Rugh Design

Clarity in Color, Perfection in Paint.

Hey Laura! What is the best white for my ceilings?

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions about finding a front door color for an Urbane Bronze exterior, considering floor color when picking a wall color, the best white for ceilings and much more. I am excited to bring you my answers to some of your comments found around Rugh Design! Please visit any of my Blog posts or color…
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Hey Laura! Will Essential Gray work with all this Blue?

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions about using Essential Gray with blue, connecting an exterior and interior color scheme, picking the right gray for a new build and much much more. I am excited to bring you my answers to some of your comments found around Rugh Design! Please visit any of my Blog posts or color…
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Color Review for African Violet

This month I’m going way out of my comfort zone and featuring a super fun and bright color: African Violet. I would categorize African Violet as a saturated warmer violet color with a tiny bit more red to it’s undertone versus blue. It’s bold and has an air of sophistication to it, royalty even. Purple is not necessarily the neutral that you want to paint your whole house, but there are several places where this exuberant color can light up a whole room. Last year’s Pantone Color of the Year was Ultra Violet, so using purple in fashion and interiors…
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Hey Laura! Help me Transition from Beige to Gray!

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions about transitioning from beige to gray, using Egret White to warm up a space, choosing a trim color to use with Repose Gray, finding a shutter color for a Mega Greige exterior and much much more.
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Color Review for Repose Gray

This month, I wanted to focus in on Repose Gray. I actually can’t believe that I haven’t detailed this color before. It’s one that I recommend quite frequently to my Interior Color Consultation clients. I have however, written posts on several of Repose Gray’s family members (on the same paint deck): Eider White, Mindful Gray and Gauntlet Gray. I categorize Repose Gray as a gray/greige that has a slight blue undertone. It’s still a warm gray (hence why I said greige), but is cooler than several…
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Hey Laura! Help me with these warm wood tones!

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions about how to offset warm wood tones, finding a trim & cabinet color to work with Pearly White walls, pairing Worldly Gray with Functional Gray, Eider White having a rose colored undertone and using Intricate Ivory in a dark space. Keep reading to find out more!
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Color Review for Charcoal Blue

As I said, this month I am giving my Charcoal Blue review. Charcoal Blue is a gorgeous dark blue-gray color, and oooh, I love this color. Technically, it’s classified as a navy, however, it does have more gray to it than a typical navy like “In the Navy.” In my opinion, having a bit of gray in a navy is a good thing. Nothing is worse than thinking you have a nice, rich navy color for your wall to then realize that it is actually bright blue. That being said, let’s bring on the Charcoal Blue!
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Hey Laura! Is Light French Gray the best gray for my cabinets and accents?

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions such as “Is Light French Gray the best gray for my cabinets and accents?” I will also discuss using Pussywillow with medium oak wood trim, I will look for a backsplash color to match Accessible Beige, compare Repose Gray vs Colonnade Gray for an exterior and finally take a look at…
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Copper + Teal Color Trend

Copper + teal have been making an appearance all over the place so I wanted to highlight both of these colors and show a few ways to use them in your home. Sherwin-Williams announced their Color of the Year for 2019 and I was on pins and needles, because, uh…color is my thing! So, I was pleasantly surprised when Cavern Clay was chosen, a copper/clay, soft burnt orange color. It’s perfect timing, because Cavern Clay reminds me of pumpkin spice and all things fall.
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Hey Laura! Is Colonnade Gray the right Choice for my Open Space?

In this edition of Hey Laura! I answer questions such as “Is Colonnade Gray the right choice for my Open Space?”, as well as questions about using Light French Gray on an exterior, Modern Gray in a split entry home, Accessible Beige vs Bungalow Beige and how to deal with LRV. I am excited to bring you my answers to some of your comments found around…
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Color Wheel Update: Worldly Gray

I wanted to highlight a color this week that I love but have admittedly not used a ton: Worldly Gray. I honestly think it’s because a vast majority of my clients are still transitioning from their Tuscan look, but can’t really go fully gray. Worldly Gray is a true gray that is less warm than colors like Agreeable Gray and Balanced Beige. However, the best part of Worldly Gray is that it doesn’t feel too cold! It has enough warmth to avoid the concrete feeling and also doesn’t have any undertones of blue.
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Color Wheel Update: Naval

This week I am focusing in on my favorite navy color: Naval. Navy blue can be tricky because there are some navy colors out there that can get too “bright blue” looking. Trust me, I made this mistake the hard way when I was specifying colors for model homes and picked a navy that was way too bright. Eek! That is when I found Naval and I haven’t looked back since for a go-to navy blue. I primarily specify Naval for accent walls, front doors and powder bathrooms. But that is not the only place to use Naval. It’s also gorgeous on cabinets and…
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Color Wheel Update: Black Fox

I’ve been highlighting more light/soft colors lately, so I felt like it was time for a darker shade to take center stage! This week I am focusing on Black Fox, a dark gray that is the darkest shade on the same fan deck paint swatch as Repose Gray, Mindful Gray, Dorian Gray, Acier, Dovetail and Gauntlet Gray. Can you tell I love this entire paint swatch? I think I have actually highlighted almost every color in this color family. Black Fox is a dark charcoal gray, that is almost categorized as a soft black (hence the name). Since it’s more saturated, I see it most on doors, trim…
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Color Wheel Update: Silver Strand

This week I am highlighting Silver Strand a color that I often recommend for bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry rooms. I am not exclusive to those spaces, but I do love this soft blue-green color in these areas best. Silver Strand is a cooler color that creates a spa-like and soothing atmosphere, especially in spaces that I mentioned above. If you like Sea Salt, Silver Strand is very similar in color, but with a bit more gray to it. So, if you are searching for a serene color that won’t get too pastel, Silver Strand could be the one that you are looking for!
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Eider White Color Review: The safe and reliable white

This week I wanted to focus on a color that I am particularly fond of for a soft white all-over color, Eider White. I categorized Eider White as a cool white when I wrote “The Best White Paint Colors: Undertones Explained” post and I stand by it. Even though it can be hard to categorize as cool or warm definitively, Eider White is one shade lighter than Repose Gray. I consider Repose Gray as a color that can still look like a warm gray, but in my experience has a slight blue undertone that comes out often. So, I kept Eider White in the cool white category.
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