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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Book Review- Home Rules

My sister and her husband just bought
their first home and we were discussing paint
colors the other day.
People who have been renters for a few years
seem to go a little paint crazy once they have
the freedom to choose their wall color.
Nate Berkus has a few good tips in his book
Home Rules that I thought applied well.
1. Don't be afraid to experiment with colors.
Sometimes it's the only way to find out what
colors you really love and can live with.
2. Try out my rule of four: One color, top to
bottom, can be a bore, two might work, three
can be interesting, four adds up to a rich,
sophisticated scheme
3. Your clothes closet often knows best.
If you feel comfortable wearing a particular
color, you'll probably feel comfortable living
with a shade of the same color.
4. Paint is cheap and changeable, and it
creates a rich result.
5. Try out your paint coors in the rooms where
they'll be used before you make an all-out
commitment.
6. Remember three things if your going to paint
it yourself: prep, prep, prep
7. To play it safe, keep walls and major pieces
neutral, then add color in the details. A patterned
pillow is a lot less risky than a set of boldly
upholstered dining chairs.
8. Unify your fabric and paint story.
Collect all the pieces of the puzzle on a story
board to see if you like the mix before you play
the decorating game.
9. When in doubt, men's suiting colors such as
camel, navy, gray, and crisp white are
reliable choices.
10. Use lighing to create mood and
influence the colors in your space.

Number 8 is probably my favorite tip. I love the
look of layered spaces that you can add to over
time, but in general you should have an overall
color scheme in mind BEFORE you start
painting and picking out furniture.
Once you have your large pieces taken care of,
then you can add more life and color to the
space with accessories.

This book was a fun read and had some
great tips and ideas for designing spaces
as well as some great inspiration photos.
Oh and the multiple photos of Nate
throughout the book were nice too!

1 comment:

  1. I think I might have to stop by the library. Do you watch his show? It is one of my favorites during Hannah's nap time.

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