Make a Sample Color Palette Board for Your Decorating Project
Create a sample color palette board with swatches, samples and paint chips for your interior decorating project. Use the color board to ensure your colors and patterns work well together, and bring it with you when you shop. Having the exact samples of your fabrics, flooring and paint colors allows you to make more informed decisions when shopping, rather than guessing if the color is right.
Use a small piece of fine grit sandpaper and gently sand the surface of a small piece of white foam board. The sanding ensures the samples will stick to the board.
Collect the samples of fabrics, flooring and paint you're considering for your room. To the left side of the board, glue the fabric samples that will play the largest role in the room. On the sample board shown here, the two fabrics strips represent drapery panels for a large picture window, including a padded cornice board.
Continue adding to the board, adding samples that roughly reflect in size the prominence the color/fabric has in the room. On the image shown here, the large swatch at the top represents the sofa with a smaller swatch for the throw pillows. In the middle of the board, you see a swatch representing upholstered chairs, and below that, a flooring sample.
Of course, flooring is a large part of the design, but the floor color is neutral, so visually plays a smaller role.
Beneath the floor sample is a row of paint chips. The paint chips play a duo role. One or two of the colors may be used for paint: walls, trim and ceiling. Notice the row of colors also reflect the overall color scheme in the fabrics and flooring.
Having this "mini-palette" on your color board provides you with a kind of quick reference when looking at painted furniture, accessories and artwork for the room. The sample color board is designed to keep you on track with your color palette.
An alternative to this type of color sample board is the paint sample board. Purchase sample sizes of paint in the colors you want to use in the room. On a small board, paint swatches of the colors, using the same size to prominence guideline. The advantage of this type of board is you can add other colors you may want to use in the room to complement your primary color scheme.
Either way, the sample color board is an important tool in your decorating project. Use the type of board that best suits your needs.
