DESIGNER’s BITS

Let’s chat a bit about Color……………

Color.  Wow!  The word alone opens up a floodgate of emotions!  Some of us get excited while others feel terrified.  Today more than ever research has proven time and again that color is more than a hue on the wall.  The colors we choose evoke emotions within us and reflect the soul of the person living in the space.  I love to share on color.  So, I broke my color blog into 3 parts because I simply can’t put it all in one post.   The 1st is a bit to get you inspired, the 2nd a bit on color intrigue and the 3rd offers some designer helpful bits.

So you have an entire home or maybe a room that either needs to be completely renewed or a lil’ freshin’ up.  Where do you start?

Look first to nature and you can rarely go wrong!  Warm and cool colors intermingle regularly.  The cool blues and grays in the beaches, the healing greens and invigorating yellows in the countryside and the vibrant purples, pinks and oranges that take front and center stage in the sunrise and sunsets.  Why do I love the Mediterranean so?  The colors!

BENJAMIN MOORE; 2018 COLOR OF THE YEAR; CALIENTE

Next, is this – each person has his/her own exclusive color scheme just as everyone is on their own spiritual quest.  When choosing colors for your home, start with the feeling you wish to convey in your home.

That is all dreamy and wonderful, you say, but what about me?  Where do I start?  Here is where you start.  I put together some tried-and-true tips to get you inspired and headed in the right direction.

  1. What is your favorite color?  Why?  Is it associated with a favorite memory?  Perhaps it is, which is most common for many of us.  Maybe it is how it makes you feel.  Colors that make your heart skip a beat speak to you louder than words.
  2. Putting your color scheme together is similar to putting your wardrobe together.  What colors make you feel like you can conquer the world?  What makes you feel ooh-la-la fabulous?  Maybe you wouldn’t paint a whole room in this color but you can certainly use it as an accent color!  The best palettes are comprised of 5 colors, 3 will work but 2 never will as it is boring and static.
  3. Each room can be a different color if it is separated by white wood work.  White is to color like ginger is to sushi – it clears the palette.

  4. Dark colors are dramatic and blur the lines in a small room, so you can’t easily see its perimeters.
  5. Strong colors are great for foyers and halls; places you pass through quickly.
  6. Warm, complex colors are energizing and dramatic while cool colors reflect serenity and give the room a more spacious feeling.
  7. Accent walls change the perception.  I do not typically recommend doing this technique.
  8. When is it best to paint a room white?  A room that has eye-catching architectural features and details; i.e., a stunning crown molding with a luxe mopboard, a grand stairwell, etc. Gorgeous architectural detail has so much character that it can stand alone. Color tends to take away the purity of the design.
  9. Are you someone in love with white walls and refuses to paint them even if    you room is a bit plain and dull?  Are you thinking that you still want to bring in some color but not sure where?  Paint the ceilings!  Ceilings are stunning in colors of blue, pink and yellow.  Think sky colors. The blue ceiling dates back to medieval Europe when castle ceilings were painted to inspire lofty thoughts.
  10. 10.Light will affect the way you see color.  Be sure to look at your colors in natural light on sunny and overcast days as well as in the evening when you are using artificial lighting.  Incandescent bulbs have a warm yellow amber glow and will make reds, oranges and yellows more vivid.  While fluorescent lighting, which is flat and cool, enriches blues and greens.