals and brushed and hammered options. Read on for a few tips on using the different finish styles:
Polished chrome is a classic finish that coordinates beautifully with a wide variety of fixture styles and types of décor. It works particularly well for evoking a nostalgic look, as in a 1920s- or other vintage-style bath, but also complements contemporary styles.
Shiny like chrome, Vibrant Polished Nickel can be used in most of the same styles of décor, and is a favorite of Portland, OR, designer Sandy Hayes of Hayes Designs. “Polished nickel is a really sophisticated look that goes well with elegant furniture,” she says. It works well with both traditional and contemporary styles, and can add an elegant touch to the bathroom.
Brushed nickel has a warm appearance that appeals to homeowners looking for a bit of softness in the bath. It looks classic against white and coordinates well with granite or slate countertops and backsplashes.
Matte finishes such as brushed nickel don’t show water spots or fingerprints as easily as some of the polished finishes and that’s why it is so popular!
The rich look of Vibrant French Gold can provide a dramatic contrast to brilliant white fixtures. It goes well with period styles and complements decorated sinks with gold accents. Gold fixtures can add a luxurious accent to your bathroom. Yes gold finishes are back!!
Vibrant Polished Brass provides an elegant note to traditional-style baths, and adds a rich feel to modern or transitional faucet models as well.
Chrome, bronze, nickel, gold or a combination of metals – how’s a homeowner to choose? Keep these things in mind when choosing a faucet finish:
Choose a finish that is appropriate for the style of your fixtures, whether they are traditional, contemporary or transitional.
Think about the big picture. Consider not just how the faucet finish will look against the color of your sink or tub, but also how it will look against the backsplash and the colors or patterns on your walls. This is especially important if you’ve chosen a faucet style that installs on the wall instead of to the sink.
Coordinate your faucet finish with lighting and accessories. If you’ve already chosen bronze lighting fixtures, for example, it’s a good idea to choose bronze faucets and towel racks.
Get what you want. Polished chrome is the most popular finish because of its ageless appeal and flexibility in coordinating with many different design styles—and also because it is least expensive. But if chrome isn’t your favorite finish, remember that the faucet is something you’ll be using every day. It’s better to opt for a look you’ll really love.
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