- Modern design is both playful, and serious but decorators tend to use neutral, no-nonsense colors when selecting paint. Painted surfaces are often a backdrop for an art collection or a spectacular view, so they must complement the furnishings, pull together the room and not interfere with the main attractions. But that doesn't mean paint must remain invisible. Contemporary design uses grays, browns and reds for rich interiors and whites to invite the outside in.
Malibu Beach House White
- Interior and exterior merge in a beach house that uses glass to capture the views. Nothing in the colors of the interior interferes with the changing light and the blue of sea and sky. Every painted surface is cloud-white, illuminated by the light pouring in through the windows and reflecting off the water. Floors and furniture are light, polished wood. A few bobbing Calder sculptures break up the vertical expanses of space, and each rail, stair, column, wall and ceiling presents a whited-out backdrop to the surrounding vistas. The use of white and glass as the main "colors" of a beach house allows all the hues and shades of the shifting landscape to intrude without disturbing the relaxed and expansive atmosphere of a contemporary design.
Deep Rich Colors
- Treasure a library by painting it in rich jewel tones or chocolate to set off the colorful spines of a collection. Deep red lacquer is warm in winter and vibrant in summer, and the red tone of reflected light is flattering to bibliophiles as well. No flat or eggshell paint for this color; use a lacquer that dries as hard as diamonds and give the walls at least two coats. Leave a parquet floor bare or cover it in a handloomed contemporary carpet of reds and blues. Match the library ladder to dark walnut or mahogany shelves. Use uplights, spotlights and undershelf lights to illuminate the books and their red backdrop. Navy blue is another ideal color for a lacquered wall treatment. The color is serious enough to balance the dark wood and walls of books. Navy is not a warm shade like red, so experiment with the lighting for this color choice to avoid a cold or gloomy room. Warmer and still rich, but not as flamboyant as red, is paint that looks like melted chocolate. If you use brown, let the carpet lighten things up with creams, pale greens and sharp black accents to balance the dark browns. A linen ceiling and brass spotlights mounted on the tops of bookshelves provide visual contrast and light.
Sophisticated Grays
- Contemporary design favors neutrals, but there's nothing beige about color selection. Gray comes in almost limitless shades and is extremely versatile. It creates a flattering background for art, keeps stark modern design from looking sterile, plays well in the changing light of day into night and is sophisticated enough for an urban loft overlooking the skyline. A warm taupe blends natural leather chair seats, gray suede and linen upholstery, metal chair legs and etageres into a harmonious whole. A creamier dove gray frames spectacular city views out windows edged in loosely woven dove gray drapes. An oyster gray in a bedroom is picked up in silk and satin bed linens and in the pale gray marble of the bath. A few touches of pale and deeper blue velvet in a loveseat and dining chairs are a foil for the various grays.
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