Studio McGee are champions of the pared-back, rustic modern aesthetic, which is a style that embraces plenty of warming, natural materials, and a more subtle, soft, and neutral color palette.
For their luxurious neutral kitchen, the much-loved design duo, Syd and Shea McGee have painted the space in two classic shades from Benjamin Moore, Swiss Coffee, and Creamy White, with this color combination creating an utterly timeless feel.
We delve deeper into the design details of Studio McGee's painted kitchen ideas and explore how you can recreate the enduring, neutral look.
'We painted most of the interior walls in The McGee Home in the color Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore at 75% strength, meaning that it’s just slightly less saturated than it is at the full percentage.
When we put the samples on the walls, we loved it but felt that it needed to be just a pinch lighter, but not a full shade down. We went to the paint store and had them mix the shade at 75% strength, and it was a perfect balance. Lesson learned: Don’t be afraid to think out of the box with your paints,' says Shea McGee.
With Swiss Coffee acting as the main backdrop for the room color ideas throughout their home, to add a subtle sense of contrast and a dose of warmth to their kitchen ideas, the McGee's opted to embrace a slightly different shade of white for their kitchen cabinet color.
Shea continues, 'On our kitchen cabinets, we used the color Creamy White by Benjamin Moore. From the beginning, I always wanted putty-colored cabinetry, meaning a creamy, off-white color on the surround.'
Interior designer, Shea McGee founded her iconic design firm, Studio McGee, with her husband Syd in 2014. They later launched their e-commerce brand, McGee & Co, and starred in their very own Netflix show, Dream Home Makeover.
As Shea tells us with the process of picking the right strength of Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore, decorating with neutrals isn't always as simple as it seems.
When choosing paint colors, no matter the shade, it always pays to try out lots of different colors and test spots throughout your home, a room's orientation, lighting and the other colors situated in the space can have a big impact on the overall look of your chosen paint color.
As Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore's color and design expert says, 'There are hundreds of Benjamin Moore shades of white. By viewing white paint colors next to one another, the undertone will become more obvious, making it easier to select a white option that leans warm or cool.'
Shea also adds, 'In The McGee Home, we tested multiple swatches in each area and observed them throughout the day to see how they adjusted with the natural light – we highly recommend doing this.'
Andrea Magno is a color and design expert at Benjamin Moore. She was worked at the iconic paint brand for nearly 20 years, and is an expert on using color in interior design.
We love the simple yet oh-so-sophisticated look of the McGee's kitchen, and how opting for neutrals, such as off-whites with warmer undertones, can help to create a more warming and characterful neutral space.
For a closer look at the McGee's kitchen, in a recent Instagram post, Shea shows us how to make a delightful Christmas cookie recipe – as much as we love a sweet treat and her beautiful KitchenAid stand mixer, it's the kitchen backdrop that's caught our eye...
FAQs
What is Studio McGee's style called?
The Studio McGee look beautifully blends warm minimalism and rustic modern styles with a hint of one of this year's biggest interior design trends, quiet luxury.
Key elements of their look include:
- Pared-back color palettes think warm neutrals and muted colors of nature
- Plenty of natural materials, lots of wood, wicker and wool
- Layers of tactile texture, cozy throws, blankets, as well as visual texture - a mix of different design elements
- Combining old and new, mix and match furniture and accessories, combining modern and vintage styles
- Small-scale, subtle patterns
- Lots of layered lighting, plenty of cozy lamps as well as statement pendant lights
As well as their design studio, Studio McGee, Syd and Shea also have their very own homeware brand, McGee & Co., where you can shop for furniture, lighting and accessories that can effortlessly recreate the much-loved McGee look.
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