I can usually understand someone's decorating concerns, but this one is bigger, more troublesome. Frantically, a woman shopping nearby me waved a fabric sample through the air. “I need to find accessories to match this color of blue!"
"How about this candlestick,” I offered. “It’s not quite the right shade,” she said. “The fabric is a wee-bit darker.” “What about this vase?” I asked. “No, it’s a tad off." She held her swatch next to the vase. I’d been down this road before with customers from when I owned an art gallery, they'd want the perfect color match.
But let me share a secret:
The #1 reason to avoid the perfect color match in home decor and art:
Mixing shades and hues adds interest to a room.
It’s not that having a passion for perfect isn’t wonderful; it’s just that I’ve learned to enjoy the benefits of close-to-perfect.
Designing with a variety of color values lets each piece separate and stand out on its own.
A darker shade of blue will 'pop' more dramatically next to a softer hue, adding interest.
A simple approach to avoiding the perfect color match.
Compare the various shades of a color to the characteristics of a family.
In a family, there are similarities between brothers and sisters. You can tell they are related, but the brother and sister each have their own unique qualities. This makes them interesting!
Going back to home decor, the variety in the shades of the same color are like the individual qualities of a brother or sister in a family.
Mixing shades of colors is a key element towards elevating your decorating.
I hope you might try my family-style of decorating by blending hues of the same color.
You don’t have to be so brave, and add a once-removed, grand-nephew, but sisters will make you smile!
