Sixty percent of the color that people see when they walk into a room comes from the walls, according to "This Old House" magazine. If you want to create a space that guests will never forget, try painting with vibrant colors. White or beige walls are no brainers, but it requires more thought and planning to create a bright space that reflects your personality. With a few pointers, you can go from blah to bold.
Instructions
1. Choose your hue. Selecting the right vibrant color can be more challenging than you think. Think about the mood you want to create. Red feels passionate, yellow evokes energy, and green is calming. Then consider the size of your room. According to "House Beautiful" magazine, bright, warm colors will bring the walls of a large room in, and cool colors will push out the walls in a small room. Next, find an object that you love and would like to use in the room, such as a bolt of fabric, a throw pillow, a rug or artwork. You should take the object with you to the paint store and choose three samples that go with the object, according to "This Old House." Most home-improvement stores provide small samples of paint that you can take home and try on a wall.
2. Try out the paint. Using your samples, paint a 4-by-4 swatch of each color on the wall and leave it for a day or two. As you spend time in the room, see which shade you gravitate toward and how each one changes in natural and artificial light. When you are trying to choose a bold color, it's especially important to find one you can live with, so taking the extra time is worth it. If all of the colors are too strong, go one shade lighter.
3. Choose a finish. Once you've selected your paint color, decide what type of finish you would like. Eggshell or satin finish is best for walls because it's easier to clean and doesn't draw attention to imperfections, according to "This Old House." On the other hand, you can create a visual effect by using different finishes of the same color on different walls or by painting in stripes.
4. Don't forget primer. It's vital to apply primer when using bold colors, because it's the only way to get the actual color you picked. If you've taken the pains to match your throw rug perfectly, make sure you use primer so the tone of the paint doesn't change when you get it on the walls.
5. Consider using the bold color as an accent. If painting an entire room tangerine is too much for you, but you still want to incorporate some vivid hues in the space, use one as an accent. This bright wall will become a dramatic focal point. Designers at marthastewart.com recommend painting the inside of niches, shelves or cabinets with glass doors in bright tones and the outside white to create an eye-catching space without going overboard. Or paint details like woodwork, molding and window frames in the vibrant hue and the walls a more neutral color. Draw the eye up by making walls neutral and ceilings bright. This effect will lower the ceiling to create a feeling of enclosure and intimacy. Darker colors such as red are best for ceilings at least 11 feet high, while lighter ones such as robin's egg blue are great for 8- to 9-foot ceilings. Semi-gloss paint will make the ceiling look higher because it is more reflective.
6. Choose other decor carefully. "House Beautiful" recommends keeping furnishings light or neutral when you are using a bright color on walls to keep the room grounded. To tone down bright hues, paint details like molding and baseboards white or neutral. On the other hand, a room in which everything, from walls to draperies, is one strong color creates a very dramatic statement.
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