Control Your Color Cravings

Have you ever walked into a room with walls so loud that you can't even process what the rest of the room looks like? Color can either make or break a space. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, because I love me some color! But over the years as I have painted and repainted, moved, painted and repainted some more, I have gradually discovered that the more muted the colors on my walls are, the more I actually love the space! You can infuse a room with color delicately and still have an amazing impact (THOSE PREPARING TO SELL YOUR HOME- TAKE NOTE!) I think I had an epiphany when picking a color for my daughter's nursery. I wanted pink, but every pink room I had ever experienced left me with a bad taste in my mouth (like pepto to be exact). I finally settled on a super pale shade that I adore called Plaster Pink from the Porter Paint fan deck. I knew my mission had been accomplished when it took people several minutes or even several visits to the room to even notice the walls were pink! Ahhhh, success. When your walls are toned down, it allows the eye to notice other things in the room.  Save vibrant pops of color for items that can easily be changed out: throw pillows, blankets, etc. If you decide you hate the direction your design is headed, feel stagnant, or like to seasonally change out your accessories, keeping your wall colors simple and subtle is key. More muted colors allow for longevity for those of you who have found your forever home, and are also neutral enough to appeal to the masses if you are wanting to move.

                                                                       

Two beautiful green bedrooms, no doubt.  But which one do you think has longest shelf life?

Short non-rambling version: when choosing wall colors, stick to the Neutral section of your fan deck.  Save more intense colors for accessories or painted furniture pieces. Purchase several sample quarts in different shades to test before committing. You may spend an extra $20.00 up front (a sample can at our local paint store costs $5.00) but it will save a ton of heartache later on. Always use high quality paint. Again, a little pricier upfront, but  so much easier to keep clean. Also stick with similar color intensities from room to room to give your entire house a sense of continuity and flow. If your living room is on the 2nd tier of colors on a fan deck, the adjoining rooms should come from the same tier. This is especially helpful when you have a extremely open floorplan where lots of rooms are visible from one perspective point.  Ok, now I am rambling.  More color tips to follow!