Living Color | Resources for Log Homes |
  What To Do When You Have No Clue If you find yourself staring at the bare brown walls of your new log home, don’t despair. Just think small. Start with the most public space of them all—the great room. Pick a color palette, then pull one color from those areas and carry it throughout the house. Senior designer Mark McCauley of Naper-ville, Illinois-based Darleen’s Interiors gives this example: Take a red sofa and tone it down to burgundy for your overall palette, which you can continue in the more private rooms like the den, office and bedroom. If you have patterned up-holstery, tapestry rugs or large works of art, take a dominant color from the pattern. If you want neutral paint for the non-log walls, find complementary beige and soft-white tones in the patterns.  Color Made Simple Current trends are skin-tone neutrals for backdrop colors, from beige to taupe to chocolate brown. Other popular choices include shades of orange, peach, dark copper and bronze with saddle and russet in mid-ranges. No pastels. This is good news for log home devotees who typically favor more natural, earthy color schemes. “Decorating with color is like wearing cosmetics,” according to Deborah Zimmer, a color expert for Rohm & Haas Paint Quality Institute in Spring House, Pennsylvania. “Start natural and add bolder colors as accents.”  Paintless Color Let’s face it; paint is the least expensive way to add color to a home. But a log home doesn’t always have “paintable” spaces. So how do you infuse it with color without the aid of a roller or brush? If you have the budget, fabrics like damask, silk and Flemish tapestries can be wonderful, rich bursts of color. But for less money, you can achieve a similar effect with inexpensive accents like throws, quilts made of colorful scarves, lamps, ceramic pitchers or pottery. Light is another way to brighten a room without a lot of fanfare. Use shadows, lamp shades and different light-bulb colors to create ambiance.  Constructive Advice Color doesn’t have to be an after-market affair. There are ways to give your home a healthy dose of your favorite hue. For example, glazed French lava stone for countertops in vibrant shades of red, pea green or aqua are gaining popularity according to kitchen and bath designers. For those minding the bottom line, laminate comes in a dizzying array of colors and patterns. When it comes to wood cabinetry, natural wood tones aren’t the only way to go. A gray-based green (think Vermont slate), pumpkin-patch orange and deep currant red can add warmth and vitality. “Log home owners need sophisticated colors because of the wood and the stones around the fireplaces,” says Doty Horn, director of color for Benjamin Moore Paints in Mount Vale, New Jersey. “You don’t want clear, clean colors; instead, you need layers of rich color to accentuate the log walls.”  The 60-30-10 Rule What’s this? Think of a man dressed in a business suit. Sixty percent of the suit can be dark brown; 30 percent is his goldenrod-toned shirt and 10 percent is the accent color of his red tie. Break down your space the same way: 60 per-cent is a dominant, thematic color (such as a brown leather sofa and a loveseat); 30 percent, a secondary color (a gold armchair), and 10 percent, an accent color (bold red toss pillows or an Oriental rug).  Go With the Flow It’s important to have a “flow plan” when carrying a single color throughout the home, although each room will wear the color in its own unique way. Choose a palette of similar shades then mix and match them to create a sense of ease and energy when traveling from room to room. “I like to use varying colors of the same hue in different environments. I just use them in different proportions,” says Roberta Richey, president of Lodge Looks in Lecompton, Kansas.  Architecturally Correct The colors used on both the interior and exterior should reflect a log home’s style and natural aesthetic. Accent colors should convey a rustic or earthy sensibility to blend naturally with the log stain you’ve selected. Warm neutral shades work well with a variety of stains from light to dark. “Stick with greens, terra cottas, blues and blue-based reds,” advises Sheri Thompson, director of color marketing and design for Sherwin-Williams. These colors have a direct correlation with nature and provide a perfect complement for a log home.  Future Forecast So what’s the crystal ball predict for kitchen color? When it comes to 2007’s trends, think of the little black dress sprinkled with gold accessories. Mustard walls with gold fixtures are being ordered now for the coming months. And all-black appliances, sinks, crystal goblets, tableware and vases in finishes from glossy to matte offer a clean, contemporary sweep with lots of style. “Black gives the eye a break from color and adds drama and definition to the architecture of the room,” says Deborah Zimmer. “It will be huge next year.”
This article is featured in the November 2006 issue of Log Home Design. |
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