Conquer Your Fear of Color
If you walk the paint aisles at any
home center, you’ll see that there
are more paint swatches than ever.
Thousands of paint choices line the
walls, but the fear of color remains
strong, and that why most homes
are a study in white. It’s because
white is the can’t-make-a-mistake
color. Of course a few brave souls
will insist they have color daring
because they went out on a paint
limb and used a pale yellow or
beige on their walls.
But, don’t you long for more color? Of course you do; we all do. If we didn’t, we’d all buy white furniture and carpets to go with our white walls. But, we don’t because the thought of color on furniture, carpets, or curtains isn’t nearly as terrifying as color on (heaven forbid!) the walls.
Exactly what is the fear that surrounds the decision of going with color? Most people say they’re afraid that they won’t like a strong color once it’s on the walls. But that fear is irrational, because paint, unlike a black sofa covered in green parrots, can be changed inexpensively. It’s hard to return a sofa and it’s very expensive to recover it.
You can get this same feeling too by adding color in your own home. Remember: white walls are for tires. Now, let’s ratchet up your color daring. Try painting just one wall. If you like it, paint the rest of the room. Soon you’ll be hooked on color and your home will ooze design chic!
MORE COLOR IDEAS
Pick a color from something already in the room. Using a rug or sofa fabric as your guide, pull a color from this pattern to put on the walls. A paint center can help you select the correct shade.
Vary the shade of color. If you’ve got a deep green in your sofa pattern and that’s the color you want on your walls, but feel like the green is too dark, simply pick up a paint chip with that color and then go a few shades lighter up on the same chip. This way, you’re still in the same color family and can be assured this color will work.
Pick reds and yellows carefully. Although they’re beautiful, getting just the right hue can be a challenge based on the light in your house and other factors. Check with your paint professional for good choices in yellow or red.
Paint one wall. An accent wall is a great way to get a lot of punch without a lot of effort. This is perfect for really strong colors, such as dark red. It adds a lot of drama without overpowering you with color.
Choose unexpected colors. If you’re painting a baby room, go with a different shade of blue than the standard “baby blue.” Using a non-standard color makes a room look more expensive, more custom, and high-end.
Put dark color in small rooms. Everyone says dark paint makes a room seem small. But, dark colors make a small room dramatic and cozy. Plus, dark colors are sometimes more costly, so by painting a dark color in a small room, you’ll save money.
© 2005 Kathryn Weber, all rights reserved
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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Cleaning Calender, that calender that puts you in control of your home by ending the power struggle. For more information log on to http://tinyurl.com/d9rh5.
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©2001-2007 Kathryn Weber
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