LEFT: A winter white living room is brought to life with fresh and vibrant accents of plum and persimmon. This transitional accent
chair becomes playful in a large-scale purple plaid. RIGHT AND BELOW: This formal dining room and adjoining living room exude
warmth and comfort in sumptuous shades of cinnamon and gold. Photos Courtesy About Interiors, Inc.
By Penny L. Fox
Color plays a significant role in our
everyday lives, in what we wear, how we
decorate our surroundings, and even the
foods we prefer. Colors can make you feel
happy or sad, refreshed or depressed.
They can soothe, flirt, excite, and even
threaten. Your home is an extension of
your personality and reflects your own
individual and unique style. What does
your home say about you?
Tired of the same wall color in the living
room or master bedroom? Looking for
something that will add a little spice to your
kitchen or bring a hint of elegance to the
bathroom? Even before the trip to the paint
store to select your colors, there are other
things to consider when deciding on home
decor.
"The most important thing for homeowners to consider when choosing colors for their home is
what mood they want to create," says Gina Garunkstis, designer and owner of GG Design
Inspirations. "Once the mood is determined, you can find out what colors support that mood and
then find the right hues, shades, and tints."
"People react to color with their hearts, not their heads," she says. "Color is highly personal and
we're drawn to colors that make us feel good, look good, or remind us of things from the past."
Dawn Patrick-Wout, founder and CEO of About Interiors, LLC, agrees that people pick colors
that connect with emotions.
"These color associations could be of a favorite restaurant, your childhood home, a favorite
vacation spot, or even a favorite piece of clothing," Patrick-Wout says. "The positive associations
that you have for those places and colors will translate into your space and each time you enter,
you'll have a positive experience."
Also the founder of Happy Places = Happy Faces, a nonprofit organization that uses interior
design concepts as tools to inspire and transform living spaces for children, Patrick-Wout firmly
believes that people should choose colors that create warmth and provide a sense of comfort
instead of picking designs and decor that are based on current trends.
"Trends are just that," she says, "and by definition are temporary. If you try to embrace every
trend that comes along, after a while your home will be outdated and uninspiring. Using trends
can help freshen your basic look, but should complement a more timeless decor that comes
from knowing what you like and setting the basic foundation through the use of color, design,
and texture."
Trust your instincts. "Let the things you love inspire your interior home color. Are you an avid
gardener? Then choose fabrics and wall colors that bring the outdoors inside. Is blue the
predominant color in your wardrobe? Use it in your favorite rooms," adds Debbie Wiener, owner
of Silver Spring-based interior design firm Designing Solutions.
What's the bottom line in choosing color then? According to colorist James Martin, founder of
The Color People, an architectural color consulting firm in Denver, Colorado, and active member
of the metro-DC based Color Marketing Group, choosing color is really very simple.
LEFT: The designer created an elegant, sophisticated room with Benjamin Moore's Classic Grey and trim in a soft white. The
monochromatic neutral color scheme includes off-whites, taupes, beiges, and a hint of soft yellow. RIGHT: This Wabi-Sabi
space has not only earthy colors, but also natural materials which create a clean, simple, and serene space. Benjamin Moore's
Hampshire Taupe was used on the walls. Photos Courtesy GG Design Inspirations. MIDDLE: A contemporary space is pulled
together by repeating the same palette of colors (blues, reds, and tan) in the table top, walls, art, and glass. Photo Courtesy
Designing Solutions.
"People like warmth and richness. They want to be nurtured and surrounded by colors that give
them relief from being out in the world," says Martin.
Garunkstis, Patrick-Wout, Wiener, and Martin hold that your colors should have intrinsic
meaning to you because you will be living in these spaces. The colors that surround you should
speak to you and offer a well-designed space that reflects a positive emotional attachment.
"I'm seeing two different trends in residential dwellings," says Garunkstis. "I see warm colors like
golds, yellows, and cinnamon being used. People like these colors because they envelope you,
warm you, and create cozy, intimate spaces. The second trend I see is toward softer 'spa'
colors. These colors are used by people who want to create a serene, quiet place in their
homes. The soft colors are relaxing and the spaces become places of rejuvenation and
regrouping after a long day. In both cases, people are creating home havens."
Patrick-Wout believes that traditional spa colors, like blues and greens, will continue to be
popular because many people take their color cues from nature. Colors that support eco-friendly
perceptions are no longer considered dowdy and boring. Botanical greens, river blues, and earth
tones like beiges, browns, and tans are very soul-satisfying, but Patrick-Wout believes that we
will begin to see them paired with unusual accent colors inspired by Eastern design.
"Consider pairing Asian reds,
tangerine, or canary yellow with
nature's neutral tones to add energy
and life to your home decor," says
Patrick-Wout. "Bohemian and
Moroccan designs can also
communicate a sense of happiness
and satisfaction and bring a rich
ethnicity to a room."
Wiener says that everyone is going au
naturale with greens, browns, and
blues. "Bringing an organic feel to
interiors is more important than ever,
but you don't have to be a slave to
style. If red is your thing, used well and
with ample lighting, it always looks
good," says Wiener.
ABOVE: This living room was inspired by nature. The room is in
Benjamin Moore BM HC-118 and the pumpkin wall on the right is
BM2175-40. Photo Courtesy Designing Solutions.
"People are venturing out and
exploring different possibilities," says
Martin. "We're coming out of a period
of cocooning, where all we did was
stay home and sit in front of our home
entertainment centers. The fears
surrounding September 11th have
passed and we want our surroundings
to reflect excitement, adventure, and
fun."
Martin believes that for decades, the fashion industry defined what colors and trends would be
popular, but all that started changing a few years ago. "There are no rules anymore," he says.
Wiener agrees saying, "Why are ceilings white? That's what builders paint them. There's no
reason for a white ceiling. Ceilings are way too big of an area to keep in white. Add a soft blue
or green instead to give interest and coordinate with room furnishings," says Wiener.
RIGHT: This prewar condo had a long foyer with no natural light, so
Even the once-popular monochromatic
the designer used Benjamin Moore 2154-50 paint to brighten it up
with red accents (BM2089-20) to draw the eye to the doorway.
color schemes have undergone a
Photo Courtesy Designing Solutions.
transformation because they're being
complemented with vibrant and interesting textures, patterns, and styles. There is no longer the
need to subscribe to either a traditional or contemporary style. New, timeless designs and color
combinations blend elements from both styles.
Choosing the "Right" Color
Once you've chosen the general mood you want to create in a room and decided on your focal
color(s), Patrick-Wout suggests that homeowners paint a large sample board or section of the
wall.
"This will allow you to see the color in daylight and in the evening," Patrick-Wout says. "Live with
the color for a few days to see if you still like it. Ask yourself if you prefer the color in the living
room, the bedroom, the kitchen, etc. Doing this before committing to a particular color will help
you avoid costly [and time-consuming] color mistakes."
Penny Fox is a frequent contributor to ChesapeakeHome.
SOURCES:
About Interiors, Inc. & Happy Places = Happy Faces: aboutinteriors.com or 301-220-2838
Designing Solutions: mydesigningsolutions.com or 301-445-6336
GG Design Inspirations: ggdesigninspirations.com or 410-672-7224
The Color Marketing Group: colormarketing.org or 703-329-8500
The Color People: colorpeople.com or 303-308-0220