Color is so important in an interior decorating scheme, it’s the cornerstone of design whether it’s a simple and clean white on white look or a bold and colorful palette. To get the most out of any interior decorating color scheme us the following dos and don’ts.
Interior Decorating Color Dos
- Learn the Basics – Spend a little time researching the basics of color theory and getting familiar with the color wheel. As with any project, gaining the basic knowledge is integral to getting the best results. Let a combination of visceral reaction and color science be the guide in choosing an interior decorating color scheme.
Check Out: What Colors Suit your Dwelling
Use Color to Connect Rooms – Unify the home by using color to tie the entire home together. This doesn’t mean that one of the main colors should be in every room, although it could be, but it does mean there should be a color theme. The home could be connected through color by having a different shade of one color in each room. Or each room could have a different pastel color. Or the color theme could jump where one color is a main color in one room, it becomes the accent in the next room, and the main color from that room becomes an accent in the following room and so on. - Use Color to Create a Mood – Create a Mood with Color that will reflect the desired mood in the room. Learn how color affects people and then take advantage of that knowledge to create a cohesive look and feel.
Check Out: Choosing the Right Paint Type
Interior Decorating Color Don’ts
Don’t be Afraid of Color – Shake off any color fears that are lurking in the brain and embrace color. This doesn’t mean that everyone should run out and paint a bright red accent wall but it does mean that everyone should incorporate color into their homes and decorating schemes. If there is still fear, start with baby steps. - Don’t Forget 60-30-10 – One of the big rules of using color in decorating is the 60-30-10 rule, the first part of this rule is actually that a color scheme is made of three colors. The main color in the room will take up about 60% of the visual space in the room. The secondary color takes up 30% and the tertiary color comes in with the remaining 10%.
- Don’t be a Slave to Trends – Color Trends come and go, with some being more effective than others. Being a slave to color trends in interior decorating is very costly and can be time consuming as well. Use the 60-30-10 rule when choosing your interior decorating color scheme and use the tertiary color or the 10% for trends. This way the home always seems fresh and updated but this look doesn’t cost a lot and the entire room doesn’t need redecorating every two years.
Color is nothing to be afraid of and like most things the more knowledge that is gained the more successful the end product will be.
Paint the Home Decorating Tool of Champions
We all know intellectually that color can have a significant impact on any room in the home. However, knowing and seeing the truth in action are two entirely different things. The true impact of color on the overall look and feel of a room is nothing short of phenomenal. If you have any doubt, try painting a room in a color you do not like and see how little time you are willing to spend in that room-even if it was a favorite room before it was painted.
For this reason you need to consider carefully the combinations of colors you wish to incorporate into each room of your home and how these colors will affect the rooms they will be ‘overflowing’ into. It is true that most people are attempting to trend away from the idea of having the same color in every room of the house. Instead more people are opting to have every room as a fresh palate whenever possible. This allows for maximum options when it comes to decorating a home and allows each room to be similar to some degree but maintain its very own unique personality if that is your wish.
Check Out: Paint; Easy Do-It-Yourself Repairs
In addition to these things above there are faux finishes and textures that can be created with the use of paint. One that is a current favorite on the market is a faux plaster affect that is achieved with paint, a lot of hard work, and a rock solid set of instructions. The result of this labor can be nothing short of stunning as a design or home decorating affect. Taking the time to learn skills such as this can not only improve your enjoyment of the painting process but putting these skills in action can greatly improve your enjoyment of your home.
In addition to the faux finishes that can be achieved with paint there are other textured paint affects that many people are learning to their great joy and amazement. The results of many of these efforts is a beautiful and tastefully decorated home at significantly less than half the cost that hiring a professional to do the work would have cost. Many of these things can be achieved with paint and a few special brushes or rags alone further indicating the profound affect that a can or two of paint really can have on almost any room in your home.
If you are inclined to learn a little more about paint and the impact it can have on your home all together check with your local home improvement store and see if they are offering any painting workshops in the near future. These workshops provide excellent instruction and information that will prove useful many times over while you are making your home decorating decisions and improvements.