Choosing Colors: An Expert Choice of the Best Colors to Use in Your Home

Rating:
Summary: Even better than having five gay guys remake your place!
Review: After my last child moved away to go off to college, I moved into a smaller home and I was left with the task of designing my living space for me, my needs and my tastes, without having to plan things around the four children that I raised largely by myself. I had no idea where to start other than the start with colors. This book took me step by step through the process of choosing a color palette that worked for me. At times I felt as though it was over my head due to terms and phrasing that I was not familar with. However, now I get rave reviews on my new home from everyone one who sees it, they always ask me, "Who did your place?", and I humbly tell them that I did on my own. Most women then ask, "How on earth did you ever come up with this color scheme?". This book will be my little secret. I recommend it to anyone, especially those who might be intimidated by choosing colors for themselves for the first time.

Rating:
Summary: Color my World!
Review: I just received this book today and I can say is WOW! I'm practically on sensory overload. I have tabs marking several of the palettes that I like. Yes, it is a bit technical but oh, baby, give me a lesson in color. I'm very inspired to run out to the paint store and get started. I recognize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but this book reaffirms that I like certain colors for a reason.

Rating:
Summary: Well-researched, useful, pleasure to read
Review: I know when colors work in other people's homes but I'm hopeless when it comes to picking my own. This book is a juicy combination of history, advice and amazing color pallettes that work -- and has been greatly helpful to me in spiffing up my home for the cost of a few gallons of paint. Each color corresponds to an existing, buyable paint color and McCloud explains the color's personality and tendencies -- e.g., he points out the blues that look green in certain light, whether a color will be balancing or overpowering, etc. I especially like his restrained yet, um, colorful opinions on certain colors -- he slips in "this is the color of my kitchen" and expresses passion for some colors in subtle yet reassuring ways. I've taken his suggestions and have used them to teach myself about color, pulling a room together and picking the right paint the first time. Can't really recommend this book enough.

Rating:
Summary: Ok.....but not great.
Review: I recently bought several books on interior color design for the upcoming work I have to do on a newly purchased home.....this book is helpful, but not great for the average joe that is looking to spice up a house with new colors. Technically written, and sometimes over one's head, I had a hard time following the thought process. It seems more geared towards the professional. The photography used to demostrate these colors are in 19th century mansions, and other huge houses. How about the rest of us that live in regular two story homes with 3 bedrooms that don't contain 13 feet vaulted ceilings and 5000 square feet? Colors are grouped and catagorized by periods and eras,... and primary colors with all their variations. I just wanted colors that look good together and make a house flow. I had better luck with other books that grouped colors into styles....contemporary, santa fe, etc.....and demonstrated these colors in a fashion that allowed the average home dweller to dream......realistically.

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful... with a disclaimer
Review: This is a great book for ideas of decorative color combinations. I found this book much more helpful that just looking at the color chips in the paint section of the local hardware store. I am planning to repaint all of the rooms in my house and want to choose a color palette that allows all the rooms flow chromatically. While some of the color theory is well beyond my area of expertise, it was interesting to read the history of colors and palettes.

Now we come to the "however" part of my short review. The one palette that I really loved and wanted to do my whole house in isn't included in the insert that does the color matching to commercial paints. Every palette is listed in the insert except for two of the 64 palettes, 28 and 29, with palette 28, seascape, being the one I wanted for my house. I still want that palette, so I guess that I may have to do some color matching if I don't get an answer from my letter to the publisher.

Rating:
Summary: Very Educational
Review: Wow! What a gorgeous and informative book. McCloud offers up commentary on how color is used in different cultures and throughout history, so when you're making color choices for your own home, you have a delightful sense of how your aesthetic impulses fit in a larger context. Wonderful.