When choosing pink for this powder room in a home in Marin County, Calif., designer Joan Osburn (www.osburndesign.com) decided to forgo "powder pink" and opted instead for a sophisticated, day-lily shade. "The couple that owns this home has grown children, grandchildren, pets and a very 'big' life," Osburn says. "In keeping with their lively personalities, the entire house — inside and out — is filled with color; no white cop-outs!"
Working with artists and artisans, Osburn created custom colored Venetian plaster in various colors for use throughout the home. And while all of the shades are rich and luscious, Osburn says, "I made this color the most dynamic in the house, to compensate for the fact that there is no natural light in this powder room."
While regular paint will not give you the same subtle sheen and variations in color as the plaster, you can find a similar hue in most manufacturers' palettes. Or, choose a deep, sexy shade of your own. "The aim," Osburn says, "is to delight, rather than to shock — but never to be boring. Life is just too short."
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