Name: Pearl and Dave
Location: San Francisco
Type: 2-bedroom rental

Why I use color:

Even though I live in a rental, I feel like color really makes where you live a home. Sometimes you aren’t always given the luxury of determining your color preferences. Our landlord had to re-paint the walls from damage left by the last tenants. We asked him if we could pick the colors. We didn’t have the opportunity to test colors, so we just went with first instincts, and we aren’t allowed to re- paint.

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Our apartment has a lot of its own character – wood paneling and molding, coved ceilings, and most notably a wallpapered dining room. Our living room and dining room are adjacent to each other, so we had to pick a color scheme that could be shared between the two rooms. We opted for a “safe” wall color because it seemed the best way to bridge colors in our existing furniture and the character of the apartment. The neutral background lets us add hits of color. For the bedroom and office, we were influenced by the outdoors. Large windows look out onto mature trees and the Bay.

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2 Good color tips:

If you have no idea where to start, look in your closet. Typically the colors you like and gravitate to can be found in your wardrobe.

Even when you are in a situation similar to mine where you can’t change your paint color, inject color using textiles, artwork or every day objects. Sometimes you actually feel the impact of color more when it’s in short, concentrated doses. And remember, wood is color!

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Favorite type and brand of paint:

Benjamin Moore

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