Color or No Color?

Luxe Magazine asked me to answer a few questions that might be of interest to you.  I will let you know when the issue is available on the stands. 

Why do bright colors tend to generate positive responses?

Color does evoke emotional responses. A monochromatic room in muted colors feels serene and calm. Punches of bright colors add interest and drama to a room, and when you have an entire room painted or designed with bright colors, it does stimulate the opposite emotional response. Blues, greens and violets are cool, soothing and relaxing.  We think of reds, yellows and oranges as exciting, happy, passionate and bold. The brighter colors usually have less black and white mixed in to make the color, and are more pure. Black is the absence of color and white is all colors.  An interesting side note (discussed in design classes a few years ago), some prisons use pink to keep prisoners calmer.

Why do you think that black & white color combinations are making a comeback? What types of designs are they popular with today and why?

All trends go in cycles, so it is inevitable that some of these classic combinations repeat themselves. The style trends today are toward clean and modern. Black and white provide a great neutral base for other colors that are popular. If you start with a great neutral, just changing the accent palette can totally change the appearance of a space. You can create any style of room around these two basics.

What type of impact does a monochromatic room make?

Monochromatic colors in a narrow value (little variation in darkness or lightness) tend to be thought of as serene and calm – some might say boring. If the intent is to showcase great art, this is a perfect backdrop for most types of art.  The starting point for design should start with the focal point of the room or space.  Modern art can go either way, so it depends on the individual pieces.

If you want to create a monochromatic room are there any rules that apply, or certain elements to incorporate to create a uniform look?

Here is one rule that could apply to monochromatic schemes – the shades of the color should be of the same hue. In this case, the colors are altered by adding white and black. Texture becomes very important in monochromatic rooms. Fabrics are a great way to create a visual texture and can include opposite tactile responses such as smooth vs. rough. Using fabrics such as mohair for the sofa with silk pillows creates a luxurious result. Also, matte as opposed to sheen also add to the interest of the space. Monochromatic schemes allow the viewer to discover the subtle nuances of the design.

What are the best colors to use in monochromatic rooms? There really aren’t best colors to use. It is really up to individual preference and it depends on the result that you want to achieve.How can you use one main color in a space and incorporate different hues of that shade to create depth? Should you add in other colors with accents and details? If so, how?

Using one main color is always a good starting point for a scheme. What you add to the main color depends on the direction you want to go with a scheme. Take care not to add too many hues or colors, it detracts from the composition. If you think about the color wheel, you can use two opposite colors such as red and green to create visual interest. These colors can be tempered with a mixture of white and or black. They can also be altered by adding a touch of the adjacent color on the wheel. For instance, you could use red with a touch of blue or yellow. Some designers use the 60/30/10 rule – 60% main color, 30% secondary and 10% accent.  Being a rebel, I rarely follow the rules except for the Golden Mean.

How should you treat the ceiling in monochromatic rooms? Are there any special treatments that you prefer that give an extra punch of drama?

Ceilings are very important and often overlooked in design. White has been the standard for years since it is easy, reflective, and “goes with everything.” Boring! It is great to see visual interest added through color. If you use a dark color on the ceiling, it will feel heavy and the ceilings will appear lower. If you use lighter colors, the ceiling will appear higher. I like to use 1/4 to 1/2 of the wall color on the ceiling to tie the room together.  I have also used textural paints such as Lusterstone and murals.  Moldings to define the ceiling are also a nice touch in more traditional homes.  You can use those to separate colors.  You can add different shades in stepped or tray ceilings to create some interest.

When most people think of a typical monochromatic colored room, what color do they tend to think of?  Why? If you wanted to break the mold what are some other colors to use?

Builder beige is what comes to mind as a standard for monochromatic rooms. Greens, blues and grays work well for monochromatic schemes although they might feel cool to most people. Shades of white are extremely hard to maintain for most people and tend to feel more pristine and less welcoming.

The new color palettes are incorporating global design influences. Some of the acid greens and cinnabar to deep red colors are interesting and could be used as accents in many design styles. With the trendier colors, it is best to use those as accents if you want your home to feel current. The trends change so quickly that as soon as you see a palette in fashion magazines, it almost appears concurrently in home furnishings, and we all know how quickly fashion changes.