HOW TO BECOME AN EXPERT IN DECORATING WITH COLOR AND DESIGN

By Jeanene Stein

Creative people are always looking for opportunities to produce attractive rooms. Here are some tips to help concerning Principles of Design and Color.

USE THREADS OF COLOR TO PULL ROOM TOGETHER.

In doing a professional oil painting, one should never use a color on just one area of the painting. If you have used it in the mountain range for instance, bring it down into the foreground. The same is true of decorating a room. If you use a color in one room, then use at least a small amount of the same color in the next room. That way the whole house will have a cohesive feel to it as if you are working off of the same color palette.

PERMANENT FEATURES ARE BEST FEATURED IN NEUTRAL SHADES.

When buying or replacing anything that is insignificant and is not expensive to replace, then go for the color. However use neutral shades for permanent features. Any old paint job on a wall can be changed out quickly for a small amount of money. A pillow that you are tired of can be replaced easily for another accent color you may wish to change. But carpeting the rooms in your house can be more than you have to spend. So play it safe. Any expensive item in a room should be featured in neutral shades.

IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MATCH SHADES EXACTLY.

When colors in a room share the same underlying tones, they are often more interesting if they do not always perfectly match. For instance, several tones of brown flow together beautifully as well as do many other varying shades of color. It is important to stay with colors that blend.

ACCENT COLORS SHOULD BE BALANCED IN A ROOM.

Complementary colors, in particular, look best when they are mostly equal in intensity. Use bright with bright, pale with pale, and dark with dark. What you want is to see that all the accent colors flow in unity with one another. It is best however, when you are using bold colors to incorporate some dark colors to help bright colors to pop. I personally use a lot of black with reds in my decor. Black is a great accent color and makes for an interesting contrast as well as giving your décor a feeling of excellence.

USE CONTRAST IN DECORATING AS WELL AS COLOR.

If you use one predominant color, then select contrasting colors to serve as accents. When a room is done tastefully, the observer should be able to tell which color you are using that is predominate. However, too much of one color can get boring. So look for a balance, which can usually make a room

feel comfortable and homey.

LIGHT OR NEUTRAL COLORS SHOULD BE USED TO SEPARATE

Don't be afraid to use light or neutral colors to separate the vivid colors you may be using. Again contrast will catch the eye and make a room stand out amongst the more beautifully decorated. Use red accents with a wall painted in the color of butterscotch for instance or a burnt orange with a lot of beiges or neutrals.

HOW DO I ENHANCE A DARK WALL SO IT WONT BE OVERPOWERING?

If you have chosen a dark color for your walls but feel that it may have decreased the space in the room or feel un comfortable with, try painting the trim in a light color. That will minimize the dark color. The contrast works remarkably well. The opposite is also true for light colored walls - try painting the woodwork in a dark color. However, if the trim is unimpressive for some reason then paint it the same color as the walls.

CENTERS OF INTEREST ARE THE SECRET TO IMPRESSIVE COLLECTIONS.

We all have our collections of things that really "grab us". But how do I display them without thefeeling of clutter but allow for a decorative impact? Certainly too many things in a collection can become a source of clutter. However, I have found that if you group "like things" together, they can

become an attractive center of interest that will bring pleasure to you and others as well. When considering "like things", perhaps the common thread may be color, may be shape, may even be size. For instance displaying accessories together in the same color form a collection and make a statement rather than scatteringr them here and there.

EFFECT DRAMA OF PASTEL WALL COLOR BY BOLD ACCENT COLOR.

Say you love the pastel look on your wall but not the lack of drama with which a pale color may leave you. Use plenty of deep or bright colors to accessorize to create a statement that will serve as a contrast and

further enhance the beauty of any room.

DISPLAYING ARTWORK AGAINST A DEEP-TONED WALL COLOR.

When hanging artwork, if you want that painting to really make a statement, place it on a deep-toned wall color that enhances the artwork. By that I mean use a color drawn from the color on the wall, which will compliment the painting and create drama.

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