RISMEDIA, May 22, 2010—(MCT)—Of all the ways to be bold when choosing decor, I find that using bold colors is the hardest one to pull off. It’s like making a promise you know you might not keep.
It’s easier with pillows
Throw pillows can be bold, even in all their soft and cushiony glory. They are much safer, too, for those of us trying to experiment with color. Chiasso Simply Modern Design (chiasso.com) offers a wide selection of pillows in lots of shapes, colors and sizes. Take your pick out of pillows featuring flowers, circles, squares and lines, or animal prints and other designs. Like paint, colorful pillows allow you to add a fresh touch to a room. Unlike paint, changing your mind doesn’t require too much work.
Color combinations made easy
What’s harder: Choosing the right color or finding other colors that complement your first choice? Good thing the Home Color Bible: 1,000 Gorgeous Combinations for Every Room by David Willis helps eliminate some of the guessing. The first part covers understanding color, which includes descriptions of complementary, harmonious and triadic schemes, all illustrated on a color wheel. Then come explanations of color intensity, tone, warm and cool colors, color and light, natural color and seasonal color. The rest of the book is focused on creating color schemes. You’ll find hundreds of possible color combinations for every room in the home, many of which you can “try” yourself by flipping through the mix-and-match color tab system. Colors are based on Benjamin Moore Paints.
How bold can you go?
I was positive that I was ready to go bold with color. So was my husband. And even though she wouldn’t have to live with the decision, my mom thought it was a great idea, too. She even helped us pick the color: orange.
None of us admitted it, but we were all a little nervous about the paint job. As soon as we saw that pumpkin orange splashed on our bedroom walls, we knew that the darn paint chip had deceived us. There was no way we would ever sleep peacefully in there.
Still, we weren’t going to give up just yet. We finished painting the room and even added the second coat. After all, we were committed to our boldness. Our actions on the very next day proved so. We headed to the hardware store, bought two cans of primer and went with the most neutral shade of green we could find to paint over the orange. Now that’s bold!
(c) 2010, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
