Selecting the Right Color

Natural stone comes in such an endless variety of colors that choosing the right one can be a daunting task. Homeowners often want to match their new flooring and countertops to items they already own, or to their existing paint scheme. While this may sound like a logical approach, it's best to keep in mind that items can be always be moved, and paint is the quickest and least expensive way to completely change the look of a room.stonebuy.com

It's best, when choosing something as significant as flooring or countertops, to reconsider the entire space. Think of it, not in terms of what it currently is, and how you can fit the new colors into it, but of what the space could be. After investing thousands of dollars into natural stone countertops, it is a small thing to repaint the walls, change the handles on the cabinet doors, or replace a white microwave with a stainless steel one. Reinventing your space, instead of retrofitting it, may be intimidating at first, but when you take this approach, you will end up with a much more cohesive, professional look.

Colors play a dramatic role in the mood of a room. As a general rule, cool colors (blues and greens) tend to make a room feel more spacious and formal, while warm colors (reds, yellows, and browns)lend a cozy feeling.stonebuy.com

Consider not only the color of the paint and stone, but the light which enters the room. If it is a north-facing room, it will tend to feel cooler just because of the natural light, as will rooms which face east. South- and west-facing rooms will feel warmer. This light can be balanced by choosing colors on the opposite spectrum. If your living area faces west and receives the yellow and red light of the last half of the day, but you desire a more sophisticated look, choosing paint and stone with green or blue tints will help bring it into balance.

For most rooms, though, start by choosing the color of stone that you love. Don't worry about how it will fit into the room. You'll worry about fitting the room to the stone later. Choose a stone that you think is beautiful, regardless of whether it matches the color of your cabinets or walls. You will be far more satisfied, in the end, by choosing a stone that you simply adore, rather than choosing a color or style because you think it will match.

Once you've chosen your stone, imagine what colors will look best on the walls. Choosing a color within the same color family will help the room blend into itself, and the resulting uniformity will give it a comfortable feel. This is called monochromatic color theory, and it tends to create an atmosphere of coziness and quiet elegance.

Choosing colors adjacent to the stone's color on the color wheel is called analogous color theory, and this is similar to monochromatic theory. It produces a subtle feeling, as long as one color (the walls, for example) is chosen as the dominant color, and the rest of the room (stone, floor, and accent pieces) are allowed to enrich the dominant color.

Choosing a complimentary color scheme (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) will give the room a sense of motion and contrast. It looks best when the dominant color (walls and floor) is cool, and the accents are warm. Cool accents in a warm room tend to look awkward. Because of the strong contrast produced by a complimentary color choice, many designers choose to use the colors just adjacent to the complimentary color, rather than the complimentary itself. This can help soften the effect.