It happens to everyone from time to time. Whether you’re someone who favors pale colors or bright ones, dark ones or light ones, there is always room to play with new color combinations.
In my September “Got a Minute Get Some Style” (sign up on my home page) I gave “3 Top Tips on how to combine colors, since I could only give 3 in that article, here are some more ideas to help you out of any color ruts you may be in.
Color inspiration can be ten feet away from you at all times. Here are some places to check for new ideas.
1. Look out a window and see the industrial mix of shades in building materials. For someone who loves neutral shades, you may discover a great subtle palette.
2. Spend a few minutes on the same park bench throughout the year. A garden will change colors with the seasons and provide new color combination ideas.
3. Study the pattern of a rug beneath your feet. Professional colorists worked on that pattern and chose the colors out of thousands of possibilities. The colors that are just right in this rug pattern may be just right for you.
4. Observe the way a meal is presented in a fine restaurant. What colors are being used to garnish the meal? Chefs are artists and they play with colors when presenting food that appeals to the senses. Steal some ideas from that plate!
5. Dinnerware in a store or at someone’s house may have a color mix that appeals to you. Make a note of the colors or take a picture of the design. Go home and see if you have similar shades living in your closet waiting for you to mix them together.
6. Pick a favorite room in a home decorating magazine and study the color palette used in the furnishings, drapes, rugs and accessories. Is there a fun mix you’d like to try to replicate?
Keep your observations fresh by noting them somehow. Paint them, take a picture of them or rip out that page of a glossy magazine that inspires you. Keep them on hand the next time you are ready to update your wardrobe or re-order your closet. If you need help in either of these areas, please give me a call! I can coach you on how to infuse color and a fresh style into your wardrobe, helping you move it from bland to beautiful!
Jill Swanson, owner of Beauty Made Easy, image coach, style consultant, national speaker, and the author of Out the Door in 15 Minutes, Simply Beautiful Inside & Out, Simply Scarves, and Simply Closets.
It would be easy to believe that Jill was born with exceptional looks and style, but she is living proof that beauty begins within. Underneath her impeccable exterior is evidence of a profound challenge. Jill was born with a rare birth defect. 
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