How To Choose A Wall Color
Color is a powerful tool,” says interior designer and author Kerrie Kelly. “It can accentuate architectural details as well as direct traffic and create flow in your home.” But how do you choose the color that’s right for a given room? Spend some time with a color wheel to see what you like. You remember this tool from high school art class; it shows all the colors of the spectrum arranged in a circle and highlights the relationships between them. You may find yourself naturally gravitating to one side of the circle (say, cool blues and greens) or the other (warm reds and oranges).
“Blues are all about tranquility and relaxation,” Kelly says. “Reds and rich earth tones are social-gathering colors. Choose according to how you’re going to use the room and the mood you want to create.” Check in with trends.
Some perennial combinations never lose their charm, Kelly says, like crisp blue-and-white kitchens or calming green bedrooms. But new ideas are exciting, too: A strong movement toward natural, eco-friendly materials has put granite tones, greens, browns, and whites in the spotlight. Marble Island in Green Transitional Kitchen Whether you go neutral or bold on the wall, try accenting with metallic paints on furniture, lighting, plumbing, and accessories. “Silver, gold, bronze, copper, and pearl add elegance without being too heavy,” Kelly says.
“In daylight, these colors appear neutral; in the light of evening, they impart a welcoming glow.” If you want to make a statement, strong color palettes derived from Russian, Indian, and Latin design are on trend; blend them with traditional colors or neutrals for a thoroughly modern look. Technology-inspired saturated colors like lime green, royal blue, apple red, sunshine yellow, and tangerine radiate energy and lend a sense of richness to a room.
