Color Explained

………………………………………………………

List of ‘Color Explained’ articles on this page:

An Introduction to Color, Part 1 (January 21, 2010)
An Introduction to Color, Part 2: RED and GREEN (January 30, 2010)

………………………………………………………

ARTICLE ONE: An Introduction to Color, Part 1 (January 21,2010)

Picking Colors

One of my favorite tasks is to help clients pick paint colors. Armed with a little bit of color theory, a willingness to get very specific about the assignment, and careful consideration to other colors, lighting and influences in the environment, it is possible to really nail it.

We ‘see’ a color in relation to the colors and the contrasts surrounding it (as well as the light that influences it). This begins to explain why a swatch that looks fabulous in the paint store can look dreadful when painted on the exterior of a house; why a color can look one way in a very bright, sunny room and quite another in a … Full article

Complementary colors

Color wheel1: Complementary colors

Excerpt:

From our six Primary and Secondary colors, the resulting Complementary color combinations are Red with Green, Yellow with Violet and Blue with Orange. Since each Primary’s Complement is a Secondary color, each Primary’s Complement is a mixture of the remaining two Primary colors. In other words, each pair of Complementary colors contains all three Primary colors. And thus explains the sense of harmony felt in addition to the sense of discord in Complementary color combinations.

… By understanding how colors interact, and by learning how they work together to achieve different moods and focus (serenity, invigoration, drama, or to highlight certain aspects of the room), we can work towards spaces that have balance and the desired effect and/or focus … Full article

Go to the Post for this article

………………………………………………………

ARTICLE TWO: An Introduction to Color, Part 2: RED and GREEN (January 30, 2010)

RED and GREEN: Part 2 of my article on Complementary color pairings. Please click here to read Part 1 of this article

This is an excerpt: (Full article)

Upcoming: Part 3 – BLUE and ORANGE, Part 4 – YELLOW and VIOLET

(As all monitors are calibrated differently and each computer’s platform displays colors differently, please realize that the colors you view during these articles may be an approximation).

Red with green is probably the most recognized of the Complementary color pairings. We see this pairing in nature, in art, in fashion, on a plethora of lights and images for ‘stop’ and ‘go’; to mention but a few.

Sitting room with Complementary red and green

Lets jump straight into interior design with this image of a sitting room (I suggest you click to enlarge each image). See how vibrant and dynamic the room is? How strongly the red cushions influence the room and how they unify other subtle red hues in the room: in the picture frame, the little table, the painting to the left, the curtain print and the flowers?

For fun, I’ve removed the red cushions in a second photo below and replaced them with green cushions. You can make your own assumptions on how this influences the space; and importantly, which you personally prefer. … more …