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Thursday, May 23, 2013

How To Use Color Spots In Your Rooms



Color Spots!?
What do I mean by color spots?  A color spot is one of the accent colors in your room used in an accessory. The color spot should be  strategically placed in your room in order to make the eye flow effortlessly around the room.

It sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? However if the color spots are not in the right areas in the room the eye will have a jolting affect, and will not be a pleasing  view.

Let’s look at some rooms today, and see if we can pick out the color spots together……….

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This room has a color spot of yellow throughout the room. Notice how easily the eye flows from the book shelf, to the pillow, back to the book on the desk top, then down on the floor with the art piece, then we finish our travels on the art piece on the wall. A nice easy flow.


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I wanted to show you this next image because it is not quite as obvious where the color spots are.

Notice the yellow/gold in the pillows, tulips, lemons? Now look to your far upper right…….. Notice the wall color in the other room continues carrying the eye into another space.

This is a good lesson for all of us. We should step back, and view our spaces in their entirety, not just little corners, or single vignettes. One area needs to be joined by a common element, or color to another area in a room, or in this case, rooms. 

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I love this bedroom and it is one of my all time favorites. Notice the soft turquoise  used as a color spot. The eye moves from the lampshades, to the bolster, to the book on the night stand, and then the eye travels down to the floor, seamlessly.

When choosing your accent colors, try to use them in three strategic spots to make the eye travel easily around the room.

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This room actually has used two color accents in the room, brown and green. I would like to point out the green today.

The reason I chose green is because I want you to notice that the view outside becomes part of the interior of this room because of the large windows. It is almost like two large pieces of art.

It is important to look at all aspects of your view, inside and out when placing color spots. That is why it is important to step back and look at the room in it's entirety.

Personally my eye starts with the art above the fireplace. I view the windows next, then down to the green ferns in the urns, and  center to the flowers on the silver tray. An easy path for my eye to travel.

Color spots can be brought in by using so many different objects.

Go and take a look at your own room, and see if you have color spots placed around the room for a nice visual flow.

What colors do you use for color accents and what objects did you use for your color spots?

Important to Remember:
You want your eye to visually flow throughout your room. Make sure there is no jolting affect in you rooms.

Now go, and have some fun playing with your accessories, and create your very own color spots throughout the room, always keeping in mind the visual flow!
  
 
 

17 comments:

Patty Day @Pattys Epiphanies said...

I am now going to look for my "color spots"
Lots of green showing from the outside....lots....will start there....

Holly C said...

This is such a great post. Thanks!

JOSÉ PEDRO RODRIGUES/ APARTMENT 312 said...

The color changes completely every space with color everything seems kind of a lot more fun, and space gains have details that make us happy livings! I love color, what would the world be without color!

http://zepedrorodrigues.blogspot.pt/

Wendi @ Classic Chic Home said...

Great tips, Kathysue! I love the living room with the green painting flanked by the greenery visible through the french doors. Spectacular!
~ Wendi xo

Blondie's Journal said...

This is such an interesting and helpful post, Kathysue! I immediately looked around my living room and found I had been successful in creating a color spot in there! Yay! Now I have to take a peek at the other rooms! lol!

XO,
Jane

Julie Taylor and Danni Greenwalt said...

Great post Kathysue...I will have to notice my color spots!

Stacy CUrran said...

I love how you teach in your posts. So well said and described!
Stacy

Linda Hartong said...

I use red here in KC and in Carmel for my color spots

The Buzz Blog said...

What a great design lesson, Kathysue, and we're especially drawn to that last image. We made sure that the plants we see from our windows coordinate with the decor inside - that way, we don't have clashing color spots! Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.
xxoo
C + C

Saffronia Baldwin Interior Design said...

Wonderful post all about my favorite subject, continuity. thank you! Saffronia

Saffronia Baldwin Interior Design said...

What a great post about one of my favorite subjects, continuity. thank you! Saffronia

Sharon @ mrshinesclass said...

Great advice and beautiful inspiration.

debra @ 5th and state said...

simply brilliant. i am going to go from room to room and take a photo, step back and see if i have color flow
happy weekend
xx
debra

Karena said...

Kathysue this is really enlightening and has a purpose beyond sitting accents here and there! Love the yellows!

Please do join my latest giveaway and feature.
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Melinda said...

Love colour spots - great tip. I wish I had that Meg Braff room, it's one of my all time favourites!

Linda {Calling it Home} said...

I need to wake up and see the color spots in my own home. This was really informative, thanks.

Sarah said...

Great post! This has me studying the rooms in our home. '-)