One of the most daunting tasks for my clients is choosing a color palette. It's one of the first questions I ask, and it often leaves people speechless! That's ok! In fact, it can actually be a really good thing because it allows me to present some ideas and color combinations that my clients may not have even dreamed of!
Knowing the relationship that colors have with one another can help. Remember in elementary school when your art teacher pulled out the color wheel? Well, here it is again!
Just looking at the color wheel reminds us that there are warm colors and cool colors and that the possibilities are endless! You could have lots of fun with a monochromatic color palette. Or go with the golden rule that "opposites attract"
So where do you begin??? I recommend an inspiration piece, such as a piece of art, or fabric. Maybe it's the tile you fell in love with, or it could be a picture from your favorite vacation. Maybe you'll even draw from your favorite book! Take for example this Harry Potter color palette!
Whatever it is, your inspiration piece will usually clue you in on the colors you are drawn to and then it's up to your designer to help you bring it all to life!
I've had a ton of fun lately using the Chip It app by Sherwin Williams. It takes a bit of the guess work out of choosing your colors. You simply upload a photo and it provides you with a color palette. Just bear in mind that your computer resolution may impact the color choices that Chip It provides. WARNING: The Chip It tool can be slightly addicting! You may find yourself spending hours uploading photos just to see what the paint choices may be!
Take for example this fabric that I am in love with from Thibaut. I uploaded the image to Chip It and voila, here's what it gave me! Such a pretty palette that picked up on some of the more subtle colors in the fabric.
You can even use a photo from your favorite vacation. Here I took some inspiration from our 25th anniversary celebration. I love this romantic color palette, with so much meaning and heart behind it.
Here's a fun color combo for a teenagers room.
Even a neutral palettes need a little direction, like the one's pictured below.
Sometimes I find that the best color combinations are the ones that are most subtle. We designed this adorable cottage in Maine by using the gradient card from Sherwin Williams (you know, those fun little paint chips you can pick up at the paint display at your local store!). We started with Antique White (SW 6119) and ended with Craft Paper (SW6125)
Because this room had such high ceilings, it allowed me to play around with dark and light, both with natural light and the lightening and darkening of the paint. Toasty browns are predominant in nature; soothing, comforting and grounding. They acted as a great base for the pops of red and made a little go a long way!
If you still aren't sure where to begin, hop on over to my Pinterest board, Colorful Combos, and discover the endless possibilities!
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.