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Color is a very powerful decorating tool, and since the walls are the largest surface in any room, painting them is the least expensive but most dramatic change you can make. Color can completely transform the mood of any room, which affects the way you feel when you’re in it. 

 

Choose your color scheme according to the mood you want to create in your room. Do you want a warm and cheery yellow on the walls of your breakfast room? Do you prefer a soothing, serene green or blue for your bedroom or bath? You can also choose a quiet neutral color like taupe as a background for bright, bold-colored accessories.

 

The warm colors: reds, yellows and oranges are more energizing. The cool colors:  blues, greens and violets are more calming, especially the pastel versions. Neutral colors, such as beige and taupe are also more soothing. Paint the walls of your room a color that will evoke the mood you want.

 

Once you’ve decided on the color mood you want to use in the room, you’re ready to select the specific colors for your color scheme. You might choose colors you like or ones from an “inspiration piece”, such as artwork, an area rug or the fabric in your bedding or upholstered furniture.

 

An easy way to choose your color scheme from an inspiration piece is to choose the lightest color in the artwork or fabric to paint the walls.

 

Use one of the medium colors for a few of your solid-color upholstered furniture pieces and/or draperies. Pick one of the brightest colors for accents in the form of accessories, such as vases, throw pillows, frames, etc.

 

If you want your color mood to be very warm or very cool, use an adjacent color scheme:  two or three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. For example: red and orange or blue, blue-green and green.

 

If you want the mood to be more neutral, use a complementary color scheme, two colors that lie directly opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green, blue and orange, or yellow and violet.

 

If you want to create a mood that represents a specific decorating style, such as French Country or Southwestern, then choose colors that are authentic to that particular style.  This type of information is available on the internet or at your local library.

 

When deciding whether to use a light or dark wall color in your room, keep in mind that objects are more visible when placed against a sharply contrasting color background. Dark furniture placed against a light-colored wall will stand out more. If you want to camouflage an object (such as a piece of furniture that is too large for the space), place it in front of a similar colored background.

 

To make a narrow room feel wider, paint the end walls a darker color, to make them appear to advance toward you, and use light colors on the long walls, to make them appear to recede into the distance. 

 

If you aren’t comfortable with a bold color change on your walls, add color to your rooms gradually. Use accent pillows, throws, area rugs and accessories to add color. Next, try painting one wall as an accent, using a more vibrant or darker color. You can also add more color with window treatments.

 

You can create a focal point in any room by painting a decorative design on a wall. Get FREE instructions for Decorative Painting from my e-booklet, It’s Just Paint! Decorative Painting for Walls, Furniture & Fabrics on The Crafty Cottage website. Use these same techniques to paint custom designs on floors, cabinets, furniture or fabrics.

 

Don’t ignore the power of color when decorating your home. Painting the walls is an inexpensive way to make a dramatic change. But choose your room’s color scheme carefully, so it will have a positive effect on your mood and make the time you spend there more enjoyable.

 

Get more decorating tips and creative designer tricks from

Ten Common Home Decorating Mistakes &How To Avoid Them

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