How to Decorate with Color
Posted: Tuesday, May 19, 2009
by Augustine Price
http://www.decorating-ideas.org
To be or not to be? A famous query from a famous author. We now have a similar query, though of a different kind - to color or not to color? A question that torments the minds of those who are about to decorate their homes. There are advocates to both ends of the spectrum. Some are totally against it and go only for the cool monotony of white, beige or magnolia , while some others swear by the exhilaration of color.
It all depends on the personalities of the person who is doing the decorating. But using colors is really a simple matter once you have grasped the underlying principles; the principles of the primary colors and secondary colors and the basic ways of mixing them to get the ordinary colors and the exotic hues with exotic names; the kind you see in paint shops and in home improvement magazines.
It is your understanding of the effects of color, both psychological and functional, that can make a success or a failure of any decorating idea. It all depends on whether you intend to use a particular color as a background color or as an accent color. By a rule of the thumb, the background color should cover about 60% of the room, usually for the walls; 30% of a different color for the ceiling, the doorways and the windows, and 10% of the colors used for accent. Another simple rule of thumb, when in doubt, would be one wall in an accent color and the remaining in background shades. And try to keep your background color in the palest of hues.
On the functional side, you have to remember that colors can make a room warm and welcoming or cold, expansive or claustrophobic. Color decorating ideas have to be fluid. It is only by experimenting that you can hit upon the right combination. For example, think of a room with four wall in mint green, a white ceiling and doorway and a cream carpet. Give an accent to it with a few long mirrors placed horizontally on the long wall. The effect is that of a room that enfolds you with holistic tranquility. Now just add a black vase with a pink flower near the bed and decorate the windows with cherry red blinds. The effect is totally changed to that of a modern and chic room. The basic coloring ideas have not changed, just the accents.
This is the way that colors have to be understood. And it is even easier to experiment; with the use of computers and the sophisticated software that is available. You can do a virtual decorating of your virtual room before you actually paint it. You can DIY. Go ahead, try it.
For more information visit Decorating Ideas where you can learn more about home decorating and get color decorating ideas.
This Article has been viewed 161 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.