color whEEl
Martin Kesselman of InColour in TriBeCa—who recently created his own custom white paint for Farrow & Ball— unlocks the mystery of a monochrome color scheme. Kesselman chose three color palettes and described his approach to each. how would you define monochrome when it comes to interior color? mk: A monochromatic color scheme by definition is derivative of one particular color, but there’s definitely room to experiment, using warmer or cooler colors and mixing them to create a harmonious room. Whether you are going with lights, jewel tones, or darks, the key is to create a balanced feel, something that is complete. You want the color to surround you. When you do a room this way it has an infinite feel to it. When people think of monochrome, they often think of whites and light colors but it can be any color really. Whatever we are doing, we are trying to create balance. You can play in darks, lights, jewel tones, and you want to find that sweet spot. The choice of a single color, which can be an emotional trigger, brings everything together in a room. how would you deal with a light palette so that it doesn’t become boring? mk: I would lean towards the greys, such as Farrow & Ball’s Dimpse. Ammonite, and Pavillion greys, mixed with Elliyah, which is the white I developed for them. It works in a room especially where a client has a lot of art. Grey isn’t going away, and there is a lot of variation. For example, Ammonite is really part of the taupe family with a bit of magenta in it. It is organic and neutral and doesn’t read cold. Mixed with an architectural white, it’s very peaceful. To add visual interest, I would use different finishes. Gloss and matte on the walls, and satin on the trim, perhaps. Or maybe an artisanal finish like French strié. It’s the subtleties that count with monochrome. Tell us about elliyah. mk: It’s an architectural white for Farrow & Ball that is available exclusively here at InColour, It has a lot of nuance to it and it doesn’t feel flat. It absorbs light and glows from behind. It is softer than gallery white, which can be harsh in a home environment. But it isn’t off-white. The great thing about it is it responds to light beautifully. we’ve been seeing a lot of jewel tones on walls. how do you do that successfully? mk: With jewel tones, because of the richness of the colors I would do this in a space that is more enclosed. Century by Benjamin Moore’s amethyst is a great, rich color, but I’m fond of the deep blues, greens, and reds as well. A room in this color makes me think of being inside a jewel box and discovering a brilliant precious gemstone. I would paint all the surfaces, including the ceiling and doors so that the color really envelopes you and makes you feel extravagant. It’s another place where varying the finishes will really make the room. You definitely want the shimmer and reflective nature of high gloss, so that the light makes
IN THE BY DEBORAH l. MARTIN
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