“All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.”
~ Marc Chagall
Now that the evil ragweed season is upon us and the outside weather makes my eyes itch, I’ve found myself spending more time inside the house than normal.
As a way of entertaining myself, I’ve been researching color as it pertains to home decor + walls + artwork. It’s a topic that I’m interested in knowing more about plus it makes me feel productive as I sit here muttering about that sneaky pollen out there.
So here’s what I’ve found. Fun stuff. Good information. Often interactive. Pollen-free.
###
9 Designer Color Palettes. This article is from Better Homes & Gardens. I like how it made me rethink some of the ways in which I put color together. Good ideas, as usual, from BHG.
Chip It! by Sherwin-Williams. I uploaded a photo of the hollyhocks in our backyard and this is what I received back from Sherwin-Williams. Neato, huh?
32 Paint Chip Projects. This blog post has links to lots of ideas about how to use paint chips as art. Admittedly I have yet to do try any of them, but if the weather continues to keep me trapped inside I’m going to give a few of the projects a whirl. No time like the present, eh?
Design Seeds. I don’t know when I first found this site, but I have to believe that it was one of the best days of my life. Really. If you adore color this is the place for you. Design Seeds is filled with examples of color palettes created from photos of nature &/or household objects. ‘Tis a wonderful place to visit, I tell you.
Benjamin Moore on Pinterest. This Pinterest page is filled with a variety of boards. Some are dedicated to specific colors while others are about decorating ideas. There is even one board with photos from the Brimfield Antique Show. Check it out. It’s cool.
###
What am I missing here? Any other color websites that I need to know about? Ragweed season goes on for a few more weeks, so I’ve got the time to look them over at my leisure. 😉
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
I had no idea there were so many websites devoted purely to colour design. Amazing! Will look through some of these.
LikeLike
Polly, I kind of knew they were out there, but had never really taken the time to look at them thoroughly. Considering that the outside makes me itch right now, I decided to see what I could see. And share it with you, of course.
LikeLike
Very cool! I love the Design Seeds site, especially. I might consult it next time I have to make a poster for work. (I tend to get stuck in a rut for my color choices.) I love the idea of palettes from food. Hmm…talking about food almost prompted me to type palate for palette! Produce pleasing palettes from palate-pleasing produce.
LikeLike
alejna, love it. You are a wordsmith of the highest degree! Very clever.
LikeLike
Fun post – colors the world with whimsy ( what exact color would that be, I wonder…we need more of it)
LikeLike
You know, philosophermouse, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that some paint company somewhere on this earth has named a color “whimsy.” Not that I’m going to go look for it, but I bet that it’s out there. Maybe a lime green sort of shade? Or an orangish-pink?
LikeLike
Couldn’t find paint called whimsey, but here is another decorating website about decorating with whimsey http://www.whimsybyvictoria.com/2011/03/i-love-little-whimsy-in-my-decor.html You may already have found this 🙂
LikeLike
Polly, that post is a great example of decorating with whimsy. Good find. Thanks for sharing it.
LikeLike
Okay, I got curious about “whimsy” as a color name and this is what I found: Valspar Violet Whimsy & Sherwin-Williams Whimsical White.
Apparently whimsy is in the
purpleviolet family. Who knew? Not me, obviously.LikeLike
Those would be really fun for webpage design too. I particularly like the paint chips site!
LikeLike
Zazzy, you’re right. Color inspiration can come from anywhere & translate to anywhere. Makes it kind of fun.
LikeLike
I need sites like this because I have no clue how to put colors together. I did an OK job in my house, although the walls are too bland. Picking out new colors makes me terrified though.
LikeLike
Margaret, color is a tricky, but fun, subject. I like these sites because they give me ideas & the confidence to try a few new things. Got to keep it fresh, ‘ya know?
LikeLike
I love BHG it is my favorite for home decor fun 🙂 What will you freshen up?
LikeLike
belleofthecarnival, for the last few years we’ve been redoing our entire house. I call it the “Improve Don’t Move” project.
When we finish our “freshening up” [in about a year maybe?] we will have completely updated the inside of our house & re-landscaped most of the yard.
It’s been quite a project, to say the least– but I think that it was better than moving again. Thanks for asking.
LikeLike
LOL! I think we are in the beginning stages of it!
LikeLike
Good for you! It’s not an easy thing to do, but now that the end is in sight I’m thrilled that we did it.
LikeLike
yay! It must be a wonderful feeling!
LikeLike
I just discovered Chip It and LOVE IT! Thanks for the other suggestions, too!
LikeLike
I love the Chip It site, too. Endless fun that results in something useful. What more could you want?
[Well, besides someone to paint the walls in the colors that I find there. I would want that, too.]
LikeLike