m a k in g c o lo r
d e c is io n s
Benjamin Moore
1299
-Crimson
C
2
Paint
410
-Shiitake
“ I wanted there to be a
surprise,” says color
consultant Philippa Radon
about the terra-cotta-
painted ceiling she
suggested for the
Corshen-Klubecks’ living
room,
le ft.
The earthy
colors are inspired by
hues traditional to
Spanish-style homes such
as the family’s,
b e lo w .
was never easy for Nancy Corshen and her husband,
Rich Klubeck. Like many people, they worried about
making a mistake on their walls and defaulted to
neutrals. “We have always been very cautious about
color,” Nancy says. “We’re just not confident.”
But when the family moved into this Spanish-style
house in California, they decided to liven things up.
With three children, frequent dinner guests, and
pets who spill in and out of the home, the couple
wanted walls that speak both to their grown-up
style and a family that’s still growing up. They
turned to designer Sasha Emerson and color
consultant Philippa Radon to help them conquer
their color phobia.
When Radon reviewed photos of the family’s
former home, she noticed that, while there was an
absence of color on the walls, their furniture told a
different story. Radon took color cues from the sage
green sofa in the living room, red patio set, and light
blue-and-cream striped sofa in the family room. “I
pushed Nancy and Rich to make bold choices with
wall color,” Radon says. “They’re a young family, and
I wanted to lead them to colors with a certain
elegance and energy to them.”
Now, family and friends kick up their feet and
enjoy one another’s company in the living, family,
and dining rooms, where walls are awash in
earth-baked hues. Upstairs, bedrooms have an easier
feel, with a calm palette of cool blues and greens.
“Philippa made us more daring in some rooms,”
Nancy says, noting the living room’s terra-cotta-
painted ceiling. “We love it,” she says with new-
found color confidence. “All the colors in the house
make everything warmer, and it just looks better.”
3 6 FEBRUARY
2010
B E T T E R H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S
