Choosing Color Schemes for Your Home Decor

Color Schemes are SO IMPORTANT!!

Your home reflects your personality in many ways.  Whether through color (or lack of it), or design and furnishings, every area of your home makes a statement about you and your family.  A scary thought, right?

Color is what brings life to an otherwise drab room.  The color choices you make for each room will greatly depend on the room's purpose and how it will be used in everyday life.  For example, a room where guests are entertained often might reflect more bold colors for a cheerful atmosphere. 

A room where you and your family retrieve for reading a book, taking a nap or for praying might contain soothing, peaceful shades of neutral colors.  A room where the family dines might be a combination of both.  Every room has its own statement to make, and you can create the atmosphere you want for any room of your home.

Color Schemes and Statements To make a bold color statement, reds mixed with light greens or bright greens mixed with yellows and oranges are great for making a room really stand out.    Black and white combinations also make a bold statement.

Never hesitate to use solid white blended with bright colors to create a bright, fun atmosphere in a room.  Bold colors can be used in rooms where there is entertainment or family games.  Bold colors also work well for a child's room or sun room.  Bright colors can be used to set a mood or draw attention.  Perhaps you'd like to draw attention to a certain area of a room.  Dazzling colors will draw attention.

For a more relaxing room, use neutral colors with a hint of light color here and there to create a pleasant, calm ambiance.  If your furniture is dark in color, lighten it up with accessories.  A dark colored couch can be enlightened by a lovely throw rug or pillows.  Use a table cloth or  runner to brighten a cherry wood table. 

A dark headboard of a bed can be complimented by a neutral colored drape or cloth.  There are many accessories you can use to reform an otherwise dark or dull room.  Other decor items that are inexpensive and can beautify a room are lamps , flowers, figurines, portraits, sculptures, tables, stools and drapes.

Textures and Color

If you're using neutral colors to maintain a peaceful aura in a room, textures keep the room simple, but interesting.  Textures are created using decorative pieces that your guests will want to reach out and touch.  Examples of pieces with rich textures can be soft, shaggy pillows, a velvet table cloth, a fruit basket that looks very real with fuzzy peaches, a canvas painting, etc.  Textured pieces add to the decor of a room, but don't necessarily make bold statements unless they're very bright in color.  You can blend these types of items into a room of neutral colors.

Colors for Bathrooms, Utility Rooms and Home Offices

Smaller rooms of the home are sometimes difficult to decorate.  Limited space tends to result in limited imagination for many people.  You shouldn't ignore these rooms, however.  They are very important in your home, and can leave an impression also.  For smaller rooms, light colors can make the rooms appear more spacious.  Even though these rooms are limited in space, you can still be creative with the space you have available.

Your bathroom colors should be relaxing because this is where you spend time bathing and preparing for the busy day ahead.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a lovely bathroom all to yourself for at least a "few" moments each morning?

If you have a home office, you can blend several bright colors to create a busy, fun atmosphere. Boredom and fatigue often hinders people who work at home (especially while operating a computer). Give your home office personality and excitement with a bright-colored decor.  It might keep you awake and alert on those tiresome afternoons!

A utility room, although not frequently visited by guests, should be decorated for convenience, not just beauty.  Organization is the key, and adding a splash of color will give the room an energetic atmosphere.

Every room makes a difference.  Choose colour schemes that you and your family will enjoy, and turn your home into a paradise!

Article written by Candice Pardue, web content and brochure writer. Go here to license an article like this for your website or publication.