Home Improvement Information

Selecting Color Schemes





Choosing a color scheme for a room can be a daunting task at times, especially if nothing about the room initially jumps out at you. If you find yourself without a particular color preference for a room, you might begin by picking color combinations that are inspired by a favorite fabric pattern. Patterns usually have a group of complimentary colors, and using variations within the same group of colors throughout the house will lend your entire home a sense of harmony.

Another method for selecting a color scheme when you have no real preference is to start with the colors you already have in the flooring and on other surfaces that aren't going to be replaced. Ignore any color that you really dislike; in this case, everything doesn't have to match.

Go to your local paint store and find paint chip cards to match your colors. Then cut out the color samples and secure them into a personal loose-leaf notebook. But remember: paint chips aren't big enough to give an accurate picture of how a color will feel under specific lighting conditions, so you may need a larger sample before you make your final selection. The artificial lighting in paint stores also affects the appearance of color chips, and colors generally appear darker when seen on big expanses of walls compared to paint chips, so be sure to check your samples in the room and under the lighting conditions where your plan to use that color.

Balance the depth, darkness, and intensity of colors, mix cool and warm colors, and add enough diversity to avoid monotony in your color scheme. Adding variety to your color combinations will support your desired emotional and seasonal needs. You can change color emphasis with the changing seasons by varying a room's accessories and lighting.

Bringing Exterior Colors Inside

Blending your home's exterior colors with the interior ones will make the transition from outside to inside feel comfortable and natural. The welcoming color of your front door should be brought into the home through at least two small details or areas, to create balance and harmony. That doesn't mean the colors should match exactly. In fact, you don't want your colors to shout out their presence. The transition from outside to inside should be subtle, providing emotional support and creating a welcome feeling of balance.

Whatever colors you ultimately choose, remember that harmonizing those colors throughout the entire home is a combination of science and art. The key to success is in small doses of repetition, and adding touches of Design Psychology to the emotional undercurrents of color will assure a joyful home.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm


MORE RESOURCES:

SILive.com

Go 'Green from the Inside Out' with earth games, home improvement
SILive.com
But those guys are not the only home improvement pros in town. While kids play earth games and make “green art,” adults can learn to lower their utility ...



Home Improvement Solutions
FPRD (press release) (blog)
One of the most important aspects to be considered in any form of infrastructural development and construction is its fire safety. ...
Long and Short-Term Benefits of InsulationFPRD (press release) (blog)

all 3 news articles »


Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement Made Simple
CBS News
... the projects will also be featured in their new show called "This New House," which will showcase the latest and greatest products in home improvement. ...
'This New House' duo teams for Hub-centric DIY showBoston Herald

all 5 news articles »


Autumn 'will be home improvement season'
Rated People
The autumn is likely to see a sharp increase in home improvement work across the country, it has been claimed. Andrew Leech, director of the National Home ...
People's attitude to DIY 'set to improve after summer'Wickes
Demand for plumbing courses could increase after the summerAble Skills Construction Training
Summer 'may be perfect time for boiler servicing'Northern Gas Heating The UK's Local Central Heating Company
Safestore.co.uk -Northern Gas Heating The UK's Local Central Heating Company
all 7 news articles »


Home improvement 'could make rooms look more spacious'
Wickes
Those seeking a way of making their rooms look less cluttered may be interested to know that one expert has advised home improvement projects to make the ...

and more »


Cops: Irish nationals peddled bogus home improvement business in South Brunswick
myCentralJersy.com
But police soon discovered he allegedly was distributing fliers for a home-improvement company called Top Soil, which purportedly was based in New Brunswick ...

and more »


Home Improvement Market to boost despite economic slowdown
I-Newswire.com (press release)
(I-Newswire) July 29, 2010 - Home improvement is one of the most required things in everybody's life. It is important for every person to repair his home. ...



Pottstown Herald

Statewide wave of legal actions against home improvement contractors
Pottstown Herald
“Every year, homeowners across the state spend millions of dollars on home repair and home improvement projects,” Attorney General Tom Corbett today said. ...

and more »


Is it worth it to remodel home in 2010?
AnnArbor.com
I'm looking to do a couple of home improvement projects within the next year and I am curious on what kind of impact that it will have on my home's value? ...



Daily Mail

B&Q Seeks Home Improvement
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Kingfisher, Europe's largest home improvement retailer, failed to keep investors happy after it reported a drop in quarterly sales and gave a cautious ...
Kingfisher Sales Decline as Britons Reduce Spending on Bathrooms, KitchensBloomberg
Kingfisher comparable sales drop 0.8%MarketWatch
Kingfisher Q2 Like-for-Like Sales Down 0.8% - UpdateRTT News

all 67 news articles »

Google News

Home | Site Map | Free Home Improvement information | Free Home Improvement Tips | Remodel Your Home Here | Free Home Improvement information | Home interior decorate
© 2007