Interior Design Questions & Home Decorating FAQ

Decorating With Color

Q. Where do I start when developing a color scheme?

A. A successful color scheme uses a minimum of three colors together. If you have more confidence, you might consider using more colors to maximum of six, but remember, the more colors you use, the more difficult it is to achieve in decorating.

Q. How do you arrive at the three basic colors?

A. Take inspiration from an existing pattern already in your room. - in window coverings, upholstery fabrics, cushions, etc. If there is no pattern already in the room, then your first job will be to introduce one. Pick a pattern whose colors you like, one which contains some of the colors already found in the room’s carpet, window coverings, etc. Identify three color families in the pattern: the main color, the secondary color and the third color, which will act as the accent color.

When determining color placement, you must first consider the main focus of the room. If you have chosen your colors from a sofa pattern and you use the predominant color of the pattern as your main wall color.

It is wise to select the secondary color for your walls if you want to maintain the sofa a focus.  Consider, too, that your eye is attracted to the lightest color in a room first.

So, if your walls are not the first thing you want to be noticed, do not paint them the lightest color.

The main color does not have to be the lightest or the background color in the pattern. It will however, be the most prevalent color you will use in your room.

If you choose as your main color, the dominant color in the pattern, then you will probably lose some of the emphasis and impact of that pattern in the room.

The secondary color will not be used as the main choice, but may appear as a piece of furniture or a carpet. The function of this color is to provide visual interest, variety and balance.

The third color is commonly thought of as the brightest or darker color that will be used the least. Since it is used so sparingly, a strong color tends to make a good accent color. It is contrast that makes for a great accent. White, then, can be an accent color, especially if the room in which it is applied tends to utilize darker colors.
In most cases, successful accents are those that are complementary to the main color.

Once these colors are established, you can place them in the room to produce the effect you want: light colors against dark colors for emphasis, cool colors against warm for strength and contrast. The most neutral colors in the room should be used on the largest and most unchangeable items such as carpets, window coverings and major furniture pieces.

Remember, within the three colors you have chosen, you can expand your range by combining different values of the same color, for example, light and dark blue.


Q. Do light colors make a room look larger?

A. If everything in the room is a light color, the room will look larger. It is not necessarily the color of a room that determines its perceived size, but rather the contrasts in color values.
To keep a room looking as large as possible, use colors that are similar in value-that is, all light colors or all dark colors.

Q. Are beige, brown, off white and gray the only “neutral” colors?

A. Any color can be a neutral color, but these colors are neutral by definition. That is one of the great things about color. In general, a “neutral” is the color used most prevalently in a color scheme. In some countries- Russia and Peru for example, red is considered a “neutral” color. In nature, green is the “neutral or background color" for all other colors. Consider your own wardrobe: is dark blue your personal “neutral”? Think about your favorite pair of blue jeans-just about any color gets paired with them!

For a color other than beige, brown, off white or gray to be a successful “neutral,” it should be a color of a deep value, and not too bright.

Q. I am building a new house. How do I begin to choose my colors?

A. There are myriad things to consider, complicated by many factors such as one's ability to get into the new house under construction to make your color selections under true to life lighting conditions.  As well, you can only visualize colors against one another from small color chips from  color chip samples.  And you must take into consideration, the color preferences of other people who will also b e living in the house.

When starting a project of this magnitude, it may be wise to consult a professional.  You can still do the work yourself, but if you find you get stuck and need an unbiased opinion, you will be glad to have a professional's advice.

To start, make a list of the fixed elements in your house that have to be considered, such as a bathroom and kitchen cabinets, counter tops, hardwood flooring, etc. These will be the first color decisions you will have to make.  If possible, keep these as simple as possible: the fewer the color changes in these major fixed elements, the more color options you will have open to you thought out the house.

Now that you have these major color decisions out of the way, you can start to have fun with color.

Study the check list for each room, determining all existing furnishings, the use and function of each room.  Establish a main color palette for the entire house, using something you treasure as your primary focus. It might be a favorite patterned scarf, or a painting- anything to which you can refer when you think you have strayed from your established palette and may be getting lost.

Once the main palette is established, look at individual areas such as the dining room and kitchen, or the bedroom and its adjoining bath and closets.  Once again, select a pattern and choose three colors from it to establish a palette for the area, starting with the most expensive item (w  indow coverings, carpet, etc) Choose your main color. Then move on to selecting your secondary color and third accent color.

Q. Should I use the same color carpet throughout the entire house or can I change it in some rooms?

A. If you have a small house, keep the flooring colors and materials to a minimum; the fewer the changes, the larger your house will seem.  However, if you have a large home, you can probably afford to make color changes and material changes.

In an open- floor plan house, it is difficult to change carpet colors because you see into many rooms from any location.  But of you live in an older house, you probably have many separate rooms and this makes it easier to change flooring colors and materials without their being too noticeable.  However, if you are considering re-sale value, the same color carpet throughout the house is the best choice.

Q. Can I paint over wallpaper or do I have to remove it first?  

A. If the paper is securely attached to the wall, you may attempt to paint it, but wash it thoroughly first.  It is also good idea to prime it , especially if it is a solid vinyl paper. A good idea is to use a decorative finish such as Venetian plaster or rag rolling, or sponging to help disguise the seams.

Decorating a Stylish Teen Bedroom

It is only a matter of time until your maturing child lets you know that they have outgrown their kiddy room.  At this stage, you are not so much decorating a room for them as you are doing it with them.  Most likely they will have definite changes they want to make and you will have to accommodate their  preferences as well as their lifestyle needs which are increasingly more grown-up. Toys and other embarrassing reminders of your childhood are out. Teenagers require more storage for clothing, an expanding music collection, and electronic equipment, a personal grooming spot, and a place to do increasing amounts of homework. on top of this, they need an environment that they can consider private and totally their own.

Getting Started

Think of your teenager's bedroom as the precursor to their college dorm room.  It is their sleeping space, their study and work niche, a place to entertain, and their private domain where they can talk to their friends, hang out or just be alone with their thoughts and dreams if they choose to. If it is comfortable, they will spend a lot of time there rather than in someone else's home.

Encourage your teenager to become involved with the decorating and renovating process.

The following are steps to get your teenager to take more interest in and responsibility for the project.

Step One - Work out a Budget Together

Tell them how much you can afford to spend and let me decide how to divvy up that amount on individual expenditures. If there is something that they want and your budget can not accommodate, maybe they can contribute some of their savings or money from a part-time job.  Or, instead of paying a contractor to paint the room, suggest to your teenager that if they do the work, the money saved can be spent on something that was off-limits before, like special lighting or a piece of furniture.

Step Two - Let them do the Window Shopping

Magazine, catalogs, the Internet, and even TV shows are good places to find ideas. Tell them to keep notes as well as prices.

Step Three - Be the Practical One

Determine the room's measurements, and take along the measuring tape when you go shopping. These are some of the details that they will regard as tedious and will be happy to leave to you. Draw the line on renovations that not only cost a lot but will require expensive making over when your teenager leaves for college and you want to use the room for another purpose.

Smart Tip Furnishings Checklist

In the teen years, storage needs increase along with the need for extra seating pieces for studying and entertaining friends. Consider the following item:

Bed

Double- or Triple Width Dresser

Tall Chest of Drawers or Armoire

Desk and adjustable Desk Chair

Shelving or Bookcases

Extra Seating

Nightstand or bedside table

Lighting Fixtures Flooring

Mantels

Mantels are always a significant focal point in a room.  Your goal in accessorizing a mantel should be to pair elements that are not only important but compatible with your mantel style.  Often the mantel is a  work of art in itself.  Keeping a strong yet simple design style might be the approach for a very detailed mantel.  A mantel also presents a unique situation where the wall art is absolutely part of the composition of the arrangement on the mantel's surface.  Artwork or mirrors must be chosen as one part of the whole.  Your wall accessories should be comparable in style and color with the objects on the mantel so that the finished compostion works in harmony.

Myths, Truths, and Tips about Color

Below you will find a few of the most often repeated , most common decorating myths, and an explanation of why you should disregard them.

Myth: Art work hung on the walls, and the accessories in the room, set the mood.

Truth: Color is the key element that creates and sets the mood of every room.

             Visualize the following: You walk into a room that has coral-colored walls, and white moldings. Does the coral and white in this room have an impact on you? Do you feel the mood of this room?  Now visualize walking into a room with beige walls and white moldings.  Does the beige and white in this room create another mood? Are you feeling the difference between the coral room and the beige room? Regardless of the art on the wall and the accessories, color is always the key element that sets and creates the mood.

What is Home Staging?

It is the very best proven way to get top dollar for your home as you prepare it for sale. Homes that are staged sell faster and for more money! Staging sets the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer interest in your property. This will then lead to your home selling for the highest possible price in today's market.

TOP TEN REASONS TO HAVE Spaces Design Studio STAGE YOUR HOME

1. A stager teaches you the difference between being a dweller and a seller.

2. A stager provides the unbiased eyes of a purchaser.

3. A stager knows that buyers are swayed by your home's decor.

4. A stager knows how to accent the positives and downplay the negatives.

5. A stager will provide attention to detail letting potential buyers know your property has been well cared for.

6. A stager will make your home warm and inviting. By setting this mood a potential buyer will be able to imagine settling in.

7. A stager will turn your home into a commodity that appeals to the public, thus shortening the time your home is on the market.

8. A stager will enable you to ask and obtain top dollar for your investment.

9. A stager provides practical daily do's and dont's for the time that your home is on the market.

10. A stager will show you that less means more...more money for the sale that is.