Sunday, November 22, 2020

2021 Color Of The Year

 

Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2021 featured on walls and furniture

With a large part of the country hunkered down in our homes, we've had a lot of time to look around and assess the places we spend a good majority of our lives and have discovered that they, as well as ourselves, may be in need of a little TLC. 

Sherwin Williams' Color of the Year for 2021, Urbane Bronze, is the perfectly saturated neutral that's cozy and sophisticated at the same time. It is an updated interpretation of a deep 'greige', a color palette that goes with beiges, browns, grays, tans and so much more...all the soft, comforting colors that we need right now.


Light and bright dining room

Here the color is used as an accent element on the chairs and doors. The lightness of the wall color needs grounding and Urbane Bronze does this beautifully by warming up this very comfortable dining room. Mismatched chairs keep it from feeling stuffy or formal without sacrificing elegance.




Sweet dreams are to be had in this peaceful bedroom


A bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary where we retreat each night to rejuvenate for the next day. Despite the dark color, the lightness of the flooring and bedding keep this gorgeous bedroom balanced. The deep wall color behind the bed anchors it, creating a cozy, peaceful space you may never want to leave


Browns, rusts and blues play together nicely


And before you think that you'll be limited by what you can pair with such a deep color, fear not, paint companies have provided examples to show you just how versatile Urbane Bronze really is. Their paint pros have done the work for you, so use their expertise to inspire your decorating goals.

Color forecast from Benjamin Moore shows similar hues to Sherwin Williams


Benjamin Moore is one of many companies that provide color trend forecasts, announce a color of the year and show consumers which of their offerings work best with those colors, making it easy to come up with a color scheme for your next project. Not surprisingly, the color selections from other companies often work well together, as is the case with Benjamin Moore's 2021 choice.

A kitchen you'll never want to leave

Benjamin Moore's Aegean Teal is a serene, relaxing hue that works very well with Sherwin Williams' Urbane Bronze. A blend of blue-green and gray, it's not too bold. Both colors provide the grounded, calming atmosphere we want in our interiors right now and are versatile enough to be dressed up or down, depending on your style.

Monochromatic but with lots of interest

A farmhouse casual family room gets a hint of color from accessories and a blush of Aegean Blue on upholstery trim. Most of the interest lies in the texturing of materials, from the natural plank window alcoves to the soft area rug.

A living space for the ages


Contemporary lines combine with cues from nature to achieve a timeless look in this relaxing living room. Aegean Blue plays a major role as the wall color, but the dark wood tones of the furniture echo Urbane Bronze.  The pop of color from the sofa gives a nod to Pantone's Color of the Year 2012, Tangerine Tango, reminding us of the impact and longevity good color choices can have in our homes.

A marriage of colors elevates this sleek living room


Whether you are drawn to the deep moody hue of Urbane Bronze, the tranquility of Aegean Blue or a combination of the two, 2021's color forecasts have us transforming our interiors into calm spaces we can enjoy for years to come.

Friday, November 13, 2020

The 1 Minute Commute

 





Even before the pandemic, the rise of the shed office was on the horizon. Convenient, multi- purpose and ready to use, these mini offices fit perfectly right into your own backyard. Working from home and want some privacy? Get a shed office. Need a place to decompress with yoga, art or music? A shed office fits the bill. If you have the space and a little money, one of these options may be the perfect solution to your home's space or privacy problems.


B&B Micro Manufacturing, based in Adams, Massachusetts designs, builds and manufactures tiny homes. It offers two backyard office models, The Brodie and The Richmond. Priced between $40,000-$60,000, they are customizable to fit your specific needs.

B&B Brodie Model


The Brodie is 8'6"W X 20' L  in approx. 170 square feet. It features two desks, a half bath and epoxy countertops, but can be customized. Insulated to handle a New England winter, it would work very well in other climates too.

Brodie Interior


The Richmond Model is 8'6"W X 14'L and 10'H in about 120 square feet. While it is smaller than its counterpart, it can comfortably fit two people.


Richmond Model


Richmond Interior

The Richmond includes built in storage and a kitchenette that includes a fridge, sink, microwave and storage. Both models can be shipped across the country and can even be built on a trailer for easy transportation.



Anchored Tiny Office

Anchored Tiny Homes is a Sacramento, CA company with over 30 years of construction experience. Family owned, they expanded to build tiny offices in April after the pandemic outbreak created a need for WFH spaces. Their Tiny Offices come in three sizes and with their affordable pricing and zero down financing, you can have a home office for as little as $199 a month. For entrepreneurs, that is far more affordable than leasing office space.

Anchored Tiny Office Interior

Each office comes with a keypad door lock, skylight and air conditioning, but plumbing can be added if needed. Each Tiny Office is certified as an RV, comes on wheels ready to go and costs approx. $40,000.



INshed Home Office

Elgin, IL based INshed didn't start making tiny offices until June, spurred by an explosion of demand since the covid-19 pandemic. Since then they have been busy expanding the customer options.

INshed interior

Each INshed features a desk, TV, shelving, ceiling fan and is four season insulated. Other finishes and features can be added.

INshed interior

Coming in at a sleek 96 square feet, they are built on a trailer for easy transportation and their size makes it fit more easily into a back yard. The best part is that the tiny offices cost between $10,000 and $15,000 and financing is available.


Allwood Getaway from Amazon


And look no further than Amazon, yes Amazon, for your Work From Home needs. They offer several options, including this one from Allwood. All are shipped directly to you and some require assembly upon arrival.


Allwood Estelle Model



Another offering from Allwood, the Estelle model, comes in at a very budget friendly $6395 on Amazon. It is a cabin kit, which requires assembly, and is not fitted with plumbing or air conditioning, but at that price point there's room to add your own personal touches to customize it to your needs.

As you can see, there is infinite potential in these tiny offices. Whether you need to give back some space in your home that you're currently using as a makeshift office or want a place to work that is distraction free, these little guys can pack a big punch of functionality at every price point.