GREY IS RED HOT
Warm tones give way to cool as ‘sneaky colour’ hangs on to top spot
When it comes to painting rooms, grey is red-hot. Benjamin Moore carries over 150 shades of grey, and SherwinWilliams says that of its top 50 colours for interiors, 30 are greys. “The trend toward grey started in Scandinavia, became big in the U.S. around six years ago, and is still on the rise,” says Sue Wadden, director of colour marketing at Sherwin-Williams. Andrea Magno of Benjamin Moore says, “Grey is not going anywhere, and is still growing in popularity. It updates things instantly, and it’s evolving over time. And we’re seeing more grey cabinetry and more trim in grey now.”
Just 15 years ago, she says, “if you told someone you were going to paint your room grey, they would groan and say, ‘How depressing.’ Before about 2010, it was all about warm Tuscan colours. Since then, it’s really about cool modern greys, and not just for paint colours. Stone, marble, tile and wood have also gone a lot cooler.”
But picking the correct shade of grey can be tricky.
“It’s crucial to pay attention to the undertones, and also how the light reacts to it,” Magno says. “Grey is a very sneaky colour.” Greys have undertones of blue, purple or green, and you’ll want to make sure the undertones are compatible with surrounding tile, furnishings and fabrics, designers say.
For a real “smack-in-the-middle grey,” Wadden suggests her company’s Repose Gray.
I like to cook my steaks on a skillet on the stove top. I use a splatter screen but the grease comes through and makes a terrible mess on the stove. I bet you have a solution.
While the splatter screen is the best solution for reducing grease spray while cooking steaks, here is an addition that will help reduce cleanup efforts. Sprinkle salt onto the grill before cooking; this holds grease in its place, and prevents mess.
I have dried-on margarine marks inside the walls of my microwave. I tried boiling a cup (250 mL) of water and a cup (250 mL) of vinegar in it for 10 minutes, then allowed it to sit a few minutes before opening the door and trying to wipe it down with paper towel and a sponge, but no residue comes off. Are the stains too old or is there something else I can try?
It sounds like the challenge is not with the vinegar and water combination, but with the sponge. Scrub the microwave with an abrasive, non-scratching scrubby pad. Sponges and paper towels are too soft to get the job done.
We recently purchased some used dinnerware in the Harlequin pattern. Some of the plates have scuff marks — we assume just from normal wear and tear. Do you know of any way to remove these marks and make the plates look newer?
Purchase a product called Bar Keepers Friend — this is a mildly abrasive cleaner. Make a paste of Bar Keepers Friend and water and, using a wet dishcloth, scrub the scratches. Rinse with water.
How do you keep strawberries from spoiling ? Please tell me what I need to do before this year’s picking season.
Do not wash berries until ready to use. Using a large baking sheet, wet a tea towel and lay it on the sheet. Spread berries onto the baking sheet so they do not touch each other. Wet another tea towel and cover the berries before putting the pan inside the fridge. Berries will be beautiful — even after five days.
Extra Tip: You can take this one step further by soaking the strawberries in 50/50 vinegar and water before laying them onto the baking sheet. That way, they are already clean and ready for eating throughout the week.
SOLUTIONS FOR LIFE’S LITTLE FRUSTRATIONS
Cold Sores: I used to get cold sores on a regular basis and nothing worked — including the expensive over-the-counter medications as well as prescription drugs costing quite a bit of money. Anyhow, I accidentally found that using liquid soap, especially the commercial grade soap available in the workplace washroom, greatly reduced my frequency of cold sores. For example, as soon as I felt the “tingling ” sensation of a cold sore about to appear, I would wash the area with liquid soap and warm water for less than a minute around 2-3 times a day. Just before bedtime, I would apply a dab of liquid soap onto the affected area and allow to dry overnight. Within a day or two, I found the cold sore would go away or be limited in scope. Poison Ivy: One time I was pulling “weeds” in our large suburban backyard that turned out to be poison ivy. Before I broke out in a huge rash, I washed the area with liquid soap, gently towelled off the area with a paper towel, and after I was dry, I applied an over the counter overnight acne cream that prevented the spread of poison ivy, it made sense because overnight acne medication is designed to dry out the oils causing an acne outbreak. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website — reena.ca — to ask a question or share a tip.
Disclaimer: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.