The Rural Voice, 2004-04, Page 52Home Decorating
Tips on choosing colours for hour home
Patti
Robertson
operates
Classic '
Interiors in
Wingham.
By Patti Robertson
Patti:
Would you please give me some
advice regarding colour selections
for my family room wall and possibly
window treatments, accessories, etc.?
Our room is extremely large and has
a lot of windows. I really enjoy all the
light and would like to keep an airy
feeling to the room. We have a huge
leather sofa in a very dark brown
colour and a taupe sofa and wing
chair in a tweed fabric. The floors,
tables and entertainment centre are
all a very dark brown wood. Is there
any way
1 can use a blue colour in this
room as the whole family is partial to
blue? — R.K. Walkerton
Answer:
With all the elements you have
described to me you already have the
dark elements within your room
covered. The rules of thumb being ...
for everything dark there should be a
quantity of light and vise versa. (The
ratio is usually an 80/20 per cent
mix.)
By your description we already
have the dark elements at play and
are ready to bring in the "light
factor". Blue and Brown ... WOW!
This is one of the freshest colour
combos being offered at present so it
looks like, you are right on track and
should end up with a most pleasing
decor providing you follow a few
simple guidelines.
1 took the liberty of playing
around with a few of the fresher, new
blue hues and would like you to
consider the following shades from
Benjamin Moore's Historic colour
selection: HC 147 Woodlawn blue,
HC 150 Yarmouth Blue, HC 143
Wythe Blue or HC 144 Paladin Blue.
All of these colours have a fresh and
delightfully watery blue essence to
their subtle intensity, making them
both opening and expansive in their
feel. These colours will impart a
healing and wellbeing to your decor
and as I said are "very much in
vogue" with the latest blue and brown
schemes.
I suspect you will be able to
incorporate your chosen colour onto
both your wall and ceiling should you
wish or you can even consider a
textured wallcovering for the walls
and paint the ceiling one shade lighter
than the wall covering.
Once you have the basics laid out
we need to take- a good look at how
to pull the tones of blue and
brown together for the ultimate
co-ordination within the room's
decor. Bringing into play a fabric,
which features our desired blue and
brown scheme, usually does this
PATTI ROBERTSON'S
Oeriflrs
Unique Residential and
Commercial Interiors
135 Victoria St., WINGHAM
357-2872
• Custom-made Window
Fashions, Bedspreads
& Accessories
• Fine Domestic &
Imported Fabrics
• Select Wallcoverings
• Furnishings, Lighting
& Artwork to suit
any interior...
48 THE RURAL VOICE
most effectively. This patterned
fabric can then be brought into
play as window treatments and
toss cushions. Effectively it will
"marry" the two hues together
creating unity and interest within
your room.
1 suggest you make a storyboard
of your colour selections, one of
which you are considering as well as
of those already present within the
room. Once you have completed your
storyboards, go looking for that
perfect fabric which will act as the
cohesion to bring all into perfect
harmony. This can be a lot of fun and
a real learning experience. The
perfect fabric shows up as a blend.
and will act as a perfect co-ordinate,
and you will not find yourself
fighting with it. Your decision will be
evident from the start and it will be
great from the first time you see it
with all the other elements of the
room. Once you have your "perfect
fabric" you'll probably discover
within its tonal values all the
possibilities for your accent shades
making this decision simpler too.
Your accent hues should represent 20
per cent or less of your colour
scheme and can be effectively
brought into play in lamps, artwork
and accessories.
At present, window treatments are
fairly tailored and uncomplicated. A
smart, pinch -pleated valance with
side panel, which you can open and
close•to suit the day will be most
effective for your room.
Good luck on your colour
adventure. As I said you have the
basis for a fabulous decor scheme.
Next month we'll be exploring a
couple of rooms in a condo and the
adventure in assisting the owners
with their "dream decor". In the
meantime, be conscious and aware of
the colour we choose for our homes,
offices and decor and the very vital
effect they have on our "sense of
wellbeing". What better time of year
for a "colour exploration" than
spring.0