Current Obsession: Dramatic Accent Walls

One of the most basic rules of decorating is the 60-30-10 rule. This rule works very well for those who are more math-minded than art-minded, or most men I know. The rule is loose and can be bent, but if you're starting from scratch, follow this rule for color.

A room is divided into 3 sections: The walls, the furniture, and the accessories.

This translates into 3 colors: The wall color, the furniture color and the accent color.

The colors turn into a percentage of the room color: The walls are 60% of the color in the room, the furniture is 30%, and the accessories 10%.

I've had green walls, yellow walls, raspberry red walls, even black walls! What I've learned over the years is that it's just paint- You can always paint it back!! My husband is deathly afraid of color, which he gets from his mother who has spent 4 years trying to find the perfect saturation of Navajo White. What I have found with both of them, however, is that if you paint a room and they know they can paint it back to the original color if they really hate it, they are much more open minded! I actually convinced my mother-in-law to paint her bedroom *GASP!* AQUA BLUE!!! Low and behold, it's her favorite room in the house! She has yet to paint any other rooms, but I think it will take another 6 years of convincing...

To pick the perfect shade for an accent wall, you need to assess what decor you already have in the room. Take the main piece of art in the room and select any color from it that you would love on your walls. Don't worry if it's not a dominant color in the picture-You'll be shocked how much it pops out after you paint the walls that color! Take the picture to your local paint store. Most have machines that will match the color for you, but I still think the best way to match a color is by eye. If you have neutral or monochromatic decor, your options for color are unlimited!

If you're not sure, most paint stores have samples that will only cost you a few dollars, and will cover about 3 square feet to make sure you really love the color. Only use samples, though, if you have neutral walls to begin with. If you already have a color on the wall, just go for it and paint it all, because the previous color will throw off your eye for color and it will never look right.

Why use accent walls? Accent walls bring out the beauty of your decor! Use contrasting fabrics and materials to get the most out of your new color, and play with your accessories to introduce a complimentary accent color. Wait until you hang your artwork, mirrors and accessories until you fully decide on the color, because it won't be so dominant once it is somewhat covered and coordinating with your current decor. Have fun with it, and remember, it's just paint!