Designer Tips & Ideas
How to Begin
First you need to decide what features or existing finishes in the room you want to keep. Consider the tile, fireplace or built-in cabinets. For example, if the wood of your kitchen cabinets has a yellow undertone, make sure the paint color you select works well with that hue.
Creating a Focal Point
Creating a focal point is a great way to enhance your home's unique architectural features, such as your fireplace mantle, crown molding or arched window treatments with a contrasting paint color. You may want to select a lighter color for a softer more subtle look. If you want to create a more dramatic impact, select a darker shade or contrasting color. You can also create an accent wall by painting it a different color or even adding a faux finish reflecting your personal taste and style!
A great way to unify different rooms together throughout your home is to select a common
color palette. Simply select lighter and darker shades and/or hues from the same color
palette to distinguish different rooms, ceilings trays and architectural features.
Harmonize the Color throughout Your Home
Emphasize or Minimize
Color can emphasize certain features - and minimize others. A long narrow room will look wider if you use a slightly darker color on the shorter walls and a lighter color on the longer walls. You can make a ceiling appear higher by applying a lighter color, or lower with a darker color. To give a big room a more intimate feel, paint the walls in colors that advance toward you, such as red, gold, orange and brown. To help a small room seem larger, paint the walls in colors that make them appear to recede, such as blue, green or violet.
Reflect on Light Sources
Remember that the color you choose may look different at various times of the day and night. The warm tones of incandescent lights will have a different influence on the color than the natural light of day. Once you're aware of how different light sources can affect your color choices, you can change your room's "mood" to match the pace of your day.
Designer Tips & Ideas
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