Select color combinations based on the mood you want to create in your home.
Selecting color combinations to decorate your home can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Remember that color is subjective. A combination that appeals to one person can be alarming or depressing to another. Simplify the process by narrowing down your ideas methodically. And don't be afraid to take advice from the pros -- their suggested color combinations might not contain exactly the shades you want, but can be a useful point of departure.
Instructions
1. Develop what designers call a "color story." Dedicate a notebook or file folder to collecting images that contain color combinations that you love. Don't worry about whether your images are actually of rooms filled with furniture. Include a beloved snapshot of the poppy fields from your vacation in the Italian countryside and a magazine feature about abstract expressionist art -- any image can contain color combinations you can lift for decorating.
2. Select one or several images that evoke the mood you would like to create in the room you are designing. Don't jump ahead to rule out colors that you can't imagine actually using. A photo of a sign on Coney Island might seem to contain too much yellow for your kitchen, but you can incorporate this shade as an accent for plates or dishtowels and use the weathered feeling of the whitewashed wood when you repaint your cabinetry.
3. Take your image or images to a paint shop and a fabric store. Snap photos and collect swatches and color cards in the shades you see in your image as you browse. Don't worry if you feel overwhelmed at this point -- you will walk away with many more choices than you need and narrow them down later.
4. Assemble your paint and fabric swatches in pleasing combinations on a white paper background. Secure a combination in place with glue when you feel that it is working. Sleep on your ideas for a night, or a week or longer, referring back to your designs to see how you feel about them over time.
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