Color combos that are safe but not boring

I can honestly say, the most common interior design question I get from clients, friends, family (even strangers in the paint store!) is how to choose paint colors. No surprise here, but I am a visual person, so I thought I'd share some of the color schemes I have used recently. Hopefully it provides you with a bit of inspiration!  

Sherwin Williams Scandia, Indigo, Cosmos & Icelandic

I used these colors in a recent cottage by the beach that I designed. Since the cottage is rather small (less than 700 sq. ft.), I decided to use a monochromatic theme and then give each room a hit of color from the "other side". What do I mean by "the other side"? Well, I'm talking about the other side of the color wheel! Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered complementary colors. I love to use this treatment in a room when I really want something to stand out. The high contrast of colors creates a vibrant look, which I think fills a room with great energy! For this cottage, I chose orange to be my complementary color and I could not have been more pleased. Take a look at how wonderfully the blues & oranges play together!

I used the same technique in another home I designed. This time I used very neutral browns with a hit of red. This suited my client well because they were able to take a few chances with the brightly colored accessories, but could also change them up quite easily and guilt free!



Sherwin Williams Craft Paper, Believable Buff, & Cardboard

Sherwin Williams Paint

Of course, you can't go wrong with these colors either. It's a great color combination for staging your home. A touch of color without going too crazy! The colors I chose were all +Sherwin Williams paint; Copen Blue, Agreeable Grey, Toque White, Calico and Warm Stone. The paint color names alone sound soothing and peaceful!

And finally, here's a sneak peak at the colors I am using in a home by the beach. Once again, I stay somewhat "safe" with the paint color choice and then had fun with some wallpaper and fabric. The colors here are +California Paints in Steamy Spring, +Benjamin Moore Paints  in Rattan and Soft Glow. Then a used Shore Thing wallpaper and  Thibaut Luzon fabric in Aqua and Coral. Beachy, but not boring!

If you aren't sure where colors fall on the color wheel and which ones may complement each other, I recommend you hop on over to TigerColor.com and see what they have to say. There's a terrific post about color schemes, complete with pictures to help explain it all!



What does your favorite color say about you?

www.mandevillecanyondesigns.com

How many times have you been asked, "What's your favorite color?" My guess is that it's probably been quite a few times! And through the years your favorite color may have changed. As a child you may have loved the color pink or blue, but as you got older it changed to something else, like yellow or red. Why is that you wonder? Have you ever thought about what your favorite color says about you? It's really quite interesting and quite fun if you think about it!

Take a look in your closet. What color(s) do you see most repeated throughout your wardrobe? Does one certain color rise to the top of the heap? Are you colorful or very muted?

If you ask me what my favorite color is, I'd quickly respond with "red, of course!" It's the color I wear on the inside. I don't tend to decorate with it much, but it is my motivator! When it comes to decorating I lean more towards red's more playful and gregarious sister, orange!

So what does this say about me?

To find out what your favorite color says about you click here and you'll be taken to the I love color! Board on Pinterest.

When it comes to decorating are you a little bit more "color-phobic"? Or do you find yourself infusing you home with your favorite color too! Just for fun click here and take Better Homes and Garden's color personality quiz. You just might surprise yourself and learn that your favorite color to decorate with is quite different than what you'd answer the question, "What's your favorite color?" with. 

So often I hear people say that they are tired of decorating with the same old beige or off-white, but are too nervous or don't know how to add some "pops" of color without "overdoing" it, or without making an expensive mistake.

Fear no more! I am a certified Dewey Color System Design Consultant. Working together we can identify what colors are you "comfort colors". These are the hues that sooth and inspire you. From there we can mindfully select a paint, fabric and accessory color palette.

California Paints has an excellent section on their website about color theory and how colors make you feel. Take a look and see if the color of the room you are sitting in sets the mood you wanted to achieve. California Paints Color Theory.

Before I select a color for a client, I ask many questions so that I can understand how they want to feel in the room we are working on, serene in a bedroom, lively in a playroom, creative in the kitchen.

Don't be afraid of taking a walk on the wild side, or at least crossing the street to a new color scheme. And if you need someone to hold your hand and guide you through it, I'm here for you!

Colorfully yours,
Renee