Looking for a new way to color your world? - Home & Garden - MSNBC.com
Looking for a new way to color your world?
House & Garden offers help with a look at the latest hues for your home
View related photos
Tim Lee / Courtesy Of Sherill Canet
Looking for a new way to color your world? Need some advice on the latest hues in paint for your home? Well, you’re in luck. There are more choices than colors in the rainbow, but there are tricks to help you choose the right one for your room? House & Garden magazine's latest issue is all about color trends. Susanna Salk is the special projects editor and she was invited to appear on TODAY to share some hints from the magazine. Here's more on what she discussed on the show:
Colors immediately impact our emotions and the mood of the room. Choosing the right color is like meeting many people at a big party: It's stimulating but overwhelming. My advice: Spend time on the ones that instinctively make you feel good or to which you are drawn, instead of trying to get to know a little bit about all of them. It’s less overwhelming that way. Here are some tips about choosing the best hues for your room...
There is no such thing as a "bad color". Forget all those color "rules" about “this can't go with that,” etc. Instead, consider:
The function of a room can sometimes help you determine the kind of color: Bedroom= serene; kitchen= cheerful; dining room= whimsical or sophisticated.
The light or lack of it: Sometimes the brighter the room the deeper the color it can handle.
Its view or orientation: Is it reflecting what is going on outside (nature/sunsets) or is the color in charge of creating its own setting?
What colors do you love? What rooms make you happy? Let these answers inform you and go with your gut.
Let's experiment a little and show you how color can impact even the simplest settings:
• Color trends for your homeFeb. 15: TODAY's Al Roker talks with Susanna Salk of House & Garden magazine about tips on how you can color your rooms with the latest hues in house paint.
Today Show HomeWall 1 Color: Decorator’s WhiteThere's nothing chicer than white on white. It makes your room look large and serene. There are so many whites out there, so decide what kind you want: There are creamy/whites, grey/whites and white/whites. Finish in flat: Flat is best for surfaces with imperfections and flaws because there's minimal shine. It's good for ceilings; not so great for walls in high traffic areas because it won't stand up to stains or washing.Wall 2 Color: Sheer Romance 837 Blue gives instant sophistication to any room and warms up when paired with a warm white.
Finish in eggshell: Eggshell has a light, satiny sheen making it more resistant to stains and more washable. It's a popular finish for walls in high-moisture areas such as baths and kitchens. Wall 3 Color: Yellow (Little Angel 318, Amarillo 32O -- split by a chair rail)Don't forget to explore the possibilities of putting 2 ranges of one color on a wall: It gives diversity and depth without having to be too overt. I love how yellow can work in any season and in any room: Kitchen or living room.
Finish for both in matte: Matte is a great alternative to flat, has minimal sheen, and was developed to be washable.
Creating exciting, but workable color combinations: Color is all about context and what its next to. Professional color forecasters predict the use of bolder colors for shutters, doors, window frames and other trim will be big in 2007. Now, a more self assured public is asserting itself by using color to make dramatic statements. Colors are more saturated and deeper. And we have tapped other cultures for ideas. Bold color is exciting to use, but there's a trick to using it without hating it the next day. Try pairing it with the correct neutral hues. This will relax the contrasts. Here are some examples:
Emerald green with black and white (See photo above.) Malachite is so big these days. Here we pair it with graphic black and white for a high energy, sophisticated vibe. This kind of color combination really specifies the way a room will be used.
Francois Halard
Tangerine with stone For a softer alternative to bold orange, try warm, sunny tangerine paired with stone.
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Eric Boman
Yellow with silverCitron and charteuse need only silver's shimmer to take on a glamourous glow. Balance the acid tones with strokes of deep brown and white.
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Eric Boman
Pink with brown Chocolate browns coupled with exotic patterns and splashes of girlie pinks give a mature feminine touch.
Other hints on color:
Enveloping a space all in one color is a chic way to solve a "mystery" room.
Dont just rely on a paint chip: Paint a bit of the color onto the wall: It can sometimes look completely different in the light, etc. But paint chips are helpful in terms of seeing the range of colors you've chosen for your house (hallways that lead into rooms, etc.)
It's nice to color code your rooms so each has an identity.
Using two tones adds interest to small spaces and helps it from getting too dark. Objects are highlighted by what they are contrasted against: Matte against glossy, etc. Pair homey with glam; folksy with ornate: Do it against a dark backdrop to add a glam effect.
The bottome line: Dont be afraid of color: It's the easiest way to renovate."
This information is very timely for any of you who are thinking about spring cleaning, and making changes to your spaces. Think color!
Tags: home decorating with color, easy home renovations with paint
Showing posts with label paint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paint. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Home Decor: Little cash, big changes
Home Decor: Little cash, big changes
Take a look at this insightful article to help you make the biggest impact on your spaces with the least amount of cash.
Home Decor: Little cash, big changes
"A change of color is the quickest way to transform the look and feel of a space.
By HEATHER WOOD The New Mexican February 17, 2007
Use imagination, fresh eye to enliven that tired roomAre you tired of your living room décor but don’t know where to start to transform your space? Stuck with the same old stuff and short on cash? Ready for a new look but not the credit-card bills that come with it? With a little creativity and effort, you can bring a fresh look to any room in your home or office at little or no cost. Resources such as the Internet offer nearly limitless information, photos and products for affordable decorating. An increase in catalogs from home retailers such as Pier One, Crate and Barrel and Restoration Hardware means more inspiration. The explosion of do-it-yourself home-decorating shows on cable TV has encouraged average homeowners to become weekend warriors of paint and fabric. There’s never been a better time to become a hands-on home-improvement type.
Where to startBefore you start tearing your home apart, take a good look at the space you want to redo. What is it that’s really bothering you? Too much clutter? A cramped room arrangement? A lack of color — or, on the contrary, a circus of colors? By assessing what doesn’t work, you’ll be better prepared to determine how to fix it. Make a list of the space’s challenges, jotting down ideas for your ideal room. Go online and search “no- and low-cost decorating.” Pick up one of the many home-retailer catalogs you no doubt have stacked somewhere in your home and see what appeals to you. Get out your camera, stand in each corner of the room and snap away. It’s amazing what a picture can reveal by offering us an image of the entire space. It’s hard to envision a new look when you’re staring at your usual surroundings. Start by clearing the room of all clutter. That’s right — piles of papers, books, magazines and catalogs, random objects and other things without a home. Next, clear the room of all accessories, tabletop photos and mementos. When you move them, group like items together: metal objects, ceramics, glass and wooden items. Group by color, theme and style, keeping collections intact. Finally, remove the artwork, plants, lamps, etc. Now you’ve got some breathing room in which to start creating your “new” space.Pieces of a puzzleGood room arrangements always consider traffic flow — and yours should, too. Perplexed about how best to go about it? There’s a reason highly trained professional interior decorators and designers work first on paper to create a room: It’s called space planning. By making scale models of a room and the furniture to go in it, you can save your back — and a lot of the time you would have spent trying to fit your 8-foot sofa into a 7-foot, 5-inch space. There is myriad space-planning software available via the Internet. Better Homes and Gardens offers a free “arrange-a-room” utility on its Web site. If you’re electronically challenged, there’s also good, old-fashioned graph paper. However you choose to do it, you’ll need to measure the width and depth of all your furniture and cut out little replicas drawn to scale. (Usually, a quarter-inch equals a foot.)Sound like too much work? Start sliding pieces around the floor. Regardless of how you approach it, take into account the following:
The room’s intended purpose — TV watching, for example, or book reading, or both.
The number of people who normally use the space.
Whether you entertain in the room. If you do, is there a place for everyone to set a drink or book?
Whether there are too many or too few furnishings in the room.
The room’s focal point. Is it a fireplace, a picture window, an entertainment unit?
The purpose of each furnishing, piece of art or accessory. What does it bring to the room? What story does it tell us about the person or people who live here? What does it offer in terms of form and/or function? Don’t be afraid to try something new as you move your pieces around on paper, on your computer or on your floor.Cost-free creationsOnce you’re comfortable with your floor plan, it’s time to make the room look fresh. ► PaintA change of color is the quickest way to change the look and feel of a space. Painting walls, baskets and other wooden items gives a quick update. (This approach is not recommended for antique or heirloom pieces, however.) Most people have a variety of leftover wall paint in the garage or shed. Why not make a bold move and paint a large “frame” around the area where a bed’s headboard would go in a color that works with the wall color? With a level and some careful taping, you can add a classic yet hot-and-trendy stripe to a wall in a day. ► PillowsIf you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can take scrap fabric from almost anything — sheets, clothes and vintage fabrics — and update your throw pillows in an afternoon. Stretch a decorative fabric over an inexpensive canvas and staple to affix — instant wall hangings. Or create instant valances for window coverings with tapestries from your travels. ► Excess lumberThe extra door molding or window framing hiding in your garage could make a lovely border for an unfinished bathroom mirror. Just paint or stain and install. It’s a quick change that can be easily modified each time you change the color scheme in your bathroom. Karen McAloon, host of HGTV’s popular series Design Remix, is a master at turning excess lumber into picture frames, side tables, shelves and ceiling beams. Granted, she’s armed with a team of tool-savvy technicians, but shows like this give us an idea of what’s possible when we look at something in a different way. ►ArtworkOne of the most daunting aspects of a room makeover is hanging the art. A good rule of thumb is to hang items lower than you think you should. And don’t be afraid to try wall groupings. There are endless possibilities for creating groupings — even entire how-to books dedicated to the subject. Pull out some paper grocery bags or other scrap paper and cut them to the exact sizes of the pieces you wish to hang. Lay the “paper arrangement” out on the floor near the wall it’s to be hung on. Once you have a good feel for the arrangement — keeping in mind balance, scale and symmetry/asymmetry — hang your paper mock-ups on the wall using easily removable sticky tack. This allows you to move the mock-ups around until you have the configuration that works best. You can even mount your picture hangers and hardware over the paper dummies, ripping them off just before you hang the actual piece. ►LightingA common decorating oversight is the lack of proper lighting. The average homeowner rarely invests in enough lighting. Now’s the time to “shop” your home, borrowing table and floor lamps from other rooms to create a warm, well-lit space. Make sure you have ample task lighting — overhead lighting is rarely adequate for reading. Arrange your lamps according to necessity. A floor lamp in a dark corner can create the feel of a larger room. An uplight behind a plant creates drama and interest.A table lamp provides reading light and a warm glow. When you do come into some decorating cash, lamps should be at the top of your list.►RepurposingOne of the hottest decorating trends in the last decade is “repurposing.” Years ago some creative designer took a bold step and used an ottoman as a coffee table. While this was probably considered avant-garde at the time, it’s now a mainstay decorating approach. Look around your house for items that could serve another purpose. A large basket, turned upside down, becomes a bedside table. A bookshelf becomes a headboard. A petite antique china hutch becomes a unique dresser with a place to display pretty perfume bottles, family photos and the like. A retro thermos becomes the base of a hip lamp. You get the idea.► Natural interestOften overlooked, Mother Nature offers us a large array of items to use in our decorating scheme. Just as the addition of plants makes a room immediately feel both calm and alive, bringing in the outdoors keeps us connected to our larger natural environment. Pine cones, rocks and branches ground and add interest to a room. A collection of rocks in a bowl makes a unique centerpiece, as do willow (or other) branches displayed in a large vase. But before you go ravaging your backyard, see what’s already available. Many people are surprised to find they’ve got collections of rocks or other natural elements spread throughout their home.► AccessoriesYou’ve arranged your room, played with color, hung your art, added lighting and relished the results. Now it’s time to accessorize. Accessories are what make a room unique. They reflect the homeowner’s specific tastes and interests. And they tend to be highly personal. Keep like items together: Group metals, ceramics or glass pieces together. Arrange in odd numbers, stagger heights — nature’s landscape is filled with irregularity. If you adore symmetry, be sure to throw a curveball in the mix by trying something at a unique angle or by staggering heights of objects in the grouping. Even if you love a busy backdrop, be sure to leave plenty of “white space” for the eye to rest. Too many objects d’art can result in none of them standing out.If you find yourself with some holes to fill, discount home retailers have created a nationwide passion for “all things home improvement.” The abundance, and relative affordability, of home décor items is unprecedented. Consider chains like Target, which offers Design For All; West Elm, which has Polished Style; and Pier One, with the It’s Your Thing line. All offer a continually rotating stock of styles, colors and price points. These may not be original, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces, but, for the average consumer, they can offer a good fit both for both budget and style.You don’t have to break the bank to have a beautiful space. Ask yourself if there’s a different way to showcase a vase of flowers or a seating arrangement. See if you can push your comfort zone when it comes to color. And last, but not least, trust your instincts. It’s your room, after all."
Take a look at this insightful article to help you make the biggest impact on your spaces with the least amount of cash.
Home Decor: Little cash, big changes
"A change of color is the quickest way to transform the look and feel of a space.
By HEATHER WOOD The New Mexican February 17, 2007
Use imagination, fresh eye to enliven that tired roomAre you tired of your living room décor but don’t know where to start to transform your space? Stuck with the same old stuff and short on cash? Ready for a new look but not the credit-card bills that come with it? With a little creativity and effort, you can bring a fresh look to any room in your home or office at little or no cost. Resources such as the Internet offer nearly limitless information, photos and products for affordable decorating. An increase in catalogs from home retailers such as Pier One, Crate and Barrel and Restoration Hardware means more inspiration. The explosion of do-it-yourself home-decorating shows on cable TV has encouraged average homeowners to become weekend warriors of paint and fabric. There’s never been a better time to become a hands-on home-improvement type.
Where to startBefore you start tearing your home apart, take a good look at the space you want to redo. What is it that’s really bothering you? Too much clutter? A cramped room arrangement? A lack of color — or, on the contrary, a circus of colors? By assessing what doesn’t work, you’ll be better prepared to determine how to fix it. Make a list of the space’s challenges, jotting down ideas for your ideal room. Go online and search “no- and low-cost decorating.” Pick up one of the many home-retailer catalogs you no doubt have stacked somewhere in your home and see what appeals to you. Get out your camera, stand in each corner of the room and snap away. It’s amazing what a picture can reveal by offering us an image of the entire space. It’s hard to envision a new look when you’re staring at your usual surroundings. Start by clearing the room of all clutter. That’s right — piles of papers, books, magazines and catalogs, random objects and other things without a home. Next, clear the room of all accessories, tabletop photos and mementos. When you move them, group like items together: metal objects, ceramics, glass and wooden items. Group by color, theme and style, keeping collections intact. Finally, remove the artwork, plants, lamps, etc. Now you’ve got some breathing room in which to start creating your “new” space.Pieces of a puzzleGood room arrangements always consider traffic flow — and yours should, too. Perplexed about how best to go about it? There’s a reason highly trained professional interior decorators and designers work first on paper to create a room: It’s called space planning. By making scale models of a room and the furniture to go in it, you can save your back — and a lot of the time you would have spent trying to fit your 8-foot sofa into a 7-foot, 5-inch space. There is myriad space-planning software available via the Internet. Better Homes and Gardens offers a free “arrange-a-room” utility on its Web site. If you’re electronically challenged, there’s also good, old-fashioned graph paper. However you choose to do it, you’ll need to measure the width and depth of all your furniture and cut out little replicas drawn to scale. (Usually, a quarter-inch equals a foot.)Sound like too much work? Start sliding pieces around the floor. Regardless of how you approach it, take into account the following:
The room’s intended purpose — TV watching, for example, or book reading, or both.
The number of people who normally use the space.
Whether you entertain in the room. If you do, is there a place for everyone to set a drink or book?
Whether there are too many or too few furnishings in the room.
The room’s focal point. Is it a fireplace, a picture window, an entertainment unit?
The purpose of each furnishing, piece of art or accessory. What does it bring to the room? What story does it tell us about the person or people who live here? What does it offer in terms of form and/or function? Don’t be afraid to try something new as you move your pieces around on paper, on your computer or on your floor.Cost-free creationsOnce you’re comfortable with your floor plan, it’s time to make the room look fresh. ► PaintA change of color is the quickest way to change the look and feel of a space. Painting walls, baskets and other wooden items gives a quick update. (This approach is not recommended for antique or heirloom pieces, however.) Most people have a variety of leftover wall paint in the garage or shed. Why not make a bold move and paint a large “frame” around the area where a bed’s headboard would go in a color that works with the wall color? With a level and some careful taping, you can add a classic yet hot-and-trendy stripe to a wall in a day. ► PillowsIf you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can take scrap fabric from almost anything — sheets, clothes and vintage fabrics — and update your throw pillows in an afternoon. Stretch a decorative fabric over an inexpensive canvas and staple to affix — instant wall hangings. Or create instant valances for window coverings with tapestries from your travels. ► Excess lumberThe extra door molding or window framing hiding in your garage could make a lovely border for an unfinished bathroom mirror. Just paint or stain and install. It’s a quick change that can be easily modified each time you change the color scheme in your bathroom. Karen McAloon, host of HGTV’s popular series Design Remix, is a master at turning excess lumber into picture frames, side tables, shelves and ceiling beams. Granted, she’s armed with a team of tool-savvy technicians, but shows like this give us an idea of what’s possible when we look at something in a different way. ►ArtworkOne of the most daunting aspects of a room makeover is hanging the art. A good rule of thumb is to hang items lower than you think you should. And don’t be afraid to try wall groupings. There are endless possibilities for creating groupings — even entire how-to books dedicated to the subject. Pull out some paper grocery bags or other scrap paper and cut them to the exact sizes of the pieces you wish to hang. Lay the “paper arrangement” out on the floor near the wall it’s to be hung on. Once you have a good feel for the arrangement — keeping in mind balance, scale and symmetry/asymmetry — hang your paper mock-ups on the wall using easily removable sticky tack. This allows you to move the mock-ups around until you have the configuration that works best. You can even mount your picture hangers and hardware over the paper dummies, ripping them off just before you hang the actual piece. ►LightingA common decorating oversight is the lack of proper lighting. The average homeowner rarely invests in enough lighting. Now’s the time to “shop” your home, borrowing table and floor lamps from other rooms to create a warm, well-lit space. Make sure you have ample task lighting — overhead lighting is rarely adequate for reading. Arrange your lamps according to necessity. A floor lamp in a dark corner can create the feel of a larger room. An uplight behind a plant creates drama and interest.A table lamp provides reading light and a warm glow. When you do come into some decorating cash, lamps should be at the top of your list.►RepurposingOne of the hottest decorating trends in the last decade is “repurposing.” Years ago some creative designer took a bold step and used an ottoman as a coffee table. While this was probably considered avant-garde at the time, it’s now a mainstay decorating approach. Look around your house for items that could serve another purpose. A large basket, turned upside down, becomes a bedside table. A bookshelf becomes a headboard. A petite antique china hutch becomes a unique dresser with a place to display pretty perfume bottles, family photos and the like. A retro thermos becomes the base of a hip lamp. You get the idea.► Natural interestOften overlooked, Mother Nature offers us a large array of items to use in our decorating scheme. Just as the addition of plants makes a room immediately feel both calm and alive, bringing in the outdoors keeps us connected to our larger natural environment. Pine cones, rocks and branches ground and add interest to a room. A collection of rocks in a bowl makes a unique centerpiece, as do willow (or other) branches displayed in a large vase. But before you go ravaging your backyard, see what’s already available. Many people are surprised to find they’ve got collections of rocks or other natural elements spread throughout their home.► AccessoriesYou’ve arranged your room, played with color, hung your art, added lighting and relished the results. Now it’s time to accessorize. Accessories are what make a room unique. They reflect the homeowner’s specific tastes and interests. And they tend to be highly personal. Keep like items together: Group metals, ceramics or glass pieces together. Arrange in odd numbers, stagger heights — nature’s landscape is filled with irregularity. If you adore symmetry, be sure to throw a curveball in the mix by trying something at a unique angle or by staggering heights of objects in the grouping. Even if you love a busy backdrop, be sure to leave plenty of “white space” for the eye to rest. Too many objects d’art can result in none of them standing out.If you find yourself with some holes to fill, discount home retailers have created a nationwide passion for “all things home improvement.” The abundance, and relative affordability, of home décor items is unprecedented. Consider chains like Target, which offers Design For All; West Elm, which has Polished Style; and Pier One, with the It’s Your Thing line. All offer a continually rotating stock of styles, colors and price points. These may not be original, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces, but, for the average consumer, they can offer a good fit both for both budget and style.You don’t have to break the bank to have a beautiful space. Ask yourself if there’s a different way to showcase a vase of flowers or a seating arrangement. See if you can push your comfort zone when it comes to color. And last, but not least, trust your instincts. It’s your room, after all."
Monday, February 5, 2007
Making a Decorating Trend Your Own
Making a Decorating Trend Your Own
Eight Great Ways to Incorporate the Black and White Trend Into Your Home
2007's hot trend may be black and white, but next year it may be shades of red and coral.No matter what the decorating trend, most of us can’t afford to redecorate whenever the latest and greatest hot new trend appears.
So, what do you do when a trend shows up that you love and can't live without? Take a look at one trend for 2007– using black and white – let's see how many ways we can incorporate that color scheme, without spending a fortune.
Here are eight fabulous ideas:
- Invest in inexpensive soft goods with a shorter lifespan.
Items like pillows, bedding, tablecloths, placemats or throw rugs. No matter if the room you are decorating is painted white, tan, or even red, bringing in soft goods in black and white should fit well into the existing scheme. Without major investments in furnishings, you can use the trend to your advantage. Use paint to full advantage.
Use black paint and refurbish a dining room table, or your old coffee table in your living room. Complete the look with a couple of yards of black and white fabric stretched around the seats of the dining room chairs and stapled on, or make sofa and chair throw pillows in the living room. You can use a patterned fabric to make a simple slipcover for each seat. On your table, use placemats in bright green, turquoise, or red, and your everyday white dishes will look polished and new - like a designer planned the whole thing.Do over a small room.
A tiny powder room, guest room, or laundry room could be just the spot to indulge your black and white fantasies. Put up some subtle patterned black and white wallpaper, or add a fresh coat of white paint to the walls and lots of black and white graphic art framed in black. Add a valance or window treatment in black and white to tie it all together.Walk on it.
Vinyl floor tiles are inexpensive and easy to install - just figure out how much you need, then buy half of the tiles in white and the other half in black. This classic look is great for an entryway, kitchen, or hall. It is also a look that pairs well with many other colors – think golden yellow walls, mirrored furnishings, or even a crystal chandelier. To create an illusion of more space, even in a small area, install the tiles on the diagonal, so when you enter the room you see the pointed corners of each tile facing you.Timeless.
Use classically timeless patterns or prints like stripes or toile. These patterns can outlive a trend and often become a treasured favorite. Toile patterned wallpapers, drapery fabrics, pillows, placemats, or tablecloths might be added into your existing living or dining room and feel right at home.Add trim.
If you are you tired of plain white drapes or boring white chandelier shades, give them a trendy pop with borders of black braided trim from a fabric store. You could even use black grosgrain ribbon attached with fabric glue, for an even less expensive upgrade.Stencil it.
Stenciling is a craft that is easy to learn and quick to do. Try stenciling a narrow scrolling black border above a chair rail or choose an arched design for over a doorway. Stencils can add the extra punch your room needs. And, if you don't like it, or tire of it – it is only paint so can be covered up in the future as your taste changes.Spray paint.
Take a garage sale find and turn it into a trendy piece by spraying it with white or black spray paint. Use white with black details, or do the opposite beginning with a coat of black paint and add white embellishments.
Tags: 2007 decorating trends,budget home decorating, paint, decorating small spaces
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Decorating Color Trends for 2007 - Rental Decorating Digest
Decorating is like fashion - colors and styles go in and out of vogue as time goes by. While avocado and harvest gold were the hot colors of the 70's , here is what you can expecct for 2007.
Decorating Color Trends for 2007 - Rental Decorating Digest
Color Trends 2007: Home Hues That Comfort and Excite
By Debbie Zimmer, The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute
"From spicy color combinations to hues that warm the soul, our 2007 color trends contain palettes that work independently as a “statement color” or as a subtle backdrop where home furnishings and accessories take center stage. We are excited to share the annual trend report, which contains color hues appropriate for all areas of the home or living space.
Comfort Colors
Just like the comfort foods we return to when searching for familiarity and simplicity, the comfort color palette provides a pleasant association with uncomplicated times and a respite from our hectic, technology-overloaded life. Their warmth envelopes us and provides a simple reward and feeling of security.
Biscuit and wheat neutrals, cocoa brown, pumpkin orange and cinnamon apple pie, are just a few of the comfort colors that will wrap your room with warmth and promote a stress-free space.
The comfort color palette is an especially good choice for kitchens and family rooms.
Back to Nature
A growing focus on the environment and sustainable products continues to push natural, earthy hues to the forefront. Yellows and blues, leaf-like greens, along with organic browns combine to bring the outdoors in. Add translucency and a glass like quality by incorporating varying paint sheen levels. As a subtle accent color, add rust or copper-like metallics into the scheme.
Bathrooms and bedrooms are perfect places to incorporate the back to nature hues or in rooms where an accent wall is employed.
Stark Contrast
What’s black and white and red all over? The 2007 stark contrast palette! With the 2008 Summer Olympics just around the corner and a keen and continuing interest in Asian culture, these and other events have helped to shape this bold and striking group.
From clean, clear reds and deep plums to the sophistication of black and white, this color group works both as an accent and as an elegant backdrop for many living spaces. Polished brass metallics complement this scheme.
Dining, living rooms and especially powder rooms will benefit from this bold and spicy palette."
If you have been thinking about updating your living space, try changing wall and fabric colors. These are inexpensive changes that can make a big difference in your rooms.
Tags: home decorating color trends
Decorating Color Trends for 2007 - Rental Decorating Digest
Color Trends 2007: Home Hues That Comfort and Excite
By Debbie Zimmer, The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute
"From spicy color combinations to hues that warm the soul, our 2007 color trends contain palettes that work independently as a “statement color” or as a subtle backdrop where home furnishings and accessories take center stage. We are excited to share the annual trend report, which contains color hues appropriate for all areas of the home or living space.
Comfort Colors
Just like the comfort foods we return to when searching for familiarity and simplicity, the comfort color palette provides a pleasant association with uncomplicated times and a respite from our hectic, technology-overloaded life. Their warmth envelopes us and provides a simple reward and feeling of security.
Biscuit and wheat neutrals, cocoa brown, pumpkin orange and cinnamon apple pie, are just a few of the comfort colors that will wrap your room with warmth and promote a stress-free space.
The comfort color palette is an especially good choice for kitchens and family rooms.
Back to Nature
A growing focus on the environment and sustainable products continues to push natural, earthy hues to the forefront. Yellows and blues, leaf-like greens, along with organic browns combine to bring the outdoors in. Add translucency and a glass like quality by incorporating varying paint sheen levels. As a subtle accent color, add rust or copper-like metallics into the scheme.
Bathrooms and bedrooms are perfect places to incorporate the back to nature hues or in rooms where an accent wall is employed.
Stark Contrast
What’s black and white and red all over? The 2007 stark contrast palette! With the 2008 Summer Olympics just around the corner and a keen and continuing interest in Asian culture, these and other events have helped to shape this bold and striking group.
From clean, clear reds and deep plums to the sophistication of black and white, this color group works both as an accent and as an elegant backdrop for many living spaces. Polished brass metallics complement this scheme.
Dining, living rooms and especially powder rooms will benefit from this bold and spicy palette."
If you have been thinking about updating your living space, try changing wall and fabric colors. These are inexpensive changes that can make a big difference in your rooms.
Tags: home decorating color trends
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
Here are some great ideas for the finishing touches, or decorative accessories, that can make an otherwise lackluster room into a spectacular living area.
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
From Coral Nafie
"Get it Just Right! Once you have painted the walls, put up the window treatments, moved the furniture around, and cleaned up the mess, you might think that the job of redecorating your room is done. But it just doesn't look finished! What to do? Read on.
Once you have the shell of your room just the way you want it, you're not done with the job. There are lots of finishing touches that you can add to make the room look finished and welcoming. Some decorators feel that decorating a room or home should always be a work in progress.
Whether it takes a week, a month, or a whole lifetime, finding just the right finishing touches for a room is really the fun part of decorating. You'll be adding the jewelry to the room, the personality that makes the room reflect who you are, what your interests are, and where you've been.
Get some ideas from our list of finishing touches for decorating a room.
Remember, you may never be finished, but you'll have fun along the way.
Plants and Flowers It's amazing what a quick transformation can be made with fresh plants and flowers. You don't need to find something dramatic and expensive. A simple plant potted in a decorative pot set on a coffee table, bookshelf, on top of a cabinet, almost anywhere, adds life and color instantly. Be sure to keep fresh plants shiny and dusted. You might even want to have two plants for each location, one for display, one "on the mend." If a plant gets scraggly or droopy, get rid of it! You might nurse it back to health, but not in your living space! If you just don't have time to tend plants or if your room is dark, find some new artificial plants. These work great for out-of-reach spaces. But be sure to keep them dusted and perky, too.
Expand on a Theme Everyone has a special interest. Traveling, sports, pets, flowers, children, and even a favorite book or movie can all provide focus for a room and offer ideas for adding finishing touches. By choosing a theme for your room, you'll know what to zero in on and be able to select accessories, art, and colors to expand and enrich the theme.
Deck the Walls Bare, boring walls get a real lift with a painting, colorful poster, collection of prints, or family photos. When working with art, try to focus on a color scheme or theme. Unify the works with common mat colors, similar colored frames, and size and shape. One large piece can create a focal point in a room, while a small collection of pieces draw the eye for a closer look.
Get Grounded A hardwood floor looks sleek and smooth, while wall to wall carpet adds softness and unifies large spaces. But an area rug, placed on top of the flooring, can create a special area, provide a boundary for furniture, and even divide a room into several spaces without walls. Classic oriental rugs can be found to fit almost any decorating scheme and contemporary patterned or color-blocked rugs add color and character to the floor and the room.
Gather Together Some of Your Favorite Things If you collect anything such as dolls, books, teapots, cameras, or sporting equipment, use the collection as a point of interest. Gather the whole collection into one place or arrange the items around the room. Celadon plates, blue and white porcelain, carved wooden pieces all offer themselves as works of art for a room. What do you love?
Combine Textures and Feel Contemporary interiors are often sleek and smooth, while cottage style rooms are usually soft and snuggly. For a really interesting look and a comfortable feeling for a room, combine smooth and rough, shiny and matte, hard and soft in one room. The contrasts will add interest and help to avoid a boring room.
One Piece to Stand Out Neutral walls and fabrics look clean and neat in a room. But to really draw someone's eye, add a punch of color with lime pillows, orange mats on black and white photos, a hand-painted piece of furniture on the main wall, an animal print ottoman. Just one interesting accessory or piece of furniture will help make the room spectacular."
Take a look around your rooms. Are they finished? Or, do they need a few of these finishing touches to add interest? Have some fun, and try some of these excellent home decorating ideas.
Tags: decorative accessories, home decorating, home decorating on a budget, interior design.
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
From Coral Nafie
"Get it Just Right! Once you have painted the walls, put up the window treatments, moved the furniture around, and cleaned up the mess, you might think that the job of redecorating your room is done. But it just doesn't look finished! What to do? Read on.
Once you have the shell of your room just the way you want it, you're not done with the job. There are lots of finishing touches that you can add to make the room look finished and welcoming. Some decorators feel that decorating a room or home should always be a work in progress.
Whether it takes a week, a month, or a whole lifetime, finding just the right finishing touches for a room is really the fun part of decorating. You'll be adding the jewelry to the room, the personality that makes the room reflect who you are, what your interests are, and where you've been.
Get some ideas from our list of finishing touches for decorating a room.
Remember, you may never be finished, but you'll have fun along the way.
Plants and Flowers It's amazing what a quick transformation can be made with fresh plants and flowers. You don't need to find something dramatic and expensive. A simple plant potted in a decorative pot set on a coffee table, bookshelf, on top of a cabinet, almost anywhere, adds life and color instantly. Be sure to keep fresh plants shiny and dusted. You might even want to have two plants for each location, one for display, one "on the mend." If a plant gets scraggly or droopy, get rid of it! You might nurse it back to health, but not in your living space! If you just don't have time to tend plants or if your room is dark, find some new artificial plants. These work great for out-of-reach spaces. But be sure to keep them dusted and perky, too.
Expand on a Theme Everyone has a special interest. Traveling, sports, pets, flowers, children, and even a favorite book or movie can all provide focus for a room and offer ideas for adding finishing touches. By choosing a theme for your room, you'll know what to zero in on and be able to select accessories, art, and colors to expand and enrich the theme.
Deck the Walls Bare, boring walls get a real lift with a painting, colorful poster, collection of prints, or family photos. When working with art, try to focus on a color scheme or theme. Unify the works with common mat colors, similar colored frames, and size and shape. One large piece can create a focal point in a room, while a small collection of pieces draw the eye for a closer look.
Get Grounded A hardwood floor looks sleek and smooth, while wall to wall carpet adds softness and unifies large spaces. But an area rug, placed on top of the flooring, can create a special area, provide a boundary for furniture, and even divide a room into several spaces without walls. Classic oriental rugs can be found to fit almost any decorating scheme and contemporary patterned or color-blocked rugs add color and character to the floor and the room.
Gather Together Some of Your Favorite Things If you collect anything such as dolls, books, teapots, cameras, or sporting equipment, use the collection as a point of interest. Gather the whole collection into one place or arrange the items around the room. Celadon plates, blue and white porcelain, carved wooden pieces all offer themselves as works of art for a room. What do you love?
Combine Textures and Feel Contemporary interiors are often sleek and smooth, while cottage style rooms are usually soft and snuggly. For a really interesting look and a comfortable feeling for a room, combine smooth and rough, shiny and matte, hard and soft in one room. The contrasts will add interest and help to avoid a boring room.
One Piece to Stand Out Neutral walls and fabrics look clean and neat in a room. But to really draw someone's eye, add a punch of color with lime pillows, orange mats on black and white photos, a hand-painted piece of furniture on the main wall, an animal print ottoman. Just one interesting accessory or piece of furniture will help make the room spectacular."
Take a look around your rooms. Are they finished? Or, do they need a few of these finishing touches to add interest? Have some fun, and try some of these excellent home decorating ideas.
Tags: decorative accessories, home decorating, home decorating on a budget, interior design.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Express Yourself With Color!
Using paint in home decorating is a powerful way to express who you are, and how you want others to perceive your home. Most people are afraid to paint the walls of a room, thinking that the room will seem smaller, or because the commitment of color on the walls is intimidating. But don't depair! Redecorating with wall color can give your room a whole new updated look and feel!
Painting a room in your house can have many of positive effects. Color can make your home feel more comfortable and inviting to both you and to your guests, and your space will have a whole new updated and stylish appeal. You'll be surprised how such a simple change like changing the color of your room can improve your home!
Set a mood or tone with paint color
Painting a room in your house can have many of positive effects. Color can make your home feel more comfortable and inviting to both you and to your guests, and your space will have a whole new updated and stylish appeal. You'll be surprised how such a simple change like changing the color of your room can improve your home!
Set a mood or tone with paint color
Something as simple as adding a splash of color to your walls can set any particular mood you might be going for.
- Earthy tones like browns, and dark reds or greens give a warm and cozy feeling
- Bold colors like bright blues, reds, or even purples are fun and funky
- Subtle pastels like yellows, pinks, or light grays and blues are light and airy
Establish a theme with paint color
Wall color is an excellent start for a particular room theme that you may want to achieve. For example, if you are planning a nursery with a “moon and stars” theme, you could use a dark blue paint color, or even a lighter blue (for a baby girl’s room), to simulate the night sky. Wall color can literally be the backdrop to the room’s theme!
Express your personality with wall color
Adding wall color to a room not only improves its appearance, but it can also be a fun way to extend your personality. Your home is an extension of who you are. By expressing yourself through color and décor, you are showing the world your personality. Are you fun, laid back, or intense? Express yourself!
Make a room feel larger with wall color
Often people resist wall color fearing that it will box the room in, making it feel smaller. This is simply not true! In fact, many professional decorators use bold and darker hues to actually make a room feel larger. These colors help to blend the corners of a room together, literally making it feel larger, and giving the feeling of continuous space, and therefore, more space!
Define the limits of a room
Many modern floor plans are open. It is difficult to define where one room starts and another room begins. This can make painting somewhat difficult. However, by defining your spaces with wall color, you not only break up big white spaces, but you create a stylish living environment. Remember to try to coordinate the colors you choose for each space, though. Otherwise, the walls will look choppy rather than cozy or modern, and the effect you are going for will just not happen!If you are afraid to paint the whole room one solid color then start with one wall in the room. Paint it the color of your choice! This one wall can act as an accent wall, or even be used to establish the focal point of the room, such as a fireplace, or a piece of art. You will be surprised at what a difference painting just one wall can make! Even the smallest change can make a big difference!
Don't be afraid of color on your walls! The good news is it’s only paint, it can be changed if it doesn’t look the way you envisioned it! Anyway, you never know. Take a chance with wall color, and you might just end up tapping into a hidden creativity that you never knew you had! Redecorating a room with paint color can change the entire look and feel of your home, and how you feel in it!
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