“The Facilitator” is a color novice’s best friend. Find a piece of fabric or an art piece or a magazine ad that you like the colors of. You now have a road map of colors you know work together that you like, and in what proportions to use them. Once you have a few key signature colors, make sure to echo and repeat them in your home to create flow from room to room. Still nervous, start small- Think about your favorite pants you grab when you’re in a hurry to get out the door. These tend to be those black slacks, brown or gray tweeds, khakis and of course your favorite jeans. You wear these with everything. There is a reason for that- they are great neutrals that work with everything. When investing in long term large pieces like a sofas, carpets, tiles, large public spaces, stick to a neutral and experiment with pillows and accents that are flexible and can be changed with your mood or the season. It’s a great way to test drive a color to see what you can live with. With paint, when in doubt stay with subtle variations on a theme. Pick a paint strip from your local paint store and work your way up and down that strip. Another technique to maintain a depth of color. If you have a color fan deck handy pick one color and look left and right of that color. When in doubt always sample! Color shift depending on time of day, lighting choices and what is reflected through your windows. Push yourself, and when in doubt don’t wimp out and select the lighter color but choose the more neutralized color- you don’t want to end up with baby yellow or neon yellow when you’re looking for your room to glow yellow- a harvest neutralized yellow will satisfy your yellow fix and be the most versatile. However, allow yourself some color surprises that your can live with like inside closets, cupboards or limited areas like a shower floor. If you have questions re: using color and want to setup a consultation please contact me.