We’ve already talked on the blog about why you can’t just “pop” color into a room aimlessly. We also taught you how to organize color within a room. But you may be wondering - which colors should I use in the first place?
Here are 3 places to start.
1. Look to clothing or fabrics
See a beautiful silk scarf? Have beautiful drapes that won’t work with the overall design of your space, but you absolutely love the colors? You can use these items to inspire a color scheme.
2. Start With an Inspiration Piece
Start with a rug, a piece of patterned furniture, or artwork. This item will be the genesis for the rest of the room’s color scheme.
3. Look to Nature
Nature is the trickiest inspiration source, because not everything in the outdoor world translates well to interiors. But if you have the right eye for it, you can use color themes from plants, animals (like a colorful bird), or scenery to select a palette for a room.
This can be especially helpful if you want a “themed” room that doesn't look tacky - such as a beachy theme or a log cabin vibe. In the example here, I pulled colors from a desert landscape to make a room that looks much more sophisticated than a room full of cactus art prints, cowboy hats, or other kitchy "western" themed items would have.