|
|
|
|
Basic ColorsUnderstanding Color Basics When it comes to picking the right color scheme for your home, remember this: It's as important to listen to your heart as it is to listen to your head
The Basics of Color Selection If you look at a color wheel, available at most paint stores, you can see relationships between the three primary colors (red, blue, yellow), the three secondary colors (that result from mixing two primary colors together - purple, green, orange), and the tertiary colors made by mixing a primary with a secondary color (for example, yellow-green, red-orange, blue-violet). White and black can also be used to create hundreds of different tints and shades when combined with different colors. The manner in which you bring different colors together into a single design is called a color scheme. There are many different color schemes: a complementary color one uses two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, while an analogous color scheme combines three neighboring colors. Although every color scheme has its set of proponents and and detractors, if you go with a scheme that you love, you can't go wrong. Picking a color scheme that works for you is a matter of experimentation - look around you for encouragement. Nature, magazines, even the clothes in your wardrobe can all provide inspiration. Getting started While it's easy to be intimidated by color, you don't have to settle for a neutral color scheme that doesn't reflect your unique personality. In the long run, you will be much happier with colors that affect you in a positive fashion, than with those that don't affect you at all. There are some tried and true rules that will help you avoid common mistakes, as follows... Step One: Narrowing Your Choices The best approach is to start thinking about and noticing color. When you see a combination you like, ask yourself why you like it, how it makes you feel, and how you might recreate it in your home. Your inspiration for this exercise might be a garden you passed, the upholstery of your favorite arm chair, a scene from a travel magazine, a shot in a decorating magazine, or even a painting you fell in love with in a gallery. A great way to compile ideas is to start a clipping file. Magazines and books are both excellent sources. Gather everything that appeals to you and study your clippings to see what each scheme has in common. You may even own something already - such as a painting, a rug, or a pillow - that you want to use as a basis for your color scheme. If you already have a favorite color, you can choose it as the dominant color, then use a complementary or harmonious color to accent it. Not sure what your favorite colors are? Just open your closet and take a look. Not only are those likely to be your favorite colors - they're also the ones that you look best in. Step Two: Playing with Your Choices Once you've got a concise list of your favorite colors, take it to a paint store and select all the various shades of those colors from the free paint color charts. When you get them home, cut out the shades you like and assemble them on a white sheet of paper. See how they look together. If you feel one is too bright, too dull, too saturated or whatever, remove it and try different shades until you find combinations that work for you. Try to display the colors on the card at the same proportions they'll be used in the room - this will help you see if they'll work together. Once you've settled on your color choices, paste all of them down on a single white card. You now have your own personal color palette to keep by your side as you're choosing amenities for your new home! |
Send mail to webmaster@makeitnigeria.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2005 Make It Nigeria! Last modified: 07/18/08. Privacy Policy |
