Choosing a Color Palette

Choosing a color palette is easy if the homeowner looks at the colors they already use in their home, focuses on what they love, and organizes a plan.

When choosing a decor palette for the house, the homeowner should look through their home for items that he or she love and will keep once they have planned a color scheme. The homeowner may have a beautiful art piece with bright or earthy hues or maybe an heirloom such as a rug or furniture piece that could have a desirable scheme. Some may even choose to copy a color scheme from a china collection that has a pastel theme or style.

This can be a perfect starting point for a palette that will accentuate the homeowner’s personal treasures and style. Once he or she has picked the theme, the homeowner should study the theme piece for colors that are acceptable for the home. Looking through a paint fan deck or using colors that coordinate at the paint store, the homeowner should have a collection of paint samples that they should bring back to the natural lighting of the home for final decisions on paint.

Choosing Proper Color Tones

Once the homeowner has chosen colors to compare to his or her themes, the homeowner should try a variation of the color in different tones to highlight their selection. It doesn’t always work to match everything perfectly; the homeowner could run into an unpleasing situation if they do not explore other variations of color. Hues can be more pleasing by adding brighter or darker complementary accents.
The homeowner may discover a hidden color as they are using art work or a favorite painting or photograph. As he or she selects a color to accompany the art work, the homeowner should make sure that the color enhances the art so it will pop out of the frame. This does not mean the brightest color in the art piece but not a white, either. The homeowner should try a happy medium that will take on a soft hue from a complexion of a character to the intensity of a sunset on a prairie. If the homeowner is using a monochromatic theme of black and white, he or she should try a Smokey gray-beige to a straw gold. It will take guest’s breath away every time they enter the room.

Using Color as an Accent

The homeowner will always want to have guests focus on the accents of the home. By having several shades of the color, the homeowner may direct the attention to a particular area of the room. Yes, the “accent wall” will always come back to design, and if the homeowner remembers to make one wall an accent, it will not become tiring for the homeowner to live in as well.

The whole purpose is to have a homeowner look at the most dramatic aspect of the room, usually it is the first wall they see as he or she enters. For an example, if a guest walks into a bedroom and the bed is against the back wall, that wall should be a darker shade in accent for a deeper or bolder statement than the remaining walls. If the bed has been accentuated with bedding to accompany the rooms shade, the homeowner will have a beautiful accent people will speak of for years.

When accenting a work area or office, the homeowner should make the wall an inspiring shade they love. The homeowner should not put it on the wall directly in front of them, but behind or to the side for a brief pick-me-up. He or she will enjoy this more as it will be subtle and not a huge deterrent as they try to focus on their work and not the walls. Homeowners should save the bold and more playful colors for a non-public area such as the hallways or private zones.

The entrance is also a perfect place for a bold statement. Homeowners will have fun with a splash of brilliance in a hall or closet, sometimes it can increase the interest in cupboards as it is a non-public area. This can add some added surprise as the homeowner walks through the hall or opens a door to a closet.

Creating a Color Theme

Homeowners should pick a palette for the entire home that they can feel comfortable with and not become tired of quickly. Homeowners should avoid using the newest trends, and focus on his or her most precious interests. The homeowner could take this new palette and make a scrapbook or color-board so he or she can see the direction they are trying to place throughout the home. Homeowners should want the palette aesthetically to fit as well as project peacefulness to the eye.

This is not hard to do even if the homeowners are remodeling or starting over fresh. Observe how all the swatches of fabric, all of the color chips, and various surface samples tie into each other, and the homeowner should try to keep it all in the same palette. This will assist him or her in any future endeavors to move onto another project in the home if they can’t do it all at once.

Finally, the homeowner should always carry a color-board or scrapbook with them wherever they go, and if the homeowner finds something that may work with the current scheme, he or she can compare samples on the spot. The homeowner should not forget to enjoy themselves, and always return to look at their choices in the natural light, before they make the final decision.