The art of choosing the right colors for your home doesn’t always require studying a color wheel and scores of design magazines. As much as it may seem to be a place where only the serious designers travel, finding the colors that suit you and your home should be a very personal process. Whether you go the road alone, or with an interior designer, the art of choosing colors that are most perfect for you and your lifestyle can be done by following these basic instructions.
1. Neutral or Bold:
When you think about your personality and the way you view colors everyday – do you find yourself leaning towards bold options in clothing and other personal items, or are you most comfortable with a more neutral color palette? Being able to identify your personal color choices will help you to better understand the color schemes that will make you most comfortable, ultimately creating a home that speaks to your preferences.
2. Modern or Classic:
Look at any of today’s home improvement and home décor magazines, and you’ll immediately notice an array of different types of color schemes. Use of bright colors such as oranges and greens would lend themselves best to a very modern home style, whereas streamlined whites, tans and warm grays would present a more classic backdrop for various other neutrals, or even pops of colors here and there. Again, once you’ve determined what your personal color choices tend to be, you’ll have a good feeling about which category best suits your tastes and therefore help you choose the colors that would best work in your home.
3. To Pop, or Not to Pop:
Whether you choose a more bold set of colors to decorate your home with, or choose the more conservative neutral palette, there is still room to make decisions about ‘pops’ of color. For many, going bold and using lots of color comes easily – but for others, using a smidge of bold color here and there is a test of their comfort levels. For those that are nervous about using small placement of bold colors, a great challenge would be to make a small purchase and focus on one area of your house. A bright vase and a few bold throw pillows on a neutral backdrop would be a great tell-tale sign of whether you’re open to the use of such color ‘pops’.
4. Creating Illusions:
When considering the effective use of colors in a home, a practical approach would be to make decisions based on the unique needs of the home. For instance, if a living room appears to be cramped and closed in, creating a more neutral palette with small pops of color will help to open up the space and give the illusion that it is larger and more airy. On the flipside, if you have a very large master bedroom and you’re desire is to create a warm and cozy setting, then choosing darker, richer colors will help to set the proper mood.