Dark ceilings make a room look shorter and smaller, so always paint ceilings white. A striking color above invites your eye upward, adds another layer to your color scheme and lets the whole ceiling make a big contribution to your décor. True on smooth ceilings 9 ft.. or higher.
Dark colors make a room look smaller. Dark colors place walls in perpetual shadows, making it difficult to see a room’s boundaries. Depending on the clarity of the color, this tricks the mind into seeing the space as expansive, charming and intimate. Murky colors can depress a décor, so choose wisely and plan on extra lighting for your dark-walled room.
All four wall should be the same color. Introducing an accent wall makes a great focal point for an art collection, the headboard in a bedroom, a fireplace and bookcase wall, the end wall of a dining room, or as a dividing color between foyer and living area. An accent wall color that’s lighter, darker, or a more saturated defines a room much clearer than one color will on four walls.
A small room should only have white or lightly neutral walls. Yes, walls can wear dress-whites, but mid-tones and dark-tones can beautify small rooms, too. There’s a reason Benjamin Moore has over 3,500 paint colors – every paint company wants you to fall in love with the perfect color — one that uniquely yours.
Beige walls go with everything. A beige will either be warm or cold, depending on its undertones. Beiges with red and/or yellow undertones appear warm; those with blue undertones appear cold – so pick the right beige to coordinate with the warmth or coolness of your other furnishings. The same guidelines apply to greige colors.
Neutral colors are boring. Neutrals used incorrectly can be boring; however, layering a room in tone-on-tones of the same family of neutrals is very refreshing. The trick is to use variety. Mix neutrals that have light, medium and dark values; coordinate fabrics that are solid, patterned, and textured; mingle multiple surfaces from hard to soft – so that contrasting values are emphasized and sameness is minimized.
A pop of color is needed in every room. A pop of color is usually welcomed, but not always. In the tone-on-tone neutrals example above we can go one of two ways. With a single “pop” of a primary hue (red, or blue, or yellow) yields what’s known as a “primary neutral” color scheme. The same room with “no pop of color” yields a very sophisticated, tone-on-tone, understated look.
Black and blue don’t go together — ditto red and pink. Actually any color will work with any other color if the two are combined with the right proportion, proximity, and potency. Decorating with colors that once were deemed to be taboo can be edgy and attractive, if they’re arranged artistically.
Use one wood stain only on furniture. A single accent piece can have a different stain than the rest of the furniture in a room. News flash. If you inherited some fine mahogany, walnut or cherry antiques, and all you see is “brown furniture,” it’s no longer considered heresy to use chalk paint to personalize them.
Don’t mix metals in the same room. Just as is true in fashion jewelry, mixing metals is very popular in home decorating. Combining metals will add adventure and interest to your room.
To give your décor story a more positive reception, forget these 10 myths. If a color looks and feels right in your space, use it.
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