"Sunset is still my favorite color, and rainbow is second."Mattie Stepanek - American Poet, 1990 - 2004
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With
the first colorful buds of spring, I find myself longing for
something fresh and new! We would never consider going out in a
shirt with frayed cuffs and permanent stains down the front, yet how
closely do we look at the walls and trim in our homes. Is your trim
scuffed and chipped? Are the walls soiled with little tiny hand or
paw prints? Perhaps it's time for an infusion of color. Like the
clean feeling of a freshly scrubbed face, a freshly painted room can
make your entire home feel fresh and bright, clean and new again!
It can be overwhelming when you open a fan deck with it's 1500 or more paint colors. In our experience, Celeste Jackson Interiors, Ltd. attributes this to why many people simply default to white when selecting paint for their homes. Yet color is the element that can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary and enrich your daily life.
The first step is to understand how important color is and how it affects us. In general, the warm yellow, orange and red colors stimulate our energy levels, while the cool blue, green and violet colors calm and sooth us. Considering the function of a room and the type of activity in a space can help direct color selections. The kitchen, family room, play room or office may crave the warmth and stimulation provided a warmer color palette while bedrooms and bathrooms require the soothing tranquility of the cooler colors.
The second step in the selection process is to identify an inspiration piece that contains colors you are drawn to personally. Artwork, area rugs, furniture or fabrics are an excellent place to start. Whatever it is, it should be something that makes you feel good. Utilize your inspiration piece to start selecting colors. The more colors an item contains, the more colors you will have to work with.
The third step is to tape two or three large paint samples of each color on different walls. Watch how the color changes as the light changes throughout the day. Compare how the color looks at night under lamp light with how it looks during the day in natural light. This step will help you to confidently narrow down your selections. Everyone who walks into the room will have an opinion but remember, color affects everyone differently and this is your inspiration!
Several years ago, I was working with a couple who wanted to redecorate the main level of their home. In the living room was a beautiful piece of art they had purchased prior to my being hired. Working from this inspiration piece, I selected a rich eggplant color for the living room walls. On the day the room was being painted, I telephoned to find out how things were progressing. The husband, who worked from home, answered and asked me if I could come over. When I asked him if he was unhappy with the color I had chosen, he informed me the painter thought the color was too dark and had suggested a brighter shade of purple. Since his wife was at work, the husband had approved the suggested brighter purple. I asked him what he thought of the color, to which he replied, "It looks like it belongs in a teenage girl's room. What should I do?" My advice was that he call the painter to come back the next morning and repaint the room in the color I had originally selected then, start cooking his wife a very nice dinner. When the room was finished, it was stunning!
When your room is being painted do not start second guessing your selection. Once everything is back in place, your focus will be on the room as a whole and not just on the walls. If you have taken all the proper steps, you will be pleased with the results.
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Cultivating Individuality in Your Unique Home
Celeste Jackson
