I know color combinations come and go (hunter green and cranberry anyone?) but there's one that I've been enamoured with for quite some time now. Black and white with gray, green, and orange accents. The black and white are timeless, the gray adds a sophisticated contrast, and green and orange are at once energetic and earthy. Looking through my file folder of "favorite houses", I find myself drawn to this color scheme more than any other.
(forgive the slightly crude nature of the photographs--they're scans from Better Homes and Gardens and This Old House Magazine).But here are some lovely examples of this color scheme at work:
The gray zinc backgrounds of the shelves and the hefty black of the table and chandelier are brought to life by the zingy green art and pillow.....
Black, white, gray....and then the orange comes to help out! Don't be afraid of this combination looking too Halloweeny. It will especially look great around that time, but it can carry itself all year too! 
This is one of my all-time favorite dining rooms. I designed the curtains in my own dining room after these. The orange chairs are balanced by the green centerpiece.
(Living room of the same house as above)Bright colors like orange and green look great with a lot of natural light, but can also warm a house where skies are overcast most of the time. If you have a lot of light, choose a more citrus-y orange. If you've got less--try a warmer pumpkin shade.
Although I added a little brown and red to the mix, my own house is mostly black, white, gray, green and orange:
So...there ya go ! If you're tired of what you've got going on for color--I give you permission to try out my favorite!
And just for fun--what is YOUR favorite color combination?
8 comments:
I don't really have a favorite, but I am trying to go for blue and black with red, orange, and yellow accents in my livingroom. Inspired by a painting I have. I have the black and red, just working on the other colors now.
just redid my bedroom in sage and browns... i'm just laughing because i still have a small bathroom with hunter green and cranberry. i know it's time to move on... i think i get a little stuck sometimes. chortle.
I love your living room. The colors and especially that armoire with the radio wagon on top. :)
By any chance do you remember where you got your black roman shades? I have been looking for black ones for my house with no luck.
I, too, love orange, and red, and green. My family room is in this combination with butter walls. I love it, but I wish the walls were a more golden color. That's what I get for not changing them after the furniture arrived! :) I should really take a picture for you...
Blue Castle,
The shades were custom made. Sorry :(. However--the way I got them is something you might consider. I did some custom painting for a friend in exchange for sewing. We ended up saving eachother at least $500! Find a DYI buddy and trade services! :) You can try www.smithandnoble.com. They have a great selection. Just make sure that if you go with black that they have the highest weight of lining that you can get to prevent them from graying or browning because of sun. Good luck!
Orange is definitely my new favorite. I've been experimenting with gray, orange, green and blue.
I moved into my home in Tucson almost six years and am still loving my Martha Steward shades of green on our walls. I used three different shades (kitchen, living room, bathroom all received their own shade) that all compliment each other.
I do love a classic blue and white look - I have a thing for all white dishes!
Can you guess what my favorite color is? Oh, yeah, it's pink! I love soft baby pink and a deeper raspberry pink. I am always drawn to pink and green, and in my home love creamy yellow mixed in. I have chosen many a fabric with a yellow background and a big floral print of lush pink flowers. I enjoyed seeing your favorite color scheme played out and look forward to more during your design week.
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