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DIY Design: cultivating color
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Photo courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
If art imitates life, then architecture surely takes its cues from the culture that surrounds it. The scale, size and volume of the rooms we live in are shaped by trends that may last a century or a day. How we choose to fill our living spaces reflects a more personal aspect of design—and no element plays a greater part in the look of a space than color.
Color creates atmosphere and drama even in rooms that already have a great personality. Creating a theme that resonates with your singular character can be a journey of discovery that taps into myriad themes. And the right hues for your home—whether it is classic or contemporary, retro or futuristic—calls for palettes that complement a vocabulary of traditional or not-so-conventional elements.
Global Tapestry from the 2009 Lifestyle Collection by Sherwin-Williams - The exotic hues of the Global Tapestry palette weave together a brilliant patchwork of colors inspired by many regions, including Russia, East Asia and Latin America.“Our latest Lifestyle Collection embraces earth-inspired trends and consumers’ environmentally focused ways,” said Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.
Photos courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
For example, Southwestern dialects such as adobe, Santa Fe and Territorial styles, with rugged vigas, rough-hewn cabinets and massive bancos, invite bold, earthen shades and natural hues big enough to take on the wide open spaces. Saddle- and cola-colored furnishings might get along just fine with vibrant sky blues, fiery sunset reds, cloud whites and rich terracotta tans.
French lines—whether contemporary or Provençal—ask for nothing less than perfect blends of subtle shades and bright colors. Eclectic Parisian interiors often juxtapose crazy kitsch and primary colors against the cool mints, sheer whites, serene crèmes and bold buttery hues of refined 19th-century motifs
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Gambol Gold (SW 6690) of the Global Tapestry palette by Sherwin-Williams
Getting color right is still more about sensibility than science. “We are soothed by certain colors and excited by others,” says Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Pantone Color Institute, a color-forecasting company that annually predicts design industry colors worldwide. “We use color to describe our world…to change a house into our home…to make a statement or blend into a team.”
From quiet entry halls with patinated wainscoting to razzle-dazzle living rooms, the key to good color is balance. Remember that the palette you select provides continuity for everything in the room, so it is vital to choose carefully. Typically, a paler shade of anything is better than a bold ‘coming at you” color. Use strong color in particular non-public rooms or less of it anywhere else. Bring in bold bursts of color in throws, ottomans and accent pieces, and let wall colors speak softly for themselves.
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