indoors

INSPIRATION

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CORE COLOR

“I’m not comfortable with strong, dramatic statements or too much color,” Beth says. “For

me, brown is an easy-to-work-with neutral” She painted her family and breakfast rooms a

brown that teeters on caramel-beige yet sometimes looks gray. “It takes on a lot of variations

depending on the light and season,” says Beth, who had the store dilute the paint so it wasn’t

quite as dark as the color on the chip. Aqua accents are a refreshing counterpoint.

ACHIEVING BALANCE

For Beth, decorating is all about balance. She threw some curves into the mix of angular

furniture and prominent millwork by giving the family room,

above,

an oversize ottoman,

round coffee table, and drumlike rattan side table. “Round pieces help with the flow of a room

and make it look less imposing,” Beth says. She also mixes solid and open pieces; at the

breakfast table,

page 48,

slipcovered slipper chairs mix with ladderbacks.

46

NOVEMBER 2008 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS