How to Pick Great Decorating Colors
by Julie Lohmeier
Description: Tips for choosing colors to decorate your home.
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In reading decorating message boards and forums, one of the
most frequently asked questions concerns paint color. In
general, if you have a focal piece of furniture (often the
bed or sofa), my recommendation is to pick a color from that
piece or a complementary color and build from there. Or if
you have drapes or fabric for drapes that you love, use that
as your starting point. But if you are blessed – or cursed –
with a totally blank palette, then try this.
Go to your local paint store and look at the swatch brochures.
The paint companies highlight their most popular and trendy
colors in these. Or try the Benjamin Moore web site at
http://www.benjaminmoore.com. It’s great. They have an
interactive tool where you can see different colors on the
walls and trim of rooms. For only $10, you can download a
software program where you can do the same with your own
digital photos. How cool is that?!?
Here are some popular colors that I’ve seen and some new
ones in the Benjamin Moore latest brochures. Go through
the Personal Color Viewer to
find the paint shades I have mentioned below.
Buff: This is the new neutral. It looks great with trim –
stained or bright white (my perennial classic favorite), is
neutral but not boring off-white. I have this color through
probably about half of my house including hallways, foyer,
and basement. Everything works well with it. Some specific
colors are Tyler Taupe, Porter Ridge Tan, and Shelburne Buff.
Chestertown Buff: This is a designers favorite. It’s warm,
not too gold, not too taupe and not too bold. It works well
in many settings and any room.
Blue: Making a big comeback, blue is no longer the robin egg’s
blue of your grandmother’s house growing up or powder baby-boy
blue but either a slate or steel blue (Jamestown Blue) or even
a more vibrant Caribbean blue (see Ash Blue or Deep Ocean). It
can go from bedroom to bathroom to more formal rooms quite
easily. You’ll often see this paired with white or red for a
nautical theme or with light yellow or gold in traditional
patterns. In our office, we used Summer Nights, a deep blue
that’s not navy, not turquoise, not royal but really rich and
vibrant.
Corals: I’m seeing this color used in dining and living rooms.
Use a pale color on the walls and a deeper hue as accents.
Check out Crazy for You. Keep an eye out for peaches and
corals – they could be the next big color.
Green: Green is big too – ranging from seafoam to lime
(Pleasant Grove) to almost army drab (Weathersfield Moss).
Spring Valley is a versatile soothing color, appropriate for
living rooms and bedrooms. You can use a variety of colors to
accent – from cream for an understated look to peach or plums
for more dramatic contrasts.
Red: A favorite of decorators. Use it in dining rooms or
living rooms where you want to make a bold statement. Great
for traditional or Asian styles. Take a peek at Ladybug Red or
Raspberry Truffle.
Gold: Paired with every color imaginable – red, blue, purple,
or by itself. As an accent or as the predominant color. Very
popular in Tuscan decorating, especially with faux finishes.
Check out Concord Ivory – a very modern version of a
traditional classic.
Bold colors still rule although lighter pastels are being
shown as accents and for increasingly for dining and living
rooms. Although I have seen beautifully appointed rooms using
purples and plums - a really hot trend a few years ago - it
seems that these hues may be cooling off.
Along with her husband, Julie Lohmeier is the veteran
of numerous home remodeling and building projects. Always
working on a tight budget, she has found how to create a
showplace home without breaking the bank. She shares her
remodeling tips, homedecorating ideas, and other various
rants at http://www.myhomeredux.com.
Related articles:
Bring Color to Your Home
Using Color Tricks in Home Decor
Psychology of Colors: The Living Room
