Choose the Right Colors that Suit Your Taste, Suggests a Designer
Colorful Home Chronicles with Sara Charlesworth:
Meet @chalkwhitearrow, the designer, and momma bear of two adorable little cubs living in the heart of Salt Lake City. Sara's personal style is a blend of layered, playful, and a tad unpredictable, all influenced by historical interiors and a magical, storybook feel. If there's one thing she knows, it's the power of color to create a charming and cozy ambiance.
Pick Hues That Spark Joy Within
Don't be color-phobic, my friends! Sara finds that many folks shy away from hues because they've only seen them used in ways that don't resonate with them. Her advice? Start with a color that speaks to your soul, and then build a palette around it. The secret to utilizing colors successfully lies in context, their interaction with light and the architecture of the space, and trusting your guts. If a certain color ** tickles your fancy**, it'll likely work like a charm in your space. For instance, Sara's favorite goes to blues and greens, with blue having a wonderful versatility that can be both calming and dramatic[1].
Embrace the Light
When choosing colors, consider how they'll play with the natural light and existing architecture of your abode. Opt for colors that harmonize with your home and avoid fighting the light. A hue that seems fabulous on the swatch might appear way darker or brighter once it's on the walls. To prevent this, test a color on a board and move it around the room during the day, observing how the color shifts and transforms.
Create Contrasts
A room should have depth, movement, and a dash of unpredictability. Too much harmony can be dull, while a touch of contrast or tension makes a space pop. If your room is bright, with lots of whites or neutrals, balance it with a darker tone or an unexpected pop of color to keep things interesting[1]. Sara often recommends painting the trim a color, which adds loads of personality while still preserving a classic aesthetic[1]. Wall art is another excellent way to introduce color and create a cohesive look in the entire room.
Neutrals Don't Need to be Boring
When working with a neutral palette, don't forget about textures and contrast. Combining materials like woven fabrics and aged wood can bring depth and richness even to the most muted schemes[1]. If you're longing for a splash of color, consider adding it through upholstery, cushions, or a lampshade, making it less daunting and more versatile.
Repeat Your Favored Colors
One trick Sara uses is ensuring at least one color appears in various spots, like a green in a patterned fabric echoed in a lampshade or trim. It doesn't have to be obvious, and the colors can differ slightly as long as they complement each other. This helps create a harmonious flow between rooms[1].
Don't neglect the Ceiling
Oftentimes, the ceiling is overlooked, but adding a splash of color or even a pattern can create a magical, enveloping effect. In Sara's dining room, they've incorporated a softer gray-blue into the trim, doorways, and ceiling trim, while adding a sky-blue ceiling, catching the eye and adding a layer of depth[1]. In these traditional spaces, a touch of playfulness and the unexpected keeps the eye moving.
Vary Your Paint Sheens
Sara generally prefers a matte or eggshell finish for walls and ceilings, while going for a more glossy finish on woodwork to create a beautiful transition of light and contrast.
Red Hues Add Intrigue
Incorporating unexpected bursts of color, like pops of pink, yellow, or especially deep red, can give a room a sense of life and excitement. Red is a lively, grounding color that adds warmth and character to any space, even the most subdued palettes. A hint of red in a lampshade, cushion piping, or furniture piece will make your room come alive[1].
Sara's Favorite Paint Colors:
- White Tie by Farrow & Ball – a beautifully soft, creamy white suitable for various lighting conditions.
- Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore – a perfect non-white hue that doesn’t appear too stark, featuring a balance of cool and warm tones.
- Cromarty by Farrow & Ball – a soft, green-blue color that looks fantastic in both sunlit and dim environments.
- In her interior-design project, Sara often turns to her favorite colors, such as blues and greens, to create a charming and cozy ambiance, with the versatile blue hue offering both calming and dramatic effects.
- To make a space more interesting, Sara suggests introducing contrast by balancing a bright room with a darker tone or an unexpected pop of color, or by painting the trim a color to add personality while preserving a classic aesthetic.
- Embracing the power of color, as advocated by Sara, means starting with a hue that resonates with you and builds a palette around it, ensuring at least one favorite color appears in various spots to create a harmonious flow between rooms.
