Name: Shelby
Location: Portland, OR
Type of Home: House
What inspired you to use color? We moved into this angular, open, contemporary home with soaring spaces & no color. My collection of heirlooms, antiques, hand-me-downs, artwork (kids' & professional) & travel knick-knacks needed a way to fit into this unusual space. Color was the unifying element. Sitting on the TV room couch & seeing into 5 different spaces on the main floor, I was able to draw on the red, turquoise & black elements in each room (rugs, furniture, accessories), with other colors in play in smaller doses, and chose wall paint colors accordingly...
...One color would have been too much for the space, and too many colors would have made it crazy! I stood in different spots on the main floor to decide how the chosen wall colors would play off each other & off the accessories that inspired the choices. I loaded the powder room with my latin-inspired collections & artwork, giving it the wow factor and a behind-the-door surprise. (I do have to warn the parent of little ones about the Day of the Dead skeleton!).
Color Tip: Work with what you have & love! Emulating a magazine picture is great and a good guide when you're starting from scratch; but a more personal starting point would be a favorite pillow, rug, painting, knick-knack or fabric and drawing from that for your color inspiration. Working with things you already own--knowing that you don't have the budget to go buy a new & coordinated pre-designed room--is actually exciting and generates more creativity. I had a favorite piece of art (from a friend), a rug that I had splurged on, and a bargain set of red furniture that I referred to when choosing the colors. I also had existing mini-blinds and countertops that I didn't want the paint colors to clash with. We also have some wet, gray days here Oregon and I wanted a bit of color to contrast with that & brighten the spirits!
Colors Used: Miller Paint Ruby Red Miller Paint Green Pear Miller Paint Blue Stencil Devine Butter Miller Fried Shrimp another Miller--lighter blue/aqua
Where to Squeeze a Home Office into a Full House?
Juan's Garage Turned Modern Guest House
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
Yuck: A Fourth Grader Reveals What School Lunches Really Look Like
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
A little too much stuff on the walls for me but I do love the wall of children's art. So sweet!
So cheerful and bright and happy! I also love the wall of chidren's art. Adorable!
I love this.
absolutely darling! so bright and colorful! love the day o the dead room
what a great idea - I think it looks fantastic!
It looks like I'm alone here but this isn't my favorite. I find the glass block a bit dated and the shade of red a bit cliche. I also think the combination of the brocade couch, blue chair and the patterned rug gets a little garish.
so cool! I love all the colors! Where is the striped lamp from?
Thanks for the nice comments! STRIPED LAMP is from IKEA. Glass block came with the house--had to work with it.
I must second the appreciation for the "kid art" wall. If I was a child, I'd feel like I was getting my first gallery showing.
Working with what was already there and using those vibrant colors to incorporate your artwork was nicely done. Can I hire you as my interior designer?
i agree with you ashbadger. especially on the brocade couch, but also that there is a little too much on the walls.
It's all about the flow. I love the color connections between the rooms...
The rug in the living room! I must have it!
Where did you get it?
Zohreh- The RUG in the living room is from Company C. It's called "Yukata". I love it! I'm glad you do, too:)
One could overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder in this house! Love how the aqua and red are paired. I feel like I've stepped into another country with vibrance resonating from the walls. I imagine parties and laughter and sangria and music.
I love the vibrant colors in the house. The kids artwork on the wall is fantastic! Great ideas and fun pairings....
What a fun, happy & colorful home! I especially love the red chair and the yellow & orange walls - my favorite colors!
Love the kids artwork on the wall! I think it's great when people aren't afraid to use color! It makes me happy!
Oh My Gosh!!!! I am in love with your house. I love the large piece of artwork on the wall. It is so funky. Is it an original?
I love the use of bold color in the larger spaces, its very risky but works so well in this home. I feel like I am away in Mexico! Such warmth.
You home just looks so comfortable! I bet the nice variety of color brightens up those gray NW winter days.
I live in the Northwest too and those colors must be fantastic in the winter! I wish that I were brave enough to have all those colors to cheer me up. Although all the colors are different, they all coordinate and flow together. The space looks comfortable and unified. It looks like the very contemporary floor plan is made so much warmer and friendlier with the colors and artwork. I think part of what makes this work so brilliantly is that the colors and furniture are themselves contemporary, modern, and upbeat, so they don't in anyway fight the contemporary floor plan; they only enhance it. This place is an inspiration as I update my own furniture.
I love these colors! The red with the aqua look so great together. I think the framed children's artwork is such a sweet touch. It's wonderful how she tied in everyday creations into the whole design and theme. Anyone else craving a margarita?
Love the bright, bold colors! The artwork is wonderful--from your kids as well as professional pieces. The combination works.
What beautiful colors and how they are paired together! It must be a ray of sunshine on a Northwest rainy day. I love the creativity and the children's art incorporated into the scheme.
I agree with ashbadger. While I love the wall of children's art, it's not my favorite house. A lot of art on the walls, but it doesn't all tie together. It looks a bit chaotic.
The Best! -- Colorful, peaceful, non-cluttered. #1
i think the red wall with the glass blocks is a little much. i would love to see it in white, a crisp, clean look.
Nice use of color to showcase your art collections and tie the rooms together.
I love the warmth of all of the colors; the orange is my absolute favorite!
This looks like a fun household, perfect for a kid to grow up in. At the same time though - I could never live with this much color. Would love to visit!