]]> http://morronedesigns.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/connecting-rooms-with-color/feed/ 0 morronedesigns http://morronedesigns.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/winter-blues/ http://morronedesigns.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/winter-blues/#comments Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:58:17 +0000 Morrone Designs http://morronedesigns.wordpress.com/?p=26 ]]>

Looking forward to summer?  How about renovating that bath.

Winter months here in the northeast are a great time for any interior renovation or decorating project.  Once you get started, you’ll see spring is right around the corner with the outdoors calling. So let’s get going!

Traditional

I usually start any renovation, and very typically the bathroom, with something I love. It could be a pillow, tile design you saw while browsing through your local design center, fabric, artwork, area rug..….anything. Then I build from there.  Once you have your starting point, you’ll see how your choices for the plumbing fixtures, porcelains, metals, tile and cabinetry all fall into place.  Of course, never under-estimate the importance of end use. How the space is used, especially bathrooms and kitchens, should be kept well in the forefront while you are planning the color schemes and materials.

Modern

When color planning, I divide rooms into active spaces and passive spaces. Kitchens fall into the active category, while bathrooms tend to fall into the passive group. Because warm colors like orange and red represent energy and tension, they are best suited for active rooms like the kitchen. Cool colors like blues and greens have a soothing and calming effect, making them ideal for passive rooms like the bedroom and bathroom.

Eclectic

I suggest following a color principal commonly referred to as the “60-30-10 rule.” For example, 60 percent of a bathroom or kitchen, typically the walls, should be one color of a color scheme. The color of the cabinetry and/or furniture accounts for the 30-percent figure. And accents and accessories such as plants, artwork and linens make up the remaining 10 percent. Here is where you apply that bold color!

Mediterranean

Some of my favorite bathroom color combinations are blues, blue/greens, or grey/blues for the 60% color on the wall, crisp cool whites found in the tiles, cabinetry or trim work, and rich chocolate-brown used as the “accent” to warm up the entire space. Of course, we can change which percentage is used for each color depending on your own personal taste and style.

Transitional

Are you ready now?   Great……let’s go shopping!  Enjoy your new bathroom.!