EXPERT INSITE ON CHOOSING COLORS

An Expert's Insight on Choosing the Right Colors

New York City designer Scott Sanders answers some of the toughest color questions with sound advice for how to choose and use the right colors in your home.

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As the principal of the New York City design firm that bears his name, designer Scott Sanders provides fine-tuned color strategies to his clients, tailoring his palettes to be the most appropriate and effective for any given interior. Here, he shares his color advice with us.

Q: What's the most important role color plays in a room?

A: It sets the mood for a room. The color you choose is really about what you want the room to feel like.

Q: Do you tend to use one color scheme throughout the entire interior, or mix it up room to room?

A: In general, I feel it's important to have continuity throughout the entire house. I'll use one or two colors throughout the house, and then mix in other accent colors. That gives continuity, but at the same time allows the various rooms to have different personalities.

Q: What kind of classic color combinations do you think work best?

A: Blue and white, yellow and green for a kitchen, red and black for a very formal dining room. For a library, I would suggest chocolate brown and camel or dark green and navy blue. I like burgundy and khaki, navy and khaki, or dark green and khaki. And grays and blues look really great together.

Q: What kind of guidelines would you suggest if someone wants to use bold colors?

A: You need to be aware that you will likely get tired of bold colors very quickly. If you really want to incorporate a strong, bold color, use it as an accent. Bold colors are often attractive because they are the color of the moment; this can quickly date a room.

Q: How should the homeowner account for different lighting in choosing colors?

A: Select three shades of the color you want: where you think you want to be, and one shade lighter and one shade darker. Do this with paint, wallpaper, or fabric swatches. Put the samples in two places: next to the window and in a darker corner. Look at them at different times during the day and at night. Then make your decision.

Q: Is a neutral color scheme always appropriate?

A: No. It totally depends on the house, the location, the architecture, and the personality of the homeowner. It's about trying to keep a balance. An entire neutral house can be boring.

Q: How do you use color to affect relationship and the relationship with other decorative elements?

A: Color is key to how the decor is perceived. If it's a big room, paint it a brighter, warmer color to bring the walls in. Paint a smaller room a cooler color to push the walls out. Color also establishes visual weight and balance. If you put a bold primary-based piece of art in a pastel room, it's probably not going to seem right. The colors of the art should balance the colors of the space.

Q: What are the challenges homeowners face in choosing colors and color schemes?

A: Sometimes people are scared of color, especially dark colors. Ultimately, people should really follow their heart: If they love a color, test it, and like it in place, they should not be afraid to choose it.

These are among the most asked questions about colors. I hope the answers give you some assistance in choosing your colors for your home.

As Always “Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

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What is Style

What is Style?

That gets your attention straight away, firstly because you want to make sure that you have it, secondly you want to make sure you keep it.

What is style really? Something we naturally have, something we crave or something that is achievable by following instructions?

Style in relation to interior design can mean many things but overall it sums up the ability to be able to create an interior that is “good taste” flows within the home, is harmonious, well balanced, comfortable, practical, aesthetically pleasing to the eye and an overall creation that is memorable.

Of course there are styles of design that have a “formula” or set of parameters that dictate that style, for example English Country or French Provincial, then there is style from periods in time like Victorian and Louis XV. Styles were created by forms of decoration like art Nouveau and Rococo, furniture makers also set up styles like Sheraton and Chippendale. Then there are styles set up on where you live like urban style and country style and popular historic eras of change, hi-tech, art deco and minimalism, and if all else fails there is Eclectic.

So How Do We Find a Style?

This task is as daunting as creating a color scheme.

If you are decorating for yourself, it’s easier because you already have your own style or taste, you probably just don’t know how to identify it. The easiest way is to flick through magazines and books and bookmark all the interiors that “catch your eye” on first glance. Then go back through all the book marked pages and you will start to see a pattern of the style that you like. It is the same when you are going through a decorating store, there will always be a certain style of fabric that you are most drawn to, a style of furniture, paintings, decorative lighting etc.

That sounds too easy. Yes it is and now you just have to work with and be sympathetic to your environment. If you have a Georgian Style home, you don’t necessarily have to decorate it in that same period, but you do need to be sympathetic to that style as you can’t ignore the bones or structure of the home.

Style is creating the “X” factor.

Some styles lean to different environments, Country homes need a practical style with a rural country feel, solid functional furniture, easy care floors, warm and inviting and easy clean fabrics, simple decorations. Using a Contemporary style with clean minimalist lines, would look quite out of place.

Contemporary clean lines not appropriate for Country Styled living.

Style can change throughout the house but not to extremes. Often kitchens have a different style to the rest of the house and work if there is an element that carries through the remainder of the home to marry it together, a continuous timber floor perhaps, or matching glass inserts in kitchen cabinetry as the doors throughout the house.

Creating style is essentially being an interior designer or decorator. I don’t want to stand on anyone’s toes here, but I often believe that Interior decorators have a better natural ability with creating style and the interior designer often has a better natural ability to create great spatial environments. I know you will have your own opinion, this was a generalization of what I have experienced.

I can explain style another way. It is just like selecting clothes to wear. Anyone can get themselves dressed, but can everyone succeed in looking stylish? Some people have the natural ability or flair to visualize an entire outfit complete with accessories and as we know it is always the clever use of accessories that create the look or style. Very similar to interior design and decorating.

Yet another way to look at style is taste or charm. Taste or charm is the ability to create something that is well balanced, harmonious, pleasing to the eye and has a special “x” factor that you can’t put down to one thing in particular. It is the ability for everyone to appreciate it, not necessarily like the style themselves but love the taste or charm that has been created. I love Edwardian styled homes to look at, I find them enchanting, ye they are not to my personal taste.

So to summarize – “What is Style?” Style is creating an interior with an “x” factor a “je ne sais qois.” It can be in a particular decoration style or period but it isn’t essential. Style is created by personality and enthusiasm, it’s the ability to maximize the potential of the interior space using all the skills, knowledge and tools available to you.

There are literally hundreds of styles.  Some or most are variations of a particular style that contain personal choices.  If you give it some thought and then work your plan you will end up with a winning style.

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As Always “Happy Painting and Decorating”

Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.

HAWAIIAN DECORATING, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FUN?

The Hawaiian Decorating Style - Fun And Colorful

By Lee Dobbins

Decorative accessories are to your room decor what jewelry is to an outfit, and your Hawaiian decorating style is no exception. You should try to add to the fresh and inviting feel of Hawaii by using exotic island accessories. Adding accessories such as artwork, pillows and knick-knacks can help add interest your Hawaiian décor.
Wall art adds depth to any design, but you should learn how to hang it properly for the ideal impact. When displaying art, think like a gallery and keep the center of the piece at eye level. Try laying a grouping of artwork out on the floor first to get the best configuration. To compliment your Hawaiian decorating style, try decorating with floral prints in colorful frames.
Knick Knacks add charm as well as interest to your decorating approach. To compliment your Hawaiian home decorating, stick with accessories that have a fresh and inviting feeling. Adding palm tree and hula knick knacks on shelves and tables can produce a great look and so can an arrangement of hibiscus flowers in a vase. Spend time choosing appealing accessories which really reflect your personality. If you don't have lots of cash, you might try looking at the local flea markets and garage sales where you should be able to discover great accessories for little money.
Another decorative accessory you can display to add interest to your design theme is decorative pillows. You can have a use for pillows in most every room even the kitchen and bathroom. Pillows on the couch or chairs in your family room, den or living room will help inject a bit of the Hawaiian home decorating style. Stacking them in rows at your headboard can lend a professional appeal to your bedroom. Displaying pillows in the bathroom is one decorative touch a lot of folks don't think about but you can conveniently put one on the hamper or in shelves or racks with towels. Pillows which have colorful flower prints will help add appeal to your room style.
You could also accessorize with bamboo, light breezy fabrics, and plants to generate the style of Hawaii. To best benefit your room design, you should acquire accessories that not only match each other, but also the design theme. If you choose decorative items without much thought, then you can end up confusing the feeling you are attemptimg to develop.
Employing plants and colorful décor can add charm and interest to your Hawaiian decorating style. But before you go out and obtain a variety of things, you should get an idea of the kinds of things you want and stick to those pieces. You will need to be certain that your accessories are in the correct scale to each other so you need to be aware of the sizes of your items when picking them. Pick your items wisely and your design style is certain to look terrific!
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.homedecoratingstuff.com where you can learn more about different decorating styles and get more information on Hawaiian decorating style.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins
Interior Decorators are a special breed of people.  Living in Arkansas I have not seen any of the Hawaiian décor.  I found this article and wanted share it.  Perhaps you had not thought about this style of décor.  I enjoyed reading the article and will use some of the advice in my decorating projects in the future.
As Always “Happy Painting”
Ken Rader Interiors L.L.C.
Follow us and like us at (www.facebook.com/ken.rader.interiors)