ONE ROOM THREE LOOKS

Opulent Repast	European Countryside	Divine Dining

DECORATING A ROOM

STARTING POINTS TO DECORATING A ROOM

Draw up a list and start writing down the basics – decide which items will stay, such as a couch or a rug, and which elements you would like to change such as wall color or drapes.  Give away, change, or relocate anything  you don’t absolutely love or that won’t enhance your developing plan.

Next, determine a budget.  Keep in mind those changes that will have the most impact for your dollar, such as paint, slipcovers and accessories.  These simple changes can make a dramatic impact to a room.

Generate ideas by creating a collection of things that appeal to you.  Collect swatches of fabric, paint chips and wallpapering samples.  Be sure to include items that you are drawn to in other parts of your life as well.  What colors in your garden do you favor?  Do you have a cherished vase or piece of pottery? A photo or painting?  Look through magazines and tear out pages of rooms you like, objects that appeal to you, or ideas you find intriguing.  Don’t worry about coordinating colors or themes just yet.

DETERMINING YOUR COLOR PREFERENCES AND DEVELOPING YOUR PALETTE

Take a look at the items you’ve collected and consider the following.

• Are you drawn to warm colors such as reds and yellows or do you prefer cooler blue and green palettes?
• Do you like a lot of colors, or various shades and tints of a single color?
• Are you looking for create a sense of calm in your room or a feeling of energy?
• What colors in nature appeal to you?
• Where do your selected colors fall on the color wheel?
• Do you have a range of intensities?
• Do you need to add accent colors for intensities?
• Do you need to add accent colors for interest?
• How does you selection work with your floor color?  After walls and ceilings, floor color is the largest area of color and can be a determining factor in creating your palette.
• Begin grouping colors to see what appeals to you.

Throughout the editing process, think about harmony and balance.  Consider the size and scale of your room and its furnishings.  View your samples all together in the room, since elements such as lighting and color of other objects in the room, like carpeting, will impact your decisions.  The larger the area, the bolder a color will appear.  Repeat colors in a room through accessories such as pillows, lamps, and draperies.  Don’t use a color just once or it many look out of place.

At final choice, you should love all of the colors, fabrics, patterns and textures you’ve chosen.  Their combined effect should be one that pleases your eye, feels balanced, and makes you feel comfortable.

Paint is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to make a change in a room.  Subtle or dramatic, how many times have you witnessed the difference fresh wall color makes in a room?  There are several factors you should consider when selecting paint.  Those little paint chips you get in the store can lead you to the right color choice for you, but you shouldn’t rely on them to truly predict how a color will look on your wall.

The best way to determine paint color is to purchase a sample or quart of the color and do what is referred to as a “brush out.”  Brush the paint onto the walls or onto pieces of plasterboard or foam-core to allow you to move these samples around the room.  See how the color works on all the walls in the room – those receiving a lot of light, deep shadows, and corners that reflect off of each other.  Look at how daylight affects the color at different times during the day as well as how artificial light affects the color during the evening. 

Consider the types of finishes available for paints; flat, matte, eggshell, pearl, satin, semi-gloss and gloss.  Flat paint absorbs light creating a sophisticated opaque color.  Gloss reflects the most light.  The higher the gloss, the darker, more intense the color rendition.

When it comes to choosing paint, always choose a quality product such as Benjamin Moore ® coatings.  Eighty-five to 90% of the cost of manufacturing a gallon of paint is spent on raw materials.  These materials vary in grade, so naturally, the better the materials, the higher the cost of the paint.

A premium paint will give better coverage and have a greater ease of application, saving you both money and time.  Quality coatings also ensure color uniformity, and important aspect for touch-ups and /or underestimated paint needs.  Premium paints wear better, longer, and hold up to repeated cleanings.

Additionally, selecting a premium paint such as Benjamin Moore ® brand, affords you access to knowledgeable retailers such as the ones you will find at Village Paint & Decorating