The Allure of Color

The use of color frightens a lot of us, but it shouldn't.  Our lives are filled with color.   Yet when it comes to applying color to our walls, we can't seem to decide on a color so we do nothing.  Fall is my favorite season.  I guess that is why I am drawn to tans, browns, reds, oranges, yellows, and golds.  I gravitate more to darker colors.  For me, a room painted in a darker hue grounds the space.  As I am writing this, I am sitting in my living room which is painted SW Coconut Husk.



SW 6111 Coconut Husk

It is the darkest color on the color chart (#16).  I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to try this color.  Once I applied the first brush stroke, I immediately fell in love with the color.  The color is dark, but I consider it a neutral, just as taupe or tan is a neutral.  The richness of this color makes the other colors in the room pop.  Notice how my living room looks painted in its original color, SW Latte.  It's a warm, neutral color but it just says, "Blah" to me.  It's as if the wall color is competing with the colors in my furniture and artwork. 

Blah-blah-blah!!

 
Now notice how the room looks painted in SW Coconut Husk.  Notice how the artwork and the orange/rust pillow in the chair pops against the dark walls.

My advice to anyone who is thinking about painting a room:  You must love the color.  It has to make you happy every time you step into the room.  If it doesn't, then find a color that makes you happy. 

If you don't know how to paint, don't let this be an excuse for not changing the wall color in your home.  The first time I ever painted was back in the late 1970s while I was still in high school.  I wanted my bedroom painted dark blue.  I hired my neighbor's son to paint the room.  I thought that I would love the color, but I hated it.  In fact, the room depressed me.  So, I decided to repaint it myself and I painted the room peach--it was a happy color.  I loved the color and the walls remained peach until my mother's house sold in October 2005.

Painting a room is not the only way to add color to a space.  Placing accessories in your favorite colors can liven up a room.  Notice how the color orange pops in this room.  This is a very neutral room, but the room perks up through the orange pillows, rug, and drapes.

Find a color that you like and purchase pillows, vases, and artwork in that color.  This works well for a room that has neutral walls and furniture like the room in the picture above.  Adding your favorite color to a space adds instant happiness!  The beauty of adding color with accessories is that you can easily change the mood in a space by changing the accessories.  Or, if you decorate by the seasons, you can change out pillows and other accessories to match the season.  My sister-in-law, Sadie, is the queen of changing accessories.  She has several looks for her dining room based on the seasons.  For fall, she has an olive motif.

If your room needs a pick-me-up, color is the best therapy!