Decorating with Roy G. Biv (27 comments)

4girls1boy says:

That cable-knit mural is incredible. I'm not sure if I could live with it in my home, but it's something special to look at, that's for sure.

whimsicalcottage says:

It's so easy to find the colors that speak to you using your method. I especially love the yellow and green room. Yum.

hopefulhousewife says:

Love the "blue" picture!

homeforthebetter says:

Mmmm.... don't you just love color? I love color so much that I've decided to do our entire house in neutrals :) Sounds counter-intuitive, huh? But, with a neutral backdrop for everything, I can switch out my colors **so** easily and change the mood in a snap. When I need hot pink or bright yellow around in early March when the looooooong Ohio winter is wearing on me, not problem! Any color will slide right in to my neutral house. I love it!!!

centsationalgirl says:

Ahhh, the magnificence of color. That yellow room is perfect ! I am always drawn to fresh yellows, blues and greens in January in anticipation of spring. Thanks for sharing your insights Layla !

dbbstitch says:

Love the article ;)

littlesunshine says:

They are all gorgeous but the red office is STUNNING!
Great post!

svmom says:

OMG... this article makes me want to paint every room in my house! What a fantasic ideabook and GORGEOUS home decor photographs!

nicole says:

Great post- love them all!

frommycherryheart_1234 says:

I am in love with that red room!

gabbi says:

I have a question. I took a class in the psychology of color at our local university.
We were taught that yellow is a very unsettling color psycholigically and that if you had too much company who came and stayed longer than we could enjoy them, to paint our guest room yellow and they wouldn' stay as long. Also it was best to use yellow only as accent pieces in your home. Is there truth to this? I avoid yellow in decorating because of this This was not a class on decorating. The example used about paint was to show the effects solor could create. The professor also said the oranges, yellows and reds were not a good idea to choose for kitchens if you had a weight problem because those colors stimulate the appetitie. As an example he pointed out that those colors were used in fast food restuarants and food advertisements. Because of this class, I painted my bedroom blue and it truly is a peaceful, soothing, and calming color. I took this class years ago, but my bedroom has always been some shade of blue since.
I have to resist painting all my bedrooms blue so that my guests will have a calming room in which to rest. I have a five bedroom house, so it might get too monotonous if all of them were a shade of blue.
What do you think of the comments on color made by my professor?

letteredcottage says:

Hey Gabbi!
I, too, have heard that yellow is the hardest color for the human eye to take in for extended periods of time. So I guess it would be best used in small doses, or in rooms that you don't spend a lot of time in.
I'm not sure if using red, orange or yellow in a kitchen would stimulate my appetite more than another color would- but I do know that those colors are supposed to create a heightened sense of energy, so maybe there is some truth to it. (?)
And as for blue, I'm with ya! I also find it hard to resist using blue in every room. :-)

Layla

bjacobs says:

For a full spectrum effect in ANY color, check out http://www.ellenkennon.com. I'm an architectural color consultant and these are my "Go-To" colors. You can find out more on my blog also--www.integralcolor.com. Thanks for your interesting post. Here are few images I've taken using these paints.

natalekku says:

I've heard the comment about the link between red and food too.

The knit mural is done beautifully. I looked at it and was trying to figure out how they draped the knitting. It wasn't until reading the comment of another that I realized it was a mural and not an actual knit. It makes the room almost have a doll house like feel (not small, just the larger than life comparison).

And I learned something. I had not realized that orange is the color of organization.

vdr928 says:

Bjacobs, I love those colors.. especially the green at the top! Funny, my favorite room here is the yellow, but I really can't "do" yellow rooms! I think it is more the white sofa I am drawn too... ??

vdr928 says:

drawn to...?? I always see a typo as it flashes off the screen to post!

4shannon says:

The colors we are drawn to speak of our past experiences as well as our surroundings. Make a wish and see what color it is. Do you "taste" color? I sometimes think I do by their names. Lemon yellow, luscious grape, tea stain- see? It is usually my job as a designer to find the colors that are yours alone.

storklady says:

Funny how we are all so different. I've owned several homes in my life and I've always had yellow rooms...not screaming yellow...but happy butter yellows that always make me (and my family and friends) feel great every single day. I consistently receive great comments about my yellow rooms. I don't really "get" the negative comments about yellow.

sophie777 says:

I like yellow too, but my living room is more of a Tuscan gold than yellow. Have rec'd many compliments on it too.
Red is supposed to be avoided in children's rooms--too stimulating.
And a designer told me to NEVER use green in a dining room or kitchen because it's color of bile. Whatever!

All your photos are amazing--nicely done!

cheapdiva says:

My living room was pale yellow until this summer - now it's a soft raspberry! And my kitchen which had been 3 shades of pumpkin is now granny smith apple green and everyone loves it! BUT we have all white cabinets and that tones it down considerably. My philosophy is use the colors you love, don't be afraid of color, and remember - paint is cheap!!

laurelmurals says:

Yellow is intellectually stimulating and is good in offices, studies and living rooms. However, I'm not talking about screaming yellow zonkers, rather BUTTER. A soft, browned down yellow. If you goof choosing from a small color chip, one or two transparent glazes of ivory can tone down a screaming yellow zonker room.

laurelmurals says:

A soft warm yellow welcomes guests to this entry, and a trompe l'oeil folding screen adds interest without obstructing the flow of traffic.

laurelmurals says:

A yellow tapestry mural frames a ceremonial sink. The flowers connect to the marble floor medallion. The medallion pattern is reflected in the copper metallic ceiling dome.

fuzzybunny says:

The blue photo is from a Hotel Indigo (www.hotelindigo.com). The knit on the wall is technically not a mural, since it's not painted. It's a photograph. All the guest rooms have one wall covered by a wall-sized photo of something blue. When I stayed there, my room had a photo of blueberries. There are lots of pictures on the web site. Go to a specific hotel and then click on "guest room."

sunshineindustries says:

Those comments from your psychology professor are true. However, if you tone yellow down with browns or slight orange tinges, it will become more welcoming. Also, the lighter the yellow, the less this colour makes one uncomfortable. (Think baby room yellows). As for warm colours stimulating the appetite, this is also true. Think McDonald's colours. The brighter, the more stimulating. Tone them down into cinnamon, warm gold or pumpkin orange and they are less stimulating. There are so many tints, tones and shades of each colour that one can always find one that works for you without the negative psychological connotations. Happy painting!

lucinda says:

I go back and forth on color. I'll see a great room with bright colors and love it and then see a room of burlap, beige and white and think how refreshing it looks. I am going to get rid of my yellow guest room and yellow living room this year I've gotten where I don't like the color at all anymore.

alouette says:

I love all of these photos! The red room and the green bathroom especially stand out to me. Great ideabook!!