Thursday, May 24, 2007

Using Color Tricks in Home Décor

Just as a painter uses color to fool the eye and to create mood
in fine art, so the designer can use color to fool the eye in
home décor. Here are a few tips for the creative DIY designer
(that's YOU!) dealing with problem spaces.

1. Long or large room. Try painting a warm color on one wall in
a predominately white room. The warm wall will appear to
advance, making the room seem smaller or shorter.

2. Short room. Paint one wall a cool color, while leaving the
rest of the walls warm. The cool wall will appear to draw
back, making the room seem longer.

3. High ceilings. If you want a more intimate feel in a room
with high ceilings, paint the ceiling a darker color. You
can also lower it further by painting the top part of the
wall (say, 12" or so) with the same ceiling color.

4. Low ceilings. If you want to make the ceilings appear higher,
paint the ceiling a light color and bring the wall color 6'
or so onto the ceiling.

5. Another trick for making the walls appear higher is to paint
the baseboards the same color as the walls. This makes the
room appear taller (just like in fashion!)

Get the picture? Warm = advancing. Cool = receding. Easy!
Hmmmm... do you think that something cool would help my
advancing weight? Ice cream is cool, right? That's it! I'm
off to fool my eye into thinking I am slim! Tom and Jerry,
here I come!

http://www.homesolutionssandiego.com/colortricks.html