Personalize with Color and Style. Get Started Now!

5/18/2005 5:12:43 PM

Ask yourself a few questions and consider the following quick tips and suggestions:

What’s your favorite color? Use it as your main accent color along with a variety of tints and tones of that same color. Now add one or two other accent colors to establish your color story. Be daring and dramatic with color or quietly elegant with all white and neutrals!

Consider these psychological effects of color:
• Warm colors: yellow, orange, and red generate drama and excitement
• Cool colors: blue, violet, and green are relaxing quiet colors
• Dark colors contribute visual weight to fill and balance your rooms.
• Light colors recede to add visual space and help lighten your rooms.
• Beware of getting a pastel look with too many soft colors!

Did you know that green is the only color that has no physical effect on us because it contains both warm (yellow) and cool (blue) colors. Our environment is filled with green so it never goes out of style. Mix greens like Mother Nature does to complement any décor! Updated greens contain more yellow and blue than in the past. Consider moss or a more olive-green, the Asian porcelain color celadon, and the color of wasabi as an updated green-guide.

What furniture are you starting with?
If it’s grandma’s rocker, keep it – if it’college stuff or collected castoffs, throw them!
1. Access your likes in furniture: Big and overstuffed or sleek and sparse. Think carefully and admit your comfort level.
2. Tear out magazine pictures of rooms you love for whatever reason. Keep a file to help you when you’re ready to shop!

Flooring? Is your home carpeted, have hardwood floors, or need updating?
1. Neutral carpets live longest and look great with colorful area rugs to define your seating
2. Hardwood floors are a definite upgrade and add value. Area rugs again add color and softness and buffer noise!
3. Ceramic tile is another upgrade and value added improvement in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Do it if your budget allows!

Begin to plan your spaces by identifying each rooms purpose. This is not always what it was originally designed for. You may want your office in the dining room or a seldom-used spare bedroom, your workout area in the eating area, or change your family room to the living room. Go for it – coordinate the rooms being conscious of color for good flow from room to room.

Avoid costly mistakes by taking time to measure each room carefully. Scale out your furniture on _” grid paper or tape it off on the floors. Don’t be blind-sided by good salespersons trying to sell you sizes and colors that don’t work. Be prepared before you shop with colors, patterns, and pictures of styles you love. Remember, clutter makes a room feel smaller so start accessorizing slowly. Have fun in your new home with color and style!