Finding Color Inspiration From Artwork

Let's face it, sometimes we're just stuck or even afraid when it comes to choosing color - sometimes, it even paralyzes us so much that we end up doing nothing - for years.  One possible solution to help you get "unstuck" is to look around your home and see if you have a piece of artwork that you enjoy.  Think about what inspires you about the art: is it the subject matter, the memories it invokes, the color - or maybe all of the above?  If you love the color or even the feeling you get from the color palate, then you have a starting point.  Below are examples of how to take a piece of artwork and use it for color inspiration.

Once you've found your own color inspiration, then you can start small with a throw pillow or accessory or maybe go big and paint the walls.  Remember, if you don't like it - you can always change it.  But wait a week or so - it just may grow on you.

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Need Color Inspiration? Look to Nature!

Ever notice how the colors in nature are perfectly harmonious?  You can look at a forest, a sandy beach leading down to the shore, a pile of rocks, a field of flowers or any natural scene and find millions of colors that beautifully complement each other.  Mother Nature is the ultimate colorist.

If you need color inspiration and just don’t know where to start, or if you aren’t sure what colors really work together: look out the window.  You could visit a local park, go down to a nearby lake, take a drive in the country or just step outside and look around you.  Use the colors you see in nature as a jumping off point to help guide you in choosing a color palette that speaks to you.  Then, use your color inspiration to guide you in bringing new colors into your existing rooms by choosing new decorative accents, new paint colors, or, if you’re ready for a completely new look, redecorate an entire space.

Note: I used Adobe Photoshop (eyedropper tool) to isolate colors in my photos. The color combinations you can find in any photo (or in nature) are limitless.

The following photos show how adding small or large infusions of color can have an impact in a room and also by using warmer or cooler tones it can change the mood.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: HGTV

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: House Beautiful