Color Speak

Value – the relative lightness of darkness of a color as compared to white or black.

Neutral Colors – usually refers to color variations of brown, gray or off-white.

Warm Colors – make you think of fire; reds, yellows and oranges.

Cool Colors – make you think of a snow-covered landscape or cool spring day; greens, blues and violets.

Note: The warmth or coolness of a color is always determined in comparison to the colors that surround it. Example: Red is warmer than green. Compare green to blue and green becomes a warm color.

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Photo: “Pastel Swatches”: (Five bright colors; and five light versions of the same palette.) This is an example of a color palette shown in two different values – saturated colors, and a very light value of the same colors. Don’t be afraid to play with the value range of a color. You may find that a lighter or darker version of a favorite color will work best in your home.

Paint: Benjamin Moore

Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Little Piggy; Pale Daffodil; Blue Bonnet; Lemonade; Misty Lilac; Rhubarb; Tangelo; Florida Keys Blue; Citron; Crocus Petal Purple

Photo Credit: Gary Alvis