Interior Painting: Color Blocking
Piet Mondrian's Paris atelier in 1926 was very forward looking. The white walls were a backdrop for solid color canvases that the artist arranged to mimic his geometric paintings. Color blocking, which involves painting irregular size rectangles and squares of color on interior walls, is a current remedy for a room that needs enlivening. The wall, which is such a prominent wall treatment that it is usually limited to one wall of a room, is colored in three or more different shades, like a Mondrian painting. Black or white can be used as an accent. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Paint color cards
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scrap paper
- Carpenter's level
- Markers or crayons
- Cardboard for shape templates (optional)
- Paint
- Roller and paintbrush
- Paint tray
- Drop cloth
- Blue painter's tape
Instructions
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Make a paper model of the wall design. Use various sizes and configurations of squares and rectangles. Experiment until the balance seems right but do not rely on symmetry.
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Select colors. This very important step is where your design will work brilliantly or fall flat so take your time with your choices. A cosmopolitan color choice would include several shades from the same color group. Use some paint color cards from a paint store to play with shades. Picking colors that are close to each other on a paint card is very subtle.
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A step up to a sharper look is two or three colors that work serenely together, punctuated by black or white. Really vivid contrasts will charge a room with energy. Pick colors that are opposites on the color wheel, like blue and orange. Use them in lively public areas -- a contemporary living room with minimal furniture and modern art, a children's playroom, or a bright kitchen, for example.
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Match intensities but not colors. Pick a green, gold and terra cotta color from the same level on the color card. Lighter shades are towards the top and could be soothing. Deeper shades are at the bottom and are stronger. Sticking to the same intensity in very different colors gives the design balance without being boring.
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When you have one or two choices narrowed down, color your model different ways until you find a combination that really works. Shift sizes, positions and hues to create interesting juxtapositions. Try not to focus all attention on one corner or section of the wall with the brightest colors and the largest shapes.
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Transfer your final pattern to the wall. You could make cardboard templates of the geometric shapes and trace them or just measure and mark very lightly. Use a carpenter's level and blue painter's tape to create the shapes on the wall so you can paint them in with perfectly even edges. The tape comes off the wall when you're finished without removing any paint or leaving a sticky residue. A color block wall can take the place of art in a room.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
