5 Tips for Easing Into the "Color" Trend

I love to pore over interior design magazines to see what's coming into style, and one of the biggest trends I've noticed is MORE COLOR. Perhaps it's because so many of us have been at home gazing at our plain white walls, or perhaps it's just the pendulum swinging back from monochrome to manychrome, but maximalism is all the rage in the trendiest design circles.

We're just starting to see this new color trend trickle down from the pages of Architectural Digest to the walls of our interior painting clients here in Asheville, and we're super excited to work with so many new hues!

However, if you've been decorating in a more restrained palette, the new color trend can feel overwhelming. With that in mind, here's a few ways to dip your toes into a more colorful palette.

Don't Discard Gray Altogether

When you're painting a large wall, and especially when you're painting a whole room, keep in mind that the color will reflect from wall to wall and intensify itself.

This means that a color that looks a little bright on a paint chip will be blindingly intense in a whole room. If that's the vibe you're going for, then we're 100% with you!

But if you're not ready for the circus look, choose a slightly grayer color knowing that it will become far more intense on the whole wall.

Sneak In Some Pastels for an Easy Start

If you don't want to go with a grayed-out color, consider a lighter, more pastel tone instead.

Soft hues like pink or mint are easier to paint over if you change your mind (or when it's time to sell your house). They're another great choice for bringing color into a larger room where a really brilliant tone might be overwhelming.

Remember, you can always add more saturated pops with accessories that are simple to swap out.

Use Bright Colors to Draw Attention

The eye is naturally drawn to brilliant hues, so if you have a feature in your home that you'd like to show off, that's the place to really splash out.

A few places to start:
- Behind a cool sofa or an interesting chair
- Around a window with a captivating view
- On your front door to welcome people in
- Near a favorite art installation
- As a backdrop to a beloved musical instrument

Be Extra Careful With Yellow

If you love yellow, you're not alone - it's been a favorite hue of many artists, including Vincent Van Gogh. And it's a wonderful way to warm up a space!

However, it's also the one color where we've seen people have the most "color regret."

The funny thing about yellow (which I picked up in my Color Theory class in college) is that it's a fickle color. Put just a hint of blue in it, and suddenly it's green. Add just a touch of red, and it turns orange.

When you're choosing a yellow paint to live with every day, I usually recommend a warmer color with hints of orange, rather than a greener yellow unless it's very grayed down.

But of course, rules are made to be broken; my own living room is a greenish pistachio yellow, and I love it.

Which brings me to my last point...

"One may do whate'er one likes in art, as long as one is certain that one does like it."
- Rudyard Kipling

If You Like It, It's Right

All of the tips above are just suggestions, not rules that can't be broken.

Designing your home is like making art: it should be a personal expression of who you are and what you love.

And remember, it's just paint! It can be painted over.

So when you're ready for a new color on your walls, give us a call and we'll roll it out for you.

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