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Winter
2006
So you think
you want color?
Usually it’s
a tough thing to do, add color, but like
anything that is worth the while, you have
to take the plunge or you will never know.
I can not begin to tell you how many beige
and gray houses I have been in. It’s
obvious that the people want color (I base
this on some of the couch colors that I’ve
seen and can only say – WOW!) but maybe just
don’t know how to get there. I thought this
would be the perfect time to talk about
color as we all get ready and cleaned up for
the holidays. The vibrant reds, greens,
blues, purples, golds and silvers of the
holiday always make us feel more festive.
So why not feel that way all year long?
Paint is
one of the easiest things to play with in
your home. You don’t need to be stuck
with it as long as you are willing to pay
for a re-paint if you simply can’t live with
the color you have chosen. When I meet with
clients, I always start with asking them
their favorite color on the color wheel.
This way, I know that if they select
something in that hue, it won’t be all bad
to them. From there, we look at the larger
pieces of furniture, art or rugs in the room
to see if there is a color there that we
should bring out. Once decided on the color
we want to bring out, it’s a matter of
matching the shade of the color. I
sometimes try to go one shade up and one
shade down from what we think we want to try
out when ordering samples. This way, my
clients can live with the color and see how
it changes during different times of the
day.
A few paint guidelines that I usually stick
to follow.
o
I’m a big
fan of blending
colors from room to room. By this
I mean staying with colors that have the
same value (lightness or darkness) when you
have adjoining rooms. There’s nothing more
confusing to the eye than seeing a
tremendously bold color in one room and at
the same time, in the distance, seeing a
room with a soft pastel.
o
When undecided, I
recommend clients go with the darker shade
of the colors they like. Nine out of ten
times, once they have tried it, people wish
that they had just a smidge more color.
o
Accent walls should do
just that – accent something be
it architectural, such as a fireplace or
focal point window, or artistic, such as a
prized piece of art or other furniture
pieces that have artistic value. If it’s
more color that you want, rather than doing
an accent wall for the sake of getting more
color, consider just painting the room a
darker value.
o
Ceilings, ceilings,
ceilings! If it’s a sense of
endlessness you want in the room then go for
painting the ceiling the same color as the
walls. In smaller spaces this can work
quite nicely. If you want to define the
room then it is best to stick with painting
the ceiling white. The good news is that
there is nothing wrong with passing up the
old “ceiling white” and using a white tint
that compliments the color family that you
are working with in the room.
o
If you are moving,
sadly, you must get rid of the color.
Yes, it is true, even though it might be a
hot color, not every buyer wants to purchase
your chartreuse family room. It is best to
turn everything in to beige or gray neutrals
before putting the house on the market.
Additionally, if you are still living with
your first failed attempt at sponge
painting, you will need to fix those kinds
of situations as well.
Seems people
just can’t get enough color once they try
it, so go ahead, jump in to some color!
As always, if you
don’t know where to begin, simply contact
Smart Surroundings, LLC and ask for a color
consultation.
Wishing all
of our friends Happy and Colorful Holidays!
See previous Andrea's Antidotes:
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