Color or No Color, That Is the Question
Posted by dc | Filed under Color Themes
Shopping for furniture? Waiting to paint walls? Want color but not sure where to put it? Let’s talk about how you can have a little color and then art.
I spent the day with some new clients, consulting them on furniture for their condominium. They were very excited to furnish the home quickly so we chose Metropolix in Laguna Woods. This store carries very modern furniture with lots of straight lines and glass tables, with quick delivery. This is something I recommend to my clients. The clients love that they can pay for my time and we resolve the furniture solutions on site; I basically suggest and consult on the purchases.
Since I had not seen their previous home, I had no idea about their belongings. They brought photos of existing furniture and art, and I was delighted to find that they had very contemporary paintings. Most of the art was in bright, vivid red and orange tones. They also have a Persian-style rug, also a red with black accents.
Last week, I talked about this client and about the mess of colored walls we will covering up with soft, creamy color. They were not sure if they needed color now in their textiles. Once I had seen the art, I made a quick decision on the textiles. The sofa will be a deep camel faux suede. Two chairs will be covered in a golden polka dot. It’s hard to describe this textile, but it is not tacky; it’s a nice, small, 1/2-inch dot pattern, contemporary and clean. All the furniture and walls will be a backdrop for the art. This is my favorite type of design, actually—light walls, light furnishings and vivid art!
The great thing about this look is that you won’t tire of it easily. It will withstand the test of time. You can change the art and rugs if you do get tired of it—again, this is unlikely because it will be a nice, clean look.
I’m adding some contemporary light fixtures that blend with the granite surface in the dining area and kitchen. This will also give additional interest without adding more color.
If you want more color than I am describing, you might want to take a look at what pieces of art or furnishings you have and decide what is staying or going. Then create your own color board to help you in that decision-making process. Add photos of your art (or your wish list of art) to the board, followed by your textiles. The paint chips can be decided on before or after the textiles. I would choose the textiles first so you are not stuck on the wall color. After you’ve applied everything to the color board, how does it look to you? Does it appear to have enough color, too much color or the right amount? The board above shows the reds intended for the client’s sofa and accent chairs. The rug is sculpted in the golden diamond with a border of the red, and the walls were painted in a golden tone. Any more red would be too overwhelming. On the board I’d had another red accent in the lamp, but once the room came together, the client and I chose a gold base and cream shade.
The board creates a feeling or mood. It isn’t necessary to follow it exactly, but it will keep you on a path. My suggestion is to purchase the larger pieces, such as the sofa, chairs and area rug, and then fill in the accessories afterward. If you plan ahead, you can make some beautiful choices.
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