by Pamela Cole Harris
One of your best friends in design (or worst enemies!) is the
natural light that filters through your home's windows. It can make that
lavender color you chose in the store look dreamy and serene or like Barney's
nightmare depending on direction your room is facing. Here are some tips on how
natural light will affect your décor.
1. Northern Light is usually cold and direct sun in the room
only occurs in the middle of summer. Use warm colors such as
red, yellow or orange in your décor to compensate for the
coolness of the light. Blues or greens will make the room
appear even colder.
2. Southern Light is warm and sunny. You can use darker colors
in a room with a southern exposure. Blues and greens in this
room can create a summery feel all year long.
3. Eastern Light gives a room sunny mornings but muted middays.
The afternoon offers no direct light. Use a mix of warms and
cools to balance out the daylight.
4. Western Light features afternoon and evening sun. Use
neutrals in this room. Using warm colors will overpower the
room in the afternoon.
Being aware of how natural light affects your décor will help
you make better decisions about the color you use. But fact it! There is
absolutely no light in which avocado green looks good. (Forgive me! Mine was a
childhood scared by attacks from renegade guacamole and avocado appliances!)
Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer for over 35 years (Yikes! Has it been that
long? Her fun, tongue-in-cheek
approach to decorating has made http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com
one of the most popular décor sites
on the net. She brings the same spirit of fun to cooking at http://www.thewellfedtraveler.com
and running a home
business at http://www.pajamabusinesses.com.