Thursday, April 12, 2012

Achieving Magnificent Color Pops



 

Last week we discussed using tantalizing "color pops" (aka tertiary colors) to enhance and bring new life to a tired, yet timeless, color scheme. Before we get into that, I would like to share with you some background on color use in design. A decade or so ago the decorating rage was about playing the basics off of each other all nicey-nice. Remember that time? The red-with-green, the blue-with-yellow, la-de-dah... All of the major fashion houses were doing it, from the traditional Ralph Lauren, to the breathy and floral Waverly, to the quirky and fun United Colors of Benetton. I really hate to spill their beans, but they were simply using two opposing colors on the color wheel to make a statement. (Colors located directly across from each other on the color wheel.) Colors opposite of each other on the wheel do contrast, yet they actually complement each other very nicely.  
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Flashing forward to the present day, I have now become seduced by the rich feel that I am achieving from selecting and layering colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel. For example, let's say you have a room done up in timeless blue-and-white, blue toile chairs, a china cabinet full of flowing blue treasures. You know, the Blue Willow and all the other must-have pieces that "blue-and-white" lovers covet. I love it. There's nothing wrong with it... except that you may have become a bit blue yourself living with it. Why not be brave and try mixing in some teal? Vibrant teal is back as a HOT NEW color. (Think Peacock!!)

Now let's take it a bit further. Since teal is a vibrant mix of greens and blues, you might try experimenting further by adding in just a tease of lime-green. WHAM-BAM! NOW you have created something very interesting. An adventure! A visual experience for curious admirers that is very appealing to both the eyes and the senses.

Are we having FUN yet? Are you wondering how to achieve your own transitional color POPS? Great! Let's recap what we have done: You have started with a blue room. Blue and green sit next to each other on the color wheel. Between the blue and the green lay their "tertiary" colors. (There's the teal and the lime!) I know, I'm sorry! I just hate using snooty words such as "tertiary," but if you are wanting to explore the color wheel for your own color experimentation, it is worth learning where they are located and how to use them. A tertiary color is created when a primary and a secondary color are mixed. i.e., blue+magenta= violet. Blue is your primary, magenta is your secondary, violet is your tertiary. Aha!


Be brave and open-minded! When experimenting with the range of tertiary colors, you will find a virtual goldmine of possibilities. Herein lies the secret to ADDING NEW INTEREST to your tired room. You have updated your surroundings simply with vibrant and interesting COLOR. Go ahead! Toss a few teal pillows onto your blue toile sofa. Instead of using the powder blue, or traditional Wedgewood blue on your shelves or in your display cases, create your own brilliant "aha moment" by layering in some royal blues (this is a vibrant blue/purple mix.) Giving your tired blue-and-white room new life DOES NOT take a total makeover or lots of money; it just takes some nerve and plain-ole moxy.

MOVE OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! Open your mind -- and eyes -- to those vibrant bits of color pops -- those tertiary colors! Yes, I am saying it: BE BRAVE!

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