Two-tone color adds depth
Looking to redefine your living space? Longing for a splash of color? Intrigued by the different ideas you see on home decorating shows or in your friends' houses? Here are some cool living room paint ideas to help you maximize the potential of the space you have and the world of fresh new paint colors at your disposal.
Deciding on Creative Paint Colors
You don't have to embrace the outrageous to choose cool paint for your living room. Sometimes, the embodiment of a cool painting idea lies in the execution, rather than in choosing the brightest or most unusual colors available. Leaf through magazines and flip through home and garden channels on TV; it will help you get an idea for what you like.
If you already have a specific color scheme in mind, think about ways you could put a creative new twist on it. If you like yellow, and know you want your space to embrace a yellow theme, consider a two-tone scheme of darker yellow and a lighter yellow. (Choose two tones from a "paint card" of related colors available at the paint supply store, to avoid unintentional clashes.) Or choose two completely different, but complementary, tones such as yellow and white, or yellow and blue. Consider how colors affect your mood when choosing your paint. Do bright colors cheer you up, or make you anxious? Do dark colors bring out the best in you, or just bring you down? Bring home paint chips and tape them to the walls to get a better idea of the results of painting with the colors you consider. Use of bold colors is far more common today than in years past, so don't be shy when making your selection.
The "How-To"s of Cool Colors
Once you've decided on your theme, think about how you'll achieve it. Do you need to choose a contrasting or complementary color for a fireplace, an accent wall, an odd "caddycorner" or asymmetrical piece of drywall?
Consider investing a few dollars in a color wheel (just like the ones you used in grade school art class). Complementary colors, such as yellow and purple, and "split complements," such as yellow and blue, lie across from each other on the wheel. Using the visual layout of complementary colors can help you make selections that are more pleasing to the eye.
Want to use a bright or unusual color, but don't want to be overwhelmed? Consider painting two facing walls one color, and the two remaining walls white or black. This will make the room feel either larger or smaller, so choose your accent tone depending upon whether the room is on the small side or a sprawling space that needs to be reigned in.
Don't forget the ceiling. High above eye level, the ceiling can be a good place to express the more adventurous side of your chosen color palate. A more subdued wall color can easily be livened up using a bright shade for the ceiling. Be sure to include flooring in the equation--avoid choosing colors that will clash with bright or drab carpet. If you're refinishing the floor, too, then choose the new flooring as part of the entire picture (and don't forget to wait on this project until last, to avoid paint spills on new flooring).
If variations on traditional painting methods just aren't enough, consider a mural or a hand-painted image on one or more walls. If you're brave enough to designate your walls as your own (or a friend's) canvas, the sky is the limit when it comes to defining the cool look for your living room.
Acheiving the Overall Effect
Don't forget the details. If your living room is graced with crown molding, mopboards, decorative trim or other accent work, use this to your advantage when choosing paint. Pick a shade that accentuates your main color choice(s) and makes the wall color pop. If you've chosen a flat wall paint, take into consideration whether you want to use glossy or flat paint on the trim. Don't choose accent colors that will clash with your decor, furniture, carpet or accessories. Again, use color cards to help you envision the final effect, and have fun creating your new living room.
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