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DecoDreams
Your Guide to Creating Beautiful Spaces, FAST!
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August 18, 2003
Issue #009
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THE MISSION...DecoDreams is the home-decorating-made-
easy.com e-zine that delivers interior decorating tips, ideas, and solutions to enhance all rooms of your home. Staying on top of what's hot in decorating has never been so easy or fun!
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DON'T FORGET Your Friends!...If you like DecoDreams, please do a friend and me a huge favor and "pass it along"...
...or ask them to subscribe by visiting
Home Decorating Made Easy.com
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***********************ACKNOWLEDGEMENT********************
Diversity of creative ideas has always been the hallmark of home decorating. That's why I've asked designer, artist, educator and writer, Marney Makridakis, to share her own unique brand of decorating advice in our "Ask the Decorator" column. I think you'll enjoy her wit and original insights.
Submit your questions to Marney by clicking here.
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> TABLE OF CONTENTS
o Featured Article
1) Finally, Color Made Easy!
o Turning Ideas Into Action!
1) Ask the Decorator
- Marney Makridakis, The DecoDiva, Answers Your Questions About Using Color In Your Home
o Today's Quote
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Hi,
Just the other day, I was reviewing the types of questions that readers have submitted to us over the last three or four month.
Can you guess which topic was at the top of the list?
Color!
So many people wanted to know which color(s) would work best in specific rooms and how color can be used to achieve a certain mood or feeling.
I think color is a great way to dress up a room and give it a splash of excitement and interest. In fact, when it comes to redecorating a room, you won't find a better bang for your buck than painting your walls.
So, I say go for it!
And use the color suggestions in our feature article to turn your rooms into the warm, inviting oases you've dreamed about!
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FEATURED ARTICLE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Finally, Color Made Easy!
I've found that many people submit questions on the Home-decorating-made-easy.com Web site concerning selecting a color scheme for their décor.
While it may seem daunting, creating a color scheme is a simple step-by-step process. The trick is to not get overwhelmed.
It all starts with the key color, which is the main color around which a complete scheme is created. Believe it or not, the key color is actually the toughest one to pick.
This article will share some little-known facts about the emotional effects of color that may inspire you to see your home in a new light.
Obviously, you want your key color to be a color that is pleasing to you and other household members. But did you know that you can select a color that will actually support your personal and family goals?
Here's what I mean: colors have a surprisingly dramatic impact on the way we think, feel, and act.
Research has shown that specific colors can even treat medical conditions. With a bit of color knowledge, you can actually influence the way your family acts and interacts by selecting your key color strategically.
Colors can be divided into two groups - warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors (blue, green, violet). There are a few general factors that characterize each group.
Warm colors are just that - warming. They add coziness and warmth to a room and generally stimulate the mind and emotions.
Cool colors create a peaceful atmosphere and bring about a sense of spaciousness and openness.
Now let's take a closer look at some specific colors and their effects on the mind, emotions, and body.
Red conveys passion and vibrancy. It stimulates the emotions and ignites a feeling of enthusiasm and vigor.
I suggest red in a formal dining room, or as a dramatic choice in a romantic, sultry bedroom. Dark red conveys wealth and sophistication, and is said to boost self-esteem.
Bright pink is a fun color that inspires playful conversation and a lively atmosphere. Pale pink is the most calming and soothing of the warm colors.
It promotes a sweet and joyful mood while relaxing the body on a deep level. Pinks are effective for bedrooms and casual rooms such as family rooms and breakfast nooks.
Orange stimulates both the mind and the appetite. For this reason, I suggest using shades of orange in kitchens, dining rooms, and offices. Since orange is such a "wake up" color, it's usually not a good choice for bedrooms.
Pale orange (peach) is calming and soothing and creates a warm, nurturing, maternal environment. It's a wonderful choice for children's bedrooms and family rooms.
Yellow is uplifting, invigorating, optimistic, and gives the sense of sunlight indoors. Studies have shown that yellow rooms are effective in aiding depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder.
If you live in a cold climate, I highly recommend trying out a yellow color scheme in a room that your family frequents. It's a great way to lift everyone's spirits. You're sure to see a difference.
Pale yellow is sweet and subtle, and invokes a spiritual mood. If you are hesitant to add a lot of color to your home, starting with a pale creamy yellow is a conservative way to break out of the neutral white walls.
Deeper yellows stimulate the intellect, enlivens the senses, and awakens the mind. For these reasons, I highly recommend yellow in kitchens and breakfast nooks, such as the one shown in this picture.
Blue is the most calming and peaceful color to use in your home.
Though shy baby blue, elegant aquamarine, and sultry navy are very different shades, they all relax the mind, promote deep breathing, and slow down the body.
Blue also promotes intimacy and introspection, which makes it a great choice for bedrooms or other rooms where you want to relax and connect with yourself or your loved ones.
Green is a relaxing, centering, balancing color. Because it is the most neutral color on the color wheel, our eyes adjust to it very easily, and it can work in any room to convey a natural, pleasing environment.
Green is said to heal headaches and reduce anxiety.
If your family has a hectic lifestyle, green will serve to balance mood swings and instability. Green is very versatile and can be used in any room, but because of its neutrality, only the deepest shades (forest, emerald) will create a successful dramatic and sophisticated look.
Finally, violet soothes the body and mind at a deep, spiritual level. Violet in any shade immediately sets people at ease, which makes it a wonderful choice for rooms in which you entertain guests.
Violet stirs creativity and imagination and therefore is a great choice for children's rooms, kitchens, and hobby rooms.
Once you've selected a key color, there are several ways to build up a scheme from there. If you'd like to learn more, our eBook, Awaken Your Interior Designer, walks you through each method, step by step, to ensure that you always get your colors right.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Ask the Decorator
DecoDiva, Marney Makridakis, Answers Your Question About Using Color In Your Home
1. QUESTION: I have a 9 1/2 by 10' third bedroom that I am turning in a relaxing/meditation/Yoga room and would like to know what color is best to use for the walls?
ANSWER: Violet is definitely the most spiritual color, known for its ability to calm us at the deepest level. Since the room is for relaxation, I'd suggest using a pale to medium violet shade to calm the senses. If the room does not get much natural light, add pale yellow to bring a sunny feeling into the room.
2. QUESTION: I was wondering if you had any suggestions of a color scheme for my husband's reception area. He is a chiropractor, and we want it to be an inviting and calming space. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
ANSWER: I'd suggest using a sage green as the main color of the room. This shade is inviting, and promotes a feeling of balance and well-being. Accents in a deep violet (such as a plum) will work with the green to make patients feel at ease and welcomed. The violet also brings about a feeling of professionalism, which will only make patients feel more secure and comfortable.
3. QUESTION: I have an old colonial house. I want to redecorate the sun porch, which is where you enter the house. It is a small porch, presently painted light green. What colors do you recommend I paint the walls to give a warm look?
ANSWER: As mentioned above, the "warm" colors are red, orange, and yellow. Since the sun porch is the entrance to your home, I'd suggest a member of the orange family, since it is the most welcoming, inviting, and social color. But don't worry - it needn't be a bright, flamboyant orange. You can get the same warm, inviting effect with pale orange shades, such as a medium pumpkin or crisp apricot tones.
4. QUESTION: I am looking for a nice warm, but bright color to make my new family room. We are converting our single car Garage into an extra living/family room. I want a warm color. I was questioning a salmon color, but not sure. Do you have an idea you can throw at me?
ANSWER: Salmon is a wonderful, warm color, but if you're questioning yourself, I always say "listen to your gut"! I love to use blue in family rooms for an overall sense of peace, order, freshness, and intimacy - perfect for gathering as a family. Yes, blue is technically a "cool" color, but certain shades can create a very cozy atmosphere.
For example, blue-green jewel tones have a vibrancy to them that can actually add warmth to a sparse room. Add a warm accent color, such as mauve or maroon, to lift the tranquil color scheme for added energy.
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***************** TODAY'S QUOTE ***************************
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."
-Henry David Thoreau
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Wishing you all the best,
Michael J. Holland - President
Home Decorating Made Easy
Copyright © 2003
P.S. Don't forget your fr*ee chapters of Awaken Your Interior Designer. You'll get 72 pages, filled with lots of ideas and photos to put you on the right decorating path.Click here to download your copy right away
P.P.S. If you're thinking of starting a part-time or full-time business for crafts or home decorating, be sure to download our complimentary ebook called From Passion to Cash: How to Make Money With Your Passion of Crafts and Decorating. You'll find lots
of helpful ideas to get you going in the right direction. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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