Cheerful Color Combinations - First Installment

                   

With all of the uncertainty out there, one thing's for sure—you can wash away the blues with a fresh coat of paint! We've all been feeling down about the economy, and many of us are hunkering into uber-nesting mode. Now that it’s spring (thank goodness!), it's only natural to want to revitalize ourselves and our homes.  Why not let color lift your spirits?

Reaction to color is very personal. One person's joy is another person's headache. Some of us liven up around bright crisp colors, while others are comforted by soothing muted tones.

Keeping both of these groups in mind, I've put together two directions of color combinations that will hopefully address these mindsets. In this first installment, I include bold, bright and vivacious colors that are considered happy and cheerful. Later, I will explore more subtle color combinations.

When searching for bold colors, look for clean and clear hues that aren't complicated with browns or greys. Once you have your selection on the walls, bring in more complex colors to give visual balance. Let's start with a few of my favorite combinations:

Orange and Pink
I have loved this combination since I was a little girl. It reminds me of sunshine, oranges, flowers, fruit juice and candy—all things I love. I used to have an orange shag carpet, white walls and pink trim and I totally loved it. These days, however, I would rethink the approach. 

To play these colors right, you can go in two directions. You could saturate the room with both colors and add structural elements of a cool neutral like grey to hold it all together. The other direction is to paint the entire room a warm ivory and have punches of orange and pink throughout.  Again, I would add either silver or gray to off-set the warmth of the saturated colors.

I recommend Orange Toffee with Flower Girl, balanced with a tan like Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford.

                                                
                Orange Toffee 2007-1C                      Flower Girl 1005-1C

                                          
                              Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford 3007-10C

Yellow and Grey
Anther blues-busting combination that is totally hot right now is yellow and grey.  Yellow is a funny color. I used to dislike it immensely, but there's something contagious about it—now it makes me giggle! It's light-hearted, warm and inviting and when played right, very sophisticated.  When pairing it with grey, yellow plays the role of the star and grey as the supporting actor. I recommend yellow walls, light grey trim, and white accents like Tangy Lemon with Orchid Ash.

                                    
               Tangy Lemon 3006-2A                   Orchid Ash 4003-3B

Blue and Green
Light blue and citrus green is another mood-enhancing color combination. It reminds me of the beach. Try a clear blue with a hint of purple and a green with a healthy amount of yellow. These colors look great in many different rooms. In a kitchen, for example, I would paint the walls blue and the cabinets white. Then I would add accent fabrics that add the green. 

Another great way to combine these colors is to paint stripes with them. They lend themselves well to this treatment because they are both harmonious and cool.

Try Garden Fresh and Dewdrop.

                                   
              Garden Fresh 6008-7B                     Dewdrop 4006-7A

Here's an expanded collection of these bold bright beauties:

Greens
Gleeful 6008-7B
Garden Fresh
Lime Mousse 6008-9B

  
  Garden Fresh 6008-7B


Blues
Dewdrop 4006-7A
Encounter

  
    Encounter 4008-7B


Yellows
Lemon Twist
Like Butter 3005-2A

  
  Lemon Twist 3006-2B


Oranges
Cantaloupe Smile
Autumn Gala 2004-1A

  
Cantaloupe Smile 2007-2A


Pinks
Flower Girl 1005-1C
Pink Ribbon

  
   Pink Ribbon 1005-1C


Purples
Whipped Plum 4002-9B
Lavender Quartz

  
Lavender Quartz 4001-9C

This has been one of the most enjoyable blogs to write. Just thinking about these makes me happy. I can't wait to get some of them onto the walls!

Check back for part II of this blog entry and in the meantime, let us know what colors cheer you up!

Also, please don't forget to take our Color Buzz Poll mini survey and let us know what room in the house you would paint today!