BioI’m a designer, color consultant and blogger living in the Washington, DC area with my husband and three boys. I believe that God uses color everywhere everyday to inspire us, so my designs have an emphasis on color and lighting {light has an intrinsic effect on color}.
In addition to owning Porter House Designs, I also work with Sherwin-Williams and CertaPro Painters as a color consultant. I received my design training from the Sheffield School of Interior Design, I’ve studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and I have a degree in communications from Howard University.
Working with color correctly takes experience and a good eye, and I’ve been blessed to have acquired both over the years. I love helping people bring color into their lives. Be sure to visit my blog, Color Sizzle, for colorful design ideas!
Kelly's first post can be read below:
Make an Easy Change with Wallpaper
The design of your child’s room should rejuvenate, relax and inspire. That may sound like a tall order, but you can accomplish all of this with the skillful use of color and pattern.Where should you begin? Well, if you haven’t taken a look at wallpaper lately, today’s options deserve a second glance. Wallpaper not only provides instant all-in-one color and pattern, but it can become your inspiration for bedding, window treatments, lighting and fun accessories. These days, you can find “Easy Change” wallpaper – brands that are much easier to install and remove. York {www.yorkwall.com} has several lines of wallpaper that go on smoothly, require no booking time and won’t leave noticeable seams. Best of all, when it’s time for a change, you can remove it by pulling away each strip and it will come down in full pieces. Now, that’s golden! All images from York.
If wallpapering an entire room doesn’t fit into your budget or schedule, consider doing just the wall behind your child’s bed. This is a popular way to create an accent wall and/or a headboard, and it’s perfect for a smaller room where too much pattern could be overwhelming.Popular colors for kids and teens right now include: ocean blue, navy blue, vibrant pink, orange, lime green, brown and tan. If you select wallpaper that has warm colors – such as pink or orange -- add white furniture or shelves, which is a very hot trend right now. If you’re working with cool colors (like blue or green) throw in a splash of warmth using red, orange or brown accents.
If your child is older, get him or her involved in the design process. Look through wallpaper books together. Getting their input will result in a sense of ownership, which could motivate your child to keep a clean room! Older children also tend to be more consistent with their likes. Consequently, the tastes of younger children change quickly. Therefore, you may want to avoid wallpaper patterns that depict a cartoon or movie personality. Instead, emphasize fun colors. You can always include a favorite character in the form of smaller accessories or framed posters.
Designing your child’s room can create lifelong memories for them. So make it fun, colorful and aim for a space that they will look back on and smile.
Kelly Porter is the owner of Porter House Designs, a design and color consulting business in the Washington, DC area. In addition, she works with CertaPro Painters and Sherwin-Williams as a color consultant. Kelly’s work has appeared in The Washington Post, and she also publishes Color Sizzle {www.porterhousedesigns.com/colorsizzle}, a blog that focuses on color in design. She is married and has three sons.
