Felicity Art

Archive for January, 2010

Brighten the Home with Wall Color

The days of painting every room in the house with “Navajo White” or “Swiss Coffee” are long gone. Vibrant color and unique textures now grace the pages of the latest home decorating magazines. Today, everyone seems to want at least a little splash of color in their homes and the trend offers a golden opportunity for creative expression. Even the less daring have wall color options with a variety of deeper neutral tones that are a far cry from basic white. Painted wall color or textured paint treatments add interest and dimension to a room and reflect the personality of the resident.

The key to a successful home redo involves understanding how color changes the interior environment. Certain colors affect our moods and impact how we feel and react when we’re in the room. Choosing the appropriate wall color for an interior space requires some planning to ensure that we’re capturing the feeling of the room and creating an enjoyable environment.

The first step when planning a room update is to evaluate how certain colors work within specific rooms in the home.

Kitchen Color Choices

The kitchen should be a cheerful and inviting space where the family congregates every day. Warm colors such as golden yellows, amber and deep cream shades make everyone feel cozy and content. Bolder shades of pumpkin or tangerine may be used on accent walls, trim or even ceilings to demonstrate personality and make the room an enjoyable place to cook and eat. Shades of red stimulate the appetite and can be used throughout the kitchen on walls, accent tiles, and accessories. A cinnamon red wall adjacent to a light toast shade adds excitement and warmth to the room.

For those who prefer blues tones in the home, deeper shade such as turquoise, cobalt blue or periwinkle create an upbeat feeling in the kitchen. Paint one or two walls in the deeper color and the other walls with a compatible neutral in soft whites, tans or pale yellows. Finish the décor by adding a few accessory pieces such as ceramics or textiles that contain the color scheme. For breakfast nooks and casual eating areas, match fabrics to wall colors. For example, walls painted in mustard or light olive will bring out the rich colors of fabrics from Provence.

Textured paint adds depth and creates a casual look in the kitchen. Try using sponge prints or stenciling a few areas with grape patterns, fruit designs or favorite sayings for a touch of nostalgia or humor.

Wall Colors for Bedrooms

The bedroom should be a restful place where we go to retreat from our hectic daily lives. Cool wall colors such as soft blues and pale greens create an immediate soothing effect and calm the spirit. A room painted in a sky blue shade or soft sage green that features off white trim will immediately cause our pulse to slow and help us relax. A dash of a deeper shade of Wedgewood blue or fern green on wood moldings or used on an accent wall adds interest but maintains the restful ambiance. The same tones can be carried through into accessories, throw pillows or used to accent painted furniture.

For those who prefer warmer colors, soft fawn or taupe wall colors create a peaceful feeling yet project affection and sincerity. Dark wood bedroom furniture stands out against a wall painted in a bronze or desert sand shade.

To be continued.

Best regards,

Felicity Art

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