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.
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