Thinking Outside the Box with Color Design

May 27, 2014 - At Home, Blog - Comments: 
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This is our "recycled wine bottle wall," all lit up at the base of our deck/patio stairs.
This is our “recycled wine bottle wall,” all lit up at the base of our deck/patio stairs.

When I was asked to be part of the West Sound Home & Garden’s blog, I was honored and grateful for the opportunity. I’d like to make my contribution a bit less broad-spectrum, and a lot more personal.

So I’m going to open up my home and share some of my journey as “an artist of interiors” — which will absolutely include the exterior of our home as well.

We’ve always got projects underway, and I’m looking forward to inspiring you to also “think outside the box” with regards to your own home.

Color is an individual choice — some people love bold colors while others feel better with simple palettes.
Color is an individual choice — some people love bold colors while others feel better with simple palettes.

Having both an interior design degree as well as a studio art degree, I am inspired by and gain energy from “creating” in three-dimensions. I love to “sculpt” a space with the use of color, and I love to “compose” vignettes, merging found objects with family heirlooms. Layering these two components gives me great joy!

I have found that there are certain personalities (like mine) who gain energy from objects, but that other psyches become strained with the overwhelming task of maintaining them.

Thinking Outside the Box with Color DesignHere are a few simple rules of thumb when creating a composition for a mantle, a shelf or a tabletop. Whether you prefer a simple design or a more complex one, these will help:

  • Think in terms of prime numbers. When I suggest that, people always say, “Yes — three, right?” And while 3 is a prime number, it’s not the only one. 2 is also a prime number, as well as 5, 7, 11, etc. You get the idea.
  • Try (as hard as you can!) not to always place objects symmetrically. I refer to this train of thought as “placing bookmarks,” and it usually is with unmatched objects. Asymmetry is as strong a composition “tool” as symmetry, but it’s much easier to “live” with this type of mathematical layout.
  • Group only the objects that give “positive energy” back to you. This is very important! Some objects trigger positive emotions, while others seem to suck the energy and oxygen out of the room. Only you will know what items have importance in your home.
  • Experiment and have fun! This says it all.

Thinking Outside the Box with Color DesignI’ve also found that there are certain personalities (like mine) who gain energy from bold layering of color, while other psyches need more simple color palettes to recharge themselves.

This is why when asked about my own home, my response is usually, “I absolutely love my home, but it’s probably not at all what you might think it would be.”

Thinking Outside the Box with Color DesignColor is such a personal statement. Each of us is drawn to color in different ways and for different reasons. So, when I come out to my clients’ home for a color consultation, it’s very personal and very specific to who they are and what their architectural space requires.

All of our homes are extensions of “who we are,” as well as “who we are becoming.” I want to empower each of my clients as well as my friends and family to be truthful with themselves. In doing so, it will then allow them the freedom to create the very personal and comfortable interiors that they truly feel at home within.

I’m looking forward to opening my home to you. I hope you’ll come along for the adventure!