Traveling to Germany and not knowing German, I wondered how easy it would be to read the signs and get around. I laughed when I saw this sign my first day in Heidenheim, Germany. The language of color spoken internationally! Photo credit: ©Cristina Acosta

Color communicates. Any color expert, designer or artist will agree with that statement. But ask those creative types what exactly a color is communicating and the answers you get may have surprisingly little in common.

Here’s why: Color is a language that continually evolves with the cultures that contribute the shades and tones of meaning each of us sees. And, each individual brings their personal biases and perceptions to the mix, further complicating things.

Yes, you can open most any home decor magazine and read at least one color experts’ opinion based on a study about the calming effects of green – or beige – or . . . whatever the next color may be. But the truth is, the focus group that decides green is calming one year, may decide that mauve is calming next year. And, one more thing to keep in mind,  the experience of an individual and the particular mix of individuals in a focus group is always changing.

Consequently, the meaning of a color is a moving target. One person’s irritating red is another person’s energizing red. It’s all about time and place, people and perception.

So what do you do with this information when you’re standing in the paint store looking for an idea or some advice? Here’s a few tips:

• The first thing to do is to choose a group of colors you love that you think might work for the project. For example – If you’re choosing exterior home colors and are looking for 3 colors, pick at least a dozen that you think will work.

• Then (ideally, take some time with this step) clip the color samples into individual pieces and spread them on the table. Start choosing your favorites.

• When you’ve narrowed it down to at least 4 choices, THEN start choosing where the colors go. Such as this color for the body, this for the trim, this for the gable trim, etc.

Remember that when you are choosing colors, you are bringing a lifetime of experience to the process. Respect that first with a little exploration, then listen to the advice you get from friends and professionals. You’ll have a better feel for the color choices that are right for you.

www.CristinaAcosta.com

Painting the garage door and garage door trim the same color as the body of the home subdues the attention the garage door gets (despite it's size) and encourages the eye to travel to the interesting trim color around the windows and entry door.

Put a red tomato on a white sand beach and your eye will instantly focus on the tomato. The color difference (even if you know nothing about tomatoes) will be enough to capture your attention. Not only does this visual attribute help you find a snack or your socks, it’s an important concept to keep in mind when you’re painting your house.

When color consulting with clients who are choosing  exterior paint colors I often suggest they don’t call attention to their garage. This advice doesn’t work for every house or every client, but it’s worth considering. Here’s why:  Many American homes have garages that visually dominate the entrance side of the home. I presume this architectural phenomenon  reflects the reality of most Americans’ relationship to the car.

If you have a home like this, your garage is near your front entrance and the garage door or doors will (all together) visually dominate your entry way. Not only is this iffy Feng Shui, it puts your front door entry way into second place. True, most people will figure out where your front door is and  won’t be knocking on your garage door to get in your house. Even so, downplaying the garage doors in this situation will amp up your home’s curb appeal.

So, how are you going to magically shift attention away from the garage doors and towards the entry door? The answer is a relatively easy and inexpensive  home redo. Here it is: Paint your garage door trim and/or the garage doors the same color as the body of the house. Before you whip out the brush (or google painting contractors), I do have a few guidelines to help you make an informed design decision.

• Paint the trim around the garage door the same color as the body color (exterior wall color), regardless of the trim color around the windows and other doors.

• If the garage doors are ordinary, paint them the same color as the body color.

• If you have beautiful natural wood garage doors that enhance your home don’t paint them without careful consideration. They may be a valid design element, especially if the natural wood is repeated in other areas of the home such as the soffits, trim, shingle accent areas, etc. If you are in doubt, paint the entire home exterior first, then after looking at the result make your decision to paint the garage door.

www.CristinaAcosta.com

Best Ever You magazine has invited me to be their Paint and Color Expert. The editor, Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino along with her team has put together an anomaly in the current publishing business climate; a successful and growing magazine. Kudos to the staff at Best Ever You!

Readers are encouraged to send in their color and paint questions. Though  I’m not able to answer questions individually, I will  include design and color solutions in my monthly column whenever possible.

I look forwards to working with Best Ever You. Check out the on-line magazine, you’ll be sure to find something that inspires, informs or entertains.

www.CristinaAcosta.com

If you are a homeowner choosing exterior paint colors, here are a few choosing-color tips:

• Check to see if your neighborhood has any restrictions regarding exterior paint color use. Often titled Covenants and Restrictions these rules will limit the choices you have. If your neighborhood is a designated historical area check with the local Historical Society or Building Dept. to learn if paint colors are restricted to historical colors typical to the era your house was built.
• Choose at least three paint colors for the home so things don’t get too dull. Please don’t think that painting the whole house one color will make it “blend in”. The result is usually very “lumpish”. In a typical home the exterior paint colors can applied like this:
• • Body Color (main part of house)
  • Trim Color (around windows and Doors)
  • Fascia Color (trim around the roof and possibly the belly band (6″ – 12″ wide plank trim that separates 2 stories, or the body of the house from the peak of the roof).
  • Door Color
• The example of the commercial building above demonstrates the third paint color as the natural warm toned wood stain. Notice how the wood trim around the upper windows (in the green area) is red, but in the red area, there is no additional color. I simplified the trim treatment in this part of the building to reinforce the visual integrity of the larger shapes. My point is that you don’t have to do the same thing in every part of your paint job — mix it up if the result is stronger.
• Buy the best house paint you can afford and make sure it has a UV blocker in it.
• Whether you are painting your house yourself or having it done, make sure that the paint prep work is well done. A good foundation of prep work will make your final paint colors last years longer.
• If you have a strong prevailing wind/sun direction, put a extra coat of house paint on those sides of the house. The entire exterior paint job will last years longer.

Contact me to schedule a color consult for your project.

All writing and images on this blog are copyright protected by Cristina Acosta

www.CristinaAcosta.com ]]> http://www.cristinaacosta.com/blog/2009/07/hello-world/feed/ 0 http://www.cristinaacosta.com/blog/2009/07/colors-together-create-a-melody-line/ http://www.cristinaacosta.com/blog/2009/07/colors-together-create-a-melody-line/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:49:07 +0000 Cristina Acosta http://www.cristinaacosta.com/blog/?p=17 Have you ever found yourself looking at two or more house paint colors or other home decor colored items and been completely confused as to which paint color is the best choice?