Press: Reddington Designs in Print

Boost your color and pattern quotient – and make choices you can live with

BY LISA SKOLNIK

You wanted monochromatic Zen modern, and you got it. Except now your place is so sedate it puts you to sleep. Or...you splurged on really wild red toile wallpaper for your dining room, and it’s so intense you see an afterglow once you leave the room.

Probably all of us have a similar faux pas or two in our pasts. Color and pattern are the most basic and versatile decorating tools. But precisely because of their unlimited potential, figuring out how and where to use them – and what really works – can be daunting. Who hasn’t anguished over what color to use or which pattern to pick for some spot in their home?

Instead of letting indecision, fear of failure, and actual flubs keep you from using these tools, heed the advice of experts.

ASK YOURSELF: WHAT DO I REALLY LIKE?

Know what you like: It helps you narrow down the options and decide what you can live with. “Become an observer of your surroundings. Visit trend houses and snag pictures when you can. Think about what really works and what doesn’t in your own home and write it down,” says Carol Salb, principal of Reddington Designs in Chicago. But, don’t be fooled by your wardrobe preferences. Your current favorite may be a purple and green silk paisley blouse, but it won’t be long before you put it aside for the next great thing. “Wearing a color pattern is very different than living with it everyday on your upholstery or walls,” cautions Leslie Harrington, a Greenwhich Connecticut color consultant.

Be cautious: Decide if you can live with the colors, patterns or style you are choosing – especially if it is a real departure for you or currently trendy.

But not too cautious: If you fall in love with a bold color or faddish pattern, use it in measured doses. Try a color or pattern by using it in huge pillows for a sofa or chaise, a set of filmy curtains to layer over neutral drapes, or seasonal slipcovers.

Or, take chances with paint: “Paint is so easy to use and economical that it’s an almost foolproof decorative tool. If you don’t like it, change it,” says Salb. The same principle is a bit harder to apply to pattern, since wallpapers and textiles are far pricier than paint and more difficult to install or trade out. If you absolutely have to gratify your lust for something busy, bold, or bright, do it in a small room where it’s easier and cheaper to take chances, such as a powder room, guest room, tiny den, or even the pantry, laundry room or inside of your closet.

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