Color Ideas from the World of Art 1

In interior design, art is usually the final embellishment, brought in as a finishing touch to a room. However, there's an entirely different way to create inspired interior design—by starting with the art as inspiration! Even if you've never done it before, you'll find it's a very easy way to come up with great-looking color schemes.



ART AS INSPIRATION

Just imagine if one of your favorite artists—Picasso, for example—was a close friend, and you could turn to him for color advice any time you wanted.
Well, actually, you can. Here's how.
FIRST, SET THE MOOD
Start by asking: What kind of feeling do I want to create?
For example, you might decide you want to use vibrant colors to spice up a dull space, or pastels to create a livable, relaxing atmosphere, or neutrals to create a look of quiet, restrained elegance.
Next, visit a library or bookstore, and flip through images of the work of artists you most enjoy.

Tip: You can also search the web for images—try sites of well-known museums to start with. Look for colors or color combinations you like, and think might work in your space.

Visit museums and galleries in person as well, but bear in mind that you'll want to leave with a postcard, a reproduction, or a photograph of your selections as a reminder of the exact shades and hues that most appealed to you.
You can usually see in the artwork itself how well each of the different colors work together.
If you own a piece of art you know you want to use in the room—a painting, a print, a poster, or some pottery, for example—just build your color scheme straight from colors in the art, using the suggestions below.

Tip: Use a photo or a printout of your original art piece. Photos are easier to transport, and involve less risk of damaging the work.

Turning Fine Art Into Room Palettes

When you find something you think might work, go to your favorite paint store to develop complete palettes from your art finds.
Start by simply finding the closest color matches you can, by eye.
In a few minutes, you can modify these colors and develop complete room palettes.
For precise color matching, take along your art reference source to your localpaint store. This will give you the closest possible matches to actual colors.
You can develop and modify your palettes there, and you can walk out of the store with your colors mixed and all ready to go.