Use Bright Colors in a World of “Neutrals”
Getting it Right with Beautiful Brights
“Neutral” style color palettes are beautiful. No doubt about it. Soothing, practical, safe…”buyers love it,” and of course easy to furnish around. But here’s a thought: think of it as “food.” To be clear, I am not advocating a chaos of wildly colorful environments that you can’t live in or with. In fact, bright colors definitely have a place in sophisticated interiors.
Now that we have that bit out of the way, I wanted to share my more detailed thoughts about feeling confident and free in experimenting in finding the very best colors that you Will love to live In–and With.
The extensive collections I’ve created to show on Samplize.com include a variety of selected hues from all color families. Current collections you can get samples for right now include various Historic palettes in light, medium, and dark colors (use them for any house period), bedroom, and more. The featured colors are all from either Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or Farrow & Ball. You might find, at a glance, that some colors seem similar. But, when you see the actual samples on various areas of the walls and ceilings, in different lighting times of day and evening, natural or artificial light sources, you will notice the differences.
Flavor and Nuance
As with cuisine, nuance of seasoning is important to the best results. Sometimes we need a spot of bright energy in our world. At the risk of sounding trite, we could even call it a bit of “happiness.”
Take this idea into our interiors and even exteriors. While the important “soft and neutral” colors can create beautiful environments, there’s also a place for using some stronger—even darker—color. Whether our color decisions come from habitual personal preference or a stylistic trend, considering stronger colors can also be a happy surprise. You can see many beautiful examples of some strong, deeper hues, included in the other collections.
But for this specific group, think of the colors of foods, for example…winter squashes and pumpkins, tomatoes, eggplants, and of course all the greens. Then look at the brighter colors in nature—flowers, water, and more. Incorporating some of these colors, even in smaller amounts, can create more flavor and nuance in an already beautiful, harmonious neutral style menu of color.
For example, have you ever considered a pink – and – red living room? It may not be your “cup of tea” but I love this example from Farrow & Ball! 
Exterior settings can also enjoy…something a bit different.
]
6 families were involved in confirming the above color scheme. They asked for something Bold, and Different.
(photo by Barbara Jacobs)
A more conservative exterior for this Victorian era home, that still enjoys a bit of Punch…
(photo by Barbara Jacobs)
The client reports this…
I lived with a drab house for close to 15 years. When it came time to paint my modest three-story Victorian I wanted something that popped. I called Barbara on the advice of a friend and immediately realized that she could see beyond color chips.
She considered the shape of the house, the number of windows, the colors and condition of the existing foundation and roof. She even considered the neighbor’s house. Things that weren’t on my radar. Barbara offered a color scheme I could dial up or down for drama or detail and when we were in the midst of painting and I had a quick question, she responded immediately.
Read more…6th row down the page, right side!
You might enjoy being completely enveloped in the energy of stronger, brighter colors; or you might enjoy them more when you include them as accents, trim, or special elements.
An example of unusual color in a bedroom…also consider elements like bookshelves, lighting fixtures, and artwork! Check out this color combination on a color wheel.
(photo and square artwork by Barbara Jacobs / oil painting diptych by William Saltzman)
A strong Yellow-Green is not a typical color, but this is a beautiful example. Also from Farrow & Ball.
Getting comfortable with ‘discomfort’
Personally, I love combining colors that are a bit “out of my comfort zone,” for the sake of a color adventure–trying new ideas for inspiration. In any case, I encourage you to consider some of these that cross multiple spectral hues. Because the painted sample cards from my collections on Samplize are repositionable, you can easily stick them up on any wall position along with your other selections.
The extensive collections I’ve created to show on Samplize include a variety of selected hues from all color families. Current collections you can get samples for right now include various Historic palettes in light, medium, and dark colors (use them for any house period), bedroom, and more. The featured colors are all from either Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or Farrow & Ball. You might find, at a glance, that some colors seem similar. But, when you see the actual samples on various areas of the walls and ceilings, in different lighting times of day and evening, natural or artificial light sources, you will notice the differences.
That’s just one of the functional beauties of using actual painted color samples! These collections are just the beginning…many more color style collections are in the works! Be sure to check back on my typically monthly newsletter for notifications.
Three final tips for now
1. Please to Not expect one paint company to accurately “match” a color from another paint company. It’s more reliable to just use the product that makes the paint color you want.
2. Always view the colors on the surfaces you want to paint them! We often look at paint colors on a table, for example…but the right direction to view is what makes all the difference! If we’re not painting the floor, don’t view colors in that direction.
3. Enjoy the adventure!
As a professional affiliate, I do receive a small commission—at no chage to you—when you purchase from Samplize.
