Desperate Housewives

“HAVE YOU been watching “Desperate Housewives?” I have caught a few episodes and have been intrigued by the colors used in the set design.

At a recent Benjamin Moore Architect and Designer Event I learnedthat the production designer, Tom Walsh, uses Benjamin Moore paints forthe Wisteria Lane colors to set scenes and to identify the characters.

Color plays an important role in the show, he explained. It’sused to help tell the story of the idealized suburban neighborhood andthe women who live there.

To unify the neighborhood and create a sense of community,Walsh uses common elements in landscaping, color and paint. Take noteof the exterior colors next time you watch: Jasper Yellow, GeorgianGreen and Stone are used for the exteriors of the houses. All of thehouses incorporate Benjamin Moore’s Whisper Violet 2070-70 for the trimand fences.

To help audiences identify the different characters quicklyWalsh devised a color palette for each of the women. These palettes arecarried out in the exterior and interior of each character’s house. Heused a different body color for each house based on the character’scolor palette.

Can you tell which colors belong to whom by the suggestive paint names?

Provence Cream, Whisper Violet, Crisp Straw, HollingsworthGreen, Sweet Salmon and Pink Pearl color the sweet and ever-so-helplessSusan Mayer’s home. Sounds like her, doesn’t it?

Edie Britt’s home is painted in these bold, vivacious colors: Northhampton Putty, Whisper Violet, Cherry Malt, Mauve Blush (this gal hasn’t blushed in years), Touch of Pink and Shaker Beige.

Gabrielle Solis’ colors are passionate and hint at her spicy nature and even her marital infidelity. They are Dark Beige, Beeswax, Annapolis Gray, Soft Pumpkin, Acorn Yellow and Summer Peach.

A former corporate heavyweight with four children who’s now back at the office, Lynette Scavo’s home includes November Skies, Strawberry Yogurt, Beacon Gray, Cherry Malt, Melted Ice Cream (sounds like her too) and Rose Silk.

Bree Van de Kamp hosts dinner parties and domestic squabbles in her dining room painted in Arizona Tan. Her other colors are Durango Dust, Wickham Gray, Wythe Blue, Butter Pecan and Hathaway Peach, all of which look fabulous with red hair!

Maybe next time you decide to do a little painting, consider your personality and your character and choose accordingly!”  from Inside Bay Area

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