Photo courtesy of Lifestyle & Interiors by Lisa
Six local designers share their favorite color combinations and how they love to use them in their eye-catching interior designs.
White — With Lights & Darks
“It took me a while to get on the white-wall bandwagon, but I’m here now. It gives clarity and a crispness to a space and lets the other colors tell their stories. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 and White OC-151 are two current favorites, as they create a backdrop for other colors to stand out. I especially like white paired with shades of blue and gray, as accents sparingly sprinkled around the room.
For a dark and cozy space, I like Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal HC-166. I like to pair dark walls with a bright white, like Benjamin Moore’s White OC-151, used for trim work or ceilings to give some life to an otherwise dark space. After all, we always need a bit of light peeking in.”
—Lisa McTernan, Lifestyles & Interiors by Lisa
Subtle Hints
“I love matching trim to wall color with just a different paint finish. You can also do it with stripes or geometric-shape blocking, to create a subtle pattern. My favorite to do this with are whites such as Benjamin Moore’s Simply White, Super White, and Classic Gray. My favorite color combos to also use this technique with are browns and warm grays.”
—Tami Wassong, Tami Wassong Interiors
Blue & Raspberry
“The color scheme of blue and raspberry [Benjamin Moore’s Evening Dove 2128-30 and Benjamin Moore’s Spring Azalea 2077-40] work very well together in this design because of the purple undertones found in the built-in paint color and the upholstered bench fabric. This color combination also has a very sophisticated look to it, which I find a lot of clients moving toward in kid’s rooms and nurseries. They are moving away from the primary-color palette and are looking to elevate the look of the space.”
—Sara Touijer, Touijer Designs
Camel & Blue
“This is one of my all-time-favorite classic color combos, which never fails and never goes out of style: Camel and blue. Specifically, Benjamin Moore’s Camel Hair and Blue Nose. They are soft and inviting hues that say ‘Welcome, come have a seat and lounge for a while!’”
—Lara Michelle, Beautiful Interiors, Inc.
Warm & Inviting
“Warm colors are taking over, and I’m living for this new palette! Try saffron tones, including Benjamin Moore’s Desert Sunset, Gold Mine, Yellow Marigold, and Golden Bounty, or terracotta tones like Benjamin Moore’s Tropical Orange and Adobe Orange and Farrow & Ball’s Spiced Pumpkin. I love the 2/3 rule when it comes to applying these warmer hues: keep the top 1/3 of your room white and paint the lower 2/3 of your wall in color. For rooms with just a whisper of a color, my favorites are Farrow & Ball’s Mizzle and Cromarty and Benjamin Moore’s Balboa Mist. For a bathed-in glow, try painting walls, moldings, and door in these colors.”
—Alexandra Denburg, M&P Design Group
Black & White
“We are all about ‘Go big or go home’ when mixing paint colors. A black-and-white combo of Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White OC-20 and Black Iron 2120-20 gives a space high contrast to create a bold statement.”
—Alana Irwin, Lulu Home
