Home Decor Color Schemes That Take Their Inspiration From Mother Nature

Making the decision to repaint your home is often easy in comparison to deciding what colors to use in each room. The simplest solution is to paint all the rooms a neutral color, such as white or ivory, and then add splashes of more vibrant colors through your furniture, curtains, and accessories. But let's say you'd like to take the colored-paint plunge, at least in one or two rooms, and your problem is that you do not know how to decide which colors to choose. Where do you begin? Instead of starting your search inside the paint store, try stepping outside and let Mother Nature be your guide and inspiration.

By the Beautiful Sea: Blue has been a favorite home decorating color for thousands of years, and with good reason. Blue, the color of the sky and the sea, is a calming color. But because it's a cool color it usually needs to be warmed up. Mother Nature does that at the beach, where the golden brown grains of sand provide a warm contrast to the blue waters. So if you're a lover of the sea, consider decorating a room using a combination of pale blue walls and furniture that lets the natural warm beauty of the wood shine through.

A Walk in the Woods : If your ideal way to pass a Sunday afternoon is a long walk in the park, green – another relaxing color – may be the color that's right for you. And since green leaves are very often found attached to trees, it's not surprising that just about any shade of green looks great when completed by light or dark shades of brown. Since green leaves also complement many kinds of fruit and flowers, a green and peach combination, for example, can create a vibrant garden-fresh atmosphere that is still relaxing.

Let the Sunshine In: If you're the type who wants the sun would shine 24/7, why not paint one room of your home a vibrant yellow? Yellow and blue (think of a field of daffodils dancing beneath a cloudless blue sky) is a striking combination, while a color scheme that incorporates just different shades of yellow will give you a room of pure sunshine.

A Bouquet of Color: Flowers offer a wealth of color possibilities. If you pay close attention, you'll see that you're attracted more strongly to certain colors. Perhaps you love the deep red hues of a rose, the more delicious pink of a spring blossom, the shades of purple found in a pansy or lilac, or the bright orange of a marigold. Painting all the walls of a room in a strong color will present a striking effect. If you feel it will be too striking, consider painting just one wall a strong color and painting the other walls a lighter tone or a shade of off-white.

A new paint job is a wonderful way to revitalize your home. It's also an opportunity to surround yourself with an ambience that speaks deeply to your soul. So do not be afraid to choose home decor color schemes that speak to your needs and tastes. And if you do not know where to begin, begin by having a talk with Mother Nature.