COLORING
YOUR WORLD
When decorating a
room, color affords almost limitless possibilities. Color invokes feelings and adds
personality to your room. No other
single element can alter the appearance of space and objects like color. In
home furnishings, it can visually enlarge, reduce and even change the feel of a
piece of furniture.
Here are some easy tips
to consider:
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The best color schemes
are usually found in a single element: a sofa, rug, painting, virtually anything.
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Consider the intended
use, room’s size, desired mood and its lighting and exposure.
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Lighting and exposure
affect the way color behaves. Most homes have incandescent lighting, which
makes reds more vibrant and blues more neutral. Examine fabrics and paint chips
under incandescent lighting as well as under natural daylight.
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When planning large
purchases such as, carpeting, wallpaper, and large pieces of furniture, choose
colors carefully since these items will not be frequently changed.
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Observe color relationships
in photography, public places, private homes, printed fabrics and even
clothing. Outdoor, natural settings can be great inspirations as well!
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If you aren’t completely
confident about a color scheme, stick to neutral, simple colors when it comes
to large, expensive purchases.
Use colors and combinations
you like. Nothing goes in and out of fashion more quickly than color. Try not to buy something just because
the color is “in.”
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ROOM WITH A MOOD: The Broad Palette
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Blues, greens, purples
and grays are cool colors and can range from tranquil to dramatic. They can make
rooms feel less confining. In warm climates, cool colors combined with white
can make an entire house feel more comfortable.
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Reds, yellows, browns,
oranges and peaches are warm colors that can lighten and subdue or radiate
energy and exuberance! If you have a drafty room, reds, yellows and oranges
will add a little fire!
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Bright colors are best
in active, informal rooms and those with little natural light. They work well
as attention getting accents in rooms with neutral or subdued color schemes.
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Subdued colors are
restful and relaxing and make soft backgrounds. Adding brightly colored accents
increases visual interest.
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Lights and whites create
the illusion of space, making rooms look bigger and ceilings higher. In any
room, white walls make an excellent neutral background that won’t compete with
furnishings.
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Dark colors absorb light
and make rooms look smaller and more intimate. Great for home libraries and
studies, they also help disguise uneven walls, rough surfaces and ceilings that
are too high. Because dark colors dominate, light colored accents add balance
to a room.
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ROOM WITH A MOOD: The Focused Palette
You’ll rev up any room by introducing the most
colorful of vivid colors! Pure red
is charged with excitement and even raises the body’s metabolic rate! Burgundy
is refined and aristocratic while pink is calm, sweet and romantic.
Frazzled nerves recover when exposed to
blue, the calmest of all colors. Sky blue is young and sporty but royal and
navy convey dignity and wealth.
Like blue, green is tranquil, especially
sea foam and mint. Brighter greens make us happy with reminders of spring while
hunter and pine are eloquent and quiet.
Relentlessly cheerful! Bright yellow is so
happy that it can actually become annoying and make a room feel oppressive.
Pale yellow, though, is breezy, spring-like and relaxing.
Regal! Long associated with royalty, this
is a color of splendor and sophistication. Because we don’t often see it in
nature, it’s perceived as artificial and many people aren’t impressed. Lavender
is said to be the most irritating of all colors in room décor.
Rich and natural, brown is likened to wood
and leather. Darker shades are opulent while tans and beiges are rustic and
earthy. All shades are universally popular and offer great versatility.
Their qualities are as different as night
and day, but both can imply expense and elegance. Combined, they achieve bold
contrast for a stunning look!