Name: Stevie and Jason
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Type: 3 bed/1 bath home, owned

Why I use color: As a child, my mom would ask my opinion before painting my bedroom. My imagination would run away with me and I would yell "Pink!" or "Yellow!" or "Blue!" Every time she was done painting, the room still looked white. She would hold up a piece of white paper next to the wall to prove that perhaps it was a smidge pink or a smidge yellow. It was as though the paint mixer put in one drop of color into an entire gallon of paint. The first time I got a hold of a gallon of paint and a paintbrush, I painted my entire bedroom teal.

On the wall near the dining table is the Norwegian proverb, "That which is loved is always beautiful", which perfectly sums up mine and my husband's entire design philosophy.

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The winter and fall months on the Upper Plains are already dreary enough, so I use color to improve my mood. My house is teeny tiny but it has a lot of windows and light. I like to aim for a "California modern" style to my house, which helps when it's negative 20 outside.

2 good color tips:

1. Don't be scared to go bold. You can always re-paint. I take many photos in my home and the vibrant wall colors serve as excellent backdrops.

2. Also, don't be afraid to change your mind. Nothing is ever final. I've changed my mind many times until I'm happy with a room. The living room was originally purple (back before we remodeled the kitchen and it was still closed off) and it wasn't sitting well with me. We painted it blue on a January afternoon and it was definitely a change for the better.

2 good color resources:

1. I take inspiration from Shag Art prints, which I have three in the living room (and one in my bedroom).

2. I also take a lot of inspiration from anything that is a twist on modern scandinavia. I hesitate to admit that I use the Ikea catalog as some of my inspiration, but it's true!