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According to many top interior designers, 2011 is the "Year of Purple" in home decor. There are actually some psychological studies that attempt to explain why this has become such a powerful and highly popular decorating color among homeowners.
Deep purple combined with lighter shades evokes feelings of kindness, wisdom and even love. Lighter shades, similar to the colors found in many flowers, make people feel tender and compassionate. Or so they say! According to classic Feng Shui home-decorating principles, purple inspires the imagination and can lead to financial success and wealth. No wonder it's become such a popular motif these days.
Of course there are many experts who feel this is one of the worst choices a home decorator can make. Even if you don't want to stick with beige and burgundy, don't use PURPLE! The one thing everone can agree on is that nobody is ambivalent when it comes to decorating with purple. Love it or hate it, you will have an immediate, strong response.
At first thought, you might believe decorating with purple will limit your choices. Nothing could be further from the truth. The trick is to balance the purple with a palette of complementary colors to create an appealing master scheme.
As it turns out, a lot of colors look absolutely great with purple, whether a deep and dark shade, or more of a pastel. Many shades of blue seem to soften the effect of purple furnishings or paint. But, as you can see from this suggested scheme, some warmer shades work extremely well too.
Again, there are all sorts of studies on the psychological impact of colors that predict the emotional response people will have to various color combinations. But sometimes all you can do is experiment and hope for the best. Start slowly. Add some purple accents or stripes first. There's no need to go out and buy a purple couch, paint the walls and ceilings plum and hang pictures of ripe grapes on the wall. At least not yet!
Of course one of the best - and easiest - ways to add a bit of purple to a room to gague its effect is with an area rug. You can find almost 200 different styles on the Rugs Direct website in a variety of styles, sizes and fabrics. Many use purple as an accent color and will add just a dash of color to an otherwise traditional scheme. Then again, you can buy a solid purple shag rug that will make you taste grape soda every time you walk into the room! You have many, many options.
So be bold! Give purple a try. Even if it doesn't immediately bring you love, serenity and wealth, it will certainly make your room unique.
Click here to explore the wide range of purple rugs available at the nation's leading source for area rugs, Rugs Direct.
