Count The Colors

To me, rooms bathed in a riot of color require closer inspection. Why? Because I admire the designer or homeowner who adroitly mixes four, five, and six colors in one room. And I'm not talking quiet, subdued colors but rather bold, gutsy shades. I can handle two or three strong colors in my rooms, but I'm not skilled enough to go beyond that. I'm afraid that the effect would be quite comical.

In the right hands, though, an array of color can be a symphony rather than a cacophony.

(That image at the top is a color palette recommended by Color Hunter; it matches the colors in the room photo that I uploaded to the site.)


Let's see... we've got blues, browns, oranges, and fuchsia in this room by Jonathan Berger. Oh, and touches of green too.


Pinks, blues, orange, reds, greens in the Newport home of Tracey Roberts and Paul Haigney.


Red! Yellow! Green and Lilac! The exclamation points are necessary in describing a room like this one in Paris. Not for me, but fitting for someone with a colorful personality.


This home in Athens is an enfilade of pure, deep color.

So why have I been thinking of bold color today? I'm captivated by this watercolor which captured the flamboyance of Thomas Hope's boudoir at Deepdene.


According to Country Life, there were four different shades of red and a green marble fireplace with columns capped by gilt-bronze capitals. Don't you wonder what it must have been like to have seen this room in person?

(Berger photo from House Beautiful, July 09, Francesco Lagnese photographer. Newport home featured in Weekend Retreats by Susanna Salk. Paris and Athens homes photographed by Massimo Listri. Hope drawing featured in Nov 07 issue of Country Life.)