Fresh Federalist by Janelle Steinberg

My basic guidelines for executing contemporary American Federalist Style:

-Correct use of period colors, with a few liberties

-Updated furniture with classic lines and proportion. For a truly fresh and contemporary take, few antique furnishings should be used (rather than all the furnishings being antiques- which puts the room on track for being a "period room"). However, antique accessories are absolutely called for.

-Use of hallmark Federalist style motifs, such as the eagle and dentil mouldings.

-A general use of symmetry in layout and room arrangements, with playful asymmetric elements in the details such as accessories and art arrangement.

-Heavy concentration on the interior architecture: custom built-ins and appropriate mouldings are key.

-Brass or gold metals for hardware, lamps, etc.

-In general, darker wood stains and dark paint colors when one desires an alternative to wood grain.

I am thrilled to answer this question since Carerra Marble is one of my favorite surfaces. Its classic (harking back to Ancient Rome) and its absolutely gorgeous.

Carerra marble comes from Carerra, Italy which was established in 1235 C.E.. Aside from its impressive pedigree as a medium (think Michelangelo's David and the Pantheon in Rome), it is very distinctive due to its milky white color and gray striations.

No matter what, Carerra marble is elegant. It has a more formal look than, say, your run of the mill flecked granite or quartz composite. Carerra is more dressy, more refined. Its quiet, calm and sophisticated.

Not to disappoint- but Carerra marble goes with just about every color! Its a neutral, so adding one more color to it or including it in a more diverse palette makes it perfect. Lets break it down according to interior style:

Contemporary- This is an instance where you can get away with mixing Carerra with another neutral. Pull out the gray and go a little darker. Mix it with black for a high contrast, sexy, polished look. Put it against a light sand color for a clean vibe. When mixing with a color for a more contemporary interior- stay on the lighter side (no darker than the tone of the gray in the marble).

Conservative Transitional- In transitional design, you pull from both Contemporary and Traditional. The way to solve this problem of where to go with the color when you are erring conservatively is to get the tone right. I recommend a medium Dusty Blue or a medium Olive Green.

"Make a Statement" Transitional- Punch it up with color. If you want to make a statement (as if the Carerra isn't enough), think bold! Traditional colors are deeper, so when choosing Transitional colors- it's okay to step into the area of bold color. I would love to see Kelley Green, deep Olive Green, Forest Green, Burnt Orange or even Navy Blue mixed with Carerra's white and gray. Pair it with quality white/dark wood cabinetry and accent it with brass or high polished chrome hardware and you have the potential for a seriously gorgeous and unique kitchen or bath. Its easy to distinguish yourself with color, since not everyone has the guts to go bold.

For something a little more fresh, quirky or feminine- lavender and light pink would look amazing with Carerra marble. You could rock this in either contemporary (just go a little more pastel), or transitional (go more towards the middle-ish range of colors on a paint chip, but be careful- you don't what the lavender or pink to come off as juvenile!).