





Most people err, not with color, but with value. Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Often you'll see a space that is not balanced in terms of value: one side of the room is too dark (therefore, "weighty" or "heavy") versus the other side, which is light in value and tends to "float away" visually. Try designing your interior space by replicating the color values of the outside world. After all, interior designs are basically our attempt to imitate Mother Nature, who is a great colorist!
Choose darker values of color for the floor (ground), medium values of color for the walls (trees and mountains) and light values of color for the ceiling (sky). If you divide your colors by value from dark to light as you decorate "vertically" in the room, you’ll get an interior design that looks good every time.
In order to create a flow of colors from one room to another, simply choose a color you're using in one room and restate it in a different way in an adjoining space. For example, if your sofa is green, use the same green for seat fabric in the dining room.Use the color in larger or smaller degrees as you move about the home. That same green from the living room sofa mentioned above can also translate as, say, lampshades in the family room or place mats in the kitchen.
We all associate colors with what they represent. In our minds, red may represent fire, blue the air and sea, yellow the sun, and brown and green often represent trees. These are generally considered to be emotional responses to color as opposed to intellectual responses. Use these emotional associations to their greatest effect in a space by deciding on what emotional impact you want the room to have. Would you like it to be lively? Choose reds and yellows. If you prefer subdued, try blues and browns.
By studying color schemes from the past — Victorian, arts and crafts or, perhaps, 18th century, for example — you can build a room's colors quite simply by incorporating these already-accepted color schemes. By using colors from your locale, be it the Southwest or New England, you easily can choose colors that reflect the area in which you live.
This large kitchen is perfect for entertaining guests. The placement of the sink, wine cooler and trash compactor at the end of the island makes a separate work area that doubles as a prep sink or bar for entertaining. The butcher block is strategically placed on the other end of the island directly across from the range area to create a second prep area for the main cook.
The slate flooring brings the right amount of color and movement to this kitchen. The stone hood was designed with the same stones used on the fireplace across the room, which helps tie the entire space together. The backsplash tile and spice niches inside the stone hood add both a decorative accent and functionality. The black distressed island and tall pantry gives the space a rustic casual feel.
Image courtesy of Gene Northup of Synergy Sotheby's International Realty
Old-fashioned looks, such as the embossed stainless steel above the range and the beaded-board ceiling and island base, form the basis for a warm and inviting intimacy in this period-inspired kitchen. But it's the buttery yellow paint that makes this kitchen a standout . Instead of replacing the cabinets to get a new look, paint does the trick here. The cabinets were sanded, coated with an oil-base primer, and finished with two coats of semigloss latex enamel. The color brightens the room, and the enamel finish is easy to clean. Open shelves make a perfect spot for displaying ironware. Sheathing the island in white beaded-board paneling makes it a gracious focal point in a warm, homey room . Despite the presence of an eight-burner range and stainless-steel hood sized to match, this pro-amenity-packed kitchen presents an old-fashioned cheeriness thanks to a yellow-and-white color palette. Upper cabinets are white with yellow interiors (all the better to display contents). Lower cabinets combine white face frames and yellow center panels. Yellow marble sheaths the baking center's countertop, while butcher block adds its own warm glow to work stations elsewhere in the room . Brilliant yellow cabinets give this classic kitchen a charisma, especially when paired with a backsplash that features tiles with a yellow harlequin pattern that dances from side to side. Upper cabinets boast natural wood construction, with specialty glass inserts that partially obscure the pretty green and white dishes on display. Black granite countertops add drama, while a wide-planked hardwood floor offers an heirloom sensibility to a clearly contemporary room . Dark wood countertops add a dramatic touch in a kitchen that's sheathed in pale yellow. Almost a neutral, the yellow paint allows the texture of the beaded-board paneling to play a major role in the kitchen's design. Strongly veined marble adds an organic presence to a room ruled by lines. Above the sink, a vibrant painting draws together the room's colors with dabs of red and green that make it a focal point . Everything in this kitchen says traditional, from the furniture-style cabinets to the toile wallpaper and white ironware on display in open shelves. Yellow paint allows the cabinet details to shine: elaborate crown molding, raised panel doors and drawer fronts, and faux muntins over seeded glass insets. The island, which resembles an antique desk, anchors the room with its rich wood construction. A red-patterned Oriental rug calls attention to the red figures in the toile while offering a splash of color on the floor . Rich, earthy colors accentuate this kitchen's unfitted English farmhouse feel. Buttery-yellow beveled-brick tiles comprise a backsplash that stretches from countertop to crown molding, creating a warm backdrop for barely gray Shaker-style cabinets. Woven area rugs soften pine floors, while handsome striped fabrics dress the windows. Bright yellow seat cushions pop against a green-painted island topped with zinc; the island makes the large kitchen's work triangle manageable . This cozy kitchen combines yellow-painted cabinetry, white subway tiles, and a white farm sink to create a charming early-20th-century persona. Mission-style shelves mounted on sturdy corbels work well for displaying colorful vintage pottery, which pops against pale yellow walls .
Soft yellow walls and pastel green cabinets with the look of age partner beautifully in this cottage-style kitchen. The cabinets feature beaded-board detailing, turned legs on the peninsula, and added molding to the door and drawer fronts. Tone-on-tone mosaic tiles create a beautiful beige backsplash that melts into the beige granite countertop. Brown barstools and an oil-rubbed bronze faucet offer dramatic darks against the mostly pastel background .
Warm and casual, these yellow-painted cabinets feature a softness of hue that allows them to stretch from floor to ceiling without overwhelming the observer. Brown granite countertops and hardwood floor temper the yellow with earthy tones. Bronze hardware marries the two colors with simple round shapes. Displaying a collection of brown and cream-color pottery with organic motifs adds interest without clashing with the primary color
These neutral shower curtains calm and center any bathroom space
A vibrant throw pillow can transform an entire room's decor and deliver a bold color statement. Discover ways to bring a pop of color into your home with beautiful, bright throw pillows.