Saturday, May 15, 2010

Pasty skin (and rooms) begone.

Today's weather was absolutely perfect for sunbathing. Like every other lady in America, my  #1 summer goal is to get a fantastic tan that leaves me with a healthy glow that's incredibly fresh looking. The same can go for a room with just a quick coat (or two) of the right brown. Similar to getting the perfect summer tan, painting a room brown can be a little bit tricky. However, if done right, you can create a luxurious, comfortable atmosphere that has the perfect balance of rich color and modern design. Here are some examples that provide excellent rules of thumb to help your room look fabulously fresh instead of a dark cave.

Brighten the space and offer a bit of a modern, sophisticated feeling by introducing white accessories to the walls. Try using plates, blank canvas tiles or pictures framed with large white mats to help break up the brown while maintaining a dramatic tone.
 
 photo courtesy of southern living

Add some depth to a wall using a monochromatic pattern. By painting a wall a rich brown and then adding an illustration, pattern or stripe to it that's 2-4 shades darker, helps to create a composition that mimics wallpaper without being completely overbearing. Lighten up the space by getting the darker brown color in a satin finish (it adds a reflective quality) or make the look more eclectic by adding some neon frames (without the picture or glass to let the pattern show through).
photo courtesy of flickr

Show off your antiques by making those walls disappear. By painting the walls a rich, dark brown, you begin to create a blank canvas within a room that will give your collectibles the spotlight. Similar to this photo, modernize the antiques by reupholstering the cushions with a crisp white. Finish the space with a jute rug to frame the space and prevent the antiques from looking as if they are drifting into a dark hole.

photo courtesy of bayou contessa

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