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All About Color:
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Pastel Colors: Serene Bedroom
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Color Fundamentals
 

 
Bold Colors: Mosaic Tile Bath
Start with a beautiful object in all the colors you love, and make it the centerpiece.
By Majella Chube Hamilton / Photography: Laurey W. Glenn
   
  This ceramic sink from Mexico is one example of how incorporating items from your travels can be the source of rich color in your home. The Patillas chose brass-and-ceramic faucet accessories to complement the style of the sink.
   
  Glass vases and ceramic plates and bowls brought back from family trips abroad are positioned on the shelves above the tub. Neutral tile covers the floor and tub surround. A band of mosaic tile ties it all together.
   

A sink is a sink is a sink, right? Not in this bath. Even with its practical purpose, where is it written that a sink must be solid and bland? Get creative by choosing a drop-dead gorgeous one with hues so striking that they inspire the interiors of a whole room.

The brazen colors and artistic craftsmanship of this decorative sink in Jim and Donna Patilla's guest bath are more than enough to stimulate. Orange, gold, green, and cobalt blue infuse the space with a unique look.

"We wanted bright colors for the rooms in our home's new addition," Donna says. "While on a trip to Mexico, I found a sink I loved and brought it back in my suitcase."

Upon returning home, the couple searched for the perfect furnishings for the bath, but nothing looked right. After all, a unique sink must have unique surroundings. Donna had an inkling that a warm wooden sideboard, traditionally found in a dining room, would serve the purpose well. While anchoring the vibrant mosaic glazed sink, it would also provide ample counterspace and storage.

"Jim found the buffet, an early 1900s European piece, at an antique auction," Donna says. "Once that happened, everything else in the room just fell into place."

In keeping with the bold theme, Donna and Jim painted the walls a bright orange and replicated the sink's mosaic appearance by applying broken ceramic tile pieces in similar hues along the wall.

"We could see potential from the start," Jim explains. Donna adds, "The process of watching the room unfold from just one sink has been so much fun for us. Our guests also enjoy it."

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