Our Favorite Paint Color Palettes [ Free Color Story Guide ]

Choosing paint colors for your home is an art that can make you feel confused, stuck, or frustrated! And who wants to live with wall colors they thought they would love, but they regret? So much work and wasted time!

We are often contacted with requests for paint color consultations. And while we don’t offer paint consults as an individual service package, we still want to be a resource for you if that’s all you need!

Here you will find our best advice for choosing a color scheme: The 60-30-10 Rule. Plus, we’re sharing our favorite, go-to color palettes for you to steal, swipe, and make your own!

WHAT IS THE 60-30-10 RULE?

It's a classic decor rule that helps create a color palette for a space. It states that 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent.

HOW TO USE THE 60-30-10 RULE?

The 60% is the overall color of the room, the background color if you will. When you look at the space you'll say, it's the "gray" room, or whatever color you choose.

The next number in this rule is your 30%. It will become the secondary color in your space and will support the main color, but be different enough to give the room interest. Think of it this way, you'll be using half as much of this color as you did for your main color.

The fun percentage is your 10%; your accent color. It can be more bold or more subtle depending on what look you want. The 10% can be what gives the room character or keeps it that much more neutral, it's really up to you.

If you haven't yet read downloaded your free copy of my e-book 5 Essential Elements of Romantic Transitional Style, then you should go do this now. Once you've read this, you'll understand how to create balance while mixing styles/tones/textures. As you know, I recommend a neutral color palette that allows you to create a practical and curated space using pieces you love, but you can choose any colors you like using the 60-30-10 rule.

Here we’re sharing our favorite go-to color palettes, one with warm tones and one with cool tones. Using the 60-30-10 rule, you can use one of these palettes to choose paint colors for your home. Paint has always been one of my favorite ways to transform a space. I don’t think there’s anything else that makes an impact on the look and feel of a space like paint! I hope you love these palettes and enjoy putting them to use in your room makeover.

Color Story Option 1: Warmer Tones Color Palette

Color Story Option 2: Cooler Tones Color Palettes

You can download a printable version of our paint color palettes here!

Romantic Transitional Kitchen Reveal

Kitchens are one of my favorite rooms to renovate for my clients. Kitchen transformations can make such a huge impact - not just in aesthetics, but in the way they function for a family, too. And when you think of space undergoing a “huge transformation”, you might assume that major construction must have occurred. Right? Well, think again! Check out this kitchen project we recently completed…

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

We were going for the W O W factor here, and I think we nailed it! These awesome clients were a blast to work with. A busy family of 5, they needed a kitchen that really served their needs - which happened to be space for the kids to eat quick snacks and meals on the go in between school and sports.

The best part of this kitchen update? No heavy construction was needed to achieve this transformation! We didn’t knock down any walls. We didn’t have to change the layout. With paint, tile, updated lighting and a new island, we were able to make this kitchen look and feel lighter, brighter, and bigger.

Because the perimeter cabinets were in good condition, replacing them wasn’t necessary - they just needed to be painted to make them more modern and light. This is one of our favorite design tricks - the impact of taking good quality cabinets and remaking them with a new paint color is undeniable!

The black countertops were just too dark for the look we wanted to achieve, so we replaced them with a beautiful quartz countertop and updated the backsplash tile to a white herringbone tile. We replaced the island and chose one with a similar profile, but more elongated, to add additional seating without making the kitchen feel crowded.

Seating for the kids and quick meals was vital, so we made sure to include a beautiful and functional seating arrangement.

We also replaced the over the range microwave with a beautiful hood, and replaced the pendants over the island. Because we wanted that new hood to be the focal point, we kept the pendants simple.

A desk in the kitchen is a very common feature in homes around Charlotte. Our client didn’t utilize or want the desk, so we replaced it with a fun and chic dry bar with a beverage cooler! Great for entertaining at home.

This is the kind of transformation we live for! We love showing our clients what a huge change we can make without having to do a total gut & reno. Do you have a design project you’re ready to get started on? Let’s talk soon! The best way to get the ball rolling is to schedule a Discovery Call.

The Big Reveal: The New SLB Interiors Office!

We are so excited to share that we've moved into our updated office!

Welcome to the new home of Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors! This was a really exciting project to undertake, because this updated space is a true reflection of who we are and what we do.

It took me a while to find the perfect space for our new offices. At the time, my team was smaller, but I knew I wanted room to grow.

Fun fact: As of this month, we officially don’t have enough offices for everyone!

Our new office is in Weddington, which is super close to Charlotte. I also looked in Waxhaw, but felt that would be a little far for some of my clients to drive and see us.

This former doctor's office had a lot of potential, even if I had a hard time visualizing it at first. And I totally get it, it's very hard to design your own space - this is why our clients come to us for help! After my team and I got our hands on a floor plan, we were able to really put together how amazing this space could be after applying the elements of our signature Romantic Transitional style.

It needed some pretty significant updates - I really couldn’t relate to any of the aesthetics at all. Orangey-wood cabinets, green countertops, the doors were all different, the flooring needed to be replaced, that pink stripe on the wall…yeah, there was a lot to do!

But - and I tell my clients this all the time - you’d be surprised at the huge transformation that is possible without heavy construction or a full gut & reno. We’re leasing this space, so while it was a priority to make the space feel warm and welcoming with our signature Romantic Transitional style, I wasn’t about to do heavy construction and renovations.

And just like in our clients homes, we completely changed the look and feel of this space with only minor construction. We worked out a plan to keep what was already there, added one extra office, and made room for an 8-person conference table. This works really well for us, because we do like an open work environment, but there’s still space for private meetings.

We painted everything, cabinets included. Replaced the countertops and added a backslash. The flooring was something our landlord wanted to replace anyway. So I split the cost with them, so I could get the flooring I really wanted - LVP installed in a herringbone pattern. I just LOVE a herringbone floor - it can really elevate a space. Keep in mind, if you want this look for your project, that is usually costs double the labor and materials. But, in my opinion, is totally worth it!

For the furnishings, we repurposed a few great finds and also brought in furniture and fixtures from our vendors. I found a really great old custom entertainment center that we repainted, and a faux fireplace that was so cool. From our vendors, we sourced furniture, decor, and lighting that we can offer our clients, so when they come in to see us they can see and touch some great items available for their homes.

I also really wanted to have custom drapery available, because I think it’s so important for my clients to understand the impact that custom window treatments can make on your home. Our drapery display shows the difference between unlined, lined & interlined, and blackout panels.

The space is very neutral, with lots of greenery and textures. Everything is very intentionally done to be truly representative of what SLB Interiors is all about. It is just so great, when people walking by on their way to the other offices in the area, stop in their tracks when they see our window and can’t help but peek in. It’s exactly what we want all of our spaces - including our office - to feel like. Warm, welcoming, eye-catching.

It’s such a great way to show how any space can have the feel of a luxury home when you apply our elements of Romantic Transitional style and design. And what’s more, we didn't have to knock down walls or plan major construction to achieve this level of luxury and transformation.

This SLB Office project really tells the story of who we are and what we do. I spend so much time here, that I really needed it to be a reflection of our brand and style, a true reflection of what I would want to live in. And it was an amazing energy shift for me, to no longer work from an office in my home. Now I can keep my work at work, and keep my home time for my family.

And we can make this same magic happen in your home too!

If you're ready for your own HGTV moment, let's talk soon! It all starts with a Discovery Call. ☎️

Moody & Timeless Home Office Reveal

Moody. Timeless. Masculine. And styling that is perfectly infused with our client’s personality. I am so excited to share this recently completed home office renovation!

Check out this before and after…

BEFORE

AFTER

This was the first project in Phase Two of a home renovation for these wonderful clients. When they bought this home, they knew they had a lot of work ahead of them. It was very dated, with lots of dark wood tones and gold. But, they recognized some truly beautiful features that the home had - including this fantastic trim detail in the office - and that renovations could highlight the gorgeous architectural details. This is where Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors came in! Phase One included updates to the dining room, foyer, and piano room.

Blue and white forever! The Dining Room & Piano Room renovations were part of Phase One.

This piano room has so much natural light from the big, beautiful windows!

Phase Two includes the kitchen, master bathroom, master bedroom, and home office. These are some big projects with a lot of exciting updates - stay tuned for the transformations! We started with the home office, because it was the least complicated space, and also because my client is an IT professional who works from home. So an impressive Zoom background was a top priority!

The styling includes balance and a mix of curated and practical items - the essential elements of Romantic Transitional Design.

The home office is situated directly off the foyer, so we decided to add a set of French doors for privacy.

BEFORE

AFTER

The painting of this room was a huge undertaking. Eventually, the floors will be refinished, so we wanted to find a paint color that would complement the current floors and the future update. The details in this millwork are so gorgeous - but also require tons of work to paint. It’s a very large room, and everything had to be sanded, primed, caulked, painted…then caulked and painted again. But as you can see, it was so worth it! We have great relationships with skilled tradesmen that we work with on our projects.

These details shine in the new paint color!

We really enjoyed working with this client, because this was his personal space in the home, where we had worked closely with his wife and her personal style on other spaces in their home. He wanted a moody, masculine space, so we chose Urbane Bronze from Sherwin Williams. It’s one of our favorite paint colors, a beautiful muddy gray, and so timeless. We also incorporated tobacco-hued leather in the furniture - those chairs were totally worth the 6-month wait!

And because we design for beauty and function, this isn’t just a piece of artwork - it’s a TV! Adding this Samsung Frame TV made this wall a focal point of the room, and our client can use it to project his computer screen onto the TV for meetings and work. Pretty and high-tech!

And a personal favorite, for me, were the custom window treatments we used to dress the windows. If you know me, you know how I feel about window treatments - they complete the room! We layered roller shades with a linen drapery panel to provide light control and privacy when needed.

Where our client’s personality really comes through is in the shelf styling. His love for his family, jazz, and dedication to his personal career really shines in the curated decor selected.

It’s always a challenge to blend styles so that everything still has a cohesive feel as you walk through a home. But that’s our superpower! We created a space that our client loves, that really tells his story and lets his personality come through. And because we skillfully apply the elements of transitional design throughout all the home’s spaces, everything is harmony and balanced.

Love our Romantic Transitional style? If you have a project that you’re ready to get started on, let’s talk soon!

It all starts with a discovery call.

When Should You Hire An Interior Designer

Whether you just put a down payment on a new house or have lived in your home for years, you may want to consider hiring an interior designer. Bringing in an expert not only ensures you’ll get your ultimate dream home, but it takes away the stress of knowing how to maximize your floor plan and sourcing high-quality pieces. If the thought of bringing in an expert seems intimidating, I’m here to break down exactly when you should hire an interior designer, what we do, and why it makes sense. While this comes with a price tag, it will seriously be one of the best decisions you ever make for your home. 

When Moving into a New Home

Purchasing or building a new home is a milestone to be celebrated! But, it can be extremely overwhelming and stressful. That’s why I always recommend bringing in an interior designer as early as possible.

At SLB Interiors, we love being involved from the get-go in order to make the biggest impact on your new home both functionally and aesthetically. We can also help you establish which pieces to pack up and take with you - and which ones to leave so that your transition is as seamless as possible. Our ultimate goal is to take the heavy lifting off your shoulders during this busy time.

If you’re building from the ground up, we can partner with you to draw up the best floor plan for your home needs. We’ll even guide you on the small and special details that you may have never considered. For instance, identifying the optimal placement of your outlets, picking the right cabinetry locations for your needs and so much more.

Beyond that, we can also assist with selecting the best furniture, hardware and decor pieces that align with your overall style vision you have for your new home.

You’re Not Moving or Renovating? We Have a Package For That!

While renovations and home builds are a great time to bring in an interior designer, we can also make an incredible impact on your home through our exclusive, process-driven Full-Service Design package.

From a furniture overhaul in your Living Room to a full update to your Dining Room and new molding and paint in the Foyer or a custom and personalized Home Office, we help ensure your project stays on track. We’ll also make sure that you pick the right materials for your lifestyle and needs.

A big mistake I see homeowners making is picking a finish that may be pretty but not practical, like marble countertops or linen fabrics that don’t perform. As I love to say, what’s pretty may not be the most practical. If it’s not practical, then there’s no point in putting your hard-earned money into something that simply won’t work for your lifestyle.

In our process, we take the time to get to know you - how you live and what you gravitate towards - so that we can design the best space for you.

When You Want to Make Every Penny Count

Designers are well-versed in understanding how scale works in a space, how floor plans should flow, and how to carefully curate each piece in a space so that everything feels right. We don’t piecemeal homes together. We intentionally set out to create incredible designs for our clients - it’s truly an art!

While there is no question that hiring an interior designer is a big investment, the value we bring to the table is worth its weight in gold. We come with a wealth of knowledge, expertise and immense experience that allow us to recognize potential errors early on.

Not only are we the key to ensuring the project that you’ve been dreaming of for months or years will ACTUALLY come to fruition, but our fee is often the “insurance” and peace-of-mind you need to ensure that you won’t make big and costly mistakes! Over the long run, our design services truly end up paying for themselves.

When You Don’t Have the Time to Sweat the Details

As experienced designers, we know your time is valuable. The hours needed to pull a home together can literally be and feel infinite, and that’s why hiring an expert is key. Let us utilize our super powers while you are out conducting yours!

Our job is to save you the hassle of wasting your weekends going furniture shopping for pieces that don’t actually fit in your home. It is our passion to design a space that allows your family to really LIVE in it - not tiptoe around it. It is our number one goal to see you thrive in your space while you live your best life.

We don’t simply “shop” and “decorate” for you - it’s so much more than that. Outsourcing and hiring a designer ensures that even the smallest of details are intentionally selected and purposeful. We save you time while investing your dollars in the best way possible so that you can enjoy your life at home.

The team here at SLB Interiors are experts in all things home design. We have the best resources, in-depth knowledge of various fabrics and materials, and detailed insights into the best colors that fit your home style. Whatever it is you’re envisioning, we’re capable of bringing it to life.

If you’re ready to learn more about what we can do for you, schedule your call with me HERE.

Casually Elegant Breakfast Nook Reveal

This space is the epitome of a casual, yet elegant, kitchen breakfast nook. It's relaxed and practical enough for daily family meals and after school homework, but elegant enough to give off a very luxurious vibe for these neutral loving homeowners. So, whats the magic in this design? I think it's the simplicity; natural light pours through the gorgeous custom roman shades during the day and this stunning chandelier can be dimmed to the perfect "wine-sipping" setting in the evening, all while providing a place for family and friends to gather in the heart of the home.

Let me explain why this design works:

• Above all, my client KNEW she wanted a neutral kitchen area, so thats what we did! She's a lover of "all things cream and gold" so coming up with the palette was quite easy. We actually started withe light fixture and used that as our jumping off point, which was key to keeping the design cohesive.

• Originally, we had a different "dream chandelier" sourced for this design, but it was quite over budget. I knew we could do better, so I dug deep and found this mother-of-pearl beauty, which was actually even more beautiful than the original! SCORE! Being flexible as a client and resourceful as a designer really is a winning combination - trust my process and I will never do you wrong!

• Because I knew this would be a very colorless space, we had to mix in a variety of textures to keep it interesting and beautiful. The custom window treatments played into the light fixture perfectly, being a sister (not twin) to the pattern in the fabric. This very intentional combination made these two features play very nicely together.

Practical Before Pretty 

This is one of my favorite sayings because I TRULY believe if its not practical, who cares if its pretty!? I design spaces and homes where real life meets design and, to me, what that means is that you can live your regular life in my designs and they will stand the test of kid and pet mess time.

• This space is practical for the daily life of the family who lives here. It can be eaten on, colored on, sat at and spilled on. Wine is poured, homework is done, conversations are had and meals are served all in this ONE spot. It has duel purposes and therefore MUST preform, so we kept things simple so life could happen.

• The chair cushions can be wiped down or even washed and the tray of decor is easily removed when necessary. Since it had to be practical to be pretty, we intentionally designed it that way to best serve this family's needs. Who doesn't want the best of both of these worlds?

All of these little design elements come together to make the perfect space for this family. It's not an accident that it happened this way. Be intentional with how you invest your money in your home. Make those dollars count and create beautiful spaces that you can enjoy today and everyday. Don't feel like you can do it alone? No worries, contact me and we'll get to work creating gorgeous spaces in YOUR home!

Rustic Elegant Entryway Reveal

This is really happening, I'm revealing the Rustic Elegant Entryway AND explaining why it works!! What makes it so perfect (besides the fact that it's gorgeous)? My clients love it AND it sets the tone for the rest of their home (which we plan on doing one room at a time - how fun, right!?). Entryways have to be perfect, I mean, it is the first place your guests see when they visit - so make sure your entryway tells your story, welcomes your guests and has a strong sense of your style all in one beautiful and practical space.

Let me explain why this design works:

• Designing this space I knew I wanted to use some symmetry, so I used the lamps and frames to anchor the design in a very balanced way which allowed for a very calm feel. I also wanted to add a mix of old and new elements to create visual interest and a sense of depth, so I created little vignettes on the entryway table in various heights and textures.

• For any space to work scale is top priority. A lot of clients reach out to me saying, "Something's off, something just isn't right and I cannot figure it out", and most of the time it's the scale or balance. Most people buy their wall art too small (ugh, it kills me!), so I added the large round mirror to keep the proportions right. This foyer has high ceilings and I needed a large piece to make a statement, not only did the mirror accomplish that, but it also made the space feel even bigger!

• Because the of high ceilings and amazing amount of natural light, I also needed to add warm elements to make the space welcoming. The rug, which is amazingly soft, and pillows added those cozy elements this space needed.

Now the fun part, the finishing touches!

Most people think once the big pieces are purchased the space is complete, but that's not the case - that's just furniture and walls! BORING! It’s the little details, or the "Design Elements" that give the space personality and character!

• Examples of these elements in this design include the gorgeous bird cage on the amazing, antique open book! Creating layers like this makes the design feel purposeful and interesting.

• Also, the wood frame with the handwritten "Welcome" sign and the mercury glass vases bring in new textures that really make this space special and memorable!

I take pride in creating timeless and curated spaces that represent my clients. Now, let me represent you and give your home timeless beauty sprinkled with your story! Email me to schedule your 30 minute phone consultation with me and if we're a good fit, we'll get you on the schedule! I'm looking forward to hearing from you and sharing more of my timeless creations, one design at a time!