Sometimes without even realizing I find myself attracted to the similar color combinations and I just noticed that this happened again yesterday.

I was taken with this snippet from the banner on the blog Half2Know and used it to develop my inspired color palette for today.  You can see the palette here.

And earlier in the day I had saved the following photo from Flickr that I was going to write about as an interesting color scheme for a kids room.

As I was looking at the picture this morning I noticed that it is a variation of that same color scheme.

How funny to have saved both of these images on the same day.  The effects of color on our mind will never cease to amaze me.  Can you see the similarities?

This is a fun way to illustrate how if you like a particular color scheme that simply by using different values of the hues it can change the mood and work in different types of rooms.

Photo reference:

The banner snippet is from Half2Know

The photo from Charles St. was found on Flickr by urbanbicyclist

Reader’s color dilemma:

I want to do my daughters room with a beach tropical theme. i would like ideas for the paint color for the walls. Thanks Kathy

Kate suggests:

When thinking of tropical colors luscious and relaxing colors come to mind.  I am always drawn to the blues and greens of the sea surrounding islands or the shores of exotic destinations. But colors of tropical blossoms or the lush green of foilage can also be used to create the look.

Palm tree, beach or nautical prints could be incorporated but I recommend keeping these obvious elements to a minimum and using furniture, fabric, textures and accessories that are instead simply suggestive of the theme will keep the room from looking cliché.

For a younger girl I like colors that are brighter as shown in the from from Bungalow Beach Designs.  The walls are soft sandy pink and the accessories are kept fun yet not over done.

If your daughter is a bit older you could go with a scheme that is warmer and not so vivid as shown in this poster or you would even go a bit stronger with some of the colors as shown in the striped pillow.

I adore shells and you could put some in glass bowls or jars, place the on a shelves or tabletops or hot glue some to the frame of a mirror.  There are some helpful instructions on Martha Stewart Living.

Coral prints or embroidered pillows also add to the tropical feeling and give a nice shot of color.

Coral Pillow from Ballard Design

For the furnishings use native dark wood pieces, beach house white or light wood, painted pieces, wicker or a mixture of different styles and materials.

A large plant, especially palm trees, can fit in and accessories in bamboo, wicker and rattan add to the scheme quite naturally.

My Signature Color ‘H2 Ahh!’

Ralph Lauren ‘Tea Rose’  or Benjamin Moore ‘Sandy Shores’

For the walls I suggest either a sandy beige or a blue green that has an ethereal quality like my “H2-Ahh!” from Ellen Kennon’s Full Spectrum Paints.  You might even consider a very soft, warm pink.  A grass cloth might be used for the walls if you are going for a more sophisticated look.

Using one of these colors will create a relaxing resort feeling and a perfect background for your fun and colorful tropical decor.

Today’s color dilemma…

I saw a post on Jill’s blog when I visited again after first learning of ‘Forever & Ever House’ when I posted my thoughts on the entries for “Spring green roundup”.

Jill was sharing that her four year old daughter wants a new room color. You can see the entire entry on her blog but here’s how it begins…

There was ONE exception to the “need to renovate” rule at our house and that was my daughter’s bedroom. Seventeen years ago, when our home was built, it was painted a very pretty, classic shade of yellow and it has remained that way to this day. So, when we moved into our home I said to myself “Self…well, at least THERE’S one room that doesn’t need to be painted.”

Madison’s bedding and valance from our starter home even had some yellow in it and with a few strategic placements of art, the nail holes in the walls from previous owner’s art would be covered.

Easy-peasy. Yippy Skippy.Well, you know where this is leading now, don’t you?

My daughter really wants a pink room!

Kate suggests…

Well Jill if you end up painting yet one more room my first thought is to pick a hue that you and your adorable daughter can live with for years to come so you aren’t repainting it again anytime soon.

My suggestion would be to go for a paint color that tends to be softer and more neutral than say ‘Barbie Pink’. Here are some examples from Pittsburgh Paint but similar colors can be found from other brands.

Each of these fits your daughter’s demand for pink but may also appeal to you since as you mentioned on your blog you love natural things and neutral colors.

From warmer pink to cooler pink as you go from left to right

Another natural pink you might consider is Pink Ground from Farrow & Ball. Even non-pink lovers like this neutral pink.

Pink inspired by the vintage French rose called Cuisse de Nymphe

In this month’s House Beautiful magazine they quote interior designer Ann Dupuy as saying the following about this color, “This is a very serene pink, the color of an old French rose called Cuisse de Nymphe, which translates as the thigh of a nymph. So charming. And everybody looks good against pink — that’s why men wear pink shirts.”

You have great style and I think going with a color scheme that suits your little girl now but can morph into a new scheme as she gets older would be perfect.

Pink and brown might be a good place to start. All of the pinks I mention would look wonderful with almost any hue of brown from light tan to deep, rich chocolate.

Stretched canvas design in pink and brown by Kelly B. Rightsell

You can use mostly pink with just touches of brown now but could expand the color scheme at any time. So many other colors could work with this as a starting point. Think green, aqua, sky blue, lavender, even tangerine or the right red.

The color scheme Julie (style expert and editor of our Live In Full Color blog) used in her daughter’s room is a wonderful example. She chose a pink, green and brown scheme with a few blue accents.

The walls are Georgian Green from Benjamin Moore. Like the hues of pink I am suggesting this color is quite neutral. The bed linens and window treatments are a mix of pink, green, tan/brown floral, check and print fabrics plus a touch of blue.

Julie has combined new and vintage items and many hues of each color. This approach has given the room charm and interest that wouldn’t be achieved if all of the furniture, fabrics and accessories were the same style or matched exactly.

I love the touch of blue and Julie said that she likes to always add a bit of blue to every girls room. You can see how she has added the blue in with the mirror, shelf, and in the plaid of the throw.

Jill I hope these suggestions spark your imagination. You are so creative that I feel certain that Madison (and I) will love whatever you decide on.

***Readers if you have other ideas or suggestions I welcome you to add them in the comments. I’m sure Jill would love to hear your thoughts too!***

Resources:

• Type in your zip code for a list of Pittsburgh Paint dealers near you.
• Type in your zip code for a list of Benjamin Moore dealers near you.
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.

Today’s color dilemma…

“We are moving into a new apartment soon, and I am creating an office and work room for the family, which includes two boys.

I want to pick an accent color that will be stimulating, but mentally stimulating, not physically stimulating. At first I thought I would use orange (with grey/beige/white) but I think that may be a mistake because orange is thought to stimulate appetite. Yellow? Red?

Or, should I keep their work area in their bedroom, which is indigo and a mossy/celeryish not dull not bright medium green – that’s the furniture, bedding, and the rug – walls aren’t painted yet.What do you think for an accent color for the work room, and would the boys be better off working in the room that is green and blue?

Many thanks.
-Wendi

Kate suggests…

You are on the right track by beginning with thinking about the functionality of the room and the mood you want to create.

The main color in you decorating scheme sets the mood of the room. Other colors are added that enhance that mood. The gray, tan and white color scheme you mention is a good choice for a family workspace and would go nicely with red or orange accents.

A color scheme of grey/beige/white can work well for kids too as shown in these two workspaces from Pottery Barn Kids

Yellow might be another good choice because it instills optimism and sparks creative thought.

Since an accent color generally occupies less than 30% of what is seen in a room it would not cause your boys to be more hyper plus red, orange and yellow all have the positive effect of being mentally stimulating.

A shared workspace becomes “family central” with spaces to display kids latest school work and keep track of activities.

You could set up their work area in the bedroom however if you have the ability to create a workspace that is shared with your kids this is what I would recommend. It gives you the ability to each be working independently yet be together, and allows you to keep an eye that they are actually working without having it seem as though you are checking up on them.

This solution would also allow you to keep their room focused on rest and relaxation rather than work. The color scheme you have chosen already is ideal for this because cool colors like blue and green have been known in color psychology to promote relaxation, which is why they are often a popular choice for bedrooms.

Architecture for beginners wall decals

If you want to allow your boys to help decorate their space a fun option would be wall decals like the ones shown here.

I hope you find these thoughts helpful as you decorate your new apartment. I’d enjoy seeing pictures of how it all comes together.

Resources:

• Wall decals available at kidsmodern.com
• Furniture and wall organizers from potterybarnkids.com
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.