The Use of Color to Express Personality in Your Interior Design and Decorating

Nothing is more personal than color! Nothing expresses your personality with clearer or more unmistakable attraction than color. The primary and secondary colors are six in all, with three colors per category. The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. The secondary colors, which are combinations of the primary colors, are orange, green, and violet.

Color is a very deep and complex subject from the following the viewpoints: scientifically, emotionally, visually, spiritually, and intellectually. It touches every aspect of our lives with meaning and symbolism. Therefore, it is helpful to understand color and how it impacts your life. Your understanding of color does not have to be at the PhD level. Just a good, solid, basic understanding will do.

First and foremost, color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun. Therefore, color is how you light it! Color is perceived based on the source of light that is used to illuminate objects, and the way color is absorbed and reflected back to your eye.

Color can be described in three terms... Hue, Value, and Intensity.

Hue means the name of the color. Value means the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Intensity means how dull or vivid the color is.

Red suggests fire and blood. It is associated with activity, aggression, and passion. It is interesting to know that the aggressive and advancing quality of red makes a room in which it is used seem smaller in appearance.

Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the sun seems to give out. With light and warmth from the sun, we are cheered as well as made more light-hearted. Yellow in a room will produce similar feelings under normal conditions.

Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its' reactions are restraint, coolness, repose, and distance. By association, one thinks of a clear blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean.

Orange is always warm and advancing, as well as cheerful, vibrant, and glowing. To a lesser degree, orange has some of the effects of the colors red and yellow.

Green is the union of yellow and blue, and expresses the qualities of both. Nothing could be more restful, soothing, and agreeable than the cheering and cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see the practical application of this in decorative art and interiors. In a sense, it is almost a neutral, as it is a great backdrop color for any other color, as evidenced in nature.

Violet, or purple, historically has been the color of royalty, as well as a color that represents intelligence and creativity. It has the qualities of red and blue.

Incomplete as the above descriptions are, they're sufficient to establish the point that personal qualities or individual character traits can definitely be expressed in terms of color, or hue.

Value, the second attribute of color, is the quality of lightness or darkness of a color. It relates to a multi-step gray-scale; from white, through increasingly darker shades of gray, to black. A tint is a value lighter than a color's normal value. For example, pink is a tint of the color red. A shade is a value darker than a color's normal value. Maroon is a shade of the color red.

Intensity is the third quality of color. This aspect is the most important of all for a proper understanding of interior design and decoration. This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful a color tone is. Softer and less aggressive tones are called neutral or neutralized colors.

The most valuable question in using color decoratively is that which relates to the distribution and correct placing of neutralized colors in relation to the more intense ones. The biggest errors in the whole realm of color, used in interior decoration, are committed in this area. The following two major principles will clarify this matter for you:

    "Backgrounds should be less intense in color than objects that are to appear against them in any decorative way." What this means is that walls, ceilings, and floors must be less intense in color than hangings, upholstery, pictures, and other decorative aspects.
    "The larger the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area the more intense it may be." According to this principle, hangings and large rugs must normally be less intense in color than toss pillows, lampshades, decorative ceramics, and other accessories. These fundamental ideologies also apply to fashion. For example, for a man, a red necktie is more appealing than a red suit. For a woman, a red flower or ribbon is more decorative on a black stylish hat than a gray ribbon would be on a red hat.

Even the slightest attempt at using color discloses its' power to express your personality. With a little knowledge and wisdom, you can use it to your best advantage.

Interior Design and Decorating in Limited Urban Space

When new home owners try to picture out the interior design and decorating, they might cringe at the thought. Most people who can already afford their homes have set aside a budget for the interior design and decors but do not like the idea of having to plan and start the theme for their house. That is when the idea of hiring interior designers comes in handy especially when the owner has no background or idea of the right way to spice up their living space in the big metro.

The idea of limited space in urban homes is a reality. Most of these city houses have a few square feet spare for patios or small yards in the front or back. The idea of urbanized living space is to find a functional limited space and transform it into a chic but livable place for young professionals or starting couples. This can be challenging for lay persons who could only look at the confined area of small condos or apartments in the big city.

But with the development of decors that are affordable and easy to find, decorating your urban space can no longer be that of a hard work. Metal materials generally swamp decors sections in most shops since they are durable, malleable for easy designs, and look sophisticatedly modern. A great example would be metal wall clocks that can last for a long time, great in many interior designs, and modern pieces. Innovative décor companies also include organizer furniture and decors like the shoe rack and many others that can help your place more organized and spacious.

Cabinets and pantries are usually incorporated into the interior design of a room and seem to be concealed for the most part. The many compartments for the modern kitchen in most condos, for example, are placed underneath kitchen counters or overhead to strategically maximize the tight kitchen space. Good thing that most appliances are made in mini modes and are easily placed in small places around the kitchen. Targeting for a minimal but functional theme can truly help in maximizing the rest of the limited space in the condo or apartment units.

Getting the right kind of designer to do your design and décor can also be a great contributor for your urban zone revamp or start. Ask for recommendations from friends or families who have a great place to boast about and ignore the pricy tags of commended professionals who ask for too much for their service fees. Settle for a designer who can recommend lesser but not less creative alternative design schemes for your living space.

Remember that your living space and the interior design and decorating are essential to keep yourselves happy and calm in your own little private sanctuary. Couples should seriously consider the right designer to guide them in design and decors. Do not try to invest in novice designers who can disappoint you with too much enthusiasm and your place might end up looking like an art experiment. You must also stay clear of the most in demand designer to do your living space for you as they can end up doing too little for too much payment. Settle instead for someone who understands you concept and respect it no matter what.