Color Idea Book

We all know that when it comes to room transformation one of the quickest ways to make a large impact is a change in color. What you may not know is that color is rarely straightforward. What impact does a room's lighting have on color? How can furniture shape or fabric texture affect color? Any chrome or brass accents in the room? Are the walls textured? And watch out for those deceptively simple neutrals...

The Color Idea Book teaches you the nuances in playing with color and inspires and encourages you to experiment with color in your home. Trust designer Robin Strangis to steer you around "colorful" pitfalls while you go full speed ahead toward achieving exactly the results you desire!

• Part of Taunton's best-selling Idea Book series
• 265 fabulous photos showing color's impact on rooms of every style
• Takes you far beyond walls to trim, furniture, floors, fabrics, accessories
• Helps you clearly visualize how a color will look in a room...manipulate space using color...blend and contrast colors successfully
• Color Basics and Adding Color chapters arm you with all you need to know about working with color
• Color your world, chapter-by-chapter! Pick your favorite, explore the color's many hues, moods, exciting possibilities for your home
• Inspiring sidebar features throughout such as "Mood Makers" and "Color Schemes That Work"
  
  

"While we can't do much about the color that Mother Nature imparts on our world, we can use color to reflect our personality and communicate the feeling we want a room to convey -- relaxing, energetic, fun, whimsical. But there are many things that influence the color we see..."

About the author
Interior designer Robin Strangis writes a popular column for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Robin owns Loring Interiors in Minneapolis where she and her family also make their colorful home.

Introduction 2

Chapter 1
Color Basics 4
The Effects of Light on Color 6
The Influences of Surfaces, Pattern, and Texture 10
Deciphering the Color Wheel 12
Color Attributes 14
Color and Mood 16

Chapter 2
Adding Color to Your Home 20
Finding Inspiration 22
Taking Inventory 26
Creating a Color Scheme 28
Linking Rooms with Color 32

Chapter 3
Green 36
Classic 40
Earthy 42
Bright 46
Subtle and Sophisticated 50
Fresh 52

Chapter 4
Blue 54
Classic 58
Bold and Bright 64
Soothing and Peaceful 68
Fresh and Clean 70
Sophisticated 72

Chapter 5
Purple 76
Bold and Adventurous 78
Sophisticated 86
Understated 88

Chapter 6
Red 90
Bold and Daring 94
Classic 98
Sophisticated 100
Fun and Bright 104

Chapter 7
Pink 110
Soft and Sweet 112
Sophisticated 116
Strong and Vibrant 120

Chapter 8
Oranges 128
Bold and Bright 132
Toned and Sophisticated 134
Fun and Funky 138
Classic and Conservative 140

Chapter 9
Yellow 142
Sunny and Sophisticated 146
Earthy 148
Classic and Traditional 150
Strong and Bold 154
Fresh 156

Chapter 10
Neutrals 158
White 162
Gray 164
Beige 168
Brown 174
Black 180

Credits 182

My fascination with color began early on. My mother was an artist, and I spent hours watching her mix dabs of paint on her well-worn artist's palette. She painted and sketched hundreds of landscapes of Lake Harriet and areas in and around Minneapolis, each one completely different depending on the time of day and the season. The cool, blue-gray scenes she painted during the snowy, winter months made me feel sad and cold. I knew then that somehow I felt happier when the warm yellows and vibrant greens of spring appeared in her paintings. I realized at that young age that different colors can create different moods and that certain combinations of colors felt right while others didn't.

I studied my mother's art books and loved looking at the colors of the Impressionists, but especially loved the way the ancient Egyptians used color in their jewelry and on their furniture. From the dark, mysterious paintings of the Renaissance masters to the contemporaries like Alexander Kinsky, Picasso, and Cézanne, I fell in love with color, art, and design.

Though my artistic abilities may be limited, I was fortunate enough to inherit the creative ingredients from growing up in a home with an artist for a mother and an uncle and grandfather who were architects. It all resulted in my becoming an interior designer. I've seen color trends come and go, furniture styles get reborn into the latest trendy designs, and home furnishing prices go sky-high, but one thing remains-color impacts our lives in many different ways, and it can create a home you feel proud of and welcome in.

If you're like most people, you probably feel like you don't know how to add color to your home. But don't shortchange yourself! Instead of leaving the decision up to your neighbor, or the salesman in the paint department at your local home center, take the information in this book and learn how to make good color choices. It may take some experimenting, but the end result, including the satisfaction of putting your mark on your home, will be well worth it.