42 COLOR

Mood. The mood of a room can be expressed in its colors. A
dignified room may be done in muted eggplant, gray blues, rose,
and grays; a delicate feminine room in light dusty pink, pale jade,
and white; a masculine room in wine red, gray-brown, navy blue,
and beige; a gay room in cerise, white, electric blue, and lemon.

Style. The style of a room limits the choice of color therein, for
each period in decoration had its own color character. Early
American colors are generally subdued; Colonial colors are rich
and of medium value; Federal colors are clear and light; Victorian
colors are strong and pompous; Empire colors are bright and power-
ful; peasant colors are clear and gay; French provincial colors are
earthy; Modern colors are often neutral with brilliant accents.

Fashion. Color schemes for our homes are definitely affected
by fashion. Certain cycles or definite trends in taste produce types
of color schemes which are used in nearly all the different fields
of visual arts, for a limited period of time. The current fashion
in color influences the decoration of any rooms, even period rooms
which have traditional color schemes. Non-period rooms lend
themselves well to change and should be kept up-to-date in color*
One pleasing fashion is to employ off-white with umbers, beiges,
browns, grays, or metallic colors, and to combine with them one
striking, vivid, exciting color for contrast. Every home maker
should keep up with color fashions by reading periodicals and visit-
ing shops.

Personality. Personal preference rightly influences a woman to
use her favorite colors, particularly in her own room. Some color-
ists advise blondes and gray-haired persons to adhere to cool colors
and brunettes to warm colors for backgrounds as well as for cloth-
ing. It is said that children prefer light colors, youth prefers vivid
colors, and others prefer soft medium colors*

Possessions* One's possessions limit the choice of colors. A
novice who has to use her old furnishings might do well to add or
subtract whatever articles are necessary to make the final scheme
one of a definite type, such as adjacent, triad, or complementary.
Among one's old possessions rugs are usually the most restricting
factor In the choice of a color scheme. Troublesome Oriental rags
can be bleached, however, and almost any rug can be dyed. Slip
covers fot seating furniture are v&tful in transforming a color
scheme*