Do you love it as much as we do?  

Blue and orange are on the complete ends of the color wheel so they are known to compliment each other. By adding a warm color tone (orange) to a cool (blue) color scheme livens the space by adding in a complimentary pop of color. 

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In our last post, we spoke about warm, rich color tones. These are any color to the right of the color wheel below. So I'm guessing you know by now which are our cool color tones. You guessed it...- the colors to the left of the color wheel. 

What makes these color tones cool? And how do you design with them in mind?

Just as we did with our warm color tones, if we are taking a look at the color wheel above, the colors to the left on the color wheel - greens, blue, violets - are the "cool" hues. They appear to be farther away, which is why they are called "receding" colors. On walls, cool colors can make a room feel spacious and calm. 

COOL ON COOL 

Using the color wheel, you can stay within the right color tones and use a mixture of these warm colors to create a cohesive color scheme. Find fabrics that work for in the space like a blend of blues, greens and violets. Accessorize with pillows in the same color tone using different textures and patterns to bring interest into the space. 

MIXED WITH WARM TONES

Warm tones are on the direct opposite of cool tones are so they are known to be complimentary colors. This is a great tool to know when choosing accessories for your home. Mixing in either warm tone colors like pillows or curtains, create a pop of color and a cohesive look. 

Here's something you didn't know...

Visual temperature is relative. Red-violet and yellow-green may seem warm or cool, depending on the presence of other colors. Next to orange, red-violet looks cool; next to blue, it looks warm. 

Visual temperature comes into play when you combine colors in a decorating scheme. In general, the juxtaposition of warm and cool colors intensifies each. If you paint one room a warm red, and an adjoining room a cool green, each will be more intensely warm or cool. This effect also works within a room. Cool walls make a warm wood floor seem even warmer. 

Question: Now that you know the difference between warm and cool shades, which one do you prefer in your living space?

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In interior design, you hear a lot about temperatures, hues, and undertones of any color patterns. But how does it relate to your design style?

Do you like color tones in your home in the yellows, oranges and browns? Then you'd likely like the warm color family. But how do you design with them? Do you just throw them in the room and pray they look good together? 

Interior design is not as easy as HGTV makes it look like. We have to know the scale of a room, how to design using a floor plan, if we are designing a commercial space - we have to know what the building codes are, placement of furniture in awkward spaces and how to mix colors using the most essential tool to interior designers - the color wheel. 

Warm and cool colors(cool colors in the next blog post) are also known as temperatures in a color pattern. Taking a look at the color wheel above, if you draw an imaginary line from red-violet to yellow-green - the colors to the "right" - yellows, reds and oranges - seem warm. Warm colors are considered to be "advancing" because they seem as though they are coming closer to the viewer. On walls, warm colors can make a room feel cozy and enveloping - thus, we use warm colors more often in a large-scaled room. 

 WARM ON WARM

Using the color wheel, you can stay within the right color tones and use a mixture of these warm colors to create a cohesive color scheme. Find fabrics that work for in the space like a blend of orange, yellow and reds. Accessorize with pillows in the same color tone using different textures and patterns to bring interest into the space. 

MIXED WITH COOL TONES

Cool tones are on the direct opposite of warm tones are so they are known to be complimentary colors. This is a great tool to know when choosing accessories for your home. Mixing in either cool toned pillows like the lavender pillow in the above picture can add interest and create a pop of color as the dark blue pillows above. You can also add a few cool toned lamps for a dramatic experience.

Question: Do you use warm tones in your living space?

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Do you love it as much as we do?  

Pantone's Color of the Year has us screaming for more green but who would have paired it up with touches of gold, emerald green prints and black and white accessories with bold emerald green wall? This space is amazing and the person who designed it definitely thought outside the box. 

Want it for your home? Purchase an inspiration board and let's get started. It's never too late to decorate. 

Check out our last Designer's Eye here. 

Sign up for our newsletter. You will receive interior design tips, information on latest decor trends, online shopping sources and special offers from KG STYLE DESIGNS. 

"Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony." Pantone 2013

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Ever since Pantone declared Emerald Green the color of the year, we have been seeing it everywhere - from interiors, to fashions and everything in between. We are also often asked: "How do you incorporate the color into a space?" Here are 3 quick tips to get you started. 

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Emerald green is such a bold but sophisticated color and is best used sparingly in a home. Using it too much can drown a space out and can even make a small room feel smaller and crowded. 

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Accessorize!

Accessorize with curtains and pillows in all patterns to bring a very basic neutral palette to life. The dining room above showcases a very rich and elegant curtain in an otherwise cool toned room. The living room uses a chevron print curtain to bring the same effect and adds in the color with unique pattern pillows. Don't be afraid to mix and match different patterns in the same color for added depth in a space. 

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Bold Furniture

Using bold furniture in your interior space can be a great conversation piece. A bold emerald green couch can set the tone for an eclectic room or can liven up a black and white palette. Emerald green furniture pieces definitely make a bold statement. Usually used in a neutral backdrop but can be added to a funky cool wallpaper like the one above. 

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Green Walls

Last but not least, don't be afraid to use emerald green on your walls. Make sure to keep your accessories neutral and clean as to not compete with the walls. We all know too much of a good thing can lead to overkill! 

Need help designing with bold and bright colors in your home, read my blog on how to do so here! 

Question for you: Would you ever want to bring a piece of emerald into your home?

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It's easy as A, B, C, D … and maybe E. I'll show you how.

THE FOYER

Choosing color for your home can be a challenge.

Here I can show you where to place color and also 

offer you some color suggestions.

When I design a color palette for my clients, I refer to the interior as a 'tree'. The foyer is the trunk which is the core of the home and the rooms are the 'branches'. This is like a 'color map' which helps my clients visualize the layout of their home instead of being so overwhelmed with color placement.

The foyer is usually a neutral color such as the one you see (A) above. Most of the foyers where I live in the south Charlotte area are very open and continue up to the second floor. Keeping that in mind, a light, neutral color seems to work best.

I also like to put the foyer color in the hallways. Most hallways that I've seen have very poor lighting thus having a tendency to be shadowed. To compensate for this, it's best to keep the color here fairly light.

In most cases, the dining room is to the left or right side of the foyer. Now again, most of the homes in Charlotte follow this type of layout which is also called an open floor plan. Don't have a home with an open floor plan? That's ok! You will still have an entrance way and hallways where your (A) color will work.

THE DINING ROOM

I find that many of my clients ask for a red dining room but be careful with this hot hue - it's tricky to pick and to paint. Red will make a striking statement in your home but keep in mind, it's a typical choice to choose red and can be a dated look. Stick to something fun and updated as I pointed out with the warm gray shown as color (B).

THE LIVING ROOM

Now based on this open floor plan, the Living room is going to be surrounded by the kitchen, foyer and dining room. Knowing that, the color you choose for this room has to coordinate with those surrounding rooms. 

This warm hue (be careful not to get too gold. A warm, creamy color like I have as color (C) will look great with a gray and it's also an updated look. If you choose the wrong gold, it can be a throw back to the 70's.

AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN

Great example of an open floor plan.

Here is another shot of the Living room. Notice how you can see other rooms from standing in this one spot. Take that into consideration when choosing color. You also have to know where to start and stop the color. You can see here how I labeled the walls for  placement. This warm, creamy yellow will look great beside the neutral foyer and of course we all know that gray and yellow look great together but they have to be the RIGHT gray and yellow. 

Let's move to the kitchen. I think I see a nice warm green for that room.

THE KITCHEN

There are many factors to consider when choosing a color for your kitchen. Keep in mind the undertones of your flooring and cabinets. Do you want them to have the same undertone or to have more contrast? Let's say we are staying with the warm undertones therefore going with this this green hue. 

Caution: Be careful here! Your kitchen color has to coordinate with your living room color since these rooms flow into each other. Like the way the green and warm yellow look together? Ok, let's recap.

• Do you like this palette?
• Do the colors flow from room to room?
• Is there enough color?
• Is there too much hue for you?
• Will these colors match your flooring tile, carpeting or wood stain?

YOUR NEW COLOR PALETTE

I added an additional color (E) if you have an office on the same floor as these other rooms. See how they look great together? Other than the foyer color, feel free to mix and match these colors into the room of your choice. The thing to remember about the RIGHT color palette is that they will ALL coordinate with each other so you CAN mix and match. 

DESIGN TIP:

Remember, choosing color is the most affordable way to instantly change the look of your home but it has to be the RIGHT colors. Take time to consider the color of your flooring, furniture and kitchen cabinets - they need to coordinate!

The great thing about KG Style is that they specialize in cost effective ways to redesign and organize your space. So with the direction of their professional design team and the right color combinations from a Color Specialist, you are on your way to the home of your dreams! Just remember to call in the Professionals when you need a little help with your ideas.

COME SEE MY COLORS

I hope you've enjoyed my guest post on “How to Choose Color For Your Home”. If you'd like to see more of my ideas on color, please visit me on my main website at, Decorating by Donna for more information and beautiful color inspirations. Please come join me in color by adding yourself to my blog “A Color Specialist In Charlotte”.