Color—or Lack of—Goes a Long Way to Transform Your Home
Color is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to change your home. Even an all white or neutral tone room makes a “Color Statement”. However, when choosing to go all white or neutral it is even more important to bring natural elements, such as green plants, into your space.
Don’t be afraid to use vivid colors in your home – it can have a huge impact. This can be done with fabric, art, plants, window treatments, tile and stone, cabinetry, and of course, paint. However, be careful not to overdo a good thing. See how your color selections are going to work with the rest of the elements, and color, in your space. You might want to try assembling your own “color board” prior to investing in your purchases.
Decide how different colors might be used (i.e. the cool colors being more “calming”, the warm colors being more “invigorating”, etc.) I believe it makes sense to surround yourself with the color(s) that YOU enjoy, and colors that enhance the function of a room. For example, I like to use shades of green or blue when designing bedrooms. These colors have a soothing and relaxing effect that are easy to live with if done in soft tones and hues.
Think about the way different colors make you feel. Children tend to like bright, happy colors, which stimulate the senses. In a learning environment, such as a library or school, I feel that either neutral tones of rich wood, or soft tones of pastels work best.
Think about the lighting in the room and how different lighting might affect the room color. Experiment with different types of light. My rule of thumb is to have ambient, general, and task lighting. For example, in a home office I like to have a good desk light (task), overhead lighting (general), and up lights or wall sconces (ambient). It creates the perfect lighting for whatever your needs are. The same rule of thumb goes for the kitchen. I use under cabinet lights (task), overhead lights (general), and pendant lights, or a hanging fixture (ambient) to create the perfect lighting options for the space.
If you would love to incorporate the “hot new color” but are a little leery of painting the whole room in that color you could try an “accent wall” (painting just one wall) or simply incorporate the color through accessories, or just one piece of furniture. A “temporary” way of introducing a trendy color is by using slipcovers or interchangeable pillow covers.
Color can, and should be fun. So, experiment with it, and see what works for you!