Denver Magazine, Article: "fresh look"

"fresh look"

Denver Magazine

April 2009

Pg. 28-30

written by Dana R. Butler

photography by Jason Jung & Scott Hasson

When the owner of Vain Salon first contacted Katie Schroder of Atelier Interior Design about turning her space into something special, she said she wanted "a colorful, warm, Dr. Seuss" look. Still, when Schroder and her team suggested a very bold color palette, the salon owner was a little wary, but the owner was wild about the finished product. So wild, in fact, that when Revive Day Spa moved in to the other half of the building, the owners asked Schroder to work her magic in their space as well.
Photo 2: Schroder chose strong paint colors and stained the concrete floors. The front desk is made of metal, hand-ground to create the pattern seen here. The circles are of colored resin, and the desktop is espresso wood.
Photo 3: Schroder went with a selection of custom fabrics for the pendant lamps that hang over the reception desk and for the large drum lights seen throughout the space. The "Vain" sign and the color-blocked wall were done by Kerry Aufderheide of Blue Table Studio.
Photo 4: Drapes of white eyelet from Pollack add length and light to the mani/pedi room. The walls here combine a springy avocado color with floor-to-ceiling tufted white vinyl above the built-in pedi chairs. At right, a bamboo pattern painted directly on the wall was more cost effective for the project than a similar wallpaper. The floor lamp at left is from West Elm. The manicure table is a custom bentwood piece. The armchairs are from the Hammer Collection, upholstered with another Pollack fabric.
Photo 5: The Revive reception desk is fronted with tufted white vinyl for texture, and all the furniture in the greeting area is custom made. The wall behind the desk is another creation of Blue Table Studio. The faux wood panels are softened by the zen-inspired branch motif. The wall sconces are from Fine Art Lamps. Other walls are white to give the space crispness, and then Schroder added pops of avocado for color. The 20-foot ceiling soars overhead, and the Atelier team painted it chocolate brown to offset the height "” in addition to ordering lots of extra arm for the pendant lamps.
Issue: April 2009

How to Use Color?

In our opinion, fashion dictates much of that. We all know how fast fashion changes and of course, it is seasonal too. For home décor, a color palette needs to be timeless but inspirational. In general, we like a palette that has a good amount of highs and lows and we enjoy colors that have a high amount of saturation. What we mean by saturation is the intensity of the hue. A common mistake is wimping out and being very bland about the chosen hue. When the color lacks intensity, it tends to look very institutional and uninviting. Unless you have amazing architecture that can hold its own and does not require color to embellish it or you are a severe minimalist, the color does not need to be that strong. We do not subscribe to painting small rooms a light color. Embrace the coziness of an intimate space and surround yourself with warmth and color. Mirrors and lights are better way to make a small room feel bigger.

Fabric is another great way to bring in color. If there is a busy pattern picking out a color from the pattern can pull a whole scheme together. It is wonderful to spread the small nuances of color that is in a pattern throughout the room by using it with different materials. Let’s say you have a pillow that has a green base with a pink and orange paisley pattern, pick up the pinks and oranges with accessories and draperies and then use a strong base color for paint. With a strong color scheme, we suggest using a natural, neutral. For example, orange pairs beautifully with a warm gray and deep browns can settle down any palette. Black can be the answer to make a more serine palette pop and of course white is a fresh touch that can be a relief to the eye.