Using colours

Subject: Using colours Tue 18 Aug 2009, 2:44 pm

As
you know, we usually discuss the use of a particular shade in our Magic
of Color column. This time, however, we're going to talk about using
color at all, in the hopes this will help you screw up your courage and
let color blossom on your walls.

And it does take courage to
plunge out of the white and off-white rut. You can't really go wrong
with one of the many shades of white, and if you're planning to sell
your home but need to give a room a fresh coat of paint first, we
always recommend choosing an off-white.

But if you're staying put for awhile, go for the gold - or the red, blue, or green!

The
first important point to bear in mind is that generally speaking,
colors will be more over-powering once they're on the wall than they
are on the paint chips you get at the paint store. The reason for this
is obvious, perhaps: an 8 x 10 wall gives you a lot more apple green
than a tiny one inch square will.

Also, once the paint goes on
the wall, it will emanate from the wall into the room. You can prove
this to yourself by painting a small hallway a bright color, then
bringing in a plain piece of white paper. The paper will actually
appear to be very lightly colored, because the wall color so saturates
the small space.

When considering what color to choose, first
take into account any permanent features of the room, such as a brick
fireplace, or a tiled floor. Think also about what colors dominate
outside the window; in an urban apartment you may see a lot of red
brick out the window, whereas in the countryside the colors may change
throughout the year.

If you don't need to consider permanent
colors such as those, think next about the pieces in the room you
really love and want to emphasize. This doesn't necessarily mean that
you'll paint the walls the same color; you may instead choose a
contrasting but complementary color to show off a special chair or a
favorite painting.

One of the joys of using color is that you
can make a room appear different than it is through color. You probably
know that painting a small room in light colors will make it appear
larger, but did you know that a narrow room will look wider if you
paint the shorter walls dark and the longer walls light? And to give
more intimacy to a room that's large, use colors such as reds, golds,
and browns.

After you have an idea of the color family you're
interested in, take a trip to the paint store. There, choose no more
than five paint samples - often each one has more than one color on it.
This will give you five groups of color, and limiting the choices in
this way will keep you from getting overwhelmed.

Once you get
home, tape the samples to the wall, and live with them there for a few
days. Move them around so that they catch the light in a different way,
or so you can see them against the sofa or the rug.

After
narrowing down your choices, buy a small amount of no more than four
finalists. Benjamin Moore sells very small jars of sample paint for
about four dollars, so that you can try each one out; for other brands,
you'll probably have to buy a pint.

When applying the samples,
put a sample of each on more than one wall, so you can see how the
light affects the color. The color may appear darker or lighter on a
wall or a part of a wall, depending on how the light hits it.

As
you did with the paint chips, let yourself live with this color for a
little while. See how it strikes you when you come home in the evening,
when you first see it in the morning. If you like changing the artwork
on the walls, try each of your paintings with the paint sample.

Once you make your choice, paint over the sample with a primer, so it will blend in with the rest of the wall.

And
then go to it, either hiring a professional painter or doing it
yourself. When you're done, your home will have a new lease on life -
and you'll immediately start reaping the benefits of living in living
color.

Subject: Re: Using colours Fri 21 Aug 2009, 6:20 pm

nice

__________________________
MAKE YOUR SELF AS A BOOK IT'S EASY TO READ BUT DIFFICULT TO WRITE
THIS THING CAN'T GAVE PAIN TO SOME ONE OR SOME-BODY