A bit more on light

Always try to view fabrics in the light they will appear in. This is an extension of yesterdays blog.

To get the most out of design on your own, you must try different things until you find one that is pleasing to you.  Designers have more knowledge in this area than the average person, so they have the ability to see without trying to many things.

 A good tip is to go to a fabric store, most have a small cuttings of their fabrics.  If they don't ask for one.  Take it home and lay it on the carpet, tape it to the wall, lay it on your furniture, put it everywhere and in every light.  You will know if you like it or it is just questionable.  If it is questionable, keep looking.  Calico Corners, Joanne fabrics, Hancock fabrics and where ever else in your area where fabrics can be purchased.  Even many of the catalogues send fabric sample swatches.  I really need the visual look, I need to see it, feel it and know the fabric content.  Durability for the life style of the room is the most important thing.  Talk to someone in the know.  You can always comment on my blog and ask me questions.  That is a great way for me to give all of you interest in what others are looking at or for.

Walls, ceilings and floors reflect light also.  EXAMPLE:  If your room has a white ceiling, with pale blue walls, and you put a darker blue carpet in that room, the whole room will look bluer than you could even imagine.  Floors reflect their color on the walls and ceiling.  At different times of the day, the blue color will change.  Blue, yellow, red and green are big reflecting colors.  This goes for all values of those colors.  I had a client that did that years ago with green.  We ended up rag rolling white over the entire wall space of the room.  It ended up great.  She put in floral drapes and gave the room a garden effect.  You must be careful of your color hues (values) as they do change with light.  My own rule of thumb, is to go 2 (two) shades lighter than the color I choose for my 4(four) walls.  Then I know for sure that with reflection, it will be the color I want.

I suggest that if you are going to use carpeting that is a color, that you paint your walls white or a shade of off white, eggshell or antique white, or whatever the new fancy names are.  That way when your flooring reflects, your walls will be a pale shade of it.  You may also use white with a very small amount of tint in the color you wish to reflect and have them mix your paint that way.  Some walls will look darker, again depending on the time of day.

Ceilings should be painted the same color of the walls if you want unity of color.  I prefer to paint the ceilings white, no matter what because they reflect the wall or floor color.  In Florida and southern states, tile is used a lot in most homes.  First of all the sandy soil, as it gets into the carpeting.  It is easier to clean tile or wood floors, and you can't beat the wear ability and the long life they provide.
The use of area rugs then prevails.  Again, picking tile is just like carpeting.  You need to bring home pieces and lay them on the floor and view them in the different light. 

Try a test in an existing room.  Cover a piece of furniture with one color of fabric, sheet, towel, blanket or whatever you have around, and place it in a corner by itself.  Watch the color change in the different lights.  Put different colors of light bulbs or different types of lighting near it when it is dark outside.  See the changes.

Light up your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!