Unique Home Decorating -- An "imprecise" guide to building a room around color!

When introducing new colors into your home, there's a quick and easy way to find balanced color combinations without leaving your living room. Simply go online and use the color wheel!

Here's how...

Check out an online color wheel, such as this one here on http://www.colorschemedesigner.com/. Although this color wheel is for web designers, I love this handy tool and use it for selecting paint. Here's how it works...

First, select a color by clicking on the wheel. At the top of the page, you'll see the different selections of color schemes.

I'm going with a color scheme that uses three separate colors, called a "triadic" scheme. Once I've selected my main color, in this case a mustard yellow, I click the "triad" button at the top of the page. Now, I have three colors selected to work with. A yellow, a blue and a shade of red.


Now, instead of using all three equally, I vary them using a 60%, 30%, 10% ratio. This variation is very important for creating a balanced room.

Your selected color will cover 60% percent of the room, while the two complementary colors cover 30% (for one) and 10% for the other.

Putting the Room Together

When putting together a new room, I don't always follow these percentages precisely, rather I use them as more of a guide. I know which color to "lay on thick" and which colors to use sparingly with specific accent pieces.

So, shall we begin piecing together our room using the triadic color scheme? Let's start with the most prominent color, the yellow...

Yellow, 60%

Chair

Wall

Lamps


As you can see, the yellow to covers 60% of the room in a variety of ways: the walls, a chair and the lamps.

Now it's time to bring in our complimentary shade, starting with the lighter blue shade provided by the color wheel. Therefore, I've selected the furniture below...

Blue, 30%


Couch

Tables:

To finalize, we end with the last complementary color... a shade of red.

Red, 10%

Fire Place Screen


Vase

This final touch of red is just that... a "touch". Nothing more. Keep the 10% factor in mind when adding in this final color to avoid an over-stimulated room.

Additional Items to Complete the Room:

These are items to go with any colors scheme such as frames, tables or side tables. We will need to complete our room by adding in...

A Coffee Table


Wall Hanging with Picture Frames



When we're through, a balanced room full of color remains... and in tasteful proportions.

To use this color wheel within your own home, remember that no matter what scheme you choose... balance is key to achieving a beautiful result.

On First Friday, June 5th... We're Going Hawaiian!

You don't want to miss First Friday at Belle Melange... that is if you're into Hawaiian prizes, children's books, discounted jewelry, and tropical photographs!

Patty Alessi will be here on First Friday, June 5th, from 5 - 8 pm, signing copies of her latest children's book Rrreggie-T Rex's Vacation on Maui -- a book for children of all ages. Anyone who purchases a copy can save 15% on a jewelry purchase. Belle Melange has quite a vast jewelry collection, so don't miss this "sterling" opportunity!

Here's what one reader had to say about Patty's book:

"When I received my copy of Rrreggie T. Rex's Vacation on Maui, I showed it to my granddaughter, Caitlyn, at a Mother's Day brunch. The first thing she said was, 'It's a Maui guidebook!' She was so interested in the names of the dinosaurs and loved the glossary, which explained the different kinds of dinosaurs, their sizes, what they ate, etc. We started reading it together. In one of Rrreggie's adventures, on a whale-watching cruise, Caitlyn giggled as Rrreggie imagined himself as an Elasmosaur, making it possible for him to out-swim a shark... she couldn't put it down to even eat!"

-- Donna Del Rio, Concierge and Maui Resident

Bill Klietz will be here as well showcasing his collection of tropical photographs!

All First Friday visitors will be entered into our drawing to win a Hawaiian-themed wine basket filled with goodies.

We hope to see you at First Friday... no hula skirts necessary!

Aloha!