You walk into a room and feel something is 'off'. Nothing in-your-face-this-looks-hideous, just something not right. Your eyes scan the walls, looking for the culprit and...nothing.
It could be a simple case of mixing clean vs. dirty colors, a common mistake that happens to homeowners and designers alike. Most rooms (read- most) look best if all clean or all dirty colors are used. When clean and dirty colors are mixed, not only does it break up the harmony, but it makes other items in the room such as the curtains or carpet look dirty.
So you know how I said this is simple? I may have exaggerated. Because a clean color can be clean in some contexts but dirty in others. And the classification of clean and dirty changes when compared to one another.
Look at these two swatches. Can you tell which is dirtier?
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| BM 2123 |
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| BM CC-730 |
It may be difficult to decipher on the computer screen, but the first is the dirtier of the two. Neither is a 'better' color than the other, it just depends on where and how it is being used.
Stay tuned for my own struggle with clean and dirty colors in my living room... and how I fixed it!
If you need assistance with your own clean and dirty (home interior) issues, email me at coleyhueske@hotmail.com.
Linking up to...
15 comments:
Huh. I never thought of colors as dirty or clean, but rather the hue or intensity of the color. Great way of putting it! Much easier to understand and use in my own home. Thanks!
Much Love,
Trissta
www.livingonthechic.com
Well put!!
Becca
http://blondeslogic.blogspot.com
i totally get what you mean by dirtier and cleaner colours and i guessed correctly between those two... i usually see the dirtier colours being use incorrectly in dining establishments
haha We painted our kitchen similar to that first color. :)
The hue makes such a difference... I could put two colors side by side that are so similar and HATE one and love the other for a particular room. I tend to be drawn to the "cleaner" colors, they're just more crisp.
So, I can't help but think that my painting issue may have inspired this bit of advice...
Good post...can't wait to see how you fixed your living room problem!
i wasn't understanding but then when you gave the swatches i knew right away what the dirty color was! you are so smart!!! :)
So interesting! After looking around my home, I think I like dirty. lol Looking forward to seeing your fix!
Huh. I really don't get it. I'm going to have to keep checking in to see if I can learn more.
Is this just in regards to paint colors, or can be in colors in decor in general?
Thanks for stopping by my blog, btw! :)
I never thought of colors as clean and dirty, but I totally see what you mean. I can't wait to hear what you came up with!
I never heard of clean or dirty color before but want to hear more. Picking the right color is always hard for me and I tend to go too dark every single time.
Thanks for the follow up post! I get it now. I think I'm a dirty girl :) Haha sorry I couldn't resist!
I think you just solved my living room issue. :) I found some curtains that I l.o.v.e. but...I think they're too clean for the rest of the room! The only way I could describe it before was that they were "too bright" but this makes a lot more sense.
Thanks for commenting on my rug project. I am now one of your followers. Love the info about clean and dirty colors. It is ALWAYS so hard to pick color...so any help is good! Thanks
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