Experimenting with color is a fantastic way to express your moods, thoughts, feelings, personality, etc. What happens, though, when you just can't decide which colors to choose? Here are a few simple tips on how to select a color palette for whatever room you are designing.
Size of the Room
Colors can make rooms look larger or smaller, so decide on how "big" you want the room to look and feel. For example, rooms with lower ceilings or smaller square footage will look much smaller if a dark color, say plum or navy, is applied in large amounts. Go for these dark colors if you want to create a stark, dramatic look, or keep things brighter and more open with lighter hues of those dark colors.
Favorite Food(s)
Think about your favorite foods. What are they? What colors do they have? People often forget that inspiration can come from food and its colors and textures. Let's say you love cupcakes (great, me too!). As cupcakes are generally sweet, fluffy, and decadent, you might choose to relay this in terms of the colors of your room. Go with pastels and whites or creams for the airy and light 'vanilla meets the sky' sort of feel. Or, if you like your cupcakes dark and rich, think about going with varying shades of deep chocolate browns, touches of red, or shades of cinnamon-like browns. This idea is a really fun way to totally incorporate 'you' into the room. Besides, who wouldn't love being reminded of that delicious vibrant salad you love so much or that ridiculously perfect first slice of key lime pie you enjoy every summer?
Make Yourself Smile
Pick colors that make you happy. This may seem like a bit of a no-brainer, but it really is one of the simplest ways to figure out which colors you want to use. Most of us probably have at least one color that we would consider our "favorite" or at least one that we like a lot. Find the color that makes you feel the best and look for various hues of that color to give your space some interest and creativity. Don't be discouraged if you like every color under the rainbow (or rainbows themselves actually), because you can incorporate them all into your room. Start with a shade of the color that you find most desirable for your walls and then accent it with the other colors by way of fun wall art, furniture, pillows, stripes, polka dots, etc., etc.
Remember, what's bland to one person, may be someone else's version of a space that is tranquil and full of ease, while a space that is solid black may be mysterious and pique curiosity in some, yet is totally off-putting to others. Whatever you do, always pick colors that represent who you are. Choose colors that work with your mojo, so you feel more at ease and at home whenever you are in that space. Good luck--go color your world as you see it!
Sarai Garnett - Sarai Garnett believes that every day brings promise for great experiences. Holding a B.A. in Interpersonal and Organizational ...
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