Inspiration: Chocolate!
Posted by Kevin SharkeyHappy Valentine's Day!
My palette for the holiday had one inspiration alone...chocolate!
The colors I picked for this modern Valentine's Day palette include the milkiest white chocolate to the darkest bittersweet -- accented, naturally, with rosy pinks.
The following paint colors are swatches from the Martha Stewart Living paint collection at The Home Depot: Magnolia Grandiflora (MSL003), Rose Quartz (MSL008), Lupine Pink (MSL010), Bay Colt (MSL222), and Silhouette (MSL280).
I chose some of my favorite desserts from the February issue of Martha Stewart Living and paired them with rooms that are brimming with the same milk, dark, and white chocolate.
1 Dark-, milk-, and white-chocolate ice pops (Martha Stewart Living)
2 A deliciously dark wall. (Martha Stewart Living)
3 A trio of hot cocoas.(Martha Stewart Living)
4 This deep wall color is beautifully accentuated with crisp white moldings. (Martha Stewart Living)
5 A truffle-topped chocolate cake. (marthastewart.com)
6 I love the combination of the plum-colored upholstery with this wall color. (Martha Stewart Living)
7 Adorable cut-out marshmallow hearts floating on rich hot chocolate. (marthastewart.com)
8 An equally rich paneled room. (marthastewart.com)
9 Molten bittersweet chocolate cake. (Martha Stewart Living)
10 Warm tones of brown envelop this room. (marthastewart.com)
11 Mocha semifreddo with hot milk foam. (Martha Stewart Living)
12 A fresh and beautiful cafe au lait palette. (marthastewart.com)
13 The silver pieces and Venetian mirrored frame pair gracefully with the dark wall. (marthastewart.com)
14 Martha's Lily Pond Lane library is the perfect shade of brown. (marthastewart.com)
15 Chocolate creme brulee. (Martha Stewart Living)
16 Another room in Martha's Lily Pond Lane home that shows how a dark shade can look fantastic in a summery setting. (marthastewart.com)
17 Baked Alaska with chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream. (Martha Stewart Living)
18 This room illustrates how combining different shades of brown can create a stunning end result. (Ansom Smart)
19 Another example of the combination of dark chocolate and creamy tones. (thedecorista.com)
20 Chocolate creme brulee frozen sandwiches. (Martha Stewart Living)
21 A sette in the shade of carmeralized sugar. (citified.blogspot.com)
22 A set of caramel dining chairs surround a glossy white table. (cocokelley.blogspot.com)
23 Milk-chocolate sofa against a white backdrop. (cocokelley.blogspot.com)
24 Hot fudge over vanilla ice cream. (Martha Stewart Living)
25 A white-chocolate room. (Designed by Tom Scheerer)
If you are hesitant to paint a space in brown, here are some great options to bring this beautiful neutral into your home.
1 Biscayne Tray (zgallerie.com)
2 Personalized Chocolate Square Stickers (laylagrace.com)
3 Chocolate Femme Vase (wshome.com)
4 Laduree Chocolate Orange Perfumed Candle (openingceremony.com)
5 Ivory Cashmere Throw (piecesinc.com)
6 White Bamboo Loveseat (piecesinc.com)
7 Hayden Table Lamp (rhbabyandchild.com)
8 Thai Silk Coffee Banded Drapery (restorationhardware.com)
9 Martha Stewart Living Thermal Tweed Drapery Panel (homedepot.com)
10 Brown Mansard Rug (jonathanadler.com)
11 Sawhorse Cocktail Table (jonathanadler.com)
12 Zig Zag Pillow in Brown (wellappointedhouse.com)
13 Martha Stewart Living Wayfarer Rug (homedecorators.com)
14 Brown Velvet and Gold X Stool (wellappointedhouse.com)
15 Martha Stewart Living Harmony Stripe Tobacco Leaf Wool Area Rug (homedepot.com)
16 Taupe Porcelain Table Lamp (wellappointedhouse.com
17 Martha Stewart Living Crysanthamum Rug in Coffee/Sand. (homedepot.com)
Kevin Sharkey 
