We all love the qualities and experience of Light, Bright, Spacious…but what about the almost-forgotten Deep, Dark, and Delicious.
One comparison… Just for a comparison, let’s start with this off-white room, “before” color and artwork is added. (To be clear, I have masked the artwork in this image, you will see it in the next one).
I personally believe that the same space with deep color is not feeling closed in, but warm and comforting—even with the cooler wall color.
There’s a lot to be said for the idea of using darker colors, even if it’s less “popular” and often creates aversion to what the words seem to imply. It requires a slight change of mindset, and a close look at the details of your space.
So, to start, let’s consider these…
A warm “nest”whether large or small
Sanctuary space
Cozy retreat
Meditative
Mask surface flaws
Use darker colors as accent features
Does not have to be the entire space
Less ‘visual noise’
Glamorous
Make artwork a focus
Sophisticated
Corporate lobby or other specific areas (consdering the use, of course)
Unusual
Romantic
Now, think about the colors that could so beautifully satisfy those needs, both physical and aesthetic.
You will see some are “almost-black,” and others have distinct other color attributes. Just remember that screen colors may differ a bit from actual paint.
What is the Down Side of using Deep Colors for Interiors?
How about when “Down” becomes “Up?” It can happen. Every color has its strengths, and possible detriments also. With dark colors there are a few important considerations for both physical space and your emotional responses.
Consider your personal preferences “Cozy” can become “Closed In,” so consider the scope of your own personal preferences.
Size and existing lighting of the space
How much time will you occupy the space
What time of day will you typically use the space
Architectural detail in the space Consider appealing ways to use dark colors and still highlight interesting detail like classical moldings. For example:
Flat or Matte wall finishes look softer and more elegant
Use a satin or even semi-gloss finish of the same darker color on architectural trim, moldings, and doors.
Or use a slightly lighter color on these accent areas.
Do not forget the floor! Wood, Carpet, or other materials…lighter floors can create an interesting balance to dark walls.
Lighting Careful testing and selection of lighting is extra important. You might want “more” lighting sources in a darker space. At least, consider lighting color, for example the difference between these 2 examples:
LED lighting tends to be cooler–like daylight
Incandescent lighting will be warmer–like candle light
Do you want to use ambient / overall lighting?
Or focused lighting, like chair-side, desktop, or bedside lamps
Specific wall washer detailed lighting for artwork
Furnishings and Artwork Deeper colors offer a good opportunity to consider actual styles and colors of furnishings and artwork.
Stronger colors and shapes will have more presence in a darker-colored space
Bolder art pieces can provide excellent focal points and help create the vision you want to enjoy.
Sound familiar?
We’re familiar with the ‘old song’ about the difficulties that can occur getting 2 people who share a home to agree on design decisions.
As pleased as I was to be asked to consult with the owners of a historic Boston co-op building, I was equally aware of the challenges in satisfying the requirements of a group of property-owners sharing a very real interest in the same building. The subject of my work for them was to create a new color palette for the lobby and vestibule of their 1924, “classic Old-Boston” building in the historic heart of Boston.
The Challenge
My first meeting with the property owners included at least one person representing each unit. After our introductions, we had a vibrant dialogue that consisted primarily of their expressing personal likes and dislikes. Starting with the existing bright yellow in both the vestibule and the lobby itself, opinions were effusive and diverse! “I Hate Yellow!” …”I’d Kill for Yellow!”
Original colors: Yellow Entry
Well, the fact is that the existing color Was yellow, in the lobby area as well as the entry vestibule. The dialogue continued, then, with a review of the purpose of my working with them and defining the goals. Having listened to–and Hearing–their concerns, I described the approach I would take to meet the goals.
The Process
Basically, it came down to “what is best for the building will be best for the group.” This is a good example of communicating when it’s necessary to leave the individuals’ strongest color preferences in their own interior spaces. As a core belief I hold for this kind of situation, it was my consistent emphasis at that time and throughout the entire extended process of the renovation.
During that first day, I selected a variety of colors to create an overall palette direction. I focused on a range of warm and cool “earth-tones” with a few accent colors as options to consider.
The points that were the focus of my approach in meeting their requests included:
Make the most of the beautiful, historic building.
Classic colors that suit the building. A palette that’s distinctive, not “ordinary,” yet one that’s comfortable and welcoming.
Focus on the architecture.
It’s often about moving beyond what is currently there, what we’re used to seeing. Change can be traumatic.
What’s the experience we, and others, have when coming into–and leaving–the building?
Respect for and reflection of the quality and style of the current panel murals. Not matching, but rather enhancing and supporting.
The Spaces
I was asked to consult about paint colors for “a lobby.” When I arrived at the site for our first meeting, I discovered something a bit more complex. Yes, it was actually two spaces–not one. But what a pair! The entry vestibule, and the actual lobby.
Here are the new colors you can compare with the original yellow, shown above.
Final colors: 2 Views in the vestibule, left and right sides.
Timing is important!
Because the color selections were just one part (but a critically important part!) of the process of the extensive renovation of the space, it was good to be brought in at the beginning of the process rather than right before the painters were to start. I visited the site throughout the construction process for color-plan reviews with the group’s point person. Sometimes 2 or 3 people met with me but that was a good thing to continue to communicate and confirm our direction and the ultimate selections.
After developing the main palette for the two spaces, which included a variety interesting, yet conservative, colors, they asked me to add an alternate palette they described as “bolder, brighter, and ‘cheerier’.” Remember, they are coming from …bright yellow.
Entry vestibule
Coming in from the street, the vestibule has some natural light–but of course being very dimly lit at night with limited light sources. Lots of an almost-pink color marble, a high ceiling, and beautiful black, wrought-iron crafted doors. Bright yellow walls!
Original colors: Entry – come up the stairs
The Lobby Area
A long, narrow rectangle – you enter on the long side. At each end of the room there’s an entrance to an individual condo. Each of the upper stories of the building has only one unit per floor. The walls are divided into sections, with moldings framing mural panels. The walls below the chair-rail molding are divided in the traditional manner with sectioned frame-style molding.
Original colors: Half of the lobby area.
Overhead fans with lights, and 2 table lamps make the yellow walls even more glaring.
The Murals
As it happened, and what came out in conversations, people had reactions to the murals that were as strong as their feelings about the current yellow wall color! Some of the owners even said they had never really liked the murals.
But most were wanting to keep them, so the questions became: How to select a color that will support the hues and tone of the mural panels, yet not have to “match” anything there?
Original colors: Mural wall – closeup
Near the murals, the space called for a particular color type.
The lower part of the wall had some other requirements because it was adjacent to the marble (same as vestibule) as baseboard, with a multicolored stone floor that had very different color indications.
Even though I intended to keep all the background wall colors very “neutral,” personally I thought that it could be interesting to pick up one or another of the mural colors in an accent…even a very thin pencil-outline around the mural frame, as if using a fillet in the mat and framing of artwork. I still think this would have been an interesting way to make the murals be more like individual fine art pieces, since they were each already framed as if they were individual paintings.
I was asked to consider a variety of decorative treatments that would have been completely appropriate to the space, the history, and the architecture, but budgetary considerations brought us back to the paint-only model. For this, even though I had many years of experience in these artistic applications, I would have brought in another professional to do that work.
The Floor
In any location the floor is usually a large portion of visible surface. Even with furniture in a room, it’s a big consideration in any space because, after all, it is at the base of what every other surface relates to in some way, either perpendicularly or in parallel.
Original wall colors – Granite tile floor.
One of the parties had a personal request to see something like a very pale pink on the walls with a grayish greenish white on the trim–or even perhaps a stronger color like “a soft orange, with a cream trim.” She mentioned it being difficult for some people to go from bright yellow to “gray,” so they wanted to see a brighter, more vivid, option. Having no problem with this request, I did present another palette that would also represent the goals for this space. Ultimately, they selected one of the original color combinations.
The Lighting
Knowing that there would be an entirely different lighting setup once the construction was done–yet working in a very yellow type of low-light situation during the entire paint specification process was interesting. It required quite a bit of imagination and awareness of the impact of lighting on how color will really ‘look’ in a particular area under different lighting conditions.
I had no real examples of the specified lighting, where I could refer to my actual painted color cards for a representation of my palette in the renovated space. I just knew somewhat the type and basic “color” of the specified lighting. It was helpful to consult with the lighting designer for this project, Doreen LeMay Madden of Lux Lighting Design, about what I might expect, in general, from the lighting plan she had created for this space.
Getting Married
All these elements that were not so noticeable at first glance, with the overpoweringly hued yellow walls and the inadequate lighting. But when you take away the distractions of the extreme yellow and the green rug, the marriage had to go forward into a future of the two spaces having compatible and complementary, harmonious existence!
A good friend was asking me about using gray for interiors, and it gave me a great reason to do a blog post about it!
According to a Zillow survey: “…dark gray may attract more prospective buyers — and higher offers — when you’re getting ready to sell.”
True, there seems to be a big flutter about the color called “Gray” for interiors. But actually, as with many “trendy sound/news bytes” about color, it’s not as simplistic as it’s made to be. It’s more than one color, that’s for sure. And, what if you’re not selling? Creating and updating your nest at home will be the focus and goal.
But questions arise to me. Like: Whats the appeal, beyond “Trends?” Where does that interest come from: social, emotional, and/or other things in the marketplace? What are benefits of using those colors in living spaces? In work spaces? What are negatives? This post will address those issues, for interiors. Exterior colors post will be forthcoming.
So, more questions arise, like: Where to apply it? What paint finishes are best for maximum quality effects? And from a deeper, more specific design perspective…what actual color gray are you going to use, to create your new environment.
That’s where creative color — and what I like to call “color discernment” — comes in!
Is “gray” considered “Cheerful?” Not usually, and in fact that is not a word I would ever associate with a gray-toned color. However, here’s another way to look at it. It’s about the language of describing color and the psychology and emotions that come with various colors. For example, a more high-vibration color like “yellow,” for example, is typically considered Happy or Cheerful. That’s understandable, when you look at where we usually see that kind of color…flowers, nature, sunlight associations, greeting cards, etc. Then on the other hand, do you want a really bright yellow color in your surroundings? Depending on the actual color formulation, and lighting in the space, the color can be desirable or could also be uncomfortable, making one agitated. That’s just quick example of the kind of things we need to consider in selecting colors.
See the difference. Two version of the same room, as examples of using variants of deeper gray. The top image is more blue and the Lower image is towards more purple.
Many colors can be up-beat and still comfortable and homey. That will be a great topic for a future post. In interiors, the more low-keyed versions of these colors are the way to go for this kind of result. So, it could be a blue, a red, a green, a purple…even an orange or a yellow!
But in the realm of Gray, I like to consider various tones in that field, so a gray can be warm, cool, light and soft, dark and deep…you get the picture. Following are a few examples of colors I’d not call Gray, per se (as in black + white = gray), but toned-down colors that are beautiful, comfortable, and great options when you look for something in the wide world of beautiful grays for walls, ceilings and even cabinets–which can offer a beautiful color field as important as walls or entire rooms.
Two forms of warm gray are a good complement to the style and furnishings of this historic home.
Warm, earthy gray type color in a bedroom can help create a cozy nest2 photos of the same room shows a warm gray on the wood trim in this Arts and Crafts home. The combination of colors is a good fit for this space in particular and the house in general.Deep, more blue-based grayMore green-based grayVery light, soft gray takes the “edge” off white
Above: 3 examples of the same room shown with various color options.
Finally, one important thing to consider is to not be swept away by the latest trends, especially if you have more long-range plans. But one way to use this kind of social and product-influenced color is that even typically smaller areas like trim can offer distinguished and sophisticated options.
Below: 4 views of the same room, same color except…what is different?
One room with a warm blue…Different views of the same room – note back wall color…Overview of the same roomThis back wall color behind dining table is similar, but deeper than the rest of the room
