Where to Look for Color Inspiration
May 5, 2011 
Irwin Weiner ASID - "Learning to look" is the heart of intelligent home interior design. Look around you for inspiration on everything from period furnishings to custom finishes - but today I'm waxing poetic about color inspiration. We've just discovered the new Thomas & Hudson book Scarves, and it's filled with over 200 vintage scarves that will give you loads of color ideas.
Grays Blog
Don't just zero-in on a specific color, although you can certainly single out a specific shade of orange and match it up with a paint swatch. Rather go for the fascinating combination of colors you find in scarves. Look at the predominant colors used - those would become your wall and floor colors with dominant upholstered pieces picking up the charge - and the secondary colors - accessories and color bursts and counterpoints throughout the room. Our featured video gives a good overview of colors and their psychological moods - yes, you can also pick color ranges for rooms based on how you feel, and we recommend our earlier article on How Can I Get a Handle on Color Schemes?
Here are some other likely suspects for color inspiration:
- Room stylings in shelter magazines show great color combinations
- Fashion store windows - Nordstrom, Bergdorf, Barney's - pop with exciting color combos
- Nature reveals classic colors to the eye - gardens, wildflowers, arboretums
- Versions of your favorite colors - "I love blue, but I'm leaning towards a greener blue or a more purply blue" (in other words, narrow down your preference for your favorite shades of blue, green, beige, etc.
- Movie room stylings usually do great color bursts and combos
- Big box stores like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel follow fashion, seasons, and decorating trends so look for color stories in displays
- Different countries tell different color stories, e.g. the whites and blues of Greece versus the browns and warm sandy colors of the Australian Outback
- Bright colors make a great counterpoint to gray, monotone schemes - look for English books, movies, and other Brit inspirations to find great color contrasts
Design2Share
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Featured Project: DIY Painted Headboard
Now is the perfect time to think about freshening up your interior space. With a splash of color here and a new piece of furniture there, it's easy to redecorate. Here's a quick, budget-conscious DIY design idea to help get you started.
Paint Your Own Headboard
Chances are if you if you purchased your bed frame as part of a bedroom set, the headboard is already included. If you don't want to put forth the extra cash, especially after paying for a pricey mattress, no problem! Painted headboards are a great way to add a pop of color to your bedroom.
Step 1: Measure the width of the head of your bed and mark it with blue painter's tape from floor to ceiling. Now, choose your color based on your desired color scheme. You obviously don't want it to be the same shade as your walls, but it should complement that color.
Step 2: Once you have your color, paint the wall, staying within the blue painters tape. Once the paint dries, if you choose to do so, you can detail with paint or with some removable wall decals from a company like Blik. For as little as $40, Blik makes easily removable wall decals in fun shapes like bookshelves, chandeliers, birds, etc. If this sounds like too much work, don't worry and leave your wall a solid color.
Step 3: Simply position your bed up against the painted wall, prop up some decorative Euro pillows in coordinating colors and patterns, and you have yourself a headboard. You might want to take this opportunity to invest in a new comforter or duvet in fun, light, spring colors. You'd be surprised at what a little bit of paint and some new bedding can do for your space!
Contemporary vanities and more at Decor Planet for your bathroom needs.
