The Many Faces of Color
Standing before hundreds of color choices in a furniture showroom,
you think you’ve determined the right colors for you. You take them home, and all
of a sudden, the robin’s-egg blue no longer looks blue – it’s now green. What happened?
Did I pick up the wrong sample? This is an all-too-familiar incident for many people
when selecting color swatches for upholstering new furnishings. We’ve become so
accustomed to color, we don’t even realize how complicated it can be, taking it
for granted and assuming that it will always stay constant no matter how or where
we decide to use it. Light is the key since color is light, and many times we ignore
light not realizing it is more important than the color itself.
Color can be daunting to work with, offering a multitude of possibilities that often
makes you feel like you are playing a game of roulette to find the perfect color
palette. Because of the importance of light in selecting color, it is crucial to
examine the color source in different lighting conditions. Mistakenly color choices
are made in showrooms without ever seeing the color in your home. Showrooms are
typically illuminated with multiple light sources including fluorescent. Artificial
light sources never render the true color characteristics of fabrics, trims, paint,
wood tones, etc. Fluorescent lights generally emit reddish (warm) or bluish (cool)
light that will alter the true color of materials, and once the materials are placed
within our homes, they will appear noticeably different.
Tip 1: Showrooms typically provide memo samples of upholstery used
in their furniture lines. When possible, take the samples home and view the fabrics
under the different light sources in your home. Examine the textile in morning,
afternoon, and nighttime lighting conditions. The location in the room, time of
day, and amount of natural sunlight reaching a particular area in your room, as
well as the artificial lighting in your home, will all contribute to the many faces
of the color. Generally speaking, neutrals and lighter tones will have a greater
color change than darker tones. Neutral colors can have a remnant of other colors
present that, when intensified by certain light sources, might result in a hint
of the color coming through. I’m sure you’ve had an incident where your lovely shade
of antique white paint now looks pink on your walls.
Tip 2: The surface characteristics of textiles, trims, wood, etc.
will also play a role in their perceived color. The color of highly textured surfaces
will appear darker in value, and glossy surfaces will appear lighter. This is because
of the amount of light that is reflected off the surface – the more light reflected,
the brighter the color; the less light, the darker. If you are attempting to match
a color, surface texture is a key factor to your success. It will be difficult to
match two items of the same color with different textures; at most, you can coordinate.
Tip 3: When you are examining the color source at different times
of the day and under different light sources to see how dramatically the color changes,
also examine the source in different positions. If you are selecting a textile,
lay the textile flat on the seat of a chair or sofa as well as vertically to examine
how its color changes. Light reflects off vertical and horizontal surfaces differently,
and color will vary accordingly. It is best to view your color selections in the
location where they are intended to be used; otherwise, you run the risk of improper
color selection and balancing with other colors in the room. The same principles
apply to paint. It is better to buy a quart and paint a large (about five foot by
five foot) area on your walls in different locations within the rooms and examine
how much the color changes under various light sources and at different times of
day. If using this technique, paint the sample area with the same finish that will
be used on the walls (flat, eggshell, gloss, etc.); otherwise, the reflective qualities
will change the paint color. Some designers paint the color onto pieces of white
foam board or drywall to test the color before painting. Caution is needed if your
walls are textured, since foam board is a smooth surface, which may cause the color
to appear lighter.
These tips will ensure that the color sources chosen do not change in such a way
as to compromise the overall room design and will assist you in finding colors that
are appealing to your sense of style. Color is complicated, but with some basic
skills and a fearless attitude, you’ll gain a greater sense of security to explore
with color. Good luck in finding your face of color!
Ron Reed