Defining living areas in today’s open floor plans can be quite a challenge. Do you paint each area a different color, or opt for
one color fits all? It’s important that your model homes leave a great first impression.
Josette Buisson, artistic director with Pittsburgh Paints says, “The law is that everything has to have a link and a flow.” Buisson continues, “There’s a main color
and then lighter shades.” She advocates the 60:30:10 rule. Use 60 percent of one color, 30 percent of another and 10 percent of an accent color.
Jessica Gordon, color specialist and
owner of Interior Artistry in Seattle, suggests choosing one color for the most public spaces and altering the shades in adjacent areas. “Keep the hallways and stairs one shade,” she
says. “And only totally change color if you have good cut-off points like a soffit or a door
between the living and dining rooms.”
Buisson likes to pick up the accent color (the 10 percent) and repeat it in an adjacent area. “If the living room has an accent color and
you can see the kitchen from there, you might paint the entire kitchen in that color.”
