Photo from Mario Mulea’s “Gentleman’s Quarters” Mansion & Millionaire’s Designer Showcase
The cosmetics industry has the right idea by offering colors for every season and reason. Having renovated many interiors in my career and having seen clients pack up drawers and bins full of wonderfully colored cosmetics, I often wondered why they look to white, beige, and bone for interior color inspiration. Could you imagine if those were your color choices for cosmetics? …very sad indeed.
There are so many paint companies and so many color palettes to choose from that I know the task can be daunting. Color theory learned by designers and artists is a very complex and technical field and is used to color everything in our world from fashion to media print. Luckily you do not have to have a degree in art, fashion, or illustration to benefit from those who do. Relying on a professionally trained eye to coordinate interior and exterior spaces will give you benefits for years to come.
Suppose you want to start on a smaller scale and attempt the project on your own. There are still so many resources to gain inspiration from. First, all the major paint companies have websites, inspiration photos, and tips and tricks. The paint companies also produce color-coordinated brochures showing suggested color schemes for walls, ceilings, and trim.
Let’s take it one step further. Your local paint retailer offers you the option to buy small pots of paint as test samples. Grab a few that catch your eye, stop by the local office supply store, pick up a few sheets of poster board, and paint some samples. These boards will be much larger than the postage stamp sized samples available from the paint store, and they are easy enough to see from various vantage points in the room.
Remember paint is light reactive and will look different in daylight and artificial evening light. Depending on the color you see in the paint store is not a true reflection of what the color might look like in your home. Think of it this way — if you bought your cosmetics under industrial/warehouse conditions do you think you would feel good about choosing your perfect shade? Give color a try as it is the least expensive facelift for your interiors.
… by Mario J. Mulea, CR at Kitchen Designs
See my “Gentleman’s Quarters” room design
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Posted by GKelly • MMulea in Kitchen Design, Musings | Showroom locations: © Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc., 26 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 516-746-3435 | Editors’ Finds for your kitchen |
