How to Liven Up Your Home - Color Options

Everybody can stand a change sometimes. After you've been living in your home for awhile, maybe you are tired of looking at the same colors, designs, furniture, and schemes. If you want to redecorate, don't think that it has to cost you a fortune. Unlike remodeling your residence, redecorating doesn't have to be that expensive and it can be a fun project that the whole family can get involved in.

Since the walls are usually the first thing you look at when you walk into a room, it's a good idea to start there. Take a look at the color of your walls. If they are all one solid color, usually white or beige, they might look rather bland, especially if you don't have any artwork or pictures hanging up. Some people like to stick with light colors when painting walls because they supposedly make the rooms look bigger. Even so, you can explore other color options for different rooms. Don't be afraid to experiment. Think in colors.

Blue: Blue can be a very relaxing and serene color. With the many different shades, blue would be a good choice for a room where you like to relax. Shades of blue can remind you of the water or the sky, either way blue tends to have a calming effect.

Yellow: When I see yellow, I automatically think of the sun. Yellow is a radiant and bright color. It's also a happy color. You don't have to use bright yellows; they have lighter shades of yellow that still aren't dull.

Red: Red is a bold color. You don't see many walls painted red probably for this exact reason. But there is nothing with being bold. Red can be invigorating. It shows you like to take chances.

Green: Green is a color that reminds me of nature. Nature can have the same gentle, calming effect that the color blue has. This might be a good color choice for rooms with plants and flowers, although plants and flowers help accent rooms painted in any color.

Black: This is the only color I wouldn't recommend for painting your walls since it's so dark and gloomy. Walking into a room with black walls would automatically depress me.

Beige/White: These are common colors for painting your walls. They allow for furniture of just about any color and various accents throughout the room. Most people probably choose these more neutral colors because it gives them so many options when decorating the rest of the room.

Remember, just because you may choose a certain color in some rooms doesn't mean every room has to follow that same color pattern. Think of your bedroom for instance. Bedrooms are one room in the house that should definitely have a personal flare to them. This is the room where you should be able to let yourself shine through. You can have as many color schemes as you want. Hang posters on your walls, experiment with furniture or the type of bed you want. If you have kids, it would be fun to let them decide on a theme for their room. Perhaps a sports related theme or a theme from one of their favorite cartoons or movies. You can even buy wallpaper and matching sheets and accessories to help spruce the room up.

Your home should be a place where you are comfortable. Don't worry about what other people may think or say about your decorating choices. Experimenting is how we find out what we like so feel free to experiment with various color schemes and designs for your home. You can usually find some nice paintings or artwork for your walls. It doesn't have to be Picasso to be a nice piece of art. You may find something you like in a flea market or at a garage sale. Throws, pillows, and rugs can accent any room as well as lamps, blinds, shades, and potted plants. Redecorating doesn't have to be a project you do all at once, you can take it one room at a time.

The next time you walk in a room and think it would look better if the furniture was moved around or if you painted the walls and added a few rugs, feel free to express yourself. Think of yourself as the artist and your home as the open canvas. Happy decorating!