Dear Marc:
I am writing to you for help in a delicate matter. My wife has cancer and she is finding the treatment very hard. She has always been tough and has a lot of pride, so she is doing her best to put on a happy face for the kids. I really want to do something special for her to see that pretty smile of hers again.
She has always wanted me to repaint our home, but I have always refused. The entire house has white walls with white casings. I used to tell her it was the best colour to have, as it never goes out of fashion, but she wanted bright colours that she could come home to. I am completely useless when it comes to choosing colours. Can you guide me through this? -- Chris
Dear Chris,
I am sorry to hear about the condition of your wife. I say we give your wife the space she has always wanted and brighten up her world!
As we want this to be somewhat of a surprise, we'll have to be innovative. Check her closet and try to find a common clothing colour. Are there at least five to 10 dresses in the same colour? If so, then that's most likely one of her favourite colours.
Now look at your wife's jewelry box. What type of jewelry does she usually wear? Does she wear glamorous costume jewelry or does she prefer simple, elegant pieces? A woman's jewelry says a lot about her style and taste. A woman who likes lots of bling will love an over-the-top space, but a woman who likes simple jewelry will love a simple and elegant space.
Now you're ready to tackle the colour scheme. The key here is not to overpower the space. What I mean by this is, if your wife loves navy blue and you saw a few yellow dresses in her closet, you can do a mixture of both colours. Who says every wall has to be the same colour? You can take the most concentrated colour, such as the navy blue, and use it on an accent wall. In layman's terms, by accent wall, I mean the wall where you would like the eye to be drawn when entering the room. The remaining walls can be a less intense colour, such as a light shade of yellow. This way, you get the wonderful colour scheme without finding it overbearing.
Once you have painted the walls, move the furniture and accessories back into the room. Analyze if all the colours go together. If you're having trouble with this, think back to when your wife was wearing that incredible blue dress. Did she wear the grey or brown shoes with it? If you can't remember, invite her friends over to check the new colour scheme. If your sofa is no longer the right colour, not to worry, as you can buy sofa covers in every colour imaginable.
As for art pieces in the space, have the kids draw a picture using crayons that work in the colour scheme of the space to show how much they love mom and hope she gets better soon. Once the pictures are done, have them framed with the use of a wide mat and hang them on the wall.
Once you have finished the space down to every detail, it's now time for the surprise. Have the kids present and explain to mom each of their pictures. She will love the new space and that pretty smile will be seen once again!
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