paint color guide from tiffany brooks

Favorite Paint Colors & Schemes

A designer’s guide to selecting paint colors for your home

By Tiffany Brooks of You and Your Decor

Copyright © 2012 Tiffany Brooks - You and Your Decor - All Rights Reserved


What color calms you?

What color depresses you? What color excites you?

What colors were in your childhood home?

What color gives you a belly ache?

What color would you like to try, but are afraid to?

What color are your favorite flowers?

Name 5 Favorite colors:

Name 3 least favorite colors:

These questions should give you a great idea on the color direction to focus on, and avoid, in your home

My all time most asked question as a designer is “What color should I paint my room?” “To answer that question is to ask a different version of it.”

QUIZ: WHAT’S YOUR COLOR PERSONALITY?

What color is most prominent in your wardrobe?


Quiz: What’s your color personality?Color is the most prominent tool that designers use when styling a room. Color alone can set the mood, temperature, and communicate the overall theme of the room. It is the easiest for our eyes to notice. With such a powerful tool as the color selection, it is no wonder that it can be so intimidating. Below are worksheets to help you associate colors with your desired mood for your home. You will use this to confidently select your color palette.

BrightBold

Medium in brightness

Mellow

Subdued

LightMedium

Dark

Warm (red, yellow)Cool (Blue, Green)

Neutral (beige, gray)

Yellow TURQUOISE PUMPKINRED CORAL OLIVEBLUE YELLOW-GREEN RUSTORANGE GOLD BROWNGREEN MAROON PALE YELLOWVIOLET NAVY BLUE TEALLEMON MAUVE PEACHPINK LIME BEIGESKY BLUE ORCHID GRAYAQUA BLACK GRAY GREENMELON WHITE OTHER

Write up to 4 descriptive words that you associate with each color type to the right of the word. Then, circle the color types that you prefer.

Write “Love” or “Hate” “Indifferent” in the empty boxes next to the colors below.

List any color combos that you love.


Write down how these particular saturated colors make you feel at the first sight of them. You could also describe a memory associated with the colors as well. This could be used as valuable clue when selecting a necessary ‘pop’ or accent color.


My 20 No Fail Colors “These colors are the ace in my back pocket. These are my version of neutrals by Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball that I use these in 90% of the spaces I design.”

Benjamin MooreGrand Hills Gold #229

Benjamin MooreAshley Gray HC-87

Benjamin MooreBranchport Brown HC-72

Benjamin MooreBrewster Gray HC 162

Benjamin MooreDavenport Tan AF-76

Benjamin MooreGray Owl OC-52

Benjamin MooreLinen White 912

Benjamin MooreLookout Point 1646

Benjamin MooreNorthampton Putty HC-89

Benjamin MooreRust 2175-30

Benjamin MooreSilken Pine 2144-41

Benjamin MooreSmoke 2122-40

Benjamin MooreSoft Fern 2144-40

Benjamin MooreNantucket Fog AC-22

Farrow & BallConforth White #228

Farrow & BallLight Blue #22

Farrow & BallOff Black

Farrow & BallStrong White #2001

Benjamin MooreTrout Gray 2124-20

Benjamin MooreRevere Pewter HC-172


Cream + Black & White + Leather + Grand Hills Gold =

Coral + Navy + Off White + Smoke =

Olive + Natural + Tangerine + Trout Gray =

Color Schemes at WorkUsing my favorite colors as a base, I have layered some other some room elements such as fabric

colors, and accents to create a scheme. I typically use three to four differing hues to use in a space.


Color Schemes at WorkUsing my favorite colors as a base, I have layered some other some room elements such as fabric

colors, and accents to create a scheme. I use three to four differing hues to use in a space.

Light Blue + Light Green + Mustard + Off Black Gray =

Dark Woods + Honey/Golds + Navy + Rust =

Ivory + Honey & Lavender + Pale Pink + Gray Owl =

Final notes on color.... Keep the (color) Flow.When designing an entire space try to create a consistent flow of color. To create that flow select a color that you are using in an adjoining space and use in it the connecting space in another way or volume. For example, if you have painted your walls in the living room a soft blue, reupholster your dining chairs in that hue.

Try on Colors Like Clothing. When selecting paint colors for your walls and ceiling, make sire to paint large swatches on your walls. Make sure you take a look at them in varying lighting, sun exposures, and with your selected fabric and accessories. I have my clients live with the colors on the walls for no less than a week before making a decision.

When In Doubt: Use the 60-30-10 Rule. As you decorate (in terms of color) think 60-30-10. Take a look at some rooms in magazines. You'll notice that

the rooms you like the most are almost invariably divided into percentages of 60-30-10. No clue why this formulation works, but it’s always is on point. The 60 percent is the majority, the main character.The 30 percent

provides visual interest and the 10 percent, the jewelry, provides that little bit of a jolt. I try to keep black and white separate from this equation.

Never Select Color in an Empty Room.You must have a base or inspiration to pull from. Get out, see the world, and get colorfully inspired. If you

cannot pull inspiration from your environment, then pull it from a striking piece of art, upholstery, bedding, etc.

Pull Tons of Swatches. At the paint store I pull any swatch that I give a second look to,

Then I narrow it down by my starting piece, muse, or other inspiration that I have gathered. After I narrow them down to four or five hues, I then narrow my selections down tonally as well.

Your Selections Should Verbalize your style. Colors have a language and stir feelings on their own. For example pale blues and greens mixed with tans often translate into a ‘beachy’, quiet, and serene in feeling. While pale pinks and corals give off a romantic or feminine

quality.

“Remember, color is the most influential tool a designer has in their tool kit. You should be fearless with this tool.” - Tiffany Brooks

Many Blessings!


paint color guide from tiffany brooks

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