Deep Colors in the Master Bedroom and Bath

When choosing colors for the master bedroom and bath, clients often feel that they should choose lighter colors to make it more restful. Those colors will work for you only if you like lighter colors. It's all about balance and light. When I see an example of an unconventional color choice that works, I love to share. In this case, it happens to be the master bedroom and bathroom of Seattle Seahawk TJ Houshmandzadeh. His home was featured on MTV's Cribs. It caught my eye because so many celebrity homes are done in neutral beige and white.

When I pull out a color sample in a beautiful blue paint color like this, the reaction is typically, "I don't know.. I like it. It just may be too much." So let's take a look at why this color works. Most importantly, there is a lot of light in this room to illuminate such a saturated color. Then, there's the large white crown molding and window treatments, not to mention the white sheer fabric adorning the bed. The white accent color gives the blue a fresh and clean look. It feels airy and reminiscent of a beautiful Caribbean sea resort.

There are no photos, but they continued this blue in the master bathroom, too. I'm all for deep colors in a master bathroom because typically there is very little wall space. With all of the cabinets, mirrors and fixtures, the wall color is really an accent framing everything. The bathroom is great place to start with color if you're feeling uncomfortable about using it on larger room walls. If you are drawn to deeper colors, consider peacock blue, emerald green, or iris purple. These velvety-rich colors will create the perfect restful retreat for you.

To find your perfect colors, email maryfrances@mycolordesigner.com or call 702.202.7543 to schedule your Color Design Consultation.

Deep Colors in Children's Rooms

When designing children's rooms, people often think of pastels or light and airy colors. I always say that there are no wrong colors. It's all in how you use them. This 5-year-old girl's room has only one window, dark wood floors, and a large bed that partially blocks the window. Conventional wisdom would say to use light colors to make the room feel brighter and more spacious. In this room, I took a different approach. Going lighter on the walls would create a lot of contrast with the mocha-colored floors and dark furniture. Instead, I chose violet and fuschia colors that were similar in value to the dark woods. Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Choosing a color palette with similar values creates a harmonious feel in a room and a home. There is another advantage to choosing deep colors in a room with limited light. When a room is dark, less saturated colors tend to become washed out and actually lose the essence of their color. Pastels, for example, can become grayish or neutral-looking. As you can see in the photo, the deeper colors remain rich, maintaining the feel of the room. Furthermore, these colors will grow with her. They don't feel juvenile and can transition with her as she grows older. The bedroom feels cozy, welcoming, and timeless--a beautiful retreat for this lovely little girl.