Using art to establish a colour scheme

In a recent project, a condo, I used vintage opera and jazz posters to establish the theme of the condo.  At first my client longed for coloured walls, but I suggested gallery white, partly because the already-present track lighting

system suggested that, but also because these posters would then have pride of place.

In an earlier project, the colour scheme actually began with a mint-coloured carpet remnant my client wanted to use. The wall colour was custom-mixed to match it.  However, the art placed casually above the dominant brick fireplace picks up on its variegated browns and yellows.  This creates a natural focal point, which every room must have, all the more striking because its tones are opposite on the colour wheel to the mint green.

 

 

In these final photos, I've chosen to show you an area rug for which I chose the pattern, "Birds and Flowers," and the colours: bright red, black and cream.  The cream is repeated on the brocade fabric of the little hall settee and the colours lead the eye on into the dining room which is barely in view behind. 

The dining room walls are painted a bright, glossy red and the "Fairisle" carpet is cream-coloured.

So you can see that art is often a natural starting point when you are seeking to establish a colour scheme.