Your Color Questionairre

Bohdan Gernaga calls it tapping into his clients inner rainbow. I refer to it as discovering a client's color personality. Color self assessment will tell you a lot. Consider the following: How does the room make you feel? Would you like to change how you feel about that room? How do you use the room? What do you want this room to say to guests in your home? Do you have any furnishings or fabrics you want to put in the room?
Your answers will help you determine your color personality. That is a good guideline to refer to when you are making a decorating decision.
Fall 2011 color forecast will be out soon. Stay tuned.

Persian Rug Inspired Design

I love the deep brick red and royal blues of the living room that led the way for the interior design color scheme of this living room. The 2 wing chairs were recovered in the brick red. The banding on the draperies and the throw pillows also got a dose of this color. In front of the drop leaf table, a floral arrangement of the color scheme was added and highlighted by the rich wood of the table.The deep blue was added only as the accent color on the pillows and in some of the accessories around the room. The result was a room of beautiful colors that meshed so nicely!

COLOR CONNECTION- PINK

Pink has claimed the title of hot new color for 2011. It is the color of optimism and has the power to lift our spirits and push aside our worries and gloomy thoughts. Everyone could all use a dose of it to help feel better about life with all its ups and downs. We are seeing the whole spectrum pinks being used for fabrics, paints and accessories. There is a passion and a depth to pink. It is flattering for all skin tones, making people look good and feel good.
If you are still not convinced to take the plunge into pink as your main color, I have some ideas for adding it in small doses. Try a pink candle, pink clothes hangers for the closet or thumbtacks in pink. Write your notes with a pink pen. Change the knobs on your bedroom cabinets to a fresh shade of pink.
The whole point here is to just give it a try. Check out the huge variety of pinks available in a paint deck. There is bound to be one that is just right for you.
One more thing, last year’s turquoise is still a strong color in home décor and will work with pink. So go shopping and have no fear of coordinating the two colors.
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Who Thinks This Stuff Up Anyway??

Every fall and spring I receive my assortment of new fabric books for draperies and upholstery. And with each new shipment, I sit and wonder where on earth they came up with the color choices they feature that always have crazy names. There is no genie sitting on a tasseled pillow dreaming up the future colors with fancy names for home design. The Pantone Color Institute is the global authority on colors and future trends in fashions. Their determinations are formulated as a result of much observation of nature and its beauty in the world as well as any influences that will impact our world in the future. Some of the factors that influence color direction include socioeconomic issues, technology, lifestyles and entertainment. The needs, moods, fantasies and aspirations of consumers are part of the emotional component of color.
So how about a heads up on some of the color trends they have identified? Three of their most popular color palettes are named Greenmarket, Gatherings and Galaxy. Let’s see if you can draw on these groupings to inspire you with color ideas for your home direct from the authority! You will be right on with colors. You can get more information from their website www.pantone.com.
Greenmarket color palette, as the name suggests, evolved from the inviting colors one would see at a roadside produce stand. Those products are an important part of our need to eat healthier and have a healthier lifestyle. They are the “produce colors” of Tomato Puree, Super Lemon, Apple Green, Chutney and Paprika. These Greenmarket colors are the hues that appeal to both the eyes and the taste buds. They are the beauty of nature and the need of consumers to live better.
The Gatherings palette is inspired by the continent of Africa with its vast open spaces and very unique regional artifacts and handicrafts. These are the colors of creative boldness and include Sand, Oasis, Lemon Curry and Copper Coin.
The Galaxy color collection is a reflection of the harmony of hues of the mysterious night sky. Earth colors in the backdrop of the night sky include Greener Pastures and Peridot. They sit contrasted against the violets, silvers and smoky blues of the sky. Turquoise and orchid enhance the sky while radiant golds capture the rays of the warmth and energy of the sun.
These three color palettes are a snapshot of life and the global atmosphere that we are all a part of in 2010. They are easy to identify with and create a strong level of comfort for us. Try them on for size and see for yourself!

Paint Makes it Pop

Decorative architecture and wall art can be highlighted with paint accents in a room. In the photos, the main color of the room is a mossy green with terra cotta as an accent color. The narrow wall features a wonderful oil painting with terra cotta roofs on the homes. Painting that wall in the terra cotta makes it turn into a focal point of the room. The colors are a perfect blend for that wall. You can't help but stare at it!
The colors are Behr paints: "Warm Terra Cotta" and "River Bank" in an eggshell finish.

Color Scheme Accents

You all know I am very big on sharing interior decorating ideas that everyone can use in their homes. Those are the best kind of of tips.One of my favorite tips is painting the backwalls of cabinets and shelves a bright pop of color that accents your color scheme. Here is my corner cabinet. The backwall has been painted a deep red. Before it was a dark stain and looked like I had a "black hole" in my family room. Now it has some bright attention getting color and my blue and white pieces really pop against it. Deep colors require a coat of primer before applying your color of choice. My cabinet took three coats of paint. I only needed a quart.

My Favorite Color Scheme

I have always loved the blue and white china with a deep red color. It is traditional with a fresh brightness to the combination that is very appealing.The attached photo is of the wall in my kitchen. It is painted red on the bottom half and there are pieces of wall art and china in the red, and blue/white on the top half. My husband made the wall mounted shelves above for displaying accessories. I will soon have a photo of my corner cabinet. I have repainted the back wall of the cabinet in the deep red. The pieces I use in the cabinet are all styles of blue/white. See it in next week's post.

More on Painting your Walls

There is one great group of interior wall paints that you have just got to check out! Ralph Lauren has a line of paints that create either a metallic, a shimmer, a suede or a rock texture finish to them. They are so nice and the only thing you have to do different is to apply them with a different paint roller. Nothing complicated about the applications but the look is so unique and comes in a variety of colors.The company of Ralph Lauren has a sign-up for designers to get paint chips and other samples. I would really like to have them to show.You have to see them to believe them. All paints are latex.

Learn Color for Your Interiors

I have just finished teaching classes on the keys to decorating with color. It is such an important concept and everyone got something out of the class. The class format is available as an e-book on my website titled 'The Keys to Decorating with Color". At $4.99 it is cheaper than class tuition and it packed with information. Give it a try. I want everyone to be armed with color help to make their interiors the best they can be!

Ready for my class

In the fall I will be teaching an adult ed class on color and decorating. I have gotten all my materials and feel very ready. Quite a bit of the material come out of my book "Color Made Easy" and its' free bonus books . Good information for just $7.99 and a lot cheaper than hiring a decorator by the hour for the same info.
Go to www.richmonddecorator.com and click on the bookstore to find out about all my books and how to order them. You will be very happy you did.

Color is So Important in Your Interior Decorating!

I am taking refresher classes on color in interior design. It can really make or break a room's design. I want to pass along to you some of the "must have" info before you make all your decorating decisions!
The 60/30/10 formula is still the gold standard. Basically, it means use your main color 60%, your secondary color 30% and a dash of accent color in 10% of the room. It always works! See how your rooms stack up against this proportional formula.
There are lots of great color schemes out there. What are some of your favorites? How do they make you feel?

Balance and Beauty

A BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED COLOR SCHEME


I have discussed balanced color schemes before in this newsletter. To refresh our memories, balance is achieved by using about 70% of your main color, 20% of a secondary color and 10% of an accent color. In this photo of my client’s living room, you can see the emphasis on the blue in the windows, the rug, the chairs and the blue and white lamps. The red bookcases are a perfect example of the use of an accent color. This is one of my favorite color schemes! Blue and white porcelain with red accents is a fresh and timeless color scheme. Picture a red tulip in a blue and white vase or throw pillows in blues and reds on a white sofa. Give these colors a try- you will love them!