By Stacy Lingenfelter Sarikanon, Stunning Spaces – Decorating Den Interiors
When it comes to color, I advise my clients to follow their heart. As an interior decorator, my color philosophy revolves around the fact that sometimes color preferences are not always the same as your favorite colors. But when some sound thought is considered when planning for a new color scheme, generally your heart’s color desires will rule supreme! And, as most people have discovered, planning a color scheme is a carefully thought-out process.
I suggest that my clients follow five easy steps in assessing their space for a new color scheme.
First, decide where your best opportunities are for using color! Will painting one wall in an accent color give your room the spark you desire? Or perhaps a soft blending of similar color hues will give your new room its desired “feeling or mood.”
Then, take a critical look at your room’s architectural features. Do you want them to stand out – take center stage – or be minimized? For instance, perhaps you have painted bookshelves flanking a room’s fireplace. Adding an accent color to the back walls of your bookshelves might add just a bit of much-needed color flair to the entire wall scheme.
Third, try to define how your space is being used. Reading, relaxing, game playing, watching TV? An important consideration in selecting your new color scheme is how you actually use and enjoy the space.
Next, analyze your room’s lighting. How much natural light does your room have? A room with a lot of artificial light will definitely call for a different color plan than one with a lot of natural light.
And last, but not least, it’s critical that you take into account your “new” room’s relationship to the other rooms in your home. Color continuity is key to creating the overall look most people desire for their homes.
