The Cool Pepper » color scheme

Soften the Look of a Black Curio Cabinet

Jackson — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:35:05 +0000

When you are redecorating, it is tempting to explore some alternaitve options with the style and color of your furniture. This can be a very rewarding process, as long as you take care to balance your color choices!

For example, black curio cabinets are excellent for storing your dinnerware pieces and accessories. However, a huge piece of black cabinet furniture can be somewhat of an eyesore if not decorated and accessorized properly. If you like this type of bold look then you don’t have to change a thing, but if you have a more subdued look in mind then some of the tips mentioned here may be helpful.

First you may want to consider a softer background touch. It is possible to still have your black curio cabinet, however, there is something you can do about having a black background. You can still keep your dark-colored shelves and sides, but perhaps a softer color on the back would help ease the somewhat drab appearance of all black. You can paint the back wall a light shade of brown or you can even apply a decorative wallpaper to it. You can do a variety of things to the back but whatever you choose to do, make sure that it allows your dishes to stand apart from the background.

Another option you may want to choose is the addition of lights. Some curio cabinets come equipped with lighting already installed, if this is not the case with yours then you may want to consider adding some yourself. Not only will this highlight your dishes more, it also presents a nice warm glow that will brighten that all black look. Don’t make the lights to bright, but instead a softer yellow light that will highlight the pieces within. For a more modern up-to-date look you may consider adding colored lighting, just be sure that it blends in with the theme of your dishes.

If your dish collection is of a dark color and you add this to an all-black curio cabinet the result will be an image of a huge black piece of furniture that looks heavy and unappealing. The idea is to add colors that are bright and lively that will offset the darkness of the cabinet itself. Bright white is a bit too much, however an eggshell or maybe even a tan color would probably be a great contrast.

Another way to offset the darkness of your black curio cabinet is by adding other accessories in the room that are also black. By doing this you create more of a balance in your color scheme, now when you look at your black curio cabinet you also see other items in the room that it blends in with as well. They don’t have to be large items just a couple of small pieces that will help accent or highlight the black color of your cabinet. Once you get this coordinated the items that you display in your curio cabinet will be eye-catching and enjoyable to look at.

Camouflage Bedding for the Baby Boy

Jackson — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:41:51 +0000

When expectant parents think of a son on the way they think of the little man and the nursery he will call home. Parents will spend lots of time in the nursery and the little one will spend approximately seventy percent of his first year in the nursery. The design and theme should be pleasing and easy on the eye. Remember, the little one will become familiar with his surroundings which means it should be a theme that can follow the youngster to the toddler bed. A transitional theme or color scheme will help the young boy make the adjustment from the crib to the toddler bed.

One of the most embraced selections for baby boy bedding is the camo design. The nursery can be totally decorated with this theme. Many of the designers and manufacturers of crib sets have gone to great lengths to create complete sets, often including ten or more pieces. Included in many sets are a fitted sheet, a quilt comforter, a bumper, diaper stacker, hamper, and even a mobile to attract the little camper’s attention.

Camouflage bedding has been a favorite for boys and teens for years. The theme is simple to follow and easy to accentuate. If the selection is a traditional camo pattern, the parents can follow up with green, khaki or a sand color accent as the youngster grows into the toddler stage. A olive green trunk from an Army surplus store will make a terrific toy chest when he is old enough to put his own toys away. Even the little G.I. Joe toy figures will add to the theme.

For the parents who are not ready to go with green and khaki but love the camo pattern, there are new colors available for the little boy while remaining true to the camo pattern. It is easier than ever to purchase a camo crib set in blue when green will not do. Maybe the expectant mother wants to stay with the traditional colors for boys, even though dad wants to make sure the nursery is totally masculine.

There is a camouflage bedding set that will successfully fit into any little boy’s nursery.

Cushions and Rugs

Jackson — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:08:41 +0000

If you have a very plain room, for example one which has been decorated entirely in the natural shades of cream and beige, cushions and area rugs are a great way of adding some interest to your room as well as making it more comfortable.

You can choose to add color with your cushions and rugs or you can add texture with them or (preferably) both.

One idea is to coordinate your cushions and rugs to bring in an accent color which adds impact to your color scheme yet keeps it coherent. For example, with the natural scheme you could add a chocolate brown rug and some rich satin pleated cushions in the same chocolate shade along with a few fluffy cream cushions and a couple of beige brocade cushions with beaded embroidery. Each element is adding color and/or texture while still being part of the natural color scheme.

This is much better in terms of interior design than cushions or rugs which fade away into the background. For example you could have cushions made up in the same fabric as your sofa and a rug which matches the color of your floor, for example, cream plain fabric cushions on a cream fabric sofa and a honey colored wool rug on top of oak flooring. You can see that this would add comfort to your furniture and flooring but it would have no impact at all.

If your color scheme is already more dramatic, perhaps you have a purple accent wall for example and a purple chair in contrast to your cream sofas then rugs and cushions can pick up on those colors you are using and tie your base color and accent color together. In this instance, you might look at purple rugs and cushions in the exact same shade as your wall and chair as well as cream cushions which add variety and texture and some cushions which contain both the purple and cream colors.