IN NOVEMBER, WRAP YOURSELF UP IN WARM, SPICY TONES

At this time of year, the days are so short in certain states that sometimes we suddenly realize, upon leaving work for the day, that we’ve hardly seen the sun at all. The dreariness and lightlessness affects our morale to the point where some people suffer from a seasonal malaise associated with this lack of light. We feel much the same way when we spend time in rooms which have little sunlight, due to small windows or because they are facing north. The ambient lighting of a space with poor sunlight tends towards blue, creating an impression of coldness and gloom. It is therefore a good move to decorate with hot colors that will help balance the atmosphere by diffusing light tinted with yellow-oranges.

Cinnamon, saffron and cumin, which act pleasantly on your taste buds, are able to have a similarly cheering effect by virtue of their colors. The spicy tints which occur in the various shades of orange can prove a veritable antidote for our grayer moods. At one end of the spectrum lies that sunny color yellow, without doubt the most luminous part of our palette, but the even warmer oranges and ochers can create atmospheres suffused with gentle pervasive light.

Orange tones can nevertheless prove overly striking and their use requires careful attention. Fortunately, you can scale them back by using certain faux-finish techniques. For example, using a glaze can render a color more transparent. By playing with slightly different nuances of the same color, you can create an effect of depth which tends to make the color “lighter” and more interesting. At the same time, you will no longer feel the color is so imposing, but rather tending to fade subtly into the background.

To find out how to go about using these techniques step by step, please see Faux-Finish section.