While white or other neutral colors on a wall can provide an excellent canvas for colorful accessories, decorating with bright and powerful colors on the walls can change your whole mood.
I once lived in a home close to the coast which meant that almost every morning there was a heavy fog making everything look gray, but not in my house! The walls were painted a light, bright peach color which made it look like a living room full of sunshine no matter what the weather was outside.
If you are unfamiliar with using dark or bright colors to decorate, follow a few simple suggestions for success:
1. Dark or Light? As a general rule, light colors will make a room feel spacious, while darker colors will make a room feel cozier. This does not mean you should not use strong color in a smaller space, it just means to choose wisely. If you have a smaller space and you are into red, choose a bright red instead of burgundy. If it’s blue you want, choose a bright electric blue instead of navy blue.
2. Go for the Ombre. Can’t decide on light or dark? Try an ombre effect and get the best of both worlds! You can start dark on the floor and blend lighter as you go up towards the ceiling or start dark on the ceiling and blend downwards to a lighter tint. With a lighter color on the ceiling you will create a light and airy feeling to the room, while painting in the reverse with a darker color on the ceiling blending to a lighter color on the bottom will create a feeling of warmth.
3. Check your lighting. The light source in a room will make all the difference when it comes to color. Before you apply a new color to a room, paint a small sample and check it throughout the day and in artificial light. You do not want to take the time to apply a new color you love only to discover that during part of the day it looks grey or washed out.
4. Keep it cohesive. Not all of your colors need to be matchy-matchy, but they do need to be cohesive or you run the risk of creating a room that neither you nor anyone else is comfortable in. Even if the colors from room to room are not the same, they should be related to encourage flow between the spaces. One way this can be accomplished is to use one color in different tints or shades of a particular color. A tint is a mix of colors with white, making it lighter. A shade is a color mixed with black, making it darker.
5. It’s a family affair. Decide on your color palette and carry that palette throughout your entire space. Once you decide on your palette you can change it up in different rooms. For example, the blue of a foyer wallpaper may be carried into the living room via textiles or floor coverings, then carried into the next setting via drapes, lamps, or other accessories.
6. Color as a highlight. Does your home have an unusual architectural element? Highlight it with a different color, shade, or tint. This also applies to baseboards, trim, the doors, and even the ceiling! Again, a darker ceiling will “bring it down” (think cozy), and a lighter color will appear to expand the ceiling (think light & airy).
When thinking about adding color, don’t forget the great selection of adhesive, removable wallpapers available now which is an easy (and easily removable) way of adding color. Decorating with color has its rules, such as the 60/30/10 rule – 60% dominant color, 30% a secondary color, and 10% for your accent color, but nuts to that! Do what makes you happy and follow your own sense of style. You may start a new trend.
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