Our clients often tell us they're tired of the same old white or cream walls they've been living with but don't know how to choose color or don’t trust that the colors they’re drawn to will work. They stick with white or cream not because they prefer it, but because it allows them to avoid making a decision. But whites and creams are not the easy solution you might imagine them to be. Used intelligently they can be very beautiful, but just like colors, they require thought and the careful combining of fabric, texture and accessories.
There are hundreds of shades of white and the more pure white the wall the more problematic the decorating challenge. Stark white walls can result in rooms that look unfinished and chilly because they create hard contrast against wood furniture and make bright fabrics seem brash. Unless an ultra modern gallery/loft effect is desired, the warmer the white, the better the look. Most of the stunning white rooms seen in magazines are not actually white, but carefully chosen from an astonishingly large array of off-whites.
So now that we've established that white and creams are not the default solution, let's talk about color. If you are like many of my clients, you worry that you'll pick something you can't live with and that the results will be too dark or too bright. Standing in a paint store and eyeing thousands of paint cards is intimidating and, worse, it’s out of the context of your home and favorite pieces of furniture or fabrics. And let's face it, it isn't like buying a bright red jacket on impulse, is it? You can bury the jacket in the back of your closet if you rethink it later but bright red walls are hard to hide. The studio provides custom color consultations to help you throughout the process and ensure you are picking a color that will not only look beautiful in your home, but still feel like home to you.
First and foremost a room should provide a frame for you: who you are, what you love, and how you live. It is very easy to know how a room makes you feel, it is harder to know why you feel the way you do. We make it a priority to spend time with clients in their homes because, although visits to the studio are helpful, we learn the most when we can see how the clients live and interact in their own homes. We look at the furniture, art, beloved collectables, even dishes and clothing. There is no use in forcing a formal interior done in earth tones upon someone who likes to put their feet on the sofa and adores the color purple. My goal is to achieve a sense of completion and well being in a home.
If you are intersted in a color consultation, please contact Lisa Teague Studios.
