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Home Color Scheme–Update Your Room With Paint

achurenics — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:29:40 +0000

Paint is the least expensive way to change the look of a room, whether you want to modernize your living room or make your bedroom more serene. A fresh paint job enlivens a ho-hum interior, but picking the right color (or combination of colors) and figuring out where best to put it and how much to use can prove perplexing.

Dining Room Refresh

A palette of bold colors and do-it-yourself paint projects give this dining room a fresh look. We choose two shades of blue for the table and chairs and created a two-tone effect to add interest to the furniture. Separate the painted and non-painted portions of the chairs and table with painter’s tape. Semi-gloss paint works best on furniture because of it’s easy-to-clean finish, so apply several coats.

Color a Table
Unfinished wood is the perfect canvas for paint. Sand the surface lightly, remove the sanding dust with a tack cloth, and then spray the piece with one thin coat of primer and several thin coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry before adding the next. Protect the painted surface with two coats of polyurethane.

Craft a Place Setting
Chair backs coated with chalkboard paint provide erasable name “cards” for a dinner party. To take the theme even further, use the paint on a tray to create a menu board.

Update the Furniture
If the wood surface is already painted or varnished, remove dirt or wax buildup with a household cleaner and rinse. Sand rough areas and wipe away dust with a tack cloth. Apply two coats of stain-blocking primer and allow it to dry between coats. Roll or brush on two coats of latex paint in the direction of the wood grain. Use a brush to finish the surface with smooth strokes.

A New Life for Metal
Clean the surface with a stiff wire brush to remove flaking paint or rust. Wipe with a damp cloth and let it dry. Prime with metal primer and let dry, or use a paint specially formulated with rust inhibitors. Apply several thin coats of paint. If using spray paint, hold the can about 10 – 12 inches from the surface as you spray. Shake the can during the application to keep the color mixed. Spray lightly to avoid paint runs.

DIY Wallpaper
Using a supersize stencil, mimic the look of wallpaper for a fraction of the cost. Create a custom scene by randomly placing the stencil on the wall. Dab a filled foam brush on newspaper to remove excess paint before applying the paint to the stencil. Use stencil adhesive to temporarily attach the stencil to the wall.

Mirrored Lamp
Update a plain glass lamp with paint. Get the look of mercury glass with Looking Glass Mirror Paint. Spray several light coats of paint on the inside of a glass lamp base.

Painted Floor Cloth
A scrap of sheet vinyl flipped upside down makes a perfect canvas for a decorative floor cloth. Cut sheet vinyl to size using scissors. Prime then roll on two coats of latex paint. Use semigloss paint for extra durability or matte-finish paint if you plan to protect the finished project with clear polyurethane. Mask off a border for the dot pattern. Make pattern guidelines using parallel strips of painter’s tape.

Dresser Detail
Rescue a tired room with a fresh, graphic paint stencil used on a single standout furniture piece. The dresser’s treatment works because it repeats one large silhouette design in stark white against a deep, saturated color. To re-create this look, enlarge a leaf shape. Cut as many leaves as you want from repositionable adhesive vinyl (find at a signmaker’s shop). Place the leaf cutouts on the dresser drawers, apply a thin coat of acrylic matte medium, and roll on several thin coats of the finish paint. Carefully remove the vinyl when the last paint coat is dry to the touch. Use a utility knife on stubborn edges.

Scrap Art
Create wall art from left over paint supplies. Brush stripes of paint or press paint can lids onto scraps of kraft paper for colorful wall art. Mat and frame your work for one-of-a-kind decor.

Modern Art Background
Create a graphic backdrop for a display of tableware, collectibles, and boxes by creating a speckled effect on sturdy illustration board. Speckle the board with drips, splatters, and fine dots of two latex paint colors. Apply a fine mist of one color to the illustration board with a specking brush (follow the instructions on the brush). Next apply large drips and drops of paint on the board. Add more drips by loading the brush tip with paint and holding it above the board. Repeat with your second color. Let dry. The highly textured effect is tough to sand out, so tack the board inside cabinets or behind shelves for an interesting background that can be removed later.

Faux Bois Curtain Panels
For visual texture, embellish plain curtain panels. Here, we drew the look of wood graining on the 96-inch drapes using washable fabric markers then applied dimensional paint. Use a drop cloth because paint may bleed through the fabric. Start with thicker swirls and loops and fill in with thinner strokes.

DIY Tip: Linen, cotton, and natural-fiber fabrics absorb paint best. Always test a paint finish on a swatch first. As with all paint products, read the package instructions to ensure the best outcome. Fabric usually must be washed before painting.

Redo a Cabinet
Spray paint always makes for a smooth finish on large pieces of furniture, such as this cabinet. When the paint dries, coat the surface with polyurethane to add a uniform sheen.

Update Your Accessories
When painting on glass, start with a clean, dry surface. If you use a pattern, tape it to the inside of clear glass. With an artist’s brush, apply a thin layer of glass paint for a stained-glass look. For a more opaque finish, apply an additional coat after the first is dry. Paint slowly and gently to avoid bubbles. Using an artist’s brush, seal the design with glass-paint varnish. If you want the look of frosted glass, use a varnish with a matte finish.

For a ceramic surface, sand lightly to ensure paint adhesion. Clean the surface with trisodium phosphate (tSp) cleaner to remove grease and dirt. When dry, apply a bonding or ceramic primer. Let the primer dry. Brush on latex paint in a gloss or semigloss finish. You also can use a paint formulated for ceramic or porcelain surfaces. Allow the paint to dry for several days and take care not to scratch the paint while it’s curing.

Spray on a Mirror Finish
Mirror finish spray paint and a tree silhouette add vintage charm to an old window. Freehand-draw a design on the back of the window and then add mirror finish in several light coats. Or use a stencil to add a different motif to the front of the pane before spraying the mirror finish on the back of the glass.

Make a Blackboard
A pair of plastic frames organizes an entry with a blackboard and a corkboard. Paint the frames using no-prep spray paint designed for use on plastic. Spray the backing of one frame with chalkboard paint and reassemble. Insert a corkboard into the second frame. Read more at http://www.bhg.com

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Home Color Scheme–Red(& Pink )and White

filomenas50 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:57:14 +0000

Deep Red Drinks Room
The ultimate red room. The walls and doors in the “drinks room” are upholstered in a deep red Brunschwig & Fils silk stripe. Leopard carpet from Stark.
photo credit: Eric Piasecki

Chocolate and Red Bedroom
A 19th-century Italian headboard, upholstered in Osborne & Little’s Tamara, is the centerpiece of this bedroom highlighted with chocolate, red, and a soft pink. Very romantic.

photo credit: James Carriere

Splash of Red and White
Delightfully busy and engaging Jardin Chinois Red wallpaper from Waterhouse Wall-hangings masks the flaws of an awkwardly shaped powder room. The window shade is Cire red linen by Lee Jofa with Clarence House Greek Key tape. The perfect example of a bold use of red and white.
photo credit: Simon Upton

Red and White Bedroom
This red and white child’s bedroom is perfect for winter. The sophisticated red print is from Pierre Frey. A clever touch is Lee Jofa striped wallpaper — hung horizontally. Swing-arm lamps are from Phoenix Day.

A Bold Foyer
Persimmon red and white give the foyer a graphic dynamism that adds to its allure as a nighttime lounge area. Plus, a room with this much red just says “love.”

A Sweet Living Room
A love seat and a custom-pink paint … what says “love” more than that? Huge palm leaves set in vintage vases flank the fireplace. The 1950s Jansen love seat is upholstered in a solid chartreuse Toile de Tours Uni by Le Manach, through Claremont. The coral linen embroidered pillows are from Bergdorf Goodman.
photo credit: Mikkel Vang

Subtle Red and White Bedroom
The red and white bedding by Pottery Barn adds just a hint of color to this almost all-white bedroom.

via: housebeautiful.com

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Interior Color Ideas – How to Choose Paint Color For Home

Fanny — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:00:12 +0000

Color decorating ideas, to me, are just that: ideas to be played with. Through experimentation you will soon learn that, yes you can use deep plum on one wall and a deep pink on the other three walls, with a terracotta carpet to finish. With white for the ceiling, coving, fitted furniture and door, the room acquires a warm, welcoming ambience that is a delight to enter. Take other color decorating ideas to achieve a different ethos: four walls decorated in mint green, with white ceiling and coving and doorway and a cream carpet. Enter this room and you are enfolded in a sense of total calm and harmony that is almost soporific. The only accent in this room is three long mirrors laid horizontally along the back wall. Nothing else, but the room speaks volumes in holistic tranquility. Now, if I were to ask you to imagine this mint green room as described and then leave the room. Imagine closing the door behind you. Next time you enter that room a black vase has been placed on a bedside table. Inside that black vase is a single red flower. At the window is a set of cherry red blinds. The bed is now made up with a black duvet cover and a cherry red bed throw at the end of the bed. The color decorating ideas have not changed but the accessories have – and so has the ethos of the room. Gone is that soporific element of tranquility: this has been replaced by a sense of modern chic. All that has altered are the accessories. This is how you take the basic principles of color decorating ideas and alter them slightly to achieve alternative moods for each room. When you understand the rules, color decorating ideas can become fun and successful and never something to shy away from.

Home Decorating based on your Color Personality

Confused about selecting color for your home? Why not try choosing decorating colors based on your unique personality? I decided to have a bit of fun and searched out several websites that discuss color personality types.

The Pratt and Lambert color quiz was the most comprehensive color personality test of all those I reviewed. Taking into account not only color likes but other factors that make you uniquely you. This test was the only one that returned a color scheme that was very similar to my personal decorating style. I was impressed. According to the Pratt & Lambert site my color personality:

Colors in this palette are reminiscent of a sunny seaside. These combinations are refreshing and invigorating. They provide sparkle with lightness while also imbuing a sense of soothing calm. Oceanic hues are ideal for making a bathroom, bedroom or study an oasis. These colors provide a balance for those with a hectic life. The person who decorates with these colors is looking for their home to be their escape.

Color Psychology

Perhaps many of you are contemplating new decorating and painting projects and perhaps aren’t aware of the impact that color has on our mood. Before you pick up that paint brush or roller, read through our color psychology information. It just might help you set the appropriate mood for your indoor space.

First Things First – Choosing a Color Scheme

Red packs a wallop, physiologically speaking, increasing blood pressure, heartbeat and energy in most people. It instills feelings of intimacy and passion. Red also increases the appetite, which explains why it is used so often in restaurants, and why it can be a good choice for a formal dining room.

Orange, like red, tends to warm a room, but in a more friendly and welcoming way. As a result, paints in various shades and tints of orange work well in living rooms and family rooms.

manolohome.com

Yellow is also warm and welcoming, but it is more attention- getting than either red or orange. For this reason, it is a good paint color to use in poorly lit foyers or dark hallways.

www.greatinteriordesign.com

Blue, which is part of the cool color palette, makes us feel calm and tranquil, so it is ideal for use in bedrooms. But since blue works as an appetite suppressant (perhaps because there are few blue foods) it is not the best option for a dining room … unless you’re on a diet.

blogspot.com

Green is another relaxing color that is much more versatile than blue. Light greens are ideal for bedrooms and living rooms; midtones are good for kitchens and dining rooms (many foods are green). Also, because green is calming, it is often used in hospitals, workplaces and schools.

www.interiordezine.com

Violet is a tricky color, psychologically speaking. Many adults dislike purples, but are fond of the rose family, which can work in many rooms, including dining rooms, bedrooms and libraries. Young children, on the other hand, respond favorably to violet, so this color can be used successfully in children’s bedrooms and play areas.

These general guidelines are a good starting point in your search for a paint color. But remember that color choice is a very personal matter. You’re the one who has to live with your new paint color, so choose a hue that suits you, your family and your lifestyle.

And after investing time to select just the right color, make sure it continues to look that way long-term by investing in a top quality paint. (via)

Color Ideas for The Winter Decorating
December 6th, 2009 · No Comments

Decorating Ideas for The Winter
In winter, a different profile might go well with the mood. As the mercury level continues to slide down, freezing wind flows around, tress shade leaves and snow takes the control over roads and gardens, people start to feel low and depressed.
Try changing the interior design of your home to survive [...]

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Room Designs with Blue and Green
July 29th, 2009 · 3 Comments

Besides white, Blue and green are my favorite colors, when choosing color for your room, related color schemes result from combining secondary and tertiary colors. For instance, the colors blue-green and green will evoke a calming effect because there are no jarring changes in color.(White decor)

Venetian mirror and blue commode.

Gray green sitting room with a [...]

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Living Room Color Ideas
May 23rd, 2009 · 2 Comments

Red, white and blue living room, a relax space.

Living rooms are where the stories of our lives are, well, lived, and the easiest way to revise those stories is with color. How to decide a color scheme for your living room?
Colorful Home Decor – An Italian Apartment
May 19th, 2009 ·
Orange in Kitchen
This is an Italian [...]

[Read more →]

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Natural Home Decorating With Red, White And Blue

Fanny — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:17:42 +0000

Open shelves in dining room, beautiful ceramic tableware, blue, white, and a red column. Photos

Colorful, Romantic And Cute Home Decor
May 6th, 2009 · 2 Comments
Colorful, Romantic And Cute Home Decorating pictures collection.

Old sheets, linens, or clothing could be patch-worked together to create a shabby-chic shower curtain like the one above.

We don’t all have the space for a luxurious chaise in the bathroom, but even a chair can provide a little glamor.

Try and collect items within a color palette you [...]
Modern Room Color Schemes
May 5th, 2009 ·

A modern room color scheme is simply a coordinated effort amongst all the colors in the room to create a group, or scheme that is noticeable from a distance.

Feature wall: A striking wall turns an ordinary room into an exceptional one. The intense richness of Redcurrant Glory on the fireplace in this image works brilliantly [...]

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Pink Interior Design

Fanny — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:00:49 +0000

Country Homes & Interiors

a feminine pink bedroom

We have chosen two toning pinks for this exuberant yet feminine bedroom. Sexy Pink on the right creates a feature wall and is complemented beautifully with Sweet Pink on the back wall and Strawberries ‘n’ Cream on the window frames.

virginmedia

The walls were painted Benjamin Moore’s Marshmallow Bunny; the sofa is from Ralph Lauren.

pink princess room

When choosing a color for your room, it is important for you to decide on the type of mood you would like to set for the room. What feel or moods are you trying to create in your room? Would you like a warm or cool atmosphere in your room? What color décor will be incorporated in this room?
The pink princess theme is one of the most popular choices among little girls, teens, even young adult women,when it comes to their bedroom. Almost every young girl dreams of being a princess and decorating her room in this manner is quite popular.

countryliving

Pink and gold interior design

apartmenttherapy

pink, red and gold

Manuel Canovas

pink and black kitchen

Ikea

pink and white, a clean room

Kelley Interior Design

coutry style room with green and light pink

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Aegean-style Decoration – Simple Interior Design

Fanny — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Aegean-style Decoration, simple design with blue and white, it is a apartment in China.

Color is one of the best ways to create the illusion you want. I like the transitional Color Between blue and green.

a space for work

ceiling

chandelier

bedroom

Blue door

dining room

kitchen

Living room

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A Blue And White Living Room

Fanny — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:02:13 +0000

Knowing how color will affect your emotional response will come in handy when choosing the mood of your living room. If you’re lucky enough to live in a period property with original features, painting the woodwork blue is actually an authentic look – just choose a colour from a heritage paint range. Furniture and accessories. here is a room design in blue and white.

A Beautiful Small Apartment

A small apartment decorating photos.
This is a apartment from china, 90 square meters, Mediterranean style, in combination with Neo-classical,
simple and plain. Color: Blue and white.

Staircase and the ceiling

Interior House Painting With Contemporary Color Schemes

When it comes to house painting, selecting the proper color is not easy. You can not simply pick the color you like the best or the color that compliments the color of your house. That color may not be suitable for the bats in your geographic region!
Interior room paint schemes

Color Scheme For Living Room

Painting gives a new life to your living room, it makes the room fresh, new and clean, But we all know one of the most difficult decorating tasks is choosing a color scheme. Are you still thinking about a color for those walls for your important living room? Oyster White, Navajo White, Cielo Blanco, Off [...]

The central staircase divides the space, the windows design with rectangle theme. Monastic rigor and symmetry are the main themes of the design.

Fauteuil: Intérieurs Boussada. Luminaires: Au Courant. Tableau Circuit de Francine Simonin: Les Encadrements Marcel Pelletier.

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Interior House Painting With Contemporary Color Schemes

Fanny — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:27:48 +0000

When it comes to house painting, selecting the proper color is not easy. You can not simply pick the color you like the best or the color that compliments the color of your house. That color may not be suitable for the bats in your geographic region!

Interior room paint schemes

White doors and sunshine

Green and white

Special red, yellow and blue painting.

Purple pattern wallpaper

The color of your house affects the temperature of the roosting chamber. Dark colors absorb more solar heat and there for make a warmer chamber. Light colors absorb less solar heat and make a cooler chamber. A difference of only a few degrees can be enough to convince bats to avoid your house.

Contemporary living room interior inspiration

Interior House Painting

When it comes to home decoration, one thing that is of prime importance is no doubt the home color scheme including the interior color scheme and exterior paint scheme. You might have the best of home furnishings but if they are not in proper harmony it will spoil the whole look. Color plays a vital role in making your small house look bigger and cozy. While choosing your color scheme, due consideration should be given to the space available, furnishings and your personal taste.

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Color Scheme For Living Room

Fanny — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:00:44 +0000

Painting gives a new life to your living room, it makes the room fresh, new and clean, But we all know one of the most difficult decorating tasks is choosing a color scheme. Are you still thinking about a color for those walls for your important living room? Oyster White, Navajo White, Cielo Blanco, Off White are but a few variations that builders use when painting the interior of most homes. That while these colors look clean and crisp when we first move in, it doesn’t take long before we tire of the look and want something with a bit more pizazz. Having said that, most people are a little afraid to step out of the standard for fear of not liking their color choice and having to re-do the process back to its original, boring Off White.

The most fashionable color today is still the various tone of white or off-white because it makes the room look very large and also makes small pieces, like lamps and tables, look larger. White also adds light to your living room while helping to keep it cooler in the summer months. However, too many rooms with white walls tend to make your home look sterile or generic, not to mention the time you’ll have keeping your walls clean.

Color scheme for living room

A living room color scheme is simply a coordinated effort amongst all the colors in the room to create a group, or scheme that is noticeable from a distance. Think about the stripes on a traditional prison uniform, the color scheme of that is easily identifiable as black, and white. Some rooms have single color schemes like brown, or red, or white. While most have multiple color schemes.

A great idea would be to add hints of colors to complement your white walls. You can use a little tan for your trim some tones in light green or blue, or a tan or taupe accent wall.

Brown: There is nothing like the shades of brown to bring out warmth and blend in nicely with just about everything. But be cautious to use brown colors in a small living room as it may dominate the room, oppressing the colors of your furniture and accents. Shades of Tan or taupe will work, although.

Yellow: Yellow is a difficult color to use. While it can brighten up a dark room it has also been found to increase anxiety in the elderly and the very young. On the other hand, it encourages conversation so is an excellent choice for a living room. Choosing the right intensity is the key to success when using yellow. A deep Tuscan gold looks wonderful next to all your dark woodwork. A creamy white with yellow undertones is more appealing than a stark white wall.

Reds: The color Red is a classic shade because they are so bold, vivacious and daring. Reds work especially well with light colored furniture, making it stand out even more. Still, people like to use red as an accent color with just a hint of that shade, more than a main wall color. But nowadays, a few people dare t o paint their walls red too.

Blues: Blues are cool and most often related with French country, Victorian or marine designs. In the more traditional uses, blue is great for expressing formality due to its consoling nature. Nonetheless, blue suggests countless different hues that can change outlook as well as atmosphere.

Learn from what you have read and got the basic ideas from different places and start experimenting. There are several excellent professionals who also provide color consultations to their customers. Hopefully, these few tips will help you find your own living room paint colors and get you on your way to creating the living room of your dreams.

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Painting Ideas For Living Room

Fanny — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:08:13 +0000

Color Painting Ideas For Living Room

Painting your living rooms with more artistic ways can change the look and feel of your home completely. When you plan to paint your living room, you have to decide which color scheme you will use. You have to keep in mind to color coordinate with the color theme of your furniture, upholstery, furnishing accessories, floor covering, carpets, etc.

However, when you go to your local home improvement store you will be faced with a sea of color swatches – hundreds of versions of basic beige and gray to choose from. So before you go, consider these steps to choosing the right color for you.

Now when you head on over to your local paint store or home improvement center you can become overwhelmed with all the variations of creme and gray. There can be hundreds of each. So before you go, take a good look around the room your going to repaint. See if you can’t find a light color somewhere in the room that you can take with you. Such as a color in the background of a piece of fabric on say a couch cushion or lampshade. If you like the feel of a warm and cozy room – think of fireplaces, brown leather and sunsets – then you’ll want to start with a beige tone.

Now, consider your furniture and accessories. What colors do you see? If you have a lot of black or navy you may wish to choose a beige with orange or pink undertones to keep the look warm. If you have browns or reds in your furniture, select a cooler beige with ashy tones to avoid ‘overheating’ your room.

If you prefer a cooler, airy look – chrome, glass and shades of icy blue – then select gray tones. Some stores will have a ‘true gray’ color swatch which you can use to compare with their designer selections. On comparison you will notice that each gray has undertones. Some will have blue or lavender tones, others may have green or even a hint of pink.

Using the same guide as stated above, identify the main colors of furniture and accessories in the room. Use green or pink toned greys with cool toned furnishings to avoid it from feeling like an ice box. Use blue or lavender undertones in rooms with warmer colored furnishings.

If you are really torn between beige or gray, than the easiest color to work with is green. Keeping it in a muted tone will make it very easy to live with, and will work with most color palates.

Now, If all of the above guidelines only further confuse you, you can simply go to the paint store and pick up as many different color chips as you like, bring them home and make your decision there. I know it’s an added trip you’ll have to make but what better location to make your decision than from the comfort of home?

Picking and painting your living room with your choice of color will bring you the results your looking for and a sense of accomplishment when you see the finished product. Remembering that you’ll get this makeover for less than the cost of a good meal at your favorite eating place.

Preparation and Calculation for your living room before painting

Painting your living room requires a great deal of preparation and calculation. After you have selected the themes and colors for the room or rooms you are painting, you will need to ensure your rooms are adequately prepared before you begin painting. Even the cleanest rooms and walls will need the surfaces to be prepared before you begin the painting stage.

For living room walls, it is best to use latex or water based paint that dries up quickly and can be washed using soap and water but it is better to use oil-based alkyd paint for doors and windows as it penetrated wood better does not stick when the doors and windows are shut for longer periods of time, especially during winters. To calculate the amount of paint you will need for you living room, measure the perimeter of the living room walls by adding up their widths and the multiply it with the height of wall from floor to ceiling. Subtract the area of open areas from it such as doors, windows and archways to known the wall area that needs to be painted. Some paint types and colors may need more than one coat so take the number of coats you need to cover the walls into account too. Usually, a gallon of flat paint color covers 400 square feet but you may take paint manufacturer’s instructions as your guideline.

You first want to take off all of the switch plates from the walls and conduct a thorough dusting of your living room. Use a feather duster or broom to sweep out every corner from ceiling to floor and then vacuum the room thoroughly.

Look for any holes or cracks in the wall surfaces and patch them up with spackling paste or wall plaster. Once you have patched any holes, you will then need to sand over the patching or spackling to ensure the patch you have created is flush with the wall. This will ensure a flat even coat of paint on your wall. Once you have done this, you will have to dust and vacuum again as sanding will create a large amount of dust. Ensure you dust and vacuum not only your floors, but the walls as well. Sanding will leave dust particles that may not be visible to the naked eye, and your paint will find those dust particles if you don’t leaving unsightly bumps on your walls.

Your next step before you begin living room painting will be to wash your walls thoroughly. You can use a mop to reach the corners and higher areas, but you need to wash and rinse your walls of any cleaning residue. Once your walls have dried from the washing, you are ready to begin your interior house painting. Use painters tape to mark off door ways, baseboards, and ceilings so that your paint applications are smooth and even.