Color and You -- Part III

Here are some color schemes suggested by Mary Brooks Picken in the 1953 Singer Sewing Book. She is using examples of when you already have one item in place -- say a floor covering or a wall color -- and you need to decorate around it. Keep in mind that she was considering colors that were popular in the mid-twentieth century, and, thus, they may not always jive with today's tastes. However, Mrs. Picken used the basic principles of the color wheel to come up with these, so, according to the principles of color, these schemes are timeless. At the very least, you can learn her thinking about color from these schemes and appy it to today's sensibiliites. Or, you can choose to use one as is. Anyhow, I hope you will enjoy glancing over them:

Floor covering of brown, tan and green, with walls of light-blue green, draperies of dark blue-green, upholstery of brown or copper, and accents of white.

Floor covering of brown, tan, and green, walls of brown, draperies of gold, upholstery of gold or medium green, accents of bright green.

Floor covering of dark blue, walls of yellow, draperies of a yellow, blue, and green print, upholstery of light green, and accents of red

Floor covering of dark blue, striped wallpaper of blue and white and yellow, draperies of yellow, upholstery of yellow or blue, accents of white

Floor covering of mulberry, walls of light gray with pink cast, draperies of wine and gray stripe, upholstery of deep rose, accents of white

Floor covering of mulberry -- walls of floral wallpaper with rose and green, draperies of white or rose, upholstery of pale green or rose, accents of gold.

walls of gray blue, floor covering of delft blue, draperies of yellow and light blue stripe, upholstery of warm yellow or same material as drapes, wine accentss.

Walls of gray blue, floor covering of blue and rose floral, draperies of rose, upholstery of rose or wine, accents of blue.

With natural wood walls with a light finish use walls of light tan, drapes of yellow, upholstery of medium green or a green and brown pring, dark brown accents.

With walls of natural wood, light finish, use blue-green floor covering, light-bluegreen drapes, upholstery of soft red or gold and green stripe, black accents

With drapes that are natural with gold thread, use green-blue walls, dark green-blue floor covering, beige or coral upholstery and lime accents.

With drapes of natural with gold thread, use medium brown walls, beige floor covering, blue-green stripe or brown and white stripe upholstery, coral accents

With drapes of rose and green, use pale green walls, cool red floor covering, upholstery print-multi-color or light green, accents of white

With drapes of rose and green, use soft rose walls, grayed green floor covering, light blue or medium green upholstery

With light green upholstery, use green walls, ivory draperires, dark gray-green floor cover, accents of gold

Wtih upholstery of brown or gold, use beige walls, light clear blue drapes, dark brown floor covering, accents of bright blue

With upholstery of brown or gold, use light green walls, drapers of green and white print, beige gloor covering, accents of orange.

With drapes of a bright red, white, and black print, use white (match white in print) walls, gray floor covering upholstery of white with gred trimming or gray, accents of green With upholstery of rose beige, use walls of light rose, drapes of deep rose, floor covering of medium blue, acents of white.

With upholstery of blue, use light cool gray walls, rose and blue drapes, cool gray floor covering, accents of wine.

She advises: To avoid an overactive, busy feeling in your room, restrict your colors generally to three -- a main color, a secondary color tha blends or constrast pleasantly, and a third taht you use in small quantity for acent. Avodi the restlessness of too many patterned or figured fabrics in one room. It is often effective to combine a plain color with one flowered fabric and one seer striped fabric...If you must live with your decorations for a long time, remember that plain colors are less tiring than figured, and that more coservative schemes are less wwearing to the eye than bolder treaments. A beautiful print of some favorite picture, a motif cut froma apiece of chintz or cretonne, can help you to assemble colors harmoniously.

She also advises: Consider the colors in adjoining rooms, so that you don't have a shocking clash when doors are open between rooms.

For some more suggestions for color schemes, visit Barb Garrett's site over at the Everyday Decorator. http://theeverydaydecorator.tripod.com/index-2.htm. She offers a ton of great free advice, especially about using color in your rooms.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth