Using color in your home

Have you ever stared at a perfect, blue sky while daydreaming? Do you

associate rose pink with romance and red with love? That could be

because the color blue is said to have a relaxing effect while red --

known as the color of love -- increases your heart rate.

Using color to evoke an emotion is the latest trend in home

design.

Home decorating professionals have long used color to create a

mood that reflects individual client sensibilities. Now, the same

technique is making its way into the mainstream.

“Consumers today want to create a home environment, from top to

bottom, that expresses both who they are and how they want to feel

and that extends to floor covering,” said Jerry Bloeser of John

Bloeser Carpet One in Costa Mesa.

As consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about the psychology

of color, they are applying that knowledge to their homes as well as

their apparel.

Bloeser notes that Liz Claiborne and Carpet One are the first to

create a complete flooring line offering distinctive, custom color

palettes, or ColorStyles. The five ColorStyles from Liz Claiborne

Flooring evoke particular emotions or sensibilities from Confidence

to Serenity, across all surfaces; carpet, laminate, hardwood, vinyl,

ceramic and area rugs.

“Color is an essential tool in creating the look and the feeling a

woman wants in her home,” said Sally Morse, interior designer and

author of the “Ask Sally” decorating dilemmas column.

According to Morse, nuances of color and texture can work together

in surprising ways to create a desired effect. “A kitchen with a

red-undertone cherry floor, leading to a living room with deep blue

carpeting will create a clean look with inherent energy, even though

blue is traditionally a relaxing color and red an exciting one,” she

said.

Morse adds that by thinking very carefully about the specific

feeling to be created and by selecting colors that are both practical

and aesthetically pleasing, everyone can achieve an environment that

expresses who they are.

Experts suggest these tips when considering color in your home:

* Be aware of your existing home furnishings. Be sure to keep in

mind the colors of that favorite couch or area rug and choose a shade

of flooring or paint that is complementary, while creating the

desired feeling.

* Always ask for paint and flooring samples before purchasing and

try them out at home; colors look different at varying times of day

and shades of light.

* Pick a starting place such as the color of your floor and work

your way up.

* Stay away from harsh, en vogue colors; color should be about

timelessness, not trendiness.

* Have fun and follow your intuition.

John Bloeser Carpet One is located at 2927 Bristol St. in Costa

Mesa. Call (714) 751-2324, (800) CARPET1, or visit www.carpetone.com.