T h e r e ’ s
t r u t h
t o
t h e
p h r a s e
“ I n
L i v i n g
C o l o r . ”
W
hen I think back over the houses I’ve
lived in, I realize that—next to family
memories—it’s color that comes to mind
first. For example, my parents’ starter
home was very small, but even as a child
I could see that the living room’s forest-green walls made
the space seem richer and more important. Our next, larger
house skewed
’50s turquoise, including kitchen appliances
and atomic-pattern dishes that promised a bright, energetic
future. A little
too
bright. After a year or so, Mom sent the
appliances to an auto-painting shop for a coat of black paint,
and the whole kitchen breathed a sigh of relief.
And so it continued through the seven other places
I’ve called home. Each and every one has left an indelible
color impression, from earth tones to jewel tones to the
mellow golds and corals that I love now. It’s not just the
look of the hues that I remember; it’s the way they made
m e fe e l
that lingers.
This February issue has a special focus on color and
how to use it in lovely, successful ways to enhance your
life at home. You’ll find lots of specifics, including no-fail
designer palettes, expert advice, and inventive tricks to
inject color into a room (or your wardrobe) without a lot
of fuss. I especially love that our feature homes reflect
such disparate approaches. Homeowner/dcsigner Kelly
K e ise r, p a g e 5 6 ,
embraces color-tinged “near neutrals”
that lend themselves to easy seasonal change-ups. In
contrast, homeowner/designer Muffin Tullos, page 36, is
a proponent of clear, bright accent hues to energize and
personalize a room. Two pros, two different tactics, two
beautiful results. Still developing your own personal color
philosophy? Start a design board of room photos, colors,
and swatches you love, and watch what themes emerge.
And if you’re craving a little spring about now, the flow-
ering bulb garden on page 90 is a reminder that nature is a
virtuoso source of color inspiration. Here, and throughout
the issue, I hope you’ll find lots of ideas for refreshing your
home—and life— with hue.
Gayle Goodson Butler,
E d ito r in C h ie f
l e t t e r s
&
c o m m e n t s
t w i t t e r
twitter.com/bhg
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W
h a t
I
L e a r n e d
T h i s
M
o n t h
A b o u t C e le b r a t in g
We see signs everywhere
that Valentine’s Day is
growing into a broader
celebration of friendship
and affection. The crafting
party on
page 2 6
reminds
me of a tradition from my
kids’ college days: getting
together with other moms
to send our kids care pack-
ages for February 14 arrival.
Look for more simple ideas
in our Fresh section, or
share yours with me at the
e-mail below.
F r o m o u r T e s t K itc h e n ,
how to frost a picture-
perfect birthday cake,
p a g e
143. (I finally know the
secret to dodging crumbs.)
Food editor Nancy Hopkins
promises these recipes are
our very best for fail-proof,
beautiful cakes that are
exceptionally delicious.
N o T w o A re A lik e
Here’s pure midwinter
trivia: Visitors have
created almost 10 million
virtual snowflakes using our
Make-a-Snowflake game at
snow flake.bhg.com .
It’s easy
after-sledding fun for your
kids on the next snow day.
b e t t e r n o w
P la n n in g y o u r s p r in g g a rd en ? O u r new G arden S to re a t B H G
.com offers p la n s h a n d -p icked by
Better Homes and Gardens
editors f o r beau ty a n d p erfo rm a n ce.
PHOTO: KATHRYN GAMBLE
