Color Case Study:

Paint the Town Red, Blue and Even Yellow

You've watched every home improvement television show under the sun, carefully studied the trends, spent too much money on new rugs – and you still do not like your living room even with that the fabulous mood lighting. Fret no more -salvation can come in the form of creative paint remedies. With help of CertaPro Painters, Paint Quality Institute (PQI) and Sherwin Williams* selecting a paint color needn't be intimidating but stimulating.

Peace: Blues

By incorporating blue into a living space, consumers can create a soulful and restful retreat. What color better represents the calmness of both the sky and water?

Healing: greens

With Spring in the air, green hues are perfect for bringing the outdoors in. There's not a better color for helping your home become one with nature.

Timeless: neutrals

The popularity of neutrals has never been stronger. What makes today's selection exciting is their depth, richness and beauty. Tie the palette together with interesting glossy and flat finishes and watch how a living space can sparkle.

Optimistic: yellows

Yellow provides "punch" to any room. It's a favorite for darker or north-facing spaces - it's adds a visual sense of both warmth and welcome.

There are countless do's and don'ts expressed by interior designers from all ends of the spectrum, such as: avoid dark colors in a small room; don't use shiny paint on walls, and never pair pink withred. These suggestions were probably created for perfectly legitimate reasons. But if you wish to break "the rules", don't let them hold you back. You could find yourself with an inspirational interior. Worst-case scenario, you can always re-paint white.

Editors Note / About the Photos:

Craig Carter of CertaPro Painters in Greensboro said "...colors are extensions of our personality and your home should fit your personality. Use color not only on the walls, but your room's ceiling and trim."

* Sherwin Williams "Color To Go" paint samples available upon request.

"Color is an integral part of our life. It can lift our spirits, signify celebration, or even change the mood and visual feel of our living spaces. To better understand the role and use of paint color, prepared palette's are a fabulous starting point for any home decorating project." says Deborah Zimmerman of PQI. CertaPro Painters and PQI have some suggestions for using color.

"People often find it easier to experiment with an accent wall color or just a front door. Classic front door colors are chinese red or sunshine yellow, but don't rule out electric purple or teal blue. Pick color from your garden and co-ordinate with your front door. That way one can enjoy a garden year round" says Ed Waller, co-founder of CertaPro Painters.