Cactus Inspired Color Scheme: Bedroom Makeover

As you can probably tell from the Twin Pickle logo, I’m a bit cactus mad. As a Brit living in Arizona, the obsession was inevitable. I’ve been meaning to makeover our bedroom for some time, so when I needed ideas, it was only natural a cactus inspired color scheme was the way to go. My Instagram feed has started to catch up with my spiky friends… but how do you turn your favorite plant into a color scheme? I could paint the room green and decorate the walls with protruding toothpicks, but as a designer I’m ready to think outside the box a little… get ready for a makeover!

If you’ve read my previous design posts on accent walls or colorful bathrooms, you’ll know I’m not afraid of a bit of bold color. Although I love our bright red nightstands, they were not working with the yellow feature wall we had painted when we moved in. When creating a new color scheme, it’s important to consider what you already have, or your shopping list is going to get very long. 
Immediately I’m struggling with cactus green and red nightstands, because I don’t want my bedroom to look like Christmas. So I start to think about the broader spectrum of colors associated with cacti. A quick “cactus colors” search on Google or Pinterest will show you some fabulous colors these native beasts can express. At that point I knew I had found my cactus magic, I just needed to find the perfect paint shade to put it into action.

Putting my cactus inspired color scheme into action:

I booked a free color consultation with Dunn-Edwards Paints; this was not my first visit to the store, so I knew it was the place to get the right advice on such a bold color scheme. Plus, the store has a giant cactus out the front so we were already a match made in heaven.

I took with me some pictures of my existing bedroom, a few cactus images, and my helpful assistant, 7 year old Elsie. Despite being told in advance she was there to take photos, she had a lot to say on the subject of color, and insisted my lovely color consultant show us some very unrelated shades of deep purple.

Once satisfied, we could continue with the cactus inspired color scheme. Luckily for me, my consultant didn’t gulp in horror at my ideas, and was happy to find and discuss a selection of color cards to home in on a scheme. After leaving with some samples to try at home I felt ready to let my imagination run wild.

A color scheme means more than just paint:

I had quite the range of colors in my mind, and felt a little disheartened leaving the green succulent tones behind. My color consultant made some suggestions on how to incorporate these color accents into the room: using pictures, bedding, cushions… or pretty much anything else you may have in your bedroom. We all want a cohesive color scheme, but that doesn’t mean when I paint the walls pink, everything else has to be pink too. It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to pick up a scatter cushion in the store and think “that’s the exact shade of pink I have on my walls.” Step away from the cushion and go back to your color scheme.

Stop all the chit-chat and show us the results already:

Those of you who have been following Twin Pickle for a while will know my seven year old daughter Elsie is in charge of my YouTube account. Well step aside girlfriend… Mom is breaking the seal. Yes, my face and delightfully Downton Abbey accent, are debuting video social media in the name of Dunn-Edwards’ exceptional quality paints. Enjoy…

Joanna Gaines eat your heart out. You know when you hear yourself on your answerphone message and cringe… that’s what I’m feeling right now. Onwards…

The finishing touches:

I’m hoping you love my cactus inspired color scheme as much as I do. I did take a trip to the local nursery (plants not children) in the hope of getting myself a giant cactus for the bedroom. Not only did the chap insist we left the building to talk outside because he couldn’t understand my accent, he also looked at me in total horror when I asked how one of his beauties would do inside. “These are desert plants that need full-sun.” he said. So he totally bummed my idea; but I did get myself some smaller succulents which I will desperately try not to kill. Once the paint was dry and my micro-cacti were in place, my cactus inspired color scheme was coming to life. I had a feeling for the exotic; an adventurer heading across the desert to lands unknown. This idea sparked the wall baskets and the large multi colored cushion; small touches that really finished the scheme for me…

Get the ball rolling for free!

Find out more about booking a free Dunn-Edwards color consultation here. You can also download a coupon for a free 8oz sample of paint to get your makeover juices flowing!

A final word on Dunn-Edwards Paints:

While I was in line for my paint order pick-up, I scanned the room to assess the type of characters that might buy their paint from Dunn-Edwards. Not surprisingly, I was the only one stuffing my cans of paint under a twin stroller that particular afternoon. The store was a 50/50 mix of homeowners and professionals, which is a really good sign. Not only do homeowners want the quality and color range you get with Dunn-Edwards Paints, but Professionals understand it’s a selling point for their business to offer these products. I even heard one lady say to a couple of guys in overalls “I’ll take your card, you’re buying the best paint so that’s a good start.” And as for the environment, I will let Dunn-Edwards speak for themselves:

‘At Dunn-Edwards, our mission has always been to provide the best performing paint, in an environmentally sound manner to protect the health and well being of our customers. We were a disciplined leader in the concept of green product manufacturing long before it became popular.’

So whether you’re looking for a cactus inspired color scheme, or any other wacky idea that comes to mind, book yourself a consultation and feel inspired. I would love your thoughts on the scheme, although I will take white lies over brutal honesty any-day… haha, not true, tell me what you really think!

 

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• Colorful Bathrooms: How to Go Bold Without Going Overboard;
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• Home Trends 2017: What’s Hot & What’s Not;