Color Schemes Made Easy (Better Homes & Gardens)

This is one of the best books for helping you determine color schemes. I knew I had a winner when there was a 2-page spread called "One Room - Three Looks." The three photos show the same exact room with the only difference being the wall color. The differences were interesting, but all the rooms looked great. Color Schemes explained the effect the various color walls have on the overall look and feel of the room, thereby helping you make good decisions about selecting a color. (page 22)The chapters are divided by color and each chapter has various shades of that color. This book totally makes up for the other BH&G book, Express Yourself with Color which now seems mediocre in comparison. This book shows each of the color schemes used in the room, using nice size paint swatches. The color swatches are large enough in size that it would be easy to find a comparable color.Near the back of the book (pg 150-159), there are full page Q&A's that include photographs that address the question. The last few pages are the entire color schemes used in the book, again divided by color.I found just the right color for a room I am redecorating. The walls are yellow and the rest of the decor is black and white. I knew I wanted one more accent color, but I was having a really hard time deciding. I found the perfect color combination by using this book.This is THE book to have if you are looking for ways to incorporate color in your decorating scheme.

This is first and foremost an idea generating book. It does not do a detailed analysis of how to use color to enhance a room, make it larger or smaller, brighter or more intimate. It does offer up a number of design tips with each color palette but the particular colors are not specific to the solutions offered up. The pictures are beautiful and this in itself is worth the modest price of this large paperback book. Just looking at the photos helped me open up my mind to new ways of using color, especially more boldly. I followed several of the ideas in my recent wake up to a dull living room just by studying the pictures to see how they got the wonderful effect with color. It definitely took me out of my comfort zone in mixing colors I would not have thought to do and using color as a bold statement. Ok so I still have not get to bold yet but I did mix color in a way I have not done before.Although many of the rooms are more elegant than anything in my home I was able to visualize how I could take their ideas of furniture placement around color and translate it to my less than stately home. I am afraid that in spite of the beautiful photos I still can't do purple!

This is a good book on color for your home.The first part of the book covers the color wheel and basic color theory. It's nothing new, and not really detailed, but a nice overview.Then each chapter focuses on a different main color. The pictures of the rooms are beautiful - very much like you might see in Better Homes, Country Home, or Country Living magazines - and usually show a good use of the color scheme they are portraying. It is not too trendy, most seem like you could live with them for many years.I would have liked to see deeper and brighter oranges though. Leaned heavily toward apricots and corals.Also needed more warm-toned browns.The end of the book has all the color schemes used in the book, for matching to paint chips or fabric samples. Also a nice way to match color schemes if you were planning a whole house, since the main color in a plan turns up as an accent in other plans.This book could also be useful to crafters looking for new colors to try together. I'm thinking of using some of the color schemes in knitting.

I love this book. It was really helpful to have explanations not just of what colors work together but why. Didn't always love all the interior design styles in all the pictures, but even if I didn't care for a particular kind of furniture or style of room, their explanations helped me see how and why the COLORS of that room worked. Liked the color scheme "paint chips" at the back of the book - makes it possible to think about how to put together rooms in those same palettes without necessarily copying the same style of decor the authors used in their sample room. But... does anybody have any idea where they got that gorgeous tablecloth on page 51?!

I always enjoy this magazine!

Excellent book to provide inspiration and ideas for selecting and mixing color schemes. Information is divided by color families. Each room has a sample color palette. In addition there is a complete section at the back of all the color palettes used so you can bring them with you when you select your paint. I refer to this book often.

I recommend these books not just for decorating, but for all color projects. color schemes can be adapted for everything from quilting and painting to styling a wardrobe and accessorizing a room.

We are remodeling our whole house and determining color schemes is really overwhelming. This book is a great alternative to hiring a real decorator. It's helped me limit the color palette I'm using to a few main colors, then add a few for particular rooms. It does a great job of giving ideas for how to get the color in the room using paint, furniture, etc.