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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Decorating With Color


See More>Decorating and Planning Help Articles

Decorating your home can involve a large amount of decisions and if you are not careful those decisions can also cost you money. Decorating your home with color can give you a big change in the look of your room without putting a big change in your pocketbook. You do not even have to spend time searching for items on sale because changing the color of a room can be very inexpensive. Changing the color on your walls alone can make a big impact but what if you do not know which color would look best in your home? With just a few tips you can choose the best colors to make your home stand out.

Look around your home and environment

What colors surround you? Is your home already decorated in warm reds or bright blues? Do you tend to wear all black but with hints of green? When you go on vacation do you head to the mountains or is the beach your preference?

Your answers to these questions can help lead you to the colors that will work best for ycolor+wheelou. If your home is already filled with warm colors then it may be awkward if you paint your living room lime green. The colors of your home should flow as you walk from room to room. If you find yourself being pulled to a certain color not found elsewhere in your home then perhaps you could pick a darker or lighter version of that color that will flow better.

Generally, the colors you wear the most look the best with your skin tone and hair color. Decorating your home with colors you wear will not only make you look good in your home but will make you feel good about the colors that surround you. If you tend to wear a lot of black and you accessorize with green then think about using black furniture with green accents. Do you have a built-in bookshelf or entertainment center in your home? Paint the shelving black and the wall green. The hints of green coming through will add a huge impact without being overwhelming.

Looking at your favorite environments is also an excellent way to choose colors for your home. If you like the mountains then you may be drawn to warmer colors of dark browns and greens while someone who walks the beach may find that light blues and shades of white make them feel good.

Use what you find around you and you may be surprised to find you already know what colors work best for you and your home.

Think about which room you are decorating

Usually, you are not decorating your home all at once. Instead, you decorate one room at a time. The type of room can help you decide which colors to use
Kitchens are often the first room people congregate in during the mornings. Since most of us would like our morning to be more bright and cheery, or at least not dull and grouchy, then the color in your kitchen should reflect the emotion you would like to have. Yellows are often found in kitchen because yellow makes you feel more awake and reminds you of the sun. Reds and oranges can also be used in kitchens. Think of these colors as firing you up for your day.
Bedrooms are rooms that mostly have one function; we use them for sleeping. Bright yellows that you may welcome in your kitchen could keep you awake in your bedroom. Use soft and subdued colors in your bedroom; colors that make you feel like curling up in bed.
Bathrooms should be designed around what you use it for and the colors should reflect the usage of the room. If you only spend time in your bathroom in the mornings when you are rushing around getting ready for the day then you may want the colors in your bathroom to be more like a kitchen; bright colors on the walls can wake you for the day. More and more, though, people are using their bathrooms as their own private spas. These rooms are being used for bubble baths and relaxing facials. If this is what you use your bathroom for then it may need to use colors more like your bedroom; subdued colors will help you feel even more relaxed when you light candles to soak in your bath.

Cheap does not have to look cheap
These tips can help you when you are decorating your home as long as you keep in mind that you do not have to spend large amounts of money to have a large amount of impact. Painting an accent wall in your dining room or adding a bright area rug can be cheaper options that redecorating an entire room but can make others think you spent thousands remodeling.
Take a look around your home, your environment, even your closet, and you will find colors to use in decorating your home in no time!


Article Supplied By: M. Kaye Hash, Co-owner and photographer of the nature photography and Eco-friendly gifts website http://www.naturesthumbprint.com/. She is a contributing editor and co-webmaster at http://www.arearugsbymccalls.com/. Melissa has a degree in Art History from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has been writing and taking pictures since she was young. Melissa is also an avid animal lover and she raises four dogs of her own.

Decorating and Planning Help

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