Color of the Month
Color. Our world is saturated with it, from the bright yellow of fresh daffodils to the dark rusty red of an exposed brick wall; color can change the whole look of a room.
In Designer Monthly's The Magic of Color, we look at a different color each month. As you learn in the first Unit of the Sheffield Complete Course in Interior Design, a designer has available an infinite range of hues, both natural and man-made. When painting, you can combine colors to form other colors, in an endless array of shades. Manufacturers of everything from throw pillows to lampshades can also produce this vast palette. And then you must also consider the artwork that will hang in the rooms you design.
Welcome to the world of color. Everywhere we turn, there it is the deep indigo blue of a favorite old sweater, the glossy green of rhododendron leaves in a rainstorm, the rich brown of the soil as you begin to plant your spring flowers. We hope you'll join us each month on this exciting journey, as we take a close look at a color we love.
Silver
To celebrate Sheffield School's 25th Anniversary, we naturally picked silver as our color of the month.
When choosing a sophisticated color scheme, one usually thinks of a classic black and white design. But another great choice is a silver color scheme. Silver has the added benefit of providing luster to the room, giving it a touch of glamour. Since the color comes from the precious metal, silver, it brings to mind jewelry, silverware, celebrations, and all kinds of special things.
During the golden age of Hollywood, many set designers deliberately chose silver touches to create posh surroundings for their actors. This golden age was influenced by the current style of those times, Art Deco. When you see Art Deco accessories, many of them are made from silver. Designer Claudia Strasser recalls the glamour of the era with her Paris Apartment design. Using silver as its predominant color, she used silver silk to upholster the Baroque headboard and seating. The elaborately patterned wallpaper is in silver and deep gray, providing a classic, formal feel to the room. One can easily imagine in the room a starlet applying her maquillage before a black-tie affair.
Besides upholstery and wallpaper, one can also choose silver embellished furniture to create that sophistication. Below are French mirror consoles from the 1920s with sterling silver overlays from Maison Jansen that create a dramatic impact in a foyer. The white lacquered cabinet designed by Dorothy Draper is carved with silver leaf design and nickel hardware. The cabinet can grace a dining room or a boudoir.
The rope armchair from the 1950s is a contemporary version of a Louis XV armchair, using a silverleaf rope braided detail to edge the frame. The chair is from Gustavo Olivieri Antiques. Silver can also be found in chrome materials as shown in this sleek modern armchair by Pillet from Holly Hunt.
Silver accessories are an easier way to provide the luster to a room. The crystal and silver mirrors from Andre Hayet and candlestick holder from Ettore Sottsass add to the elegant ambiance. In designing a silver room, keep in mind that this choice immediately elevates the décor to a more formal look rather than casual. Therefore using casual materials such as rattan or wicker will not work with this room. Also mixing in rustic or primitive touches like rough timber furniture or cheaper woods like pine will not create a harmonious room.
Another way to add silver to a room is using metallic tiles or even metallic paint. Ann Sacks offers their metal Alloy line in mosaic tiles. The Resene company in Australia also has a metallic paint line.
Silver when applied to most of the room — as in wallpaper — can transform into a neutral color. As a neutral color, one can then add other colors to give it a new look. Silver and blue is a natural choice providing a cool type of color scheme. When using darker silver such as pewter, one can create an arts and craft feel and therefore use warmer colors such as deep oranges and browns.
Silver is a very versatile color, providing accent touches to other colors or it can stand alone as a dominant color. Use silver next time when you want to give a room that glamorous impact.
Resources
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