Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Complementary Colors

Complementary colors beautifully finish almost any design plan

Use them for harmony and a sense of calm.

The old adage that opposites attract is often true; and especially in selecting the colors for decorating your home. Using opposite colors (also known as complementary colors) adds energy to a room, yet at the same time, makes us feel comfortable and complete.

Complementary colors are the shades that are opposite on a color wheel:

• Red and green

• Orange and blue

• Purple and yellow

Nature is full of complementary colors, such as dramatic red roses on stems with bright green leaves, delicate pansies with their purple and yellow color combination, and bright blue sky and sea positioned near golden sand.

For a more modern take on complementary colors, you can use shades that are not exactly across the color wheel, or you can be a bit creative with the complementary color concept. Think about innovative hues like:

• Sky blue and terra cotta

• Pink grapefruit and acid green

• Burnt orange and sage green

• Soft aqua blue and tomato red

If you feel cautious about adding complementary colors, start small with elements like a painted wall, sofa pillows, throws, flower arrangements or slip covers. Then, as you become more confident, you can ratchet up your color scheme with larger and more permanent items like upholstery fabrics and window fashions.

Balance your interior design plans beautifully by selecting complementary colors.

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Beachy

Creating a beach house feel will shore up your interior look.

The beach look is a casual, relaxing and fun addition to your home.

Have you always wanted a beach house even though you don’t live anywhere near a body of water? Or maybe you already live near the water and want to make your home look more like a beach house?

Either way you can create a relaxing, fun interior that looks like it belongs near the beach.

Beach design colors can be vibrant and tropical, calm and neutral, or nautical blue and white. Even aqua and white or orange and white can create a beach feel. Or you can use lots of beiges and light blues to reflect the colors of the sand and sky.

Pale-colored woods for floors, furniture or walls reinforce a light and casual theme. Furniture or storage units can be made from lobster traps or salvaged wood from boats or piers. Rattan, wicker or bamboo furniture also brings a beach vibe, as do rag rugs. Driftwood can be displayed as an art object or used as a table base.

Here are some specific decorating ideas to create a beach house feel:

• Purchase translucent window fashions to let in lots of light, and use artificial lighting that’s bright and warm.

• Add touches from the sea, such as coral and shells made into lamps, chandeliers, boxes and decorative items.

• Install boat fittings in your kitchen or bath, such as hinges, lanterns and pulls.

• Use fabrics, throws, pillows, table linens and bed linens with beach motifs, palm trees, surfers and boats.

• Add artwork that depicts the sea, birds, fish or surfers.

• You can even display a real boat in your house!! Or a model of a boat.

Sail into a new interior look with a beach theme. You'll feel like you live by the shore every day.