3 Tips on Color in Your Home, With About.com's Diana Hathaway Timmons

We've proudly been featured more than once in About.com Home's excellent articles on color and interior design tips, and we're huge fans of Diana Hathaway Timmons, About.com's Color Expert. Since Diana's got such a keen eye for color, and feng shui is so intimately linked, we thought we'd ask her a few questions and feature her!

AC: What are three key tips one should consider when painting a color for their home?

DHT: Choosing paint color for your home is such a personal decision, but everyone can benefit from a few tips to make it stress-free. 

1. Don't get overwhelmed by your color choices. Narrow down your color choices as quickly as possible so that you're working with the smallest number of options. Look to your favorite paint brand for special palettes that were curated into smaller collections. These collections can help you narrow down your choices so that you're not trying to choose between 200 shades of blue. 

2. Study the trends, but choose the colors you love. Color inspiration from the latest trends can help you get ideas for your color palette, but they're just a starting point. The paint colors you choose will be with you 24/7, so choose what you love, (even if it's not trendy.) If you love some of the on-trend colors but don't want to commit them to your walls, you can always go neutral or white with your paint and add color accents with decorative accessories.

3. This tip isn't really glamorous, but it's such a necessity when you're choosing paint color. Be sure to sample and test wall colors before committing. Factors like lighting and sunlight can affect how your paint color looks. Even your flooring or cabinets can completely derail a color scheme, so take the time to sample your paint color. 

What colors do you have in your home and workspace, and why?

My walls at home and in my workspace are pretty neutral in Sherwin-Williams Honied White. A neutral color flowing through the house gives me more freedom to play with color in furnishings and decor. My workspace is also neutral because I work so much with color that there is always something colorful on a shelf or hung on the wall, and some of my own artwork and photography.

The master bedroom has a fabulous accent wall that I just added in Farrow & Ball Dix Blue. The room is pretty plain and boxy, so an accent wall was essential. Dix Blue works perfectly with the whole-house color palette of aqua, gold, and brown. I love this color palette because it reminds me of the beaches in Southern California, where I grew up. 

How have you created a holistic space for yourself?

My holistic space is my living room. It's an open space with high ceilings and three large windows looking out at a Japanese maple and flowering plum tree. There are no electronics in the room, just cozy furniture. I use the living room as a quiet space where I plan and daydream. The room's afternoon light streams in from the west. Though I'm from California, I live near Seattle now, so every little bit of sunshine is a relaxing luxury for me.

by Anjie Cho

Diana Hathaway Timmons

Diana Hathaway Timmons is the color expert for Color.About.com, a lifestyle writer, and designer. Color is her passion, reaching millions of people with her color expertise. Diana's has contributed to publications and websites that include Huffington Post, MSN, BHG, and Reader's Digest, and she has authored the book, "Sell Your Home Without Losing Your Zen." 

The Secret to Flexible Decorating: the Picture Ledge

The Secret to Flexible Decorating- the Picture Ledge.jpg

Does this scenario sound familiar? You cuddle into the corner of your favorite chair. You pull a comfy throw onto your lap while closely hugging a cup of steaming tea, coffee or fire water. And you sigh, content and happy, until your eye rests upon that framed bit of artwork on the wall and you realize you’re ready for a change.

The good news is that the things we hang on our walls can be easily swapped out and updated for a fresh, new look. The challenge, however, can be finding a comparable piece to hang in that exact spot. Can the new piece use the same nail hole? Will it fit in the space of the item that you’re replacing? Will you need to create new holes in the wall for another sort of hanger? Do additional items need to be moved around to accommodate your new find? The more change this seemingly simple update requires, the more reluctant you may be to make it. 

Don’t worry! There’s a simple solution. Put down the hammer and don’t hang another thing before you read this. The secret to creating an easily updatable room is the picture ledge. Whether you like to replace your wall art each season or you want the flexibility to change things up on a whim, a picture ledge gives you a creative space to easily swap pieces without drilling new holes in the wall and alleviates spacing headaches each time your décor evolves. 

Let’s talk about the basics. Start by selecting the ledge length that best suits your decorating style and room size. You can find pre-made ledges in a variety of lengths or you can DIY a ledge to your specifications. If you’re going the make-it-yourself route, get creative with the materials you use. Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration and decorations for such a project. 

Generally, if you’re going to place the picture ledge over a couch, place the bottom edge of the shelf about 10 inches above the back of the couch. If you’re going to hang it elsewhere, keep in mind, you’re aiming for “eye level” artwork on a wall. A good rule of thumb is to hang your ledge 4 to 4 ½ feet from the floor. 

What goes on the ledge? For starters, there’s the obvious framed artwork. It is, after all, called a picture ledge. But don’t stop there! These ledges with their grooves and/or framed edges are ideal for displaying things like decorative plates, forward facing books, thin vases, and collectibles. Think outside the box! Hang some picture ledges in your bedroom and display your favorite shoes. Use these unique shelves in the kitchen to arrange your go-to bottles of spices and seasonings. Try a picture ledge in a child’s bedroom or play room to display those awesome Lego creations and favorite toys. Anything that will securely fit on the flat space available is fair game. Have fun with it, and the next time you glance up and realize it’s time for a change, go for it! Swap out your old shelf décor for something fresh and new without any worry.

by Anjie Cho

My Favorite Things: 5 Ways to Bring Metal into Your Home

Welcome to My Favorite Things! Each month, we highlight products to help you create a holistic lifestyle that inspires and nurtures you, so that you can be happier and feel supported.

For April, we move forward in our series on the five elements and talk ways to bring the Metal element into your space. The Metal element is related to the Benefactors and Completion areas of the bagua map and is very helpful in balancing the ability to stand up for yourself and to remain focused and efficient. Be sure to listen to tomorrow's podcast, Feng Shui and the Metal Element, to learn more about how to balance the Metal element!

Wind Chimes and Bells

Adding a wind chime or bell to your space is one of the easiest ways to balance out the Metal element. There are so many beautiful options for wind chimes, but be sure to look for chimes or bells made of metal material, as this relates directly to the Metal element. 

This is a bell that I have on my desk to ring in more prosperity and abundance!

When you hang a bell or chime, it's also important to ensure that it has space to ring or chime. These small adjustments are powerful in many ways and can signify change and the arrival of benefactors.

Available at: Feng Shui Shopper

SAARINEN TULIP TABLE

I love the Saarinen Tulip tables, especially in white marble. They're truly a classic. They come in many sizes and are customizable in material and color. White marble is a gorgeous addition to any space in itself, but it can also help to bring in the Metal element!

I have a white Saarinen side table in my living room, which is in the Completion (yin metal) area of my home.

White, circular, marble tables add Metal to your space because of the shape and color. The Metal element is related to the color white and circular shapes, so keep this in mind when customizing! 

Available at: Design Within Reach

Benjamin Moore: Simply White Paint

We've talked about the benefits of choosing white paint in your spaces, but opting for white walls can also add the Metal elemnt to a room. 

Because the Metal element is related to the color white, going for the purest color in the color wheel can help provide balance for a space with too little metal. One of my go-to whites is Benjamin Moore's Simply White. It also happens to be the Benjamin Moore color of 2016.

Check out our other blog posts on my favorite white paints.

Available at: Benjamin Moore

Agate Non-Metal Feng Shui Rings

Everyone always wonders why I have a delicate agate ring on my middle finger on my right hand... well it's a feng shui adjustment!

Non-metal rings like these agate rings can balance out too much or too little metal. For women, wear it on your middle finger, right hand. For men, the same but on the left hand.

This personal qi feng shui adjustment can help if you talk too little or too much, as the metal element is related to the mouth. Don't fret if it breaks; it's doing its job! Be sure to listen to the podcast or read our blog post about the five elements to learn more!

Available at: Holistic Spaces

Metal Pinwheels

I have these lovely metal pinwheels in two places in my home. Not only do they add more metal element to your spaces, they're beautiful, and they can go indoors or outdoors. 

Pinwheels also have the secondary effect of stirring up the qi in your holistic spaces, to get things really moving. 

It may be beneficial to locate these in your Benefactors area to stir up and attract more helpful people in your life. Or skillfully placed in the center of the Knowledge area of your property (outside or inside), pinwheels may bring winds of change to your self-cultivation and spiritual life.

Available at: All Modern