I love color!   The rooms we live in, the cars we drive, and the clothes we purchase are all impacted by our personal color preferences.  Yet again and again, I hear that selecting color is the most intimidating part of the decorating process.  We all have experienced moments of panic over a color selection. The first thing you need to understand is the power of color. 

Color impacts us in 3 different ways, visually, emotionally, and physically. The first element, is the visual or aesthetic element.  In other words, does it look good?  And does it look good is a very personal decision as well as impacted by good design decisions. The second element of color is one's emotional reaction. This reaction is a result of life and/or cultural experiences.  Have you heard a song come on the radio that makes you feel happy or sad?  Color has the same power.  Because of this, the textbook explanation of color reactions, don’t always jibe.  The color experts tell me that blue will make me feel calm and peaceful, but if you put me in a blue room, I would feel very anxious because of an emotional bias to the color. The third element of color is the physical reaction to color.  Due to color vibrations measured in angstrom units, it is said that a blind person can actually “feel” red.   Come with me while I share some tips to make color selection truly easy!

Color Made Easy Rule #1-Decorate for what makes you happy, not for what is the current trend. Spend some time in front of a paint display and just grab samples that appeal to you first.  Don't waste time with "wht matches what" but focus on your gut reaction.  Chances are you will find you are drawn to colors with the same level of saturation.  In fact, our patent pending Color with No Regrets System begins with giving a client a simple color test that eliminates 75% of the colors in 3 minutes, and eliminates 3 different levels of saturation. So worry less about the color name, and more about the level of saturation.

Color Made Easy Rule #2- Determine the purpose of the color.  Is it a backdrop or are you trying to highlight or detract from architectural elements? Color can change the visual perception of a room's size, shape, and personality.  Color can correct a multitude of sins. Make a small room feel larger by using the same value on the walls as the major pieces of furniture. Eliminate a bowling alley feel to a space, by painting the end focal wall 2-3 values deeper than the side walls to make the wall advance. Disguise damaged or flawed walls by using a warm, dark flat or eggshell finish to absorb light, helping to hide the imperfections. Have a great art collection; add a deeper value color to showcase the art.

Color made Easy Rule #3-Don’t believe the color myths.  

• Myth One-White walls make a room feel larger. The reality is that contrast is what will impact the illusion of size. If your client has dark furniture and you want the room to feel larger, don’t use light walls.  Instead use a color closer in value to the furniture so they melt into one another instead of contrasting.
• Myth Two-Ceilings should be white. No way, in fact, we recently had a client in Charlotte paint her walls in a mid-value blue-green, then painted the ceiling one step darker for an amazing look in her 9’ high room.  Fantastic! 

Color made Easy Rule #4-Use the correct color proportions.  In most rooms, you can never go wrong with a 3 color combination split into a 60-30-10 breakdown.  In other words, use color #1 in 60% of the space, i.e. walls, sofa, etc. color two is 30%, floor and accent chair, and then the last color as the accent color in the space.  

Color made Easy Tip # 5- Use the combination of traditional warm and cools to zip up a space.  If the room is primarily red-orange and gold, go across the color wheel and bring in some blue green to pop the warm colors.  Or vice versa in a room primarily done in cool colors. 

Now go have fun with color and send me photos of your masterpieces.  Make it your mission today to save someone from a life of white walls!

Happy Decorating!