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Monday, May 10, 2010

Color Spots

Color spots are areas where an accent color is used in a room. They should be placed strategically around the room. Your eye should flow around a room not jolt from one object to another. I use to tell my clients when accessorizing a room,we all need to think where we will have color spots and what we will use. I know that pillows, lamps and art work are always a good remedy for that, however, there are other less expensive ways to give an area a Color Spot! Magazines or books are one of the ways I use to tell my clients to add a color spot on, lets say an ottoman or coffee table.
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Notice the same blue that is in the sofa is on the book that has been placed on the coffee table.
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The color that is in the art piece and its frame are repeated in the coffee table book.
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The colors in the coffee table books are repeated from the artwork and the pillows on the sofa.
fd4ba64eff50[1]Are you beginning to see how having a detail like a repeated color in a book on your coffee table can make an impact in a room? It is all in the details.
Another easy and economical way to have a color spot is with flowers…..
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These beautiful pink peonies are a repeat of the color in the pink floral pillows. If you look carefully it looks as if there is a small pink dish in the opened door of the hutch, another color spot!
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I am showing this picture because the color spot of the bright yellow flowers gives this room some pop! Look at the small white table in the window, notice one more small touch of the bright yellow.
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Here we have purple being used as an accent. The color spot here is on the coffee table not in the flowers but in the actual vase the flowers are contained in.
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In this picture you have to look closely at the color spots. The color spot is in the form of pink. Do you see it? Look at the edge of the chartreuse pillow, Pink! The red pillow has a softer pink flower in the print. One small pink bud in a black votive holder is on the coffee table. The more obvious color spot is in the ottoman and the vase on the end table. Did you notice the spines of the books on the end table, more pink? This is what I call cross pollinating a color in a room. I referred to that in a previous post. It is as if a pink bee went from spot to spot in the room and left a little color spot of pink.
Let’s look at some other ways to bring in color spots in a room………..
b251fa36dead[1] In this room on the coffee table we not only have repeated colors from the room in the glass decanters, but it is also in the two books on the coffee table.
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The beautiful coral on the fireplace wall has a repeat of its color on the chair in the form of a coral throw. Throws are also a great way to bring in a color spot in the room.
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This is pretty clever. One tangerine pillow in the room and its repeated color spot is in the billiard balls in the bowl on the coffee table. This is a stretch, but I am also picking up the blue stripe and red stripe in the art piece is repeated in the striped billiard balls.
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One bright orange pillow deserves its very own color spot in the one orange on the table next to the black and white dish that repeats the look of the art piece. Notice the subject matter of the portrait and her dress has hints of orange, very interesting.
There are so many ways to bring in color spots into a room to make sense of the color story. I use to tell my clients to get baskets and fill them with balls made out of different colors of yarn. I have been known to save certain magazines for the colors in the cover. I know it sounds a bit overboard,but it is all about the  details. Color spots are a way of making the eye travel around the room with color. What are some of the ways you add color spots to your rooms?
 “Enjoy the Process” Of: Adding color spots in your decor!
Kathysue

22 comments:

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Great lesson, Kathysue. I really have not thought about color spots like that before.

Jules said...

Ohhh Kathysue...I wish I was that organised! In the cacophony of colour that is our house a colour spot would never be noticed unless we count the endlessly moving Maggie (she is black and white!)!!!

Cashon&Co said...

another wonderful post! such eye candy and so informative!! hope you had a wonderful mothers day!

Susie @ Maddie G Designs said...

Great post, such good advice.

vignette design said...

Great post Kathysue. I'm afraid my home is one big color spot! haha. Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day.

Allie and Pattie said...

very timely post Kathysue. I've been having an ongoing "discussion" with a client about how the eye should not be "jolted". Great post
xoxo Pattie

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Kathysue, as usual you are so good at helping us to all understand this thing called decorating. Love the ideas you show. Hope your day was a super Mother's Day. Hugs, Marty

Maya @ Completely Coastal said...

I've done this with magazines without even knowing! These are great examples. The one with the tangerine pillow shows it in such a unique way.

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Interesting post, Kathysue! Love the Antelope wearing a dress! lol Your cobalt blue post was very pretty...love that color! And your porch...beautiful, of course! I hope you had a great Mother's Day! I'm babysitting for the little guy and typing while he sleeps! Happy week...hugs...Debbie

Anita Diaz said...

Now I'm going to take a look around and see what I have done wrong, lol!! Thanks for the lesson! I just love all the tips and ideas you share with us!! Thanks!!

Unknown said...

Lovely!!! Thanks for the great advice Kathysue! I have to admit I'm not very good at planning out my decorating...I just kind of throw together what ever stikes a whim and hope it turns out!

Happy Monday ~

:) T

Averill said...

Great illustrations of how just small (and often inexpensive) touches of color can really "make" a room. Hope you had a fantastic weekend, Kathysue!

Amy @ Varnish said...

Gorgeous images and a nice tutorial!

Kim@Chattafabulous said...

Love little (important)hits of color - so Suzanne Kasler

Sue said...

You are speaking my language here. I love a surprising pop of color. I think adding the unexpected really makes a room special. I love all the examples.

Sue

Unknown said...

You've taught us well, Kathysue. I've seen my clients eye pop out when I've moved one spot of color to it's perfect place in the room....such a small detail with huge impact. Great post...you would have been a fine teacher...oh wait! You are!!!
www.divinedistractions.blogspot.com

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

LUV the corals by the fireplace!
gorgeousss...
xo

Privet and Holly said...

Kathysue! {Love love love your name}! This was one of the best interior decorating lessons that I've EVER had.... honestly. I am going to go see what color point I want to make in my great room and THEN look at my coffee table book options, as a start. I don't think anything is popping, right now. This is very exciting stuff! You put so much work into this post to pass on some of your great knowledge and I REALLY appreciate it ~ thank you! xx P&H

Sally said...

i looove that top image! one of my favorites!
great post! thankyou for the lovely comment on my blog - now ive found yours too!
sal x
www.oncedailychic.blogspot.com

La Dolfina said...

That was absolutely fascinating!
I never would have noticed all those color spots but now I'm sure I'll start noticing color spots as you so aptly refer to them, everywhere. Thanks for pointing them out. I just love these eye opening posts so much!!!!!!!!!!!!
XOX

Unknown said...

Wonderful post! So informative, I must try this! Have a sweet day!

ashlina {the decorista} said...

i just cant get enough of everything on your blog right now. all this goodness. its intoxicating! thanks for the mothers day wishes my sweet. i hope you had a beautiful weekend too! xoxoxoxo
here is to a great week for the both of us.
now im off to play on "a good life" ;)