My color lab

Over the next few days I hope to demonstrate how I experiment with color in my home and to present a few of my theories on the relationship between art and decor.

My apartment is my lab, and color for me is all about experimentation. Usually I begin to obsess about a color, bring it into my home in a small way and then try to reconcile the color with the existing decor. When I am contemplating decor, or a painting, balance is always foremost in my mind. Lately, I have been experiencing color crisis in my home.

Previously, I had painted my walls fuchsia, as you can see here. I painted them white because I don't like the way my art looked against the fuchsia. The red sofa, was unintended, but was a deal. Vintage furniture is usually built better and costs much less than new pieces. The cranberry rug was also unintended, only$12.99 from Target!

I'd like to do the following to this scheme: cover the sofa in royal blue and have the ottomans painted white. I'd also love to paint the floors white, but this is a rental. Oh well, some day when I own an atomic ranch.

Indecision and overstimulation plague me when considering decor, and I find I am attracted to two distinct color schemes.

1. Turquoise/orange which I wrote about here.

2. Fuchsia and ice blue. I love the idea of warmth mixed with coolness.

No matter what combination I use, it would, of course, include lots and lots of white.

Today I was perusing the Urban Outfitters site and was reminded of something my father told me. "There is no such thing as original thought."

I am not much for pattern, but I find this bedding gorgeous. The pale-corally orange, the blue and the olive look great together. This bedding would be great inspiration for a color scheme, or could be used to update a blue/brown decor that is becoming tired. Even though it didn't, this bedding certainly could have inspired my current pottery display:

Note the pale orange Haeger vase, and the olive bamboo bowl, colors very similar to the UO bedding. Pieces I love, but that will probably be edited out (sold), because I think I'm going to go more with the fuchsia/ice blue decor. Oh dear, what about the turquoise lamp that I am on the hunt for?

And how will I incorporate my orange pillows and my olive pillow into this color scheme? Such fun dilemmas. Whatever I decide, it's all about using what I have. I seldom buy anything new, and if I do, I have sold something old.