Choosing Color Schemes for Your New Home
Colors can make you happy or sad, relaxed or energized. Make sure your home has the colors that make you feel great, like the photo above by Revolution Design and Build on tour on the June Artisan Home Tour. Here are some excellent tips about selecting the perfect colors for your home from our guest blogger, Lee Flynn.
Home is where the heart is. It’s the place where you can find refuge after a long day at work. For most people, the place they call home also serves as their private and personal sanctuary. In order to experience bliss when you arrive at home, it’s important to set the ambiance and tone of the home through the decor. One of the main components of the decor involves the color scheme. While choosing a color scheme may be challenging, consider these five tips in order to nail down the perfect mix.
Look at Your Wardrobe
Go to your current closet and look at the clothing inside. Take a note of what colors seem to dominate your wardrobe. Whatever colors those are, this is a great place to start in order to figure out what your eye naturally likes and prefers. If you see a lot of cobalt blues, emerald greens and sunshine yellows, this means your eye really likes jewel tones. If you don’t see yourself painting a bunch of rooms in emerald green, consider painting the an accent wall emerald green. If that’s still too much, consider adding accents or random pops of emerald green within the decor. Great ways to add accents of color are through the throw pillows, rugs, vases or picture frames.
Visit the Model Homes
Touring the June 2016 Artisan Home Tour can give you plenty of ideas, like adding a plum accent wall that shows off in this modern remodel #R30 by Revolution Design and Build.
Pretend you’re preparing to purchase a home. This will give you an excuse to walk through model homes and take a look at the colors they put together. As you walk through each room, take a note of how you feel. Do certain colors leave you feeling anxious? Do you feel a sense of calm as you enter a room with a pastel blue hue on the wall? Notice these markers because they’ll help you build a color scheme for your home that will suit you perfectly. (Editors Note: Don’t miss the Artisan Home Tour opening on June 10th in the Twin Cities. These luxurious residences will give you plenty of ideas about what colors make you happy.)
Look at Shelter Blogs and Magazines
If you log on to Pinterest, it’s really easy to find any topic on this social media app. You can find information on everything from infant adoption to tasty food. In this case, look for great shelter blogs and bookmark all the pictures that captivate and inspire you. Don’t just look at the pictures of living rooms and bedrooms. Notice various details in kitchens like the backsplashes and cabinets. Kitchen cabinet refinishing can make a major difference in the way a kitchen looks. (Editors Note: You can find plenty of photos to browse in our Photo Gallery too!) Additionally, when you’re in the grocery store, pick up a few shelter magazines like Elle Decor and bookmark the pages with color schemes you really like. Feel free to put your own spin on what you see in these blogs and magazines. After all, it’s your home.
Consider Neutrality
Neutrals in the kitchen can have a rich, elegant look, like this home from Mark D. Williams Custom Homes.
One of the safest choices to go with involves neutral colors. Neutral colors include white, beige, off-white, pearl, light grays and barely-there blue. With these colors, it’s really easy to go in any direction with the decor because they go with everything. If you’d prefer to have more statement pieces and defined prints in your decor, it’s a good idea to involve more neutral colors for the walls, larger pieces of furniture and carpet. If you choose a lighter color for your carpet, be prepared to have the carpet cleaners visiting your home on a quarterly basis. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran in the decor arena, neutral colors are classic and always look great.
Look at the Color Wheel
The color wheel has tons of colors included and starts with the primary colors like red, blue and yellow. As the color wheel continues to build, you’ll be able to notice secondary and tertiary colors like green, magenta, brown and turquoise emerge. Bookmark which colors you’d prefer to and make your final selections.
Take your time selecting your color schemes. There’s no rush. Feel free to build upon different items you already have. You want to create the most organic and natural environment for your, your family and your enjoyment!