Jewel Box Cafe’ – a Paint Color Palette

Choosing Paint Colors & Lighting – Seattle – rain or shine!
Melanie and Tom’s 1942 bungalow, sits small and proud on a lovely street in the Ravenna district of Seattle. Recently purchased, it is a part of a row of three similar homes built by the same architect in the early 1940s: the house retains its original sentiment – having only five, small, yet well-proportioned rooms. There are key elements remaining in tact from this house’s ‘glory days’, so bringing it “back” was definitely the right decision. In developing Melanie and Tom’s color palette, we went room by room: incorporating their ideas into something we trusted would work. On the agenda as well was locating the right small scale, antique lighting. We were after fixtures to partner with the wall colors – as well as considering the architectural style and period. The result – a color and lighting layout exuding warmth and intimacy: while t still retaining that historical flair.

Kitchen Banquette / Dining Table – Melanie and Tom were big fans of the color “Rainwater”, a lovely silver-green tone for their walls in the kitchen, having the perfect mix of blue/green and silver/gray, which also served as a neutral. They wanted this room to feel like a French bistro, and in our search for the antique lighting fixture to illuminate the banquette space, we found this lovely, petite, art deco chandelier to hang above the head and adorn the table.
Walls, Trim, and Cabinets – “Rainwater” MSL120, “Roman Column” SW7562,
Bead Board Banquette -“Charcoal Slate” (BM) RME-86.
Ceiling – “Ivory Lace” SW7013
Antique Art Deco Petite Chandelier – Rejuvenation “Old Stuff” Polished chrome, bronze gilt, and custard glass, ribbed shades. The morning light filtering through the sheer curtains – soft and natural

The Kitchen Niche helps to unify the overall color plan by bringing the “Roxbury Caramel” from the next room, the living room, into the kitchen to create a color link. Legras Art Nouveau Landscape, Vase Niche Bird Mural, B & W Vintage Photo – Julia Child kneading bread in her bra at the kitchen window.

Living Room – The front door opens directly into the living room facing the red brick fireplace on the opposite wall. Note: the house next door, the original builder’s own home, has a deluxe hearth using Batchelder Craftsman tiles, popular in-the-day for those who could afford it, rather than this more utilitarian red brick. The “Roxbury Caramel” wall marries into a relationship with the deep fireplace red, as do the many deep red accents throughout the room’s furnishings.

Walls – “Roxbury Caramel” HC-42 (BM),
Trim – “Roman Column” SW7562,
Ceiling – “Ivory Lace” SW7562.
Den Detail – Art Deco Table Lamp, Edward Hopper, “Room in New York,” 1932 Den – Melanie and Tom’s office reflects their love for everything-Paris. The art work in the room initiated my developing the perfect red tone, a fire element in the house not to be ignored. One accent wall – “Currant Red”, (BM) RME-25, Satin Lacquer Finish (may need color adjustment), Three surrounding walls – “Sands of Time” SW6101, Window Blinds – Hunter Douglas simple roller shades for all windows with a grass matt texture, coated in acrylic, to seal the moisture out and prevent mold in rainy Seattle! Ceiling Lighting Fixture – Rejuvenation “Bradley” A5063, burnished antique Shade B8742 satin etch glass
Bathroom The only bathroom in the house is located in the hub of this layout, a wheel of rooms. The original 1942 porcelain coated cast iron claw foot bathtub, is installed indelibly in its place like a throne. The pedestal sink is made of the same industrial age materials, with bulbous polished chrome and porcelain capped faucets. Lower Wall – “Rhinestone” SW7656 Upper Wall – “Silverpointe” SW7653, Trim – “Roman Column” SW7562, Ceiling – “Ivory Lace” SW7562. Bathroom Lighting Fixture – Rejuvenation “Atlantic” #A5960 Shade – #B8260
Three Surrounding Walls – “Porcelain” BM2113-60 Bedroom South Accent Wall – for behind the art deco dressing room doors – Modern Masters ME200-06 Paint Color and Lighting consultation, interior design, light fixture closet, decor, Belltown Design, Seattle, WA Bedroom Closet Lighting Fixture – We found this little polychrome jewel for Melanie’s closet at Rejuvenation “Old Stuff”. An antique lighting fixture from the 30’s, known to be hidden with a pull string her closet ceiling, like lovely lingerie hidden beneath her dress
Bedroom Feature Two swanky art deco dressing room doors flank the south wall at the foot of the bed. Salvaged from the old downtown Seattle Frederick and Nelson building, they reflect Melanie and Tom’s talent for scouting out and scooping up fabulous things! Here, we factored in anaccent wall of metallic pale gold to stand behind these two treasures!

Kitchen, early evening – In the kitchen, the cabinets are simple northwestern fir in Shaker style. The hardware is worn, the original brushed nickel bin pulls, knobs and butterfly hinges in warm and cloudy tones. There are so many layers of paint on these cabinets that I would, with only a moment’s notice, rush over to examine and scrape away color layers and eras, and learn more about historical paints. The farmhouse style apron sink is original to the house, and is one of those intact, key elements. The wall and cabinet colors begin to warm up as the day nears an end, and a 40 watt incandescent bulb illuminates the sink to prepare dinner by. Schoolhouse Style Lighting Fixture – Rejuvenation Lombard #A2222, Shade #B2104 Opalescent 10” schoolhouse shade

Sherwin Williams – The New Home Decorator Catalog Cover, 1934 – An inspiration brought to life with a modern twist! .

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