A color scheme is basically an arrangement of colors. Throughout history the decorative style of certain times and places have become a standard. Think English manor, or country French. When you use the colors associated with these styles in your own home, you create a space which reflects the ambiance of those specific period.

Below you will find descriptions of several color styles which have developed throughout history. By understanding the way certain colors create these types of spaces, you can gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of how color affects your life.

You can also copy the color styles below to create a novel decorative theme, which captures the spirit of a specific time and place.

Coastal / Beach Life Color Schemes

This color style invites the spirit of coastal life into your home. Blue, white, and tan, the colors of beach and bay are the predominant tones in this space. The ocean often meets the shore across the ceiling and walls of such a space. Furnishings tend to be rustic wood, unfinished or treated, to simulate outdoor beach chairs. Touches of actual coastal life, sea shell ashtrays, nautical décor, and brightly patterned blankets add a depth to the colors which gives the theme an added dimension.

Rustic Cabin Color Schemes

This color style is dominated by rustic earth tones, with deep reds, and blues or greens acting as accents to the color. Wood is a predominant tone, as well as a good texture for a cabin décor. Southwestern tones such as adobe pottery can give the room more of a dessert theme. Color patterns often include Native American styles, with deep maroon or brown, interlaced with dark navy interplays.

English Manor

This style is dominated by vibrant reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples and oranges, melded together in an explosion of color. The tones often resembled gemstones, which collude in a chintz style that is almost gaudy. These powerful colors are generally arranged in floral patterns, which give the overwhelming colors of the space an anchor in reality.

Country French

Vibrant earth tones abound in interplay of the dazzling and the subdued. White plaster is the traditional backdrop, against which colors such as mustard, rust, and indigo are placed. A calico pattern tends to dominate fabrics and upholstery in this style.

Country Cottage

A sweet and feminine style, the colors are generally pastels, in both warm and cool tones. Light blue, white, and pink, tend to form in floral patterns throughout the space. Accent colors are generally used in decorative frills such as bed skirts, trim, and ribbons.

Shabby Chic

This style is dominated by the color white. Think an old and distinguished southern manor. Most of the interest lent to this style is done by using texture, on walls, ceilings, and especially in trim, pieces and molding. Paint chips, and faded colors also add to the details of the space. Accent colors should be used sparingly, in strategic and clever locations.

City Chic

This style uses neutral colors throughout a space. White, black, beige, or anything which is unassuming can work in a shabby chic color scheme. Interest is added to the space through the use of texture and materials such as copper, chrome, steal, and shimmering hardwoods. The effect is a room which balances soft and hard elements to create a powerful space.

When someone describes a home as “sexy”, what would be the first impression that comes to your mind? Elegance and grace have a lot to do with design and it’s a matter of a good composition with harmony and totality of the many elements that make up a home’s architecture, furnishings, and interior. The concept of a home being sexy is related to a composition of elements that are highly appealing, streamlined and graceful – making them attractive. Combining volumes, textures and colours that you would not usually see in a normal home makes a sexy home unique.

To better understand it let’s look at some examples of different areas that contribute to a sexy home such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

Kitchen

As we may all know, the kitchen is considered to be the heart of a home. It is a social space, where you, your family and your friends often spend time cooking, snacking, and chatting, but it is also a space that gives people a strong impression of who you are.

Most often the look of the kitchen depends on the detailing. A sleek and streamlined kitchen has unique cabinets and finishing that tie in with all of the other elements of the room such as the countertop profile, backsplash pattern and texture, as well as knobs and pulls. It’s important that the layout of your kitchen also has to be harmonious with its style, so a European kitchen needs to pay particular attention to the composition of the elements in symmetry or asymmetry.

Some trendy design directions for sexy and sleek kitchens are:

1. Contemporary slab door cabinets in vivid high gloss finishing or matte wood vaneer with horizontal grain, with aluminum door edges,
2. Stainless steel appliances and countertops to reflect the high-tech and modern,
3. Low-voltage halogen pot lights, strategically placed to create a colour-wash on the cabinet doors when lights are dimmed,
4. Hardware such as soft-close drawer system to make the kitchen operate as gracefully as it looks.

Bathroom

Same as the kitchen, bathroom design has come a long way. Current trend is to create a spa-like bathroom, with fixtures that are poetic and hi-tech. Design tends to be more clean-lined and emphasis is put on the overall ambiance to create a relaxing space. Types of materials used are usually subtle and natural: imported river stone tiles, lightly honed marbles, and rich woods. It’s important to keep in mind that the style that you choose and the materials used should be consistent with the overall theme of your house interior and its architecture.

Besides the aesthetic elements, it is also important to consider the comfort factor that fixtures bring into a bathroom. There are different types of bathtub: pedestal, slipper, whirlpool, and more. To complement the spa theme, a tub with heated air jets would definitely provide relaxation and comfort of a spa; under-mounting the tub with a perimeter of marble or granite adds to the look we love. Besides the shape, bathtubs are also offered in different materials and colours, but it is suggested to choose something that would not only complement the overall design of the room, but as well as easy to clean and to maintain. And of course, wherever you can, hang or integrate a LCD TV in front of the soaker tub to up the cool factor to the bathroom and make taking long relaxing baths more enjoyable and practical.

Bedroom

After enjoying a delicious meal in the kitchen and taking a relaxing bath in your soaker tub, your typical day would end in your bedroom. Getting the right bed and bedding for your bedroom is the key because it not only is the focal point of the bedroom, but it is also the first thing that you would most likely see when you walk in, not to mention comfort and practicality. It is not, however, enough to make a bedroom sexy by just having the right bed. A sexy bedroom would also need elements such as lighting, wall colours, bed linens, and some furniture to bring out a romantic and relaxing atmosphere that would make you forget all your stresses and anxieties from the very first step into the room.

1. Choose a bed that works with the scale of the room. If you love modern design, a low platform bed always looks good.
2. Comfort is very important; therefore get the best mattress you can afford!
3. Use sheets and pillowcases that are made with silk or satin, or something that you would know immediately if it feels comfortable against your skin by just looking at it.
4. Use lighting that is soft, subtle, and localized. It would help in creating a relaxing atmosphere.
5. Walls with vivid hues are also the key in making the bedroom sexy, and it is very economical. If you don’t like strong colours, then use an earthy material palate with softer, neutral wall colours and use furniture’s colours and design to support that look.
6. Use curtains that would complement the bedding materials and colours. It’s important to choose curtains that hang or operate gracefully.
7. Use decorative elements such as flowers and candles, to appeal to all 5 senses.

A sexy home is about a combination of elements that are highly appealing, streamlined and graceful to create a relaxed ambiance. Volumes, textures and colours all come together in a well designed home to portray an image of who you are and how you want to live. Formal or informal, sophisticated or casual there are materials, textures, and designer furniture that are out there and a professional designer can help you bring it all together, giving you the home of your dreams.