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Before
choosing a color scheme, the following things should be
considered:
You and your family's color likes or dislikes.
Your possessions. The
furniture you plan to buy and the furniture and accessories
you now own both limit and suggest possible color schemes.
The size and shape of the
room. If the room is less than 12 by 15 feet, light colors
will make the room look larger. Paint woodwork around doors,
windows, floors, and ceilings the same color as the wall. When
woodwork is painted in a contrasting color or left natural, it
emphasizes the windows and doorways and makes a room look
smaller. In a small room, draperies and upholstery should
blend with the walls and have little pattern. Large patterns
in a small room will make the room seem smaller. A print with
a small design on a large amount of open background or one
with a small allover design are more suitable for rooms less
than 12 feet x 15 feet. Colors in the printed fabric should be
light and harmonize with all other colors in the room, not
contrast with them.
The size and shape of the
furniture. Is the furniture heavy and massive in size or is it
small? An overstuffed sofa might look better in a room if it
is covered in a fabric that matches or is similar to the walls
behind it.
Relationship of a room to
adjoining areas. Is the door between the rooms kept open? If
so, the color scheme in the two rooms should be the same or
very similar.
That coordinating colors
between rooms makes the house seem larger. To achieve the
color coordination:
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Use the same color on the
walls or the same flooring color in adjoining rooms.
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Use the same color scheme
in several rooms but vary your choice for the most important
color. This means that you can repeat one color throughout
the house but emphasize a different color in each room. A
small house feels more spacious when the background is all
the same color and light in value (pastel or neutral).
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Keep rugs and draperies in
adjoining rooms alike.
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Decorating Guidelines for
Using Color
Some basic guidelines will help
you put colors together effectively and mix patterns so that
you add interest without creating a cluttered, confused look.
Limit the number of colors in a room from two to four.
Use colors in distinctly
different quantities. One color should always dominate a
scheme. Repeat colors more than once in a room. Balance color
in a room by repeating the colors throughout the room itself,
not just in one section of the room. Camouflage architectural
defects, such as changes in wall materials or a mantel that is
too small for the fireplace, with neutral paint colors that
blend with neutral walls, ceiling, and floor. Emphasize
desirable architectural details like fireplaces or windows
with strong color contrasts. Use subtle color schemes or color
schemes without strong contrast to make small rooms appear
more spacious. Connect adjoining rooms with color. Give a room
a more spacious feel by using furniture that is the same as
walls; the furniture will seem to disappear. Use bright colors
when you want the room to be stimulating and dramatic or if
you want to make a large room to feel cozy. Decide whether
your color scheme will emphasize the background or the
furnishings. Play one up and the other down. Every aspect of
the room can't be screaming and yelling for your attention. If
furnishings and accessories are the most interesting feature
in the room, then draw attention to them by using the same
light, subtle color on the background walls and floors. If the
furnishings are sparse and uninteresting, then use a dramatic
color scheme on walls or floor. If you have beautiful floor
coverings or wall coverings, draw attention to them by using
neutral or subtle colors on furnishings. To create a neutral
color scheme in a room, use a range of "un-colors" like brown,
beiges, gray, taupes, and whites. Another way to create a
neutral scheme is to select one basic neutral like beige, and
use it everywhere, varying its intensity and value. Neutral
color schemes are excellent choices for smaller spaces and
contemporary rooms. Even period furnishings look good in
neutral colors. To avoid the pitfall of a bland color scheme
when using neutrals, balance light, medium, and dark color
values of those colors around the room. Pattern and texture
are absolutely essential ingredients when using neutral color
schemes or "one-color" schemes in a room. Pattern size should
be compatible with size of furniture and the room. Large rooms
and large furniture can use large patterns.
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