Color Consult

Color Consult

It's no secret that painting is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to give your home a facelift. A fresh coat of paint can make anything"even dreary cabinets or an older couch"look better. But with so many shades and variations of the same hue, where does a clueless homeowner in search of the perfect color story begin? Color designer and interior decorator Kay Wensloff, owner of Fine Designs in Brandon, says the best thing to do is work with what you've already got. "Start with something you love in your house," she says, whether it's a piece of art or a set of drapes. In Florida in particular, she says, open floor plans make it harder for people to know where to start and stop with colors, especially in main areas like the living room and kitchen. "It's important that it flows throughout the house, that it pleases your eye when you walk in the front door."

Need a jumpstart? Stop by Fine Designs Paint and Design center in Clayton Plaza for a free color consultation. Bring in a copy of your floor plan and a piece of fabric or artwork. Kay will put together a color sheet you can take home.

Homeowner Carletta Neal, of Apollo Beach, wanted a vibrant feel in her living room. Kay chose Geranium by Benjamin Moore in a matte finish. For inspiration she pulled from the oil painting, a rug Carletta brought from her old house, and the new chair fabric Kay helped select. "Red has always been hot," she says, but with the recent state of the economy, "people have gone more toward earthy terracotta kind of colors."
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