3 Ideas to Inspire Great Interior Paint Colors
Well I just went through the fun and sometimes intimidating process of picking interior paint colors for my new home. I love color and I have been a graphic designer for years so I enjoying working with color.
When I started with the task of picking colors for my new house, I knew I wanted color. So first I started with a theme . I live in Southern California near the ocean and have chosen Beach-y - Tropical with a modern twist as my theme.
Second, I used things I collect for inspiration. I collect the vintage jadeite dishes that Martha Stewart has made so popular. So naturally when I discovered that Martha Stewart had a paint color called Jadeite I knew that would be one of my colors.
Lastly, I chose something I really enjoy which is beach glass. I can spend hours scouring the sand for beach glass and it always feels like a tiny piece of treasure from the sea. So I thought beach glass is it. I love the muted soft colors, and it tied in with my theme and it went well with jadeite and beachglass comes in a variety of colors.
You can see for yourself how my choice of paint colors turned out here at my blog http://californiahouse.blogspot.com/
One last note: I am an observer and I am also always noticing things, one thing I always take in, is wall color and treatments and how it makes you feel. I was staying at a hotel in Atlanta a few years back and the dining room of the Hotel restaurant was painted this fabulous green and I thought to myself. Just ask someone maybe they happen to know what color it is. So I asked my waiter and a few minutes later the Hotel Maintenance Engineer appeared at my table with a note with Paint maker and color, lesson learned if you see something great somewhere it never hurts to ask.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Thanks for the great post, Alicia!
I love the beach glass! Those are the colors I think of when I dream of California (I’m in cold Toronto! - and it’s all white here, now.)
Keep up the great work!
July 17th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
We just spoke with a friend about colors for her CA kitchen as well. One of the pointers that Architect Bill Hirsch, author of Designing your Perfect House: Lessons from an Architect, made to us, was that when looking for a color scheme, be sure to stay with colors that are similar hues–stay cool, or warm. My friend wanted to use light blue with tans, and was havin trouble getting them to blend. We made sure that they all had a hint of yellow, and then they were warm and soft and in harmony.