Color in Your Interior Design

In thinking about interior design colors for the 1920s bungalow we're restoring, I came across this great article at Freshome Design & Architecture: Room Color and How it Affects Your Mood. And then, in a moment of serendipity, an email newsletter from Traditional Home magazine landed in my inbox. The newsletter contains three links to slideshows:

• Beautiful Rooms Decorated in Blue and White
• Colorful & Stylish Family Home
• Red Cross Palm Beach Showhouse

Each of these interior design blog posts and photo galleries deals with the use of color in home decorating. So guess what today's blog topic is?

I don't know anyone who hasn't struggled at one time or another with paint colors. Using paint chips is great, but it's often hard to tell what that gorgeous tangerine on the card will look like covering a 10x14-foot wall!

Of course, wall paint represents just one way to incorporate color into your interior design. And sometimes going with neutrals is not only the easiest choice but the one that enables you to showcase your collections (such as blue Delft ware), accessories (such as a vintage Capodimonte chandelier), or fine furniture (such as an antique Rococo dining table with ornate carvings).

This cozy fireplace sitting area features a blue and white design, with a celadon-colored door for interest. Colorful cushions on the chairs add movement to the space. I love the little pair of sconces that flank a pair of stacked prints above the mantel. This symmetrical design gives the space a formal feel, while the cushions keep things a bit contemporary. And I love the round table! A designer once said "every room should have at least one round table," and I couldn't agree more.

This dining room combines reds and blues for a French Country style interior design. I love how the decorator carried the blue toile used in the valances to the interior of the open china cabinet in the corner. Brilliant! The sheer curtains create a romantic ambiance, and the rust red color in the tablecloth gives the space warmth. Ditto for the warm wood floors you can see peeking out at the corner of the rug. As a final touch, the decorator added colorful fresh-cut flowers for a pop of yellow and purple. All in all, this room represents a great use of color in interior design!

Here's a great example of how a neutral color palette can serve your interior design. The walls, drapes, dining chairs, and area rug all are done in shades of beige. This draws the eye first to the rich, brown dining table. Next, you notice the pretty purple irises in clear vases on the table. Finally, your eye wanders to the gorgeous blue china cabinet. The simple wire-frame chandelier seems to float in the space; an ornate, crystal chandelier here might overwhelm the design.

As you can see, you don't need to fear color in your interior design. If you don't feel bold, go neutral and accent with colors you love. If you're fearless, crank up the paint sprayer and refresh your walls with something vibrant!

Are you fearless when it comes to color in your decor? Give us your thoughts in the comments!