AND NOW, A meditative moment. Visualize yourself outdoors. For this exercise, let’s picture a lush Pacific Northwest forest. Tree after tree after tree, layers of textures and patterns and depth, a cushion of soft moss and curling leaves and optimistic seedlings. So much green — every green, ever green — an effortless togetherness of colors and untamed randomness, all showered in just enough nourishing sunshine to survive and thrive. And inspire.
It is peaceful. It is soothing. It is soul-filling.
It is not discordant in the least. We are relaxing. We are breathing deeply and repeating restful forest affirmations, and there is no place anywhere in this calming meditative moment for judgmental conflicting-color disgust: “OhmyGAWD! I would NEVER pair that fern with that conifer!”
That’s because the forest knows. So do design gurus.
“You look out into nature, and you see many different shades of green, and none of them clash with anything else around it,” says interior designer Amy May of Artala Designs.
Even in dreamy visualization mode, you can see what she means.
It’s time now to open our eyes and realize: Those old tried and tired tropes — about embracing resale beige at the expense of your own expression, about avoiding big displays of bold colors, about colors and patterns that don’t “work” together — are just not natural.
“I’m not a rule follower or a trend follower,” says May. “I feel like rules are limiting. Design is all about creativity — creativity that’s also functional and livable.”
Colors and patterns and textures of all kinds coexist harmoniously in the forest. Wait till you see the imaginative magic that arises when we mindfully welcome them inside.
…
THERE IS NO HIDING the delightful pink surprise that is the Beacon Hill home of Jim Harris and Carlos Garcia. There are as many shades of pink here as there are greens in our meditative forest — but these colors are found in nature only in an exuberant Barbie-scape, or in one inspiring magnolia.
Architect Ian Butcher of Best Practice Architecture calls this home Pretty in Pink. It is extremely both.
Harris and Garcia’s confetti-spirited Craftsman home is more than 100 years old. For at least the past few decades, Harris says, it had white exterior paint with “dusty rose” trim, plus a dark 1960s-era kitchen and a dangerously dilapidated covered sunroom over the driveway.
Best Practice is big on color (and not a bit interested in constrictive color rules or faddish trends), and Butcher, Harris and Garcia already knew and trusted each other, so Butcher wasn’t worried at all that the couple would ditch the pink as they woke up that tired kitchen and built a family room addition in place of the sunroom.
They like pink. And they value the history of the house, whose neighborhood character had been “the white and pink house on the corner,” Garcia says. But they didn’t want to keep that pink. Or some pink. They wanted more. Bolder. Pinker.
“When Best Practice came back to us for some color, they came back with something that was a little bit brighter,” Harris says. “But Carlos and I said to them, ‘Let’s take this further up a notch,’ a real push for a brighter pink, something that would really pop.”
You maybe can sense this pop from the depths of our soothing forest.
Outside, brightness vibrates on the new addition — the whole new addition — in multitoned pink shingles that took a village to pull off: They’re about 80% primary pink, Butcher says, accented with other pinkish shades chosen by Harris and Garcia. Butcher marked the individual accent shingles on the addition himself, with blue and green masking tape, from the steps of a ladder held by Harris. The general contractor handled the primary paint, and another painter polished off the other colors.
Jim Harris and Carlos Garcia’s 1918 Beacon Hill home had been painted white and pink for a while, but the old pink was a little dusty. “We didn’t have to convince them that pink is a worthwhile color for… (Dain Susman)
The old dusty hue has bitten the dust, replaced with sparkly pink exterior eaves against crisp new white paint. So much elevated bright pink, says Harris, “It’s like the house is wearing a fascinator.”
And just often enough, back at ground level, nature once again performs her special nature-y color-coordination magic.
“We have this big magnolia tree in the front of the house,” Garcia says. “And at the beginning of spring, it is just an explosion of white and pink. It’s phenomenal. And I love that it’s now like the house is based on that magnolia.”
Jim Harris and Carlos Garcia are discovering all sorts of happy bonuses in their new pink and teal addition, including views of Bellevue and the Cascades. “I love that room because when you first enter it, you’re seeing… (Dain Susman)
Pink does not stay outside at the pink and white house. It waltzes right indoors, and right to the shiny refreshed kitchen and new family room, where it meets its dazzling friend teal.
“This is something we call a color dip,” Butcher says: pink on the floors, white in the middle, teal up top. “We think it’s really powerful and interesting and represents Jim and Carlos’ personalities with fun colors.”
Gray flooring and cabinets came up as an option at one point. Not for long.
“I was thinking, eight months out of the year, Seattle is gray,” says Harris. “And I just wanted to walk into a kitchen where I could just feel warmth and joy and brightness, even in the dead of winter. One night, Carlos and I went through all of Marmoleum’s website, and then we narrowed it down to, like, three, and then we narrowed them down to two, and we showed them to Ian, and we all settled on pink. They were excited. They kept asking us: ‘Now, are you sure you want this pink floor?’ ”
1 of 2 | The color concept for Jim Harris and Carlos Garcia’s newly remodeled kitchen and new family room addition (toward the back) includes “a fun color dip on the walls and ceiling extending through the existing plywood cabinets,” says architect Ian Butcher. “This, in conjunction with new countertops, tile backsplash and a fun… (Dain Susman)
And now the neighborhood has embraced Pretty in Pink like Harris and Garcia embrace vivid brilliance.
“People have stopped us, and they’re like, ‘Oh, my God. I love what you did. It just feels so fun, and it’s so happy.’ ”
Which is the whole point of going bold and going home.
“My thing is, don’t be afraid of color, especially in Seattle,” says Harris. “Go with your heart, and do what you do, and work with someone who you really enjoy working with who can help you through what you want.”
We’re inspired by diverse design perspectives, innovation, technology, art, and the world around us. We live for the chance to create and disperse powerful, genuine messages that resonate.
Tessa graduated from Fordham University in New York with a dual bachelor's degree in Communications and Political Science. During her time at Fordham, she worked for an interior designer and at NBC News where she developed her love for both design and communications. After graduating, Tessa managed marketing at 3form, a pioneer in the sustainable building products industry. During her tenure, 3form was repeatedly named one of the most recognized manufacturers in the design industry among architects and designers, and the company won multiple awards for its innovative product launches. After 3form, Tessa consulted on marketing efforts with leading product manufacturers in architecture and design before starting Paxson Fay with Amy.
Growing up in Seattle, Amy was always exploring the great outdoors but she found a particular thrill in traveling. During a visit to New York City at age 10, she knew that was where she wanted to live. After high school she left her home in the Pacific Northwest behind for the great unknown to attend Fordham University in the Bronx. Upon graduation, Amy received a phone call from CNN offering a job opportunity of a lifetime working in television ad sales at Manhattan's Time Warner Center. When a job opportunity in Los Angeles opened up a few years later, Amy couldn't say no to a new adventure back on the west coast. But Seattle eventually called her back home and Amy returned to pursue a Master's degree in Business Administration with the hopes of learning the skills she needed to feed her entrepreneurial spirit. Before graduating, Amy co-founded Paxson Fay with Tessa Andrews in 2015. Amy focuses on marketing strategy, public relations, social media, and partnerships.
After graduating from Fordham University in New York City with a major in Communications and Media Studies and a handful of marketing and PR internships, Colby moved to Boston to manage marketing for a small, women-owned, creative consulting agency. While in that role, Colby managed public relations and marketing efforts for some of Boston's most prominent events and public art initiatives, including the Boston Pickle Fair and The Bulfinch Crossing Projections in downtown Boston. Colby gained experience crafting brand stories and identities through social media marketing and creative copywriting, seen through the successful launch of a premier Massachusetts adult-use dispensary and the revamp of her agency's own website. After two years, Colby decided it was time to figure out what the West Coast was all about. Looking to blend her marketing experience with her passion for design and architecture, Colby found Paxson Fay, where she focuses on social media strategy and management and public relations.
As a child, Paige wanted to be an architect; but after falling in love with storytelling, the power of words, and yes, the show West Wing, she decided to pursue journalism at The George Washington University in the nation’s capital. Following graduation, Paige crafted communications for the beauty and banking industries. Craving space for creativity, she joined the small team that would reopen the congressionally designated National Children’s Museum. There, she played an integral role in establishing the museum’s brand, bringing it to life across digital channels, including social media, email, and advertising. After nearly eight years in DC, she decided it was time for a change of scenery. Having grown fond of the title Washingtonian, she made the cross-country move to Washington State. She landed in Seattle at Paxson Fay, where in true full circle fashion she is the architect of social media and public relations strategies for our architecture and design clients.
From San Francisco, California, Zoe moved to Seattle, Washington to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. She graduated with a dual bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science. Shortly after graduation from UW, Zoe hopped across the pond to pursue her Master of Science in Urban Economics and Real Estate Finance at the London School of Economics. Focusing on Sustainable Development, she found herself drawn to adaptive reuse and preservation projects in the world of architecture and design. Building on prior marketing and social media experience, Zoe returned to the PNW in July of 2023 to work on social media strategy and content creation for clients at Paxson Fay.
Martina joined the Paxson Fay team as an intern when she was a senior at the University of Washington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Interest Communications, Martina is now continuing with the team as a Communications Assistant. During her time at UW, Martina worked as the Special Sections Editor at the university’s newspapers where she won multiple awards for her front page spreads. Looking to blend her minors in real estate and environmental science with her focus in communications, Martina is passionate and excited to join the Paxson Fay team.
With roots in Napa and Denver, Tara ventured to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her academic journey at the University of Washington, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Education. Tara's love for writing began when she delved into songwriting, building on her pre-existing passion for singing and playing the piano. Following her undergraduate years, she returned to Paxson Fay, where she had previously interned, transitioning into the role of Communications Assistant. With a keen interest in PR and social media, Tara seamlessly integrates her creative flair into the professional realm. Outside of work, you'll find Tara passionately supporting the Kraken, embodying her love for both storytelling and sports.
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what we do
We are a communications firm founded in our passion for good design. Our unique approach to marketing and public relations in the architecture and design community has elevated our clients work to the next level. We’re backed by a talented community of creatives. From copywriters to social media experts, we provide a complete package of customized services. We strive to create a personal experience with each client, integrating teams and tackling your biggest marketing and public relations challenges from a high level. Then we help execute those plans ensuring lots of reporting along the way, with lots of coffee breaks in between because we’re from Seattle and that’s what we do.
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content production
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awards: strategy, content development and submissions
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