How to pick accessories and décor colours.

Did you know that interior designers use a simple trick when they are coordinating décor in the rooms they design? Often, their cues come from artwork. For example, let’s take the gorgeous sunrise artwork below.

Designers take a prominent item that will be displayed in the room. This is often a painting, a spectacular photograph or sometimes even a textile such as a tapestry or an antique rug. The first stage is to select the colours for the walls, floor and ceiling.

Most designers will choose five base colours and one or two ‘pops’.

Here are the Sherwin Williams paint colours that are picked out of the artwork. Different designers and home owners will decide for themselves how to use these colours in the room. There are many possibilities.

For example, some people might choose to use the first blue (Blue Beyond) on the walls and Tea Light as the paint for their ceiling. The deeper shade of blue would be lovely for an accent wall or for the fabric for upholstered pieces, such as the sofa. The purple is ideal for pillows on the seating and the deep charcoal grey could be used in accessories such as ceramic candlesticks, a rug or a beautifully-shaped vase. Instant coordination.

I would use the deep orange colour (seen just above the horizon) as pops of colour throughout the room – maybe a throw that is casually draped over the back of the sofa or fresh flowers. The stylish vases you see here are from Design Within Reach.

Other people would choose to use the colours in different ways and different proportions, depending on their personal taste but coordination can be guaranteed.

Sometimes you might be lucky enough to find accessories that incorporate the colours you have selected. The  George Nelson clock you see here is just perfect with our sunrise colours.

The Ball Clock is an iconic piece, having been designed in 1949 by George Nelson and manufactured by the Miller Furniture Group. You can see more information (and more clocks and other mid century modern designs) right here.

The one you see on the right is an authentic Nelson / Miller clock but reproduction versions are available on Amazon at bargain prices.

But of course, first you’ll need the artwork  The sunrise is an incredibly popular subject – depicting as it does the start of a new day, full of promise and potential. Recent studies (August 2015) have proved conclusively what many people have been saying for many years; that interacting with nature can lower blood pressure and stress levels. Not everyone can experience the day dawning at first hand, so sunrise artwork is the next best thing.

See more sunrise artwork here. Price start at only $16 for unframed prints and there is a huge range of framing options available too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackie Jackson, also known online as BritFlorida, is a highly experienced designer and writer. British born and now living in the USA, she specialises in lifestyle issues, design and quirky stories. You can see a wide range of articles here, or visit her website Tastes Magazine. See The Writer’s Door for more information.