Peacock, emerald and cerulean are a few of interior designer Mallory Mathison Glenn’s favorite hues. “I like the balance of depth and clarity that these colors bring to a space,” she says. And, while these rich blues achieved a feeling of “cohesive calm” in her family’s former Peachtree Park abode, the designer admits that her home serves the ultimate laboratory—where design decisions are treated as experiments, not risks. After all, says Mathison Glenn: “Color makes me happy, and being happy at home is what it’s all about!” True to her bring-on-the-color mantra, the personal preferences of the client (in this case, herself) guided this project’s color story. In the dining room, for instance, her go-to neutral, a classic animal print, anchors the space, while a handpainted scenic mural, saturated emerald green silk curtains and white lacquer Chippendale chairs contribute to “the cheerful, sunny space I was looking to create for the backdrop for family breakfasts and dinner parties with friends.”
“My own home is a testing ground for ideas and is constantly evolving.”
“My mantra is ‘bring on the color!’ I strive to create a strong, seamless flow with color. It comes back to giving a feeling of cohesive calm and beautiful surroundings.”
Color THEORY: a guide
Good color schemes always have… Something that makes you smile—good color schemes evoke emotion.
The front door should always… Make you very curious about what is behind it!
When working with bold shades, always… Be confident. Never feel the need to explain yourself. “I love it” is all you need to say.
Powder rooms are a great place to… Step out of your comfort zone in color and scale. A powder room doesn’t have to relate to the other spaces in the house—so use it as a decorating holiday!
