Tap to Read ➤

Decorating: Choosing your True Colors

Prerna Salla
A vital part of decorating your house is picking the right color. Color is important. It is the key in making a home look pleasing to the eye.
A person's choice of color for his/her home depends on many things like recent trends, childhood influences, etc. Try using a color that matches your taste and sense of style. When it comes to using colors that aren't going to be replaced often, choose a neutral color.
Reserve the more daring or trendy colors for your accessories, such as rugs, pillows and art, because they can be replaced. If you cannot decide upon a color then simply choose a color which will match with your furniture and curtains. If you want to try out some bright and vivacious colors then here are a few colors, which are trendy and vivid.

Coloring your House
Red expresses excitement, high energy, warmth, and vibrancy. It is the strongest of all colors and is very stimulating and active. It would be suitable for an entrance hall or a lobby. Warm reds are also inviting and intimate in the dining room.
Green represents nature, growth, and relaxation. It is a soothing color and may remind us of rebirth. Green goes with almost any color and in its darker and more neutralized shades can be used as a neutral. A green kitchen feels fresh and clean.
Pink hints at trustworthiness, happiness, youth, and sweetness. Pink is a very complementary color to skin tones, and is an ideal color for the bathroom.
Blue reflects a calm, restful and relaxing environment. Blue is one of the most popular colors and tints of blue will make a room appear more spacious.
Yellow represents happiness and optimism. However, vivid and light tints can appear even brighter and more glaring than white. Yellow is an excellent color to use in a room that does not receive any natural daylight.
Brown conveys contentment and comfort. It is a subtle and masculine color, and would be perfect choice for a library.
Purple is a regal color, which signifies nobility, dignity, and luxury. Deep purple or plum is a wonderful color to have in a guest room to make your visitors feel like they are getting the "royal treatment."
Orange symbolizes spirit, warmth, comfort, and action. Orange would be pleasing in a family room, but an extremely vivid shade of orange can be tiring on the eyes when used over a large surface.
Taupe communicates conservative thinking and is considered a very sophisticated color. A taupe living room will appear rich and glowing.
White implies virtue, purity, cleanliness, spaciousness, and innocence. White rooms tend to be very dramatic and create a feeling of quiet luxury. A master bedroom with large amounts of white could become your oasis from a hectic world.
Gray depicts a sedate, neutral, and composed environment. Gray is a very appropriate color to use in a home/office.
Of course, there are many different shades and tints of each of the these colors and every one of them have their own distinct personality. Designers should base their color selections on how their client feels about a particular color. A room filled with bright vivid colors may energize one person; while another person may find them tiring.
So ultimately it boils down to how well you adapt to a color and which is the color you are comfortable with. Colors basically highlight the personality of a person and whichever color you choose should identify with your personality.