Thursday, December 15, 2011

What Comes First- The Paint or The Furniture?

Hola todos! Ok, so first off- FELIZ CUMPLEANOS Y PROSPERO NUEVO ANO! I can't believe the year is over, but boy am I happy that it is, as it was not the best years for me. I lost a lot of mi familia este ano- un tio, my tia y un primo. To top it off, I was extremely ill for a good portion of the year. No bueno! I positively look forward to a much better 2012!

Today I want to discuss a recent and very frequently asked question for those redoing a room in their home. When I'm going to paint, do I pick my paint colors first or do I pick my furniture and it's fabric first? The answer is very logical to me, but boggles the minds of most homeowners.

It happens so often, you find a paint color that you love in an article in your favorite magazine and you quickly rush out and buy it, a smock and all the tools you need. You put your hair up in two little monyos (buns) and go to town painting the walls of your room and other things you probably shouldn't have gotten paint on, lol. The paint inspires you! You want all new furniture now. The walls look so good, you can't possibly keep your old stuff anymore. Que basura! Now, la problema... You can't find a thing to match that sexy paint color you threw on your walls! Y por que? Furniture come in far less colors than paints do. You may think- well, I can just go crazy with my wall color and then I can easily find a tan sofa, neutral goes with everything! NO! Certain neutrals can go with many colors but even neutrals have their own coordinating colors. Let me explain...

Let's say you paint your wall purple, like this one... This purple has a red undertone, so it works best with a tan that is warm, as the undertone of this violet is also warm. if you used a gray (which I wouldn't put a gray sofa in front of such a powerful color, you would need to use a warm gray as well, which would also have a tan or brown undertone. Not just any tan or any gray would go with this purple... and I'd never put a black sofa in front of this color, AY! "Black is not the new black!" Actually, orange is... but that's a whole other story!

Pero si tu tiene este color pupura...Now that's an entirely different story. Notice the tones of neutral they've paired with this violet- a mirrored (gray) nightstand and light gray ottomans at the foot of the bed. They are in a cool gray, because the purple on the wall is a cool gray. If you also notice here, the color on the wall is taken from the print in the pillows and the blanket. It was easy to find a purple to match the print. You can bring a pillow to the paint store and try to match to a swatch yourself, or ask the man or woman behind the counter to custom color match the color in the print for you. Intiendes? Es mucho mas facil! There are way too many shades of purple paint, so it's easy to find the perfect paint to match your linens, but imagine doing it the other way around. It's impossible! If you've already painted the wall and then try to find a set of linen or a furniture with the exact color fabric as this paint, you are searching for a very tiny needle in a very large haystack! The colors in furniture or linens are very limited. There may be four or five bed sets in purple, but none that are anything like the one you are looking for. It's just too difficult, and not worth making the mistake.

So, when you decide to paint your room, first think about exactly what you will be doing with the space. If you will be changing the furniture or if it's a bedroom, find the perfect set of sheets for your room and then select a color within the print (or just the solid color) and have the paint store make the paint for you. It will save you time, money and stress!

Besos!