How to Pick Great Decorating
Colors
by Julie Lohmeier
In reading decorating message boards and forums, one of the most frequently
asked questions concerns paint color. In general, if you have a focal piece of
furniture (often the bed or sofa), my recommendation is to pick a color from
that piece or a complementary color and build from there. Or if you have drapes
or fabric for drapes that you love, use that as your starting point. But if you
are blessed - or cursed - with a totally blank palette, then try this.
Go to your local paint store and look at the swatch brochures. The paint
companies highlight their most popular and trendy colors in these. Or try the
Benjamin Moore web site at
http://www.benjaminmoore.com. It’s
great. They have an interactive tool where you can see different colors on the
walls and trim of rooms. For only $10, you can download a software program where
you can do the same with your own digital photos. How cool is that?!?
Here are some popular colors that I’ve seen and some new ones in the Benjamin
Moore latest brochures. Go through the Personal Color Viewer at
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pcv.asp?L=owner&K=intproj&N= intproj)
to find the paint shades I have mentioned below.
Buff This is the new neutral. It looks great with trim - stained or
bright white (my perennial classic favorite), is neutral but not boring
off-white. I have this color through probably about half of my house including
hallways, foyer, and basement. Everything works well with it. Some specific
colors are Tyler Taupe, Porter Ridge Tan, and Shelburne Buff.
Chestertown Buff This is a designers favorite. It’s warm, not too gold,
not too taupe and not too bold. It works well in many settings and any room.
Blue Making a big comeback, blue is no longer the robin egg’s blue of
your grandmother’s house growing up or powder baby-boy blue but either a slate
or steel blue (Jamestown Blue) or even a more vibrant Caribbean blue (see Ash
Blue or Deep Ocean). It can go from bedroom to bathroom to more formal rooms
quite easily. You’ll often see this paired with white or red for a nautical
theme or with light yellow or gold in traditional patterns. In our office, we
used Summer Nights, a deep blue that’s not navy, not turquoise, not royal but
really rich and vibrant.
Corals I’m seeing this color used in dining and living rooms. Use a pale
color on the walls and a deeper hue as accents. Check out Crazy for You. Keep an
eye out for peaches and corals - they could be the next big color.
Green Green is big too - ranging from seafoam to lime (Pleasant Grove)
to almost army drab (Weathersfield Moss). Spring Valley is a versatile soothing
color, appropriate for living rooms and bedrooms. You can use a variety of
colors to accent - from cream for an understated look to peach or plums for more
dramatic contrasts.
Red A favorite of decorators. Use it in dining rooms or living rooms
where you want to make a bold statement. Great for traditional or Asian styles.
Take a peek at Ladybug Red or Raspberry Truffle.
Gold Paired with every color imaginable - red, blue, purple, or by
itself. As an accent or as the predominant color. Very popular in Tuscan
decorating, especially with faux finishes. Check out Concord Ivory - a very
modern version of a traditional classic.
Bold colors still rule although lighter pastels are being shown as accents and
for increasingly for dining and living rooms. Although I have seen beautifully
appointed rooms using purples and plums - a really hot trend a few years ago -
it seems that these hues may be cooling off. ..........
Along with her husband, Julie Lohmeier is the veteran of numerous home
remodeling and building projects. Always working on a tight budget, she has
found how to create a showplace home without breaking the bank. She shares her
remodeling tips, homedecorating ideas, and other various rants at
www.myhomeredux.com?AA_HOTCOLOR. @copyright Julie Lohmeier,
www.myhomeredux.com