Color Theory

1. Introduction: Color in Your Home and How to Love It

Color can be overwhelming; no rules, but guidelines do help

Gain confidence and make decisions – it’s YOUR home!

Varying Repetition

Your Color Personality: Quiz

Comfort Zone v. What Inspires You?

Room: Mood & Setting

Neutrals and naturals in Montana interior décor

B. Color Theory: Using the Color Wheel

Isaac Newton – 1600s – using a prism, created the wheel

Primary (most vivid=3)   Secondary (mix 2 primaries = 3)

Tertiary  (mix prim/second=6)  Neutrals= blk, wht, grey

Hue = color family (12 on color wheel)

Tint = add white

Shade = add black

Saturation = intensity & depth  (bright v. dull)

Clarity = number of pigments

C. Basic properties of colors

Black absorbs; white reflects; red absorbes all but red – that is reflected

Warm/dark colors advance; rooms appear smaller and cozy

Cool/light colors recede; rooms appear larger & airy

D. Color Combinations

USE WHEEL

Complementary = opposites

Triads = equally spaced

Split complementary = analogous opposites; triangle

Analogous = wheel neighbors

Color family = different shades & tones (but use contrast)

Using Color in Your Home

A. Contrast

Rooms need contrast to have appeal and not appear flat

Think photographing your room in B&W – dk, lt, intermediate bridge

Defines depth – highlight features & creates focal points

Moves eye around – restful, easy

Lightens and brightens colors

Use dark & light of same hue or complementary opposites

Use contrasting materials

B. Texture

Texture and Surfaces: wood, metals, glass, textiles, prints

Textures needed for neutrals & simple color scheme

Contrast in textures visually interesting

Flooring, rugs furniture, pillows, throws, tiles, art, wall treatments, wall paper flowers & fruit

C. Using Neutrals

Quiet tones – greys, tans, beige, greens, wood, slate, glass, metal, stainless steel

Support & give relief from bold colors

All neutrals – no depth

Need textures; punches of contrast, even if all neutrals

D. Open Plans & Transitions

Multiple shades of a single color, color family (hue)

Ties large spaces together transitions between rooms

Focal point of areas – define with color/texture

E. Color Partners

Balance warm and cool colors (USE WHEEL: triads)

Can go bold IF…. Colors have equal presence and influence

Balance hue, depth etc

.

TIPS

Good way to start and narrow choices (limit of 5): 2 warms and a cool; 2 cools and a warm

Use three balanced and saturated colors: dark, light, intermediate [saturated, bright, delicate]

3 shades of same color; neighbors on color wheel

primary color 60%; secondary color 30%; accent color 10%

Dominance/Recurrence/Placement – where do you like you color?

How much of your room do you want to re-color? What is fixed? Pillows, walls, rugs, curtains, furniture, art, trim, lights, pieces

]]> http://blog.heydaybozeman.com/miscellaneous/color-theory-decoristas/feed/ 0 http://blog.heydaybozeman.com/tips-and-tricks/spring-workshop-schedule-2010/ http://blog.heydaybozeman.com/tips-and-tricks/spring-workshop-schedule-2010/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:46:22 +0000 lisa http://blog.heydaybozeman.com/?p=309

Join us for 15% off featured products and a great opportunity to learn 
some fantastic new tricks. Round up all of your friends and come on down! 
It’s free. Call 586-5589 to reserve your spot today.

Color Theory: 12-1pm Wednesday Feb 24

Ever confused about what color you should choose for the living room? Don’t know 
much about complementary colors? Where do you start? Help is here. Bozeman’s own Decorista’s will review basic color theory and answer questions about interior paint choices.

Decorating for Spring: 5-6pm Wednesday March 24

Spring is here — it’s time to change things up! Move things around, freshen up the
 drab winter decor and fall in love with your home all over again. Our own Brigitte Fletcher will offer tips for decorating using proportion, texture and color to create a
new look for your bookcase, side table or mantle.

Floral Arranging 101: 12-1pm Wednesday April 28

Leslie Lukas is back again to show us easy techniques for creating lovely bouquets.
 She’ll show us what tools we need and where to start to arrange fresh flowers in 
vases of all styles. Bring flowers into your home with confidence!

Wrapping your holiday gifts can be really fun and a great expression of your personality! Think outside the box and have fun while you wrap!

Find a signature wrapping style that you come back to time and time again. Or choose a different theme each year and then wrap all of your presents in that style. (Hot tip: My husband opts for the not so glamorous but convenient plain newsprint found at your local newspaper–he buys a big roll of the stuff and wraps for years with his signature plain white paper with his block print in Sharpie. Everyone knows who the present is from!)

Basic Supply list: sharp scissors, wrapping paper, clear glossy tape, boxes in various sizes, a trash can, colorful tissue paper, gift tags and pens and markers.

Over The Top Supply list: hot glue gun, pipe cleaners, feathers, pom poms, double sided tape, paper punch, little birds and butterflies and the list goes on. (Michaels is a great resource for all of these supplies and much much more)

Technique tips:

1. Before you begin, set up a temporary area in your house where you can leave your supplies. I use a Costco folding table in my bedroom.And try to buy all of your supplies at once so you don’t have to go out again at the last minute.

2. Does the item fit appropriately in a box? If so, then line the bottom of the box with tissue paper folded with a neat crease in the middle and then place the item in and cover with another layer of tissue (over the top–wrap the item in tissue so the suspense is even greater). I prefer boxes that have not been taped so I can reuse them. Oddly shaped items can be wrapped in tissue and a cellophane bag or a fabric reusable bag –they become part of the present!

3. Judge how much paper you’ll need by laying the box on top of the paper and wrapping around the box and then cutting it. Fold the edges of the paper over about an inch so that the rough edges don’t show. Here’s a link to great step by step instructions on how to wrap a present. Use as little tape as necessary. (Over the Top tip: fold edges so they land on the edge of the box or even better, don’t use tape at all!)

4. Tie your present with ribbon and attach a gift card. There are many beautiful ribbon techniques out there. Check the web for other how-tos.

Here are some other fun ideas:

• layer printed paper over solid, textured ribbon over solid satin or grosgrain ribbon and cards over cards with deckled egdes

• visit a fancy paper store (like Ro Sham Bo here in Bozeman) to pick out really special wrapping paper to use as accents

• skip the bow and use wide ribbon instead to make your gifts easy to ship

• use geographic maps and twine to make a traveler excited about an upcoming trip

• use brown packing paper or blueprints from an architect’s office  or butcher paper from the local meat shop and embellish the gift with ribbon and all the extras.

• one year my sister wrapped all of her presents in the weather page (really colorful)  from the USAToday newspaper and then glued big jeweled sequins on the boxes in lines to represent the ribbons.

This year, I am wrapping everything with red and gold tissue and then covering the tissue with cellophane. The cellophane makes each present shiny and sparkly. I am slipping a card with an inspirational quote on it in between the tissue and the cellophane with the recipient’s name on it. Then a big bright bow and I’m done. When they are all lined up, they look so festive and pretty!

Holiday bulbs are a steadfast tradition in my family. Mom always seems to be able to start hers on time so that she has beautiful blooms by Christmas. Paperwhites (or Narcissus) take about 6 weeks from the time you start them to the time they bloom. I never remember to get mine started until Thanksgiving so I usually have the fragrant flowers in bloom for our New Year’s celebration. In fact, I like having Paperwhites in bloom all through January. They have a very distinct strong smell and I have heard that some people are turned off by this. Not me. These blooms remind me that spring is around the corner somewhere. . . .

How to get your Paperwhite bulbs started:

1.) You can buy individual bulbs at any nursery for a coulpe of dollars each. Or . . . you will find kits at HeyDay that  include a container, the bulbs and some potting soil, all wrapped in a beautiful shiny bag.

2.) Cover the bottom of your flat-bottomed container with river rocks, little beads from the craft store, or potting soil. Place the bulbs on top of the rock layer with about an inch of space in between. Pour about an inch of water in the container. Do not cover the bulbs with water–they will rot. Find a sunny spot for the bulbs and then . . .  you are done!

3.) Continue to add water as it evaporates. The greenery will become tall and flop over as the plant grows. Supports like ribbon or gardening wire can help this. Look for blooms after six weeks.

Easy, easy and fun to have on the kitchen window sill!

What a great workshop last night–lots of good energy and fun inspiration for the upcoming holidays!

Here are a few things we reviewed:

Set your table

Set up your table linen arsenal with a few basic but gorgeous pieces that you can use over and over throughout each season. Choose linens in neutral tones so that you can play up your changing seasonal decor. Here’s a great money-saving hint: buy a bedspread or a piece of fabric big enough to cover your entire table and then you can get away with a smaller tablecloth turned on an angle.

Layer, layer, layer!

Different textures and colors will add visual interest to your table and your guests will never tire of your basic pieces. Start with your tablecloth, then consider a runner down the middle. Turn placemats on end and hang them off the edge of the table. Use napkins for placemats and runners. Chargers can be a great way to lift the dinner plate off the table and mix and match dinnerware.

Centerpieces

Centerpieces can be dramatic and glorious and great way to set the tone of the party but . . . they can get in the way of the conversation flow during dinner. Set the table with your beautiful centerpiece and then replace it with a shorter version as dinner is served.

Fresh floral centerpieces are a real treat for your guests and do add to the tone of your party. If you can’t get to the florist, you still can make a splash with other things found around the house. Gather your most sparkly ornaments in a pretty bowl, decorate a rosemary tree with a garland and some small birds, place miniature Christmas cactus three in a row, or set a wreath with candles in the center.

Don’t forget favors!

Your guests will leave your party feeling special and well taken care of. We love edible favors. . .they are inexpensive and easy to tuck away on the way home. Try a small bag of peppermints, a tub of jam or a packet of hot cocoa! the possibilities are endless.

Most of all, have fun decorating and send us pictures of all of your lovely creations!

Show your appreciation and treat your hostess to one of these gifts that are sure to please. Each of the following 10 gift items have been personally selected as being inexpensive yet impressive!

A festive hostess apron. A set of three reusable shopping bags in brightly colored prints. A hand soap and lotion dispenser with a cute kitchen scrubber. A set of three dish towels and fancy dish washing gloves. A candle scented with seasonal aroma. A cutting board with a wedge of artisanal cheese from the Joe’s Parkway case. A new set of magnets for the fridge. A collapsible vase with a bouquet of fresh flowers. A box of reusable fabric napkins with a bottle opener for the bar. A selection of gourmet dips from Joe’s Parkway. Click any of the thumbnails for an enlarged view! Fun dish gloves Scented candles Hardwood cutting board Refrigerator magnets

A frilly apron Reusable shopping bags Soaps and lotions

• Select and organize your basic pieces. Choose some solids in neutral colors that can be used as the foundation of your tables and build from there. You should include tablecloths in various sizes, table runners and napkins.
• Think outside the box when selecting interesting layers for the table. How about a pretty throw blanket or a jute floor runner to set the scene?
• Think about all angles of the table. Placemats can be draped over the edge to give dimension to the table or napkins can be unfolded to add color to the place setting.
• Make sure the height of your centerpiece allows your guests to easily see each other as they dine. Think about putting together odd numbers like three small vases or five pillar candles or a variety of votive candles spread all over the table.
• Make it personal. Put out the dishes you love. Use your grandmother’s silver. Your guests will feel special and will love to hear the history of your table. You can make it a casual affair by mixing and matching.