Color Post: How You Can Create Flow With Color, part 1

Last week I had a client ask me a common question:

"How can I use color to make my house flow?"

It's something I discuss on every consultation I do, because each time you change a room in your home, you need to be mindful of what is happening in the rest of the space.

Of of the most important things to consider is the purity of your color.

Primary, secondary and tertiary colors are pure, that is, they have not been muted by adding color from other parts of the color wheel (other than those adjacent to them) or grey.



These are the "cleanest" hues.
They can be lightened by adding white, and therefore become tints.
Or they can be darkened by adding black, and therefore become shades.

If you use a pure hue in one space, then move on to a "dirty" tone in the next,
 your home will not have good flow.

Look at the difference in these Benjamin Moore yellows.

You do NOT have to use the exact same palette all through your home to create flow.
You do, however, have to choose between clean and dirty hues
 if you are using different hues throughout.
Generally clean hues pair best with cool neutrals and dirty with warm,
 as dirty hues almost always have some brown in them.

One of the best examples of how freeing this is to color in design
 is shown in Victoria Webster's home,
designed by Sloan Mauran
as seen in House and Home.

I think this house is genius!
Obviously color is just one part of this design, and everything is done to perfection.

There are other well-considered color elements here as well, like saturation -
but the clean hues, paired with cool grey, cool white and black are the main factor.

Spectacular, isn't that?
Makes you want to head straight out to the paint store for a gallon of that tangerine!

When I post part two I'll show you a home where dirty color reigns - lovelier than it sounds, promise :)

til next time..