Pastel Interiors - Light and Lovely

Many people find white or beige walls to be bland and boring, but sometimes bright colors can overwhelm a small or dark room. A good solution?

Pastel tones.

Light enough to make a dim space feel brighter, but with more color and interest than plain whites or neutrals, pastel hues can brighten and transform a room immediately. Buttery yellows, minty greens, misty aquas, light lavenders, pale blues, and subtle rose tones are a perfect way to liven up an interior, and give it a feeling of spaciousness. This is one reason such hues are popular in tropical homes, as well as beach homes and cottages.

Trim can play an important role in defining how your pastel room appears. Darker stained wood trim can give the room a feeling of timeless elegance and formality, while painted white trim gives it a fresh, clean look.

Pastels usually pair best with darker-colored flooring, although lighter flooring is often used for an airy, cottage.style feel.

Light aqua walls with white trim

                                                     (by Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.)

Yellow walls with white trim and beige carpet

                                                                               (by FrontPorch)

Tropical tones of coral and aqua with a chevron wooden floor

                                                              (by Lowe's Home Improvement)


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Blue Rooms - A Calming Color Scheme

Aside from looking great, the color of a room can have an impact on you, your emotions, even your health. Scientific research shows that colors do have an effect on our moods, and how we feel. Red can make a room feel lively and energetic, yellow conveys warmth and happiness, green can rest the eyes.

In this article, we'll showcase the color blue. Blue, as a room color, produces a calming atmosphere, and is particularly suited for rooms in which you wish to relax, such as bedrooms or bathrooms. Blue rooms have been shown to reduce heart rate and decrease blood pressure. But choose your blue wisely - dark shades, when overused, can actually produce feelings of sadness, while the wrong shade of light blue can make a room feel chilly and cool. Therefore, it is best to choose accents with care - warm colored fabrics, rich wood, and white trim work best. Also, using blue accents, such as painted furniture or fabrics, is a nice way to introduce a little relaxing color into a room without having it become overwhelming.

White cottage room with blue accents has a nautical feel
(by Marcelo Brito)

Pale sky blue and pink and green accents have a feel of spring
(by Amanda L. Reid)

Dark blue pairs well with wood and light accents
(by Jane Ellison)

A pale gray-blue wall paint pairs nicely with Wedgwood blue chairs
(by David Sharff Architect, P.C.)

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