interior decoration

Putting decorating color palettes together may seem like it's out of your league but you match colors everyday without even thinking about it. Use the same principles for decorating that you do for applying cosmetics, arranging flowers, or putting a plate of food together.

Spices use bright colors that are still subdued enough that they won't overwhelm a room. These are earth tones with punch. Warmer colors can inspire creativity and appetite so use a spice inspired color palette in a kitchen or office. Cayenne pepper may be the perfect color for a vase while you can tone down the walls with a more subtle nutmeg.

Natural color palettes bring the outdoors in. Think of the color of a rose or tree but then reverse the color palette so it isn't too literal. When you think of a rose the first impression you have may be to paint the walls pink. Roses also have plenty of cream in the petals and green stems. Keep the more obvious colors to a minimum like using floral accents on the curtains. Paint the walls green and pair it with white furniture. You can also find unusual color inspirations in nature like a stalk of wheat that you can use as art work in a neutral room full of peach and taupe.

Each time period has its own specific color palette. For a funky 1980's inspired room try putting green and purple together. A vintage kitchen would focus on black and white. Orange and avocado green invoke the 1970s. You can modernize the color palettes by adding plenty of white, chocolate brown or black to the design. The use of neutral colors is part of contemporary design that will freshen up the look while still giving an air of nostalgia.

One of the easiest ways to pick a color palette is to choose one color and pair it with black and white. This is a no fail color scheme. You could have a room with blue walls, black wood pieces, and white accessories. You could also change it up to any combination such as a blue couch, white accents, and black walls for a modern room. Each decorating color palette will have a variety of moods depending on the depth of color you use. For instance blue can be country, nautical, masculine or perfectly suited for a boy.

When picking a decorating color palette it may be helpful to veer away from typical paint swatches. Gather items around your home or from your closet that you like. They don't have to be decorating items pick up a piece of jewelry or shoes. Making a grouping of your favorite things lets you see which colors repeat over and over to give you a clue when decorating.