Warm Up to Winter with Fresh Colors in Home Decor

The hint of winter is in the air and late-autumn leaves blanket the ground. The holidays are on the way, lifting your spirits and also inspiring you to give your home a little seasonal lift. Updating rooms with color is a quick and easy way to embrace this time of year, and will put you in the mood to enjoy all the bounties the holiday season offers.

Begin your project by taking a look at what surrounds you. Note the colors you see in everything from the fashions at your favorite store to the cars whizzing past you on the street. Which colors appeal to you? Which make you feel calm? Which energize you? Which give you a cozy feeling that’s just right for the holidays? Let the wheels start turning and see which shades your inner designer is drawn to -- there’s no right or wrong answer.

Color inspiration comes from just about anywhere and everywhere, experts agree. The latest lifestyle collections from Sherwin-Williams, for example, reflect four travel themes that exhibit the power of color and the fun of allowing your imagination to run free. The destinations include: Around the World, Fork in the Road, No Place Like Home and Expand Your Horizons.

“No matter where you’re traveling to this winter, you can easily bring home the colors you experience by incorporating new hues into your living space in paint and other home accessories,” says Becky Ralich Spak, senior designer for Sherwin-Williams.

Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, who partnered with Sherwin-Williams for her fall 2007 fashion show, lets her journeys guide her color selections. “I find inspiration in adventure, and these colors from Sherwin-Williams remind me of places I have traveled,” she says. “Colors such as Evening Shadow, Marquis Orange and Iron Ore remind me of the desert; Real Red, Cocoon and Liberty Blue bring me back to a New England road trip; and Aquarium and Frank Blue remind me of architecture in southern Spain and Morocco.”

Deep and dashing, bright and bold, many of the opulent shades that are perfect for winter decorating might seem a bit intimidating at first, but fear not; there are many ways to dive into the wonderful world of color. Consider the following approaches:

* Saturated browns impart a toasty vibe on a living room accent wall.

* Plum hues spark great energy in the foyer.

* Deep purples are both soothing and interesting in a powder room.

* Warm neutrals are a timeless update for all rooms and let vibrant accessories take center stage.

It’s easy to refresh your home with these and other hues, thanks to color selection tools such as the new, larger 3-inch by 5-inch paint swatches from the Sherwin-Williams Concepts in Color palette. These paint chips feature a perforated “window” opening that can be removed to see how coordinating colors will look together and work with the fabrics and accessories in your room. The company has also simplified color coordination by listing designer-recommended combinations on the back of each swatch.

And once you’ve narrowed down your favorite shade, it’s a breeze to experiment with your top choices before your final painting project begins. For example, an online color visualizer allows you to preview your color selections in a room, and the company’s Color to Go program allows you to purchase a quart-size paint sample for less than five dollars.

In the end, no matter which colors you select, just remember that paint is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to the change the atmosphere of a room, so “don’t be afraid to try new colors and patterns and to play with contrasts,” Rowley recommends. By following your instincts and personal fashion sense, both you and your home will feel warm and toasty this winter.

For more color inspiration, visit sherwin-williams.com or your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent