by Kathleen Hesketh

Created on: February 24, 2009

When choosing an interior color scheme, the aisles of a paint store may seem like paradise, but think first about choosing other elements of your design. Paint samples are easily attainable and come in a wide variety of colors, hence their appeal, but furniture manufacturers, out of necessity, must limit their fabric offerings. Choose your wall colors first, and you may lock yourself into a shade you can't match with available upholstery choices. For this reason, it is always advisable to choose the upholstery before making other selections.

Shop for furniture with an open mind. Know the colors you like, but be willing to consider variations. Green may be your primary color choice, but be open to patterns that use green or woven textures incorporating other colors. The more colors at play in your central elements, the easier it is to choose the remaining colors of the room.

Choose window dressings second. When designing custom window treatments, your choices may seem endless, but ready made sources offer far less variety. For this reason, it may seem tempting to grab that valance off the shelf and look for furniture later, especially if you love the design and fabric, but holding off may prove smart. When designing a room, approach it the same way you would put together an outfit for a special occasion. Start with the clothing, and choose the jewelry second to compliment the colors and style of the outfit. The upholstery in your room is the equivalent of the dress you would wear to a special event. Like the jewelry you would choose, the window treatments are meant to compliment the main elements of the room and work in tandem with them to create a polished look. You may need a certain shade or color to help pull the scheme together. Look at the colors in your fabric and decide which you want to play up. Choosing window treatments in those colors will pull the more reticent colors out of your upholstery and make them seem more vivid. Likewise, if a color in the fabric needs downplaying, you don't want to choose a window treatment in that color.

Paint comes in a wide variety of colors and even textures. Deciding on one shade to compliment your walls can be difficult. Having already chosen the upholstery and window treatments for the room, the selection process is easier. Lay the fabric samples out together in the natural lighting of the room. Noting any color that seems to need a boost may give you a hint as to where to start looking. The goal is to blend the colors by highlighting what you like and downplaying what is less desirable. A red sofa may need a lighter color from an accompanying piece to keep it from dominating. Taking a lighter shade from the chairs and matching it to your walls can help these lesser pieces stand up and be noticed while taming the bolder shade.

If the scheme looks good as is, choose a neutral shade for the walls, but always bring the samples home and look at them in the room with the fabrics. Tape the sample to the wall and watch it change throughout the day. The amount and quality of light will have an effect on the color you have chosen. It is best to make sure that any dark colors don't look too glum at night and that any light colors don't wash away in the light of day.

Making your furniture color choices first gives a good foundation to start your room. Starting where there is the least variety ensures that you won't box yourself into an impossible situation. Fabric options for furniture and window treatments are often very limited, while the selection of paint colors is nearly limitless. By working from large to small, it will be easier to pull together a polished design.

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