COLOR IN DECORATING
A SUMMARY
(page 2)

It is a good idea to have a basic understanding of color terms. Perhaps you already do, but, if not here are some points to remember.

Hue refers to the same color family, value refers to lightness or darkness, intensity refers to degree of color - bright as opposed to low intensity - more muted. When light passes through a prism, the rainbow of color represents the spectrum. Primary colors are those that can't be made from combining other colors - true red, blue and yellow. Secondary colors results from a combining of two primaries in generally equal amount - purple, green and orange. Tertiary colors combine a primary with a secondary - such as yellow-green. Neutrals have no identifiable hue. However there are many combinations that go deeper than this. A gray can be tinted toward blue, for instance so that it creates a cool grey or blue-gray. You've probably looked through paint chips and seen many "off-white" hues, which actually have a hint of a color - a really pale peach for instance.

I have found these "almost whites" to be a nice way to add color to a room that is small or dark and would be too "closed in" if painted with a more obvious form of the color.

As I mentioned earlier, pick colors you like but be sure the room does have a "scheme" - not just a mixture of any color you like. Monochromatic schemes are all one color family. Often such a scheme can consist of various shades of the same color, or all neutrals, either cool or warm, with one other color added. Textures and patterns are important in this type of scheme to prevent boredom.

Analogous schemes use three hues that are close to each other on the color wheel. It is harmonious and doesn't have a lot of contrast. If green is your favorite color you could combine it with yellows and yellow green, for a warmer look or blues and blue greens for a cooler look. I've found that a room that gets little light can seem more cheery if you use a soft yellow on the walls, then add other colors.

Complementary colors rely on opposites on the color wheel, such as red and green, blue and orange. They create a lively scheme and if you want to use them but tone it down a bit, you can use the pastel versions, such as peach and lighter blue, or a grayed or deepened version such as wine and forest green. It is a good idea to add a least a little of the purer brighter form of your colors to a grayed scheme, because if all colors are grayed the room will look drab. In contrast, if every color is of bright intensity the room would be rather overbearing - especially over time. So balance them out.

You can also combine three colors that are all an equal distance, such as the three primaries, red, yellow and blue (or pastel or grayed versions of such).

Generally walls, ceilings and floors should be light and soft in value. However, in a really large room a deep colored wall or dark carpet can work. You might remember Murphy Brown's living room (at least I think that's what I'm remembering). She had deep forest green walls. The room was immense and the dark walls added a cozy mood. But in an average 12 x 16 living room, you would get a very closed in look.

As long as you pick colors you like, combine only two or three, perhaps adding a warm or a cool neutrals, you really can't go wrong. Check out pictures of rooms featured in magazines, furniture store displays and look for what you like. But don't feel like you have to use whatever is currently popular if you like something that isn't the latest trend. Decorating is usually a big budget item and most of us won't be able to change our carpet in a couple of years just because the latest trend now says we are out of step! In a couple of years the colors you pick will probably become the latest craze anyway!
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