Classic Color Combination: Black & White

October 1, 2018

When you think about classic colors to decorate with, black and white should be at the top of your list. Black as a stand alone color is dramatic and refined. When paired with white it can take on sleek, modern feel. The two colors together are sophisticated and timeless and the perfect foundation for any room. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bathroom, sunroom or this beautiful living room that I spotted in Real Simple, black and white never fails to disappoint.

For more tips on decorating with black, read my Design Guide: Every Room Needs A Touch Of Black. And shop my favorite black and white decor finds below.

Velvet Flock Pillow // Akiko Black Velvet Chair // Vintage Rose Black Floral Peel-n-Stick Wallpaper // Tatum Black and White Basket

Laicie Floral Token Rug // Black Ginger Jar // Black and White Checkered Pattern Accent Chair

Callaway Table Lamp // Black Chandelier // Lancaster Settee // Lana End Table

Do you love decorating with black and white?

Design Guide: Color Rules

July 11, 2016

I hope everyone had an ok weekend. I know that with all the turmoil going in these days, it’s hard to find a sense of peace and calm. One way I did that was not watching the news and spending time doing things I enjoy. Sometimes it the simple things in life that can brighten our day. Anyhow, todays post is all about color and decorating, two things that definitely impact your world.

Last week as part of my Design Guide series, I talked about picking the right paint finish. Several of you asked for tips on starting at ground zero and picking the right paint colors for your home. Last year I shared 4 tips to picking paint colors with you and today I’m going a little deeper and talking about Color Rules. I think giving you a better understanding of colors will help you have more confidence in selecting colors for your home.

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♦ Start with a color you love. Are there colors you consistently wear in your wardrobe? Or maybe every time you see emerald green pillows you heart flutters. Take note of what colors you have a positive response to and those that make you feel good. These are the colors (or color families) that you will fee most comfortable with in your décor.

my domaine

♦ Once you hone in on the colors you like, keep in mind the feeling that specific colors will convey. Warm colors like red, yellow and orange have an energizing effect and will feel more vibrant. Blue, green and gray are calming colors and will add provide a soothing feel to the rooms you decorate.

via bhg

via ralph lauren

♦ When it comes to pairing colors use a color wheel to guide you in picking color families that work best together. Colors close together on the color wheel are analogous and will make a room feel calm. Colors that are farther apart are complementary and are more dramatic when paired together.

Here’s an example of an analogous color scheme…

via apartment therapy

And here’s an example of a complementary color scheme…

via Laurel Bern Interiors

♦ In open floor plans where rooms open on to each other and avoid choosing radically different colors and color families or the space will look choppy and disconnected.

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♦ If you find a color that you love but you feel it is too dark, ask the paint counter to do a 50 percent tint of the color.

♦ One of the best color rules to follow is layer bold colors with mid-tones and neutrals to create balance within the room.

via hgtv–Photo By: Allison Corona Photography, Let It Shine Photography, Doug Petersen Photography

♦ If you love bold colors but don’t want to overwhelm a room by painting all the walls in that colors, pull those colors in through decorative trims on chairs, curtains or pillows. Small doses of vibrant colors can be easier on the eye and you won’t tire of the color as easily.

via Society Social

♦ Always sample the paint colors you are considering and try them on your walls. Look at the color in the morning and at night and put test swatches near your furniture. I just started using these ingenious paint sample boards with clients and boy oh boy are they great way to try colors on the wall without damaging your current wall color.

via Elle Decor

♦ As you consider the color for your walls, make sure to also consider the trim and ceiling color to make sure it all works together. White trim color can reflect or absorb the tones of your wall color and in some cases make it look brighter or duller.

via bhg

Selecting the right colors for your home is just as important as selecting your accessories so spend the time it takes to find the right the colors that brighten your world and your home.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a fun gift wrap inspiration post using two of my favorite color combinations.

top paint image via bhg

The 60-30-10 Color Rule

May 27, 2016

How confident are you when it comes to decoration with color? Like many people, this might be one area of decorating that you find challenging but don’t worry because there’s a simple design formula that can decorating with color easier.

The 60-30-10 decorating rule is a tried and true method to help pull together the color theme for a room. The rule relates to how colors should be proportioned within room to achieve a balanced and harmonious feel within the space.

The 60-30-10 color rule is really simple for anyone to apply, even the novice decorator. Here’s how it works…

60%

The main color you selected for a space should represent 60% of the color within the room. In a family room the 60% would be represented by the wall color, large decorative pieces like a rug and in some cases the larger furniture pieces like a sofa. The 60% color should serve as the dominant impact in the room and anchor the space.

30%

The 30% should be represented by the secondary color within the room and have half the impact and presence as the main color. In a family room secondary color can come from the drapes, accent furniture or even artwork. In a bedroom, the secondary colors can represented through the bed linens or smaller accent rugs. The goal is to have the secondary color (30%) be an accent and enhance the main color (60%) within the room while adding to the overall personality of the space.

10%

10% of your color within a room should be represented by accent colors. In a family room setting your accessories will provide your accent–decorative pillows, tabletop decor and smaller pieces of artwork and lighting. In a bedroom the accent colors will come from the pillows, lamps and nightstand accessories. The accent colors that represent 10% of the overall color palette should be pulled from your drapes, area rug and larger upholstered pieces so that the overall color theme ties together.

Here are a couple of examples showing the 60-30-10 color rule in use…

Using the 60-30-10 color rule can make choosing color simple, and help you achieve balance in decorating.

Finding the right color balance within a room can be challenging but if you follow the general principles of the 60-30-10 color rule you’ll be able to create a color theme for any room in your home with confidence. And if an abundance of color is what you love, follow your gut and decorate fearlessly like actress Mindy Kaling did in her home office below.

design by Nathan Turner

image source: Country Living, DIY Network

Design Guide: 10 Ways To Add Color To Your Decor

April 12, 2016

As someone who loves color and loves to decorate with it, I sometimes find it hard to relate to someone who expresses a color phobia to me. I was recently working with a client where color in their book equated to having different shades of brown within a room. Yes, different shades of brown is a color combination and bright colors aren’t for everyone but I do believe that color can work magic within a room if approached correctly.

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Green and White Decor (in honor or St. Patrick’s Day)

March 17, 2016

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Don’t you just love the good ‘ole Irish blessing. There is just something so cheerful and uplifting in the rhyme and rhythm of it all.

Another thing I love is beautiful green and white decor so in honor of St. Patrick’s Day I’ve rounded up some green and white design inspiration for you!

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Green and White Decor Inspiration

One of the things I love most about decorating with green and white is that there are so many shades of green to pull from. This vignette is a great example of mixing different tones of one color to create depth and interest.