Posted on July 7, 2019 by KylieMawdsley
Not quite sure if E-Design is for you? Are you wondering how on EARTH we can live hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of miles away from each other and I can still come up with paint colours and decorating ideas that suit you AND your home? It’s a miracle it happens at all. Just joking, it ain’t about miracles, it’s about EXPERIENCE.
Here’s what makes me so darned good at what I do (and terribly modest, wink wink)…
My Decorating and Design History
I spent 15 years doing local, 2 hr in-home consultations (as well as larger-scale projects). These consultations were geared toward giving homeowners the info they need re: paint colours, decorating ideas, home updates and product selection to get them off on the right foot REGARDLESS of their budget (approx 1500 in-home consultations). In the past 5 years, I’ve focused on E-design, also called Online Paint Colour Consulting, as a means to reach even more people in need of colour help. And as my business grew, so did my reputation, and as of this year, I’ve done well over 4000+ E-Design Consultations.
What does this mean?
It means I’ve seen it all. Layouts, countertops, flooring, tiles, cabinets, exposures, fabrics, fireplaces – you name it, I’ve probably seen it and suggested a FABulous colour for it.
I’ve seen the pretty, the ugly, and of course, the pretty ugly
I’ve also experienced every type of client. The confident, the desperate, the excited and the overwhelmed. The clients who have paint samples plastered on their walls and the clients who don’t even know where to start.
It also means that I’m on a first-name basis with HUNDREDS of paint colours – they are on a Rolodex in my brain. I know the inner secrets of these colours which in turn, helps me make recommendations that suit both you and your room.
And let’s just face it – I was born to do this.
So how does that experience relate to E-Design?
Let’s start with your photos. Your photos show me the space, decor and products that you’re living with. Having been in over 1500 homes locally and 4000 online, I’m bound to see features and challenges that are the same as or similar to homes that I’ve worked on in the past. That difficult wood tone? Seen it (owned it). The outdated kitchen cabinets? Yup. The layout and how one room might relate to another? Many times.
My extensive hands-on experience relates directly to the online work that I do. I don’t get into the science of things, there are other gals who do a GREAT job of that. I’m here to get you focused on your best paint colours with straight-forward, user-friendly advice.
Your questionnaire. When I read your Questionnaire, I’m getting a glimpse of your personal tastes and wishes – a little vision of your dream home/room. With the questions that I ask, you are invited to share with me what you like and just as important – what you DON’T like.
And while there are always surprises and new challenges, I’ve yet to find a home that I can’t handle, a home that won’t benefit from a little ‘KLC’. And keep in mind, there are thousands upon thousands of paint colours to choose from and every room has its own specific needs. And while there is no way to pick a paint colour that will look the same at all hours of the day (damn that sun), I can definitely get you on the right track and help you narrow things down to those few colours that are just right for you and your home.
Still not sure?
Try 1 room). See how things work, feel the excitement when your Personalized Consultation lands in your inbox FULL of colour ideas and tips that are custom-tailored to you and your home. View all available packages HERE.
So, humour this crazy lil’ Ginger – I’d love to hear from you!
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Hi
I am looking for paint suggestions a) Foyer and b) Kitchen and family room open space? Do I choose 2 packages to work with you ?
I want to decorate my living room – what type of furniture to buy, layout, rug?, etc. Would I purchase the brainstorm package? What happens after I purchase the appropriate online service?
Hi Kyie, you have a or of graeat tips, I want to paint my kitchen which faces east, I am stuck between Dovetail Sherwin Williams and Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. Two totally different looks! Kitchen open to great room and nook! Help! I want warmth, my cabinets are white and island black with hickory granite hardwood floor!
Author
Hi Julie, without photos I just have to go off of what I know of the colous and of the 2, I am personally a Dovetail fan, as long as you have enough lighting to support it! both have their plus and minuses and it can depend on exposure too 😉
I am wanting to do an exterior consult and am not sure if I need to purchase each item separate or the create your own exterior palette?
Hi Hardy! If you need more than one thing, it will make the most sense to purchase the Create Your Own Exterior package for sure 🙂
~Kylie
Kylie, I read your consult options and wonder what the “quick consult” is. What is included and how is it differrent?
Thanks.
Molly
Author
Hi Molly, thanks for your note! So, normally, the consultation takes 8-10 business days. I always aim for sooner, but it does depend on what my workload is. With the Quick Consult, it’s a guarantee that you’ll get your consultation within 2-3 business days from the time I get the completed questionnaire/photos back to me. And even then, I don’t like those to sit and wait, so I usually get at them even sooner. Hope that helps!
Hi Kylie,
I love looking at your designs. Our house was damaged during Hurricane Harvey and taken down to the studs. We’d just purchased it in May, primarily because it was in fantastic shape and decorated by a professional. Now I’m finding it overwhelming looking at paint, tile, flooring, windows, etc., as this is not my thing. The style was a bit dated so I don’t want everything the same as it was but also afraid of committing to colors that may be too trendy.
Grateful for your blog,
Stephanie in Houston
Author
Hi Stephanie, I’m sorry for the damage to your new home! I think you’ll find my blog really helpful and here’s some advice.
Start with the hardest, most expensive things first and work OUT from there. This is usually countertops. Pick the countertop you love first (kitchens and baths) and then go to flooring (tile where needed), then backsplash. Paint colours will come at the very very very end. It’s okay to have an ‘idea’ of what you want for paint colours, but you want to pick the big ticket items first. Things like lighting, hardware and plumbing fixtures can also come later.
Find the neutral colour family you are most comfortable with, such as ‘grays, greige’s, tans or creams’. Regardless of trends, listen to your gut instincts with regard to what you are naturally drawn toward. For a happy medium, greige’s are the most flexible as they can often accommodate grays/beige/cream should you want to mix things up a bit.
Go onto Pinterest and create boards. Pin specifically, find countertops you like, find rooms you like and eventually you will see a common thread/style running throughout them. I find this MUCH easier to do with Pinterest than with Houzz.
I hope that helps you on your way! It’s also given me inspiration to create some kind of blog post related to this. What kind of words do you think would relate well to the kind of help you’re looking for ie:
‘How to Design a Home from Scratch?’ or ‘How to Create a Whole Home Palette’??? Hmmmm….I’ve got my thinking cap on…
~Kylie
I am in the exact same situation as Stephanie (I am sorry for your lost) . We had 4 feet of water inside for 8+ days – absolutely everything she just said is what I am feeling – overwhelmed. I need to choose everything from the slab and studs out – flooring, doors, trim, EVERYTHING!! I would love to work with you.
Can you explain your comment of why you said SW 7012 “Creamy” was “borderline” for an East facing room? Is that because it doesn’t have enough of a hue and might read as shadowed or bluish with East light?
Thanks!
Author
Hi Lynne! Yes, I do LOVE Creamy, but when my clients want a typical ‘warm and creamy colour’ (meaning more warmth/yellow) this one can fall slightly on the flatter side. It won’t go blueish or even grayish (having it in my own home in various exposures) but it does lose the more ‘obvious’ warmth. Hope that helps!
Hi Kylie, I would like to purchase one of the packages for interior paint help but am not sure which one to choose… I have a large, open-concept first floor (spanning northern and southern exposures) that needs to be painted, including the foyer, dining room, living room, family room/kitchen/breakfast area, study, and powder. Family room and dining room need ceiling treatment paint too. I know that I want everything to be roughly the same tones (greige), and the family/kitchen/breakfast area needs to all be the same color. Can you please email me and let me know? Thanks!!
Author
Hi Alison, thank you for your note! It sounds like you need the ‘Open Layout’ package to cover the family/kitchen/breakfast and then the 5 room package for the foyer/dining/living/study/powder – with the ‘ceiling colour’ add-on. That should cover the bases for you!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
Looking to purchase the whole home color package- will you need all other selections to work up options? We are gutting a house and wondering what material items you like to know before choosing colors? Also do you have an interior+exterior color package. We need both 🙂
Thank you
Author
Hi Jenn! Well, the more I know the merrier, so ideally, you’d know the countertops you’re looking at as well as flooring (and tile/stone). Some people use paint colour as the starting point, but really, it’s a LOT easier to choose the hard stuff first (counters/tile/etc…) and then the paint colours fall in place much easier 🙂 That being said, I’ve done consultations based only on the answers to the questionnaire!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
I’ve already chosen my BM paint color for my walls. Collington Gray, which has a LRV of 62, so it’s perfect for my living room and it’s obnoxious artificial and natural light. I wound like some help to choose the trim and ceiling color. Which package do I need to purchase for this?
Author
Hi Jennifer, bless your heart for asking! I do get a lot of requests for complimentary advice, so I’m just so pleased when someone makes a request like yours – thank you! And for that, I would look at BM White Dove, which is a warm white, but not too creamy. One thing you can do as well is add 4 ounces of white, which cleans it up a touch AND helps improve the coverage (as white generally isn’t great at coverage…)
I hope that helps!
~Kylie
I am not sure which package to choose. This is a new build so I do not have photos.
I need to know which color BM white to use on my kitchen cabinets if I use Cambria Brittanicca Warm (new color) and use DXV Hillside sink in canvas white (a very very white sink). Paint on walls can be similar to SW Agreeable Gray, Anew Gray, and perhaps Mega Griege on island.
Alas, I may need choose Cambria’s Brittanicca instead to change the palette (changes possible paint colors obviously) as Brittanicca Warm and DXV sink color may not complement one another; or I worry there is not a BM white for cabinets that will work with those two elements. Oh, my. I’m losing sleep over my kitchen cabinet color and feel so alone!
1. Which package do you suggest?
2. And if I insert two different countertops and want kitchen cabinet color, what package?
Thank you.
Author
Hi Gail, I’d love to help! If you would like 2 full palettes based on 2 different countertops, then you would need 2 ‘Cabinet Colour Packages’…this way I can sit down and come up with solutions for both options… https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product/cabinets-or-built-ins-paint-colour-kitchen-bath-or-built-ins/
Hope that helps!
Hi Kylie,
Will you help me choose the correct package(s)?
1. As you enter the home, you walk into a small foyer with the home-office on the left, a small hallway (with coat closet) on the right which leads to the powder room. So, 4 small rooms in a row, which I’d probably like painted the same color.
2. Then, you go through the foyer and enter the rest of the home: dining, kitchen, family room; open concept.
Thanks!
Hi Kylie,
I’m super excited to have found you! I want to hire you through your e-design services but I am not closing on our new place until May (it’s a vacation home in another state so I don’t have access to it until we close). However, I wanted to get a painter lined up when we are there right after the closing so he can start painting.
I have some pictures that I took when we first saw the place but I’m not sure if they would be good enough for you to do a design plan.
Should I go ahead and purchase the design service, complete the questionnaire, and send you the pics I have to see if they are detailed enough for you to work with?
Many thanks!
Donna
Author
Hi Donna, thank you for the note! I can absolutely help and often consult for clients when they only have their original photos of the home or the realtors photos. If they aren’t good enough, we can go from there, but I bet I can make it work for you!
~Kylie
Hello,
I’m interested in either the 1 or 2 room package, but I am in a Canada. Does that change the pricing?
Author
You bet! Send me an email and let me know which package and I’ll invoice you in CDN for sure!
Hi Kylie,
I’m thrilled to find you! I’m a professional filmmaker and in an earlier incarnation, ran my own interior house painting business in Boston for about 15 years. We’re in the middle of a major construction project that will bring my filmmaking studio home, add one-floor living, and remodel our existing home. Painting of the new bedroom, bath and hallway was slated for this week, but has been postponed to late next week due to a construction delay. Which is a good thing bc I’m still agonizing over wall color!
How quickly can you complete a consult with me and send color recommendations? The BR, Bath and Hall are fairly small so I’ve been planning to make them all the same color. I’ve been painting out some walls with options and am honing in on SW Shiitake, but am concerned about the green cast. The green is also amplified by triple pane windows that unfortunately cast a green light. So it’s tricky. I tried SW Repose (before I read your blog post about it actually!) but want something warmer, not with Repose’s blue/cool cast.
Please advise about timing possibilities and if we can do a quick turn-around, how to proceed.
Thanks kindly!
Sarah Bliss
Author
Hi Sarah! If you check out my packages, I do have a Quick Consult option on several of them, which is a 3 business day turnaround – perhaps that could work for you? I would looove to help a fellow creative! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
I’m building a house and have no idea where to start with paint colors. Can you suggest a package that would suit me best?
Thanks !
Janet
Author
Hi Janet, it depends on whether you want all of the rooms the same colour or different colours – it’s hard for me to say?!
A lot of my clients want their main living areas the same colour (ie: living/dining/kitchen/hallways) and then they choose different colours for beds/baths/office, but it’s all so personal and can depend on the layout! Sit down with your floorplan and write out what you’re thinking, what your general style is (some people love a lot of colour, some people want only 3-4 colours). Maybe that will help you refine it down a bit?
~Kylie
HI Kylie, I am building a new home and in need of color consulting. How does it work if I only have blueprints to work from?
Danielle
Author
Hi Danielle, thanks for your note! It works very well, I do it all the time! You would fill out a questionnaire, letting me know your tastes and what not. YOu can also send me photos of any products you’ve selected (ie: countertops/tile/floor) and I can take cues from that. Then, I just look at your layout to decide how to layer your palette!
I hope that helps 🙂
~Kylie
Thank you! What else will you tell me other than what wall color to use?
Danielle
I have a huge fireplace in my loft apartment that is now painted Black. I would like to paint it white but not sure what tone of white. Should I opt for 1 room with fireplace as my choice. The fireplace separates the living room from the kitchen (one long room) and color schemes are fine in both areas. I just had the entire apartment painted one year ago. Everything seems to work except the Black fireplace looks out of place. Help
Author
Hiya! I don’t have a package for that, but don’t want you paying for the full room and fireplace add-on. How about purchase the Single Room (entryway, which will cover the cost) and in the questionnaire, just let me know it’s the fireplace that you want me to focus on! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
Thank you. I think I might need the full room because it will show when I send in pictures furniture on both sides of the fireplace. And on the side facing south the colors are soft whites and on the north side the furniture is brick color.
Thank you, Beverly
Hi Kylie tried to purchase a 1 room…sold out???
need advice on South Facing (front window) and 1 west facing window, have shutters and trees so not too bright….the LR leads into kitchen that has cream/beige maple cabinets…thinking about White Duck or Edgecomb Gray?? thoughts? thankyou!
Hi, looking to change existing hardwood floor color plus get rid of carpeting on the main floor adding wood floors.
Also change oak color cabinets and paint colors in kitchen and dining room.
We recently added quartz countertops and a stone backsplash so we need help matching to those
What package would we need?
Author
Hi Teresa, thanks for asking! Right now I’m only offering paint colours services and not flooring/tile/carpet/wood – I’m happy to help with paint colours though!
Hi, need information as to which package to choose
We want to get new wood floors throughout main floor, (refinishing existing wood and getting rid of carpet)
Change cabinets and paint kitchen, living room and dining room
Thanks
Author
Hi Teresa! At this time I’m not doing flooring and am only focusing on paint colours (which includes walls and cabinet paint colours as well). Hope to hear from you!
~Kylie
Hi Kylie, I keep checking day after day and your consulting slots are always sold out. So very excited for your advice, I have a new cat veterinary practice in Hawaii and the sky’s the limit in terms of how much potential this place has. I’ll be checking each day at 8am (pacific time?). Looking forward to working with you soon hopefully!
Hi Kylie,
Hope all is well. I’m interested in purchasing the bed/bath combo. However, I’m really looking to just do my bath and vanity. Would I be able to substitute the bedroom for the vanity instead? Thanks!
Author
Hi Paul! You can actually purchase a 1 room consultation and do the cabinet add-on! 🙂
Hey there, I am so thrilled to stumble across your website!! I am doing what most of your clients may be doing and updating our kitchen (small) by painting our cabinets & new hardware. I have a small island that I would love your paint advice on as well, does the one-room consult include all of this??? and what other tips do you offer, suggestions on changing window coverings, suggestions on changing bar stools, etc. Curios and excited about what to hear is suggested in your 2-5 page consult packet. Thank you! I am super excited about getting this started, so so so so refreshing for my indecisive self.
Marissa Miceli
Hi Kylie, I am super excited to find your website. I need to start with suggestions for two rooms, adjoining dining room and living room. Color – walls. Window treatments. Lighting – standing lamps. Then we’ll move on to other rooms as I am looking to do 2 bathroom remodels sometime after spring. Looking forward to hearing from you after your break!!
Author
Awesome, looking forward to it!
Hi Kylie,
Can you please assist me with paint color suggestions?
I have a house that was built in 2005 and has both white woodwork and wood trim through out the house. I also have darker stained wood floors. I need a nice current up to date color that goes with the existing trim colors in the house.
Thank you.
Theresa
Hi Kylie, I love all your useful articles and I was so happy to find a designer who lives on Vancouver Island like I do! We are painting the exterior of our house and I was looking for your exterior packages but can’t seem to find them right now. Are you still doing that? I was hoping for help bringing together main paint colours, trim and door colour. Do you have a package for that? I would LOVE to use you!
Author
Hi Lisa! Well, things are SO crazy around here, I had to pare things down to get some time-management going on and keep my sanity! I DO have the Quick Consult though and if you can remind me when you purchase it, I’d be happy to throw a few extra thoughts into it for you to help you along your way!
Hi Kylie,
I’ve watched your videos multiple times and still have a hard time deciding what wall color to use. The kitchen, hallway and living area are open concept. I have Chantilly Lace on my ceiling, doors and trim. There are 3K spots everywhere and very brightly lit. The kitchen cabinets are white and porcelain kitchen floor tiles are greige. The remaining floor is a warm tone light wood color. I’m wondering whether I could use Chantilly Lace on the walls as well. Please help.
Thanks,
Maggie
Author
Hi Maggie! It’s hard to say as it allll depends on your kitchen cabinets. If they’re not as white as Chantilly Lace, then it won’t work, as it can look off when the cabinets (or trim) are less white than the walls. In this case, you may just need to consider an off-white to get some contrast 🙂
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I am interested in purchasing a package. However had a question I didn’t quite see in the FAQ.
Does a Hallway or U-Shaped Staircase w tall ceilings count as separate rooms?
As my Living Room, that I’m considering re-painting is tied to those in a North/South house.
So not quite sure what Package to pick.
Author
Hi! If you want the living room painted the same as the hallway/staircase with tall ceilings, then this would be the Open Layout package :). If you want them separate colors, it would be the 2 room package!
Do you provide consulting on choosing new cabinet stain colors to go with an existing floor?
Hi Kylie, I understand that this consult doesn’t have a questionnaire, but do you look at pictures of the house for the style or to see the hardscape? I guess I’m just not sure what I’m getting in this package. Can I combine the colors in the bundle to choose a main color, a second color and trim? Can I purchase two packages, one exterior and one for front door color, and will the bundles you send for each work together? I read an article you wrote about choosing exterior color and the importance of acounting for the exposure. I wonder: on the quick consult for exterior color, how do I take exposure into account when choosing a color from the choices you suggest? Sorry for all the questions, just needing some clarity on how it all works…..
Author
Hey Mary Lynn!
I know, it’s complicated ;). The exterior package is just for the body of the house – although I do have a FULL consult for the front door. HOWEVER, if you hang on a week or 2, I’m coming out with a FULL EXTERIOR package (submission style) where I would advise on house color, trim, and front door!