Today I will share with all of you the secrets of cold and how to make any room appear bigger, more spacious, or simply stick out among the many in your home.. The secret is just to add color.. Adding color, correctly can transform any room into a modern contemporary jewel.
Enjoy the pics and post...
Sponge painting can make any room look cozy...
When done properly and with colors that combine well, sponge painting can make a rich, dynamic impact on a room. Suddenly a wall goes from flat to being deep and mysterious. Grant it, there are times you will see a wall sponged and it looks all wrong. There are also instances when it can be too much like if more than two walls are done in a small room.
Really, one wall of a harmonic blend of colors is all you really need to liven up a room, especially with contemporary decor. If you have minimalistic flow through your home, three colors should be all that you need to use. These will color and blend without becoming too busy.
Think it’s a hard process?
Sponge painting is super easy! All you need to do is pick three colors that blend well together and get yourself a can of glaze and a few different sea sponges. Begin with the darkest color first. Pour some in a paint dish and add glaze so the ratio is about 60:40, being paint to glaze. Dip your sponge in water so it’s damp and then the paint mixture. Sponge the entire wall without leaving any large gaps and allow it to dry completely before moving onto the next color. Repeat this process until you have used all of your colors. Always make sure the lightest shade ends up on top.
Sponge painting is a great way to add a focal point to a room and really accent a great piece of art or water fountain. Just remember, less is more. Even if you want to do two walls, start with one, give it a week and see if you still feel the same way. This is also a great way to make an extra-large room appear a little more cozy!
The meaning of colors...
If you’re doing any amount of decorating or remodeling, you probably have heard colors referred to as active, neutral and passive but what does this mean? Sure, someone can tell you that your space needs more active colors but if you’re like most people, this is probably pretty confusing.
Active Colors
As the name suggests, active colors are bold and have the ability to wake up and stimulate emotions. Red, orange and yellow are all considered active colors. Red is passionate, affects the nervous system and can be too intense when overused. Orange is also a fun color but is suggested that when used too much, it stimulates appetite, an important note to keep in mind. Then there’s yellow, a color that simply promotes happiness.
Passive Colors
Colors such as blue, violet and green are considered passive as they calm the nervous system. Green is a dominating color in nature and the right shade will enlarge your room while violet calms and increases creativity. Blue is one of those colors that you have to be careful with. Used properly, it will promote a tranquil environment, but when overused, it can come off quite cold.
Neutral Colors
Nearly everyone is familiar with neutral colors. No, they do not have to be boring! Earth tones are considered neutral and can include anything from creamy light shades to black and rich chocolate. Black is nice to add in with neutral shades but can be depressing when if it is permitted to become the primary color. Neutral colors are ideal to work with as a base because they pair well with both passive and active colors.
Loose the white and go neutral...
There’s a common misconception that neutral has to be boring but it certainly does not! If you’ve been contemplating losing those white walls for a more neutral shade, you should! Just a hint of color brought in by a neutral shade will totally revamp your room and give it warmth.
- Cream – If you’re not ready for too much color, cream is the perfect solution. It works well with virtually any decor and it will make the space appear larger, which makes it a perfect color for a small room. You don’t have to worry about buying new furniture or changing your theme either because the color is so versatile.
- Pale Green – This is a soft, cool shade that is quickly becoming popular because of the calming environment it creates. Moss or sage shades are preferred because they contain less yellow.
- Bluish-gray – If your home has warmer tones, this shade is probably not a good idea however, if your decor is made up of white, neutral or black, this is a perfect color to compliment what’s already in the space.
- Smoky Lavender – Not only can a light grayish-lavender shade compliment a neutral room, it’s kind of sexy and mysterious too. This is the color to watch for this year!
- Grant Beige – While beige always gets the bland word associated with it, this is a color that can look spectacular in a modern room. Alternatively, if you keep your palette very clean with creams, white and a pinch of black, Grant beige can appear very architectural.
If you’re looking for a quick, easy and inexpensive way to give a room a facelift, consider adding a bit of neutral paint to your walls. If you’re someone who has had white walls for a long time, it can be scary to make a commitment to a new color but paint is never permanent so if you find that you’re not in love with it, you can always change it back!
5 Tips on how to make White Cool...
Have you ever noticed how you can watch a movie and see a very modern home decorated primarily with white and a splash of color and it looks so chic yet when you try to copy the look in your home it makes it feel very cold and vacant? White is a tricky color to work with but with a few helpful tips, you can bring life into your space.
- Focal Point – You must have some WOW factor in the room that provides color. This could be a vibrant canvas, a sculpture or even a large, brightly-colored rug.
- Eggshell and Cream – Don’t be afraid to add a hint of eggshell or cream in the room somewhere, just to create a little depth.
- Flooring – White-washed wood, cork or a honed travertine are ideal. If you must have carpet, choose a wheat, moccasin or tan shade.
- Metal – Chrome, copper, nickle and stainless steel will all add elegance to white and should be used in decorative accents.
- Furniture – Keep furnishings clean with strong geometric lines. A stuffed white couch may look spectacular in a room with color but it’s just too overwhelming for a white room.
White can be a fabulous color to decorate with when used correctly. Always be sure to balance your space and any color you use other than white should ideally show up a few times, spread throughout the room but not all in one area. Bringing everything together is important in a white room because there aren’t other colors to cause a distraction if you get it wrong.
How color effects mood..
Do you know that a Missouri jail once painted blue teddy bears all over their pink cell walls to create a soothing environment and a large number of drunk tanks in jails across the country are pink to help calm intoxicated prisoners. If you find you are always in an unpleasant mood when you come home and you don’t know why, your color palette may be to blame.
Warm Colors
Your mind naturally finds many colors more warm and inviting than others:
- Blue – Tranquility, reliability and harmony are represented by this color of the sky and ocean and can calm and promote creativity. Blue has even been found to lower heart rate.
- Green – If you want to invite feelings of freshness and rejuvenation, green is a color that symbolizes good health.
- Yellow – One of the most peaceful colors is yellow. It promotes enthusiasm, optimism and happiness. The softer the better!
Exciting Colors
Want to add vibrancy to your space, there are colors that naturally invoke excitement:
- Orange – This is a color that expresses friendliness and energy but choose your shade wisely or your home could just look like a pumpkin patch.
- Red – Here is a color that demands attention and it is proven that red can increase memory retention.
- Purple – Once reserved for only royalty, purple is an exotic and passionate color that promotes an elevated quality of life and wisdom. Purple can be brash so watch your hue!
If you feel as though you lack energy and excitement in your home or even have signs of depression, anxiety or stress, a paintbrush may be all you need to change your mood for good!
Using Green properly...
Green is the color of nature, of life, and powerful organic energy. If you want to incorporate green into your home, remember that it represents harmony and growth so that you can balance its calming aura with surrounding colors.
One of the best places to start with green is the bedroom. Because it is organic and natural, it will help you fall asleep embraced by the sensation of nature. You can try painting your walls in a lush cream green, and pair this with a linen beige comforter and accents. This look is reminiscent of a tropical resort on the beach, especially if you add bamboo and other natural elements.
Or, green in the bedroom can start with something as simple as plants. Adding one or two potted plants to your bedroom will increase the oxygen flow and give you a better rest at night, as well as truly reflect the natural beauty of green.
Green accents in the living room are wonderful touches of natural style too. How about a pair of green accent pillows on a chocolate brown sofa? Green curtains in a softer shade will also look stunning.
The brighter you go with green, the more energy it will bring into your home. Emerald green is a powerful, forward-looking color, while pastel green will give a calming, balancing sensation. You’ve got to examine your room – considering its size, shape, and the emotion you want to evoke – to decide which type of green is best for you.
Refresh your home with citrus colors...
Refresh and revitalize your home with citrus. Oranges, reds, yellows and greens can be combined together in nearly infinite ways to give your home a splash of style and lively freshness.
Citrus is a growing trend in interiors. You can paint an accent wall in a deep burnt orange for some sophisticated citrus accents, or try a cheery lemon yellow in your accent pillows and curtains. Citrus has an innately upbeat appeal, so it is best used in a room that you want to bring a little life in to.
Lime green is an interesting citrus color that you can play around with in your home. It is bright, but not part of the red-yellow spectrum like the rest of the citrus group. This means that you can incorporate it with other citrus colors to make a bold statement, yet ensuring that the colors match completely.
If you’re considering citrus, you might want to pair it with earthy tones to bring down the energy a bit, depending on your room and the overall feel of your home. For instance, an orange accent wall and a smoky brown accent pillar or two will produce a rich, mature color palate that you wouldn’t get with citrus alone.
And one last tip for bringing a little citrus into your home: watch out for going overboard. It can look cute to have orange walls, yellow sofas and green accent pillows for a day or two, but after a while your senses will begin to feel bombarded. Citrus colors – like their food counterparts – are best served in moderation.
Indeed, colors can invigorate or energize any home..
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