MY TOP 10: Favourite Neutrals

   When choosing colours for your home, going a neutral colour on your walls can often be seen as “playing it safe”. Although I love a dramatic wall colour, going neutral can be just as striking. 

   Neutral walls act as a great backdrop for any decor, accent colours, and furnishings. For those of us who like to change out certain decor pieces when the seasons change, neutral walls are one of your best options. 

   
   With so many neutrals available, it's hard to find the right one. To narrow it down, here are 10 of my favourite Benjamin Moore neutrals. 

Bleeker Beige: Warm beige with a slight grey undertone. The grey tones the colour down creating a nice softness. 

Revere Pewter: Warm grey with a slight yellow undertone. The yellow keeps the light grey warm and makes it very versatile. 

Stone Hearth: Warm taupe with a nice balance of red, yellow, and grey undertones. 

Inukshuk: Warm taupe with a slight red and grey undertone. Slightly lighter than Stone Hearth. 

Muslin: Warm beige with a slight yellow undertone. A new take on the dreaded "builder beige". 

Dufferin Terrace: Warm taupe with a slight red and grey undertone. Works with any decorating style. 

Shaker Beige: Warm beige with a slight yellow undertone. Great in historical homes. 

Stone Harbour: Warm grey with equal amounts of red and yellow undertones. Very easy to pair different colours with.   

Silver Fox: Warm grey with a slight red undertone. Looks fantastic when paired with purples.   

Thunder: Warm grey with a slight yellow undertone. Works well in contemporary styled homes.  

Wall Colour: Silver Fox 2108-50 (using the Personal Colour Viewer)

What is your favourite neutral? Do you have any of my top 10's in your home?

Dreaming of Cottage

   It's well into summer and after that last heat wave (which now seems like ages ago), all I can think about is spending some time at the lake. Although I'm not at that point in my life where I can afford a cottage of my own, that doesn't stop me from dreaming up what I want it to look like one day. 

   
   First up, the walls! What's a cottage without white panelled walls? It's the perfect shade to keep the interior bright and inviting, and it works perfectly with all the mismatched furniture and decor. My favourite “cottage walls white” is White Dove by Benjamin Moore. It's a soft white with a slight yellow undertone. It still appears clean and crisp, but with a warm glow. 

   To keep the cottage fun and playful, the accent colours will be shades of blue, teal, and grey. I'm a huge fan of bringing colours found in nature indoors, so I want to use colours that compliment the lake.

   The furniture will mostly consist of refurbished garage sale finds and hand me downs collected over the years. I love the laid-back feeling that mismatched furniture gives off. To me, cottages are a place to relax and de-stress, so not having to worry about water marks on the furniture or scuffs and scratches is a must! 
   Distressed wood is a must have as well. Whether it's the coffee table or the floors, there will be distressed wood in my cottage. It keeps the cottage feeling warm, even among all the cooler accents. 

Cottage Do's:

• Natural Linens- to give texture and keep with the care-free feeling. 

• Thick Stripes- pillows, throws, curtains, etc.

• Stone Fireplace- who doesn't love a stone fireplace. It's striking and screams cottage.

• Solar Shades- They filter out harsh sunlight and help the cottage stay cool while still allowing a good view of outside. 

• Nautical Accessories and Artwork- Lighthouse figurines, driftwood, coloured glass, you name it. 

                   My acrylic painting of a seagull will sure to be an addition one day.

   While on the Style at Home website, I came across this gorgeous cottage dining room. I love the contrast between rustic and contemporary by pairing the distressed farmhouse table with the metal aqua chairs. The mixture of colours and textures create a fresh look that I would like in my cottage one day.  

      

For more pictures of this beautiful rustic contemporary cottage, click here.

   

   Now that you've got a glimpse of what my dream cottage would look like, what does/would your cottage look like? What are your cottage must haves?