Color Courage Show
This show is about selecting color for the home and why it's so difficult. It's about choosing color that has an emotional effect that makes the room livable. We'll offer you the information to give you the courage to use color effectively.
Design Dilemma Email Questions & Callers
I have an eighth grade student named Jessica who wants to paint
her bedroom black and red. I am worried she'll end up with a horror
she will have to live with for awhile. Can you help?
Call from Elizabeth from Gore, OK
There are few places for children to express themselves so letting
them design their bedroom is the one place they can. Jessica saw the
color combination on a TV show. She also likes lime green and pink.
Work with your art teacher to come up with a warm red color, more Asian.
Use the black as an accent such as in bookcases, tables, pillows or
vases. Black on the walls absorbs all the light and makes it depressing.
Part of this is about compromise.
I've lived in my old Colonial Revival home for over 30 years. I've
always been fond of antiques and have decorated my home with selected
pieces. I've never been afraid of color (you'd be proud of my ceilings!).
I papered them with Bradbury & Bradbury wall coverings.
All but one of my four children are out of the house and it was just
too large for us. We just sold it yesterday and will be building a new,
smaller home. My question is what are the new trends in color combinations?
We will not be using our old furniture, except maybe the 1880's bedroom
suite. I'm 54 years old and do not want my house to look like someone's
grandma's house (just because I have 7 grandchildren, my house doesn't
have to look like it). Thank you for any suggestions.
A call from Lois Salazar from Hull, IA
Think of how you want the room to feel. Does it need to feel warm and relaxing or uplifting? Think of how you want your friends to feel in the room. Then select colors that create those emotions. For example blues like the sea and sky create tranquil feelings. Most people find comfort and harmony in nature so pull in more neutral tones and greens. To answer your question regarding trends, we're seeing primarily light tones like cream and light beige in the woodwork. A lot of open spaces we're seeing in sand and sea colors like shale and dusty sage. Remember these are background colors. There are six more layers to go. Don't use an accent color on the walls. Always start from the heart and clarify your style and surroundings and choose the color that will best represent the space.
I have the Christopher Lowell Color Courage System color and fabric
deck. I am painting a room and have narrowed my color choices to two
of the colors in the deck. My problem is that one is too light and the
other is too dark. I am seeking a color between Vanilla Mist and Buttermilk.
Does such a color exist in Christopher's designs? I appreciate any help
you can give me.
Mary Pope asks
Vanilla Mist on the walls would look almost white. Buttermilk will actually look like Vanilla Mist once it's on the walls and dry. Once the light hits it, it does look much lighter. It's always better to choose the darker shade. Or you could mix the Vanilla Mist and Buttermilk together to come up with an in between color.
I am remodeling the house. And my issue is about base boards and
trim. Should they all match? Most of my window casings are stained wood
and the door casings as well. Does that mean I have to change everything?
Denise from Fairbanks, Alaska
Baseboards can match the floor. Just be sure the baseboards match throughout.
Beef up the baseboard with another piece of trim and it will all be
very deliberate. Be consistent throughout the entire space.
My husband loves to hunt and we have five deer head on the wall.
Three walls are white and there's dark furniture in the room.
A call from Betheny from Farina, IL
One of the problems is that there is too much contrast between the
white walls and the dark furniture. Minimize the contrast. This is the
perfect opportunity to integrate color. Look at your rug. The deep tan
color with a little yellow will bring out the furniture tones. The wicker
color in your baskets would make a beautiful color for the walls. The
deer antlers are the same color. The artwork you have on the wall you've
instinctively included the accent color. Now you need to put in the
background color. The masculine colors will also appeal to your husband.
Since the ceilings are a little over 9 feet, choose a dark, brown tan
color like you have in the wicker.
I'm about to paint over paneling. It's the old hardware store paneling.
I don't want the seams to show through. Can you give me some advice?
A call from Armanda from Gastonia, NC
Start by lightly sanding the paneling with just the weight of your
hand to re-tooth the surface. Apply a base coat with a stain blocking
non-porous primer such as B-I-N or KILZ. Let it dry overnight. Pick
a pretty color such as dusty sage green. Put up a chair rail molding
around the room at a level of about 3 feet. Paint it a light cream color.
It will look like beautiful tongue and groove expensive paneling that
is very typical of the Victorian era.
We have a family room that's 20 feet long with a full red brick
wall fireplace with a walnut mantle. My wife wants to paint the walls
yellow. The furniture is light blue. What should we do with the red
brick?
A cal from Kenneth in Clinton Township, MI
Go to the wood stain department. Wood stains will seep into the brick and adhere because the brick is porous. I wanted a white wash look. So I used a stain called Silver Fox. When opening the can, don't mix the stain. Just use the watery part that's in the top of the can. Paint that on the fireplace. It will seep in beautifully. You can do a white wash or use a wood stain that's close to the wall color paint. Use some of the sludge at the bottom of the can to paint a couple of the bricks. They will be opaque.
Guest
Kate Smith
sensationalcolor.com
Kate began working with color as a marketing consultant for large companies developing strategies for product marketing. She incorporates her love of color at both a personal and individual level and in a broader marketing capacity. She works with a company called the Color Marketing Group. (colormarketing.org) "Color sells and the right colors sell better."
Color can create an emotion that makes you and your family feel good in the environment. Focus first and foremost on how they want the room to feel. Are they looking for an environment that is serene, whimsical, dynamic? Then look at the emotional responses to colors that will produce that feeling. Most people really want tranquil environments.
The meaning of colors.
Green comes from nature and is associated with ecology and the
outdoors. Most people find it calming, a very natural and balancing
color. Just as green works with everything outdoors, it can work with
any color indoors.
Yellow is a color of communication. High spirited, creative individuals like yellow. It's a good color for kitchens or dining rooms to encourage people to come in and talk.
Red conjures up the personality of outgoing, outspoken and rarely outdone. People who like red like to live life to the fullest, are passionate, want to share their opinion with you.
Blues create a tranquil, serene feeling, especially hues that are like the sea and the sky.
How do you start choosing color?
Start with your likes and dislikes. If you don't have confidence, it's
hard to find colors that harmonize.
Christopher's Color Courage Deck
The Color Courage Matching System is a selection of paint colors and
fabrics pre-coordinated by Christoper that you can take to your local
paint store. For more information and to purchase the Color Courage
Deck, click here.
Color Courage Tips
Don't choose color for the shell of the room. Keep big purchases neutral. Stainless steel has not peaked on the trend curve. It is now considered a classic choice. Granite counters will be in style for a long time. If you want a splash of color, add accents with small appliances such as a blender or toaster oven. Even then think twice.
Especially in kitchens stay away from bright colors except accessories.
Pot holders, table clothes, dishes stacked on glass shelves are areas
to buy color.
Never buy paint on your first visit to the store. Bring home swatches of the colors you emotionally respond to. Take home as many paint strips as you want. Take them home and put them on a well trafficked surface in the room you're going to paint.
Give yourself a week to walk past the colors you brought home. You'll get rid of half of them quickly. You will naturally gravitate to three or four colors that will remain. Now go back to the paint store. The color will freak you out when you look inside the can because it will look much darker. Don't freak out. When you roll it on your white walls it will freak you out again. Don't make any decisions until all the white walls are covered.
If you can't pick a color, go to your wardrobe. If you look good in a color, chances are it will look good in your home.
Which kind of paint goes where?
Flat paint works for most walls and ceilings. Anywhere there is water
such as kitchens or bathrooms, use eggshell. Use semi-gloss on woodwork.
Use two coats of water-based latex paint rather than one coat of oil-based.
Clean-up is easier.
In a big open space treat the entire room as one room. Don't get artsy. Alternate paint colors when you have three open rooms together. Be sure to paint the walls, ceiling and trim. Cross-pollinate the rooms by using the ceiling color on the walls in the adjacent room. The trim color should be the same. That will unite the space.
- Never buy paint on your first visit to the paint store. Your first trip is only to retrieve paint swatches. Take a week to make your decision. Go back to the paint store and don't waiver on your decision.
- Never make a paint decision in a room outside of the room you're considering painting.
- Never make a judgment call on a color you choose until all references of white are out of the room.
- If you're stuck for color choices you can live with, check out your wardrobe. Chances are if it looks good on you, it will look good around you.
- Keep jewel tones off the walls. They're accent colors.
- Try to avoid wallpaper pattern in the public spaces in your home. It will date the room. It's fine in bedrooms.
- Remember, it's only paint. It's the cheapest way to theme a room. By the time you add six more layers, how much of that color are you really going to see?