A SPLASH or A DASH Can Be a Real SMASH
8 great ways to add color to your living room
Color: it’s such a personal choice. It speaks to us on an almost intuitive level. We know what we like, and, better still, what two or three colors look absolutely gorgeous together. And yet, when it comes to tackling a new project, color is oft’ the most readily lamented and belabored additive. We desperately want to love our choice, but almost as quickly fear we will tire of it much too soon. Well, fear not, because color is the spice of life, not the bane of our design philosophy. And because it can do so much to transform a merely adequate space into a virtual oasis, far removed from the cares of the day – color is as necessary to our thriving as the air we breathe. So, here are just a few ways to introduce color into your home.
1) Paint a feature wall
You can add real punch and pizzazz by painting just one wall in your living room. Believe it or not, this seemingly simple alteration has the ability to create a new focal point without the added investment in a major decorating project. If your room already has a niche it’s the perfect choice to become your ‘feature wall’. Choose bold, contrasting colors picked from a floral fabric, or perhaps a subtler tone, just a few shades darker than what is already on the other walls. Remember, you don’t have to be daring to make a statement. Virtually any change in color will add new interest to the room and that extra splash!
2) Introduce an accent
Color isn’t just for the walls. Want to liven up monochromatic? Nothing adds pop to a room like decorative pillows strategically placed on furniture. Even a time-honored sofa or chair can get a facelift, simply by tossing a handsome kidney, throw or lumbar pillow into the mix. Whether you choose solids for a floral sofa or chair, or vibrant, patterned cushions against a solid backdrop, these simple additions add comfort, style and excitement at a moment’s glance.
3) Nature it up
House plants: they not only clean the air but add immense range to the background spectrum of colors accenting a room. Whether green or flowering, palmed or cacti, lilies, violets and all species in between, the common house plant introduces fragrance, personality, and all around good feelings to the living room. Don’t have a green thumb? Ask your local nursery or home garden center to recommend low maintenance plants. Still worry you’ll forget to water it? How about an air fern? If you are gone from home for long stretches but still maintain the agricultural urge, choose from the ever-increasing and wonderful assortments of artificial plants. Feeling creative? Make your own personalized arrangement from foliage and fauna that only needs to be dusted once in a while.
4) Points of Interest
Even the most traditional living room can be invigorated by the right key lighting. Add points of interest by selecting either a lamp or perhaps, simply a new shade that is colorful and/or whimsical. Lamps come in all shapes and sizes. Don’t want too much light in the room? Then try augmenting your living space with conversational pieces of pottery or maybe a fascinating sculpture. Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. Be sure and exercise yours to its fullest potential.
5) Whimsical fabrics
Try introducing a new color to a small chair. It can be in the form of a throw, an accent cushion, or perhaps, even by reupholstering a tired old fabric with something decidedly new and exciting. This will offer interest and bring new life to a dreary corner.
6) Decorate with Mirrors
Try placing a large mirror on bare, boring walls. Mirrors not only reflect light, but add dimension and depth to virtually any room. Even cramped spaces can be opened up by introducing a mirrored surface. Choose interesting frames or perhaps no frame at all: relying on the natural bevel to show off the mirror to its best advantage. You can also decorate a preexisting mirror with cording or braid. If you have an old frame, liven it up with a fresh coat of paint or spackle. Caught in its’ reflected surface, all other colors in the room will be amplified.
7) Art for art’s sake
Abstract or baroque, from art deco to hieroglyphic; great art has always possessed the ability to inspire. Art is more than a way to ‘fill’ surface space. Strategically placed in a room, it not only adds the obligatory ‘decorative’ touch, but also debuts palettes and pools of color to awaken our senses. Creating just the right muse in a room takes time and talent. But the search for just the right piece can be as exhilarating; second only to the luxury of being repeatedly stimulated by the same masterwork each time you enter the room. If the great masters and impressionists are not exactly what you had in mind, try personalizing art by selecting from simple vintage photos – B&W, sepia, Kodachrome, etc., shown to their very best advantage in various sized frames. Do family photo collages the same way; creating a highly personalized chronology that reminds you of life’s never-ending journey: a great way to celebrate the past, present and future.
8) Create a Feature Wall
A wallpapered feature wall can enhance an already existing focal point in the room, simultaneously adding texture and tone. Wallpaper has come such a very long way. From faux finishes to mirrored surfaces, to perspective-defying murals, wallpaper can be as bold or as subtle as your heart desires. Just be aware that too many focal points in the same room can create chaos rather than the visual harmony you seek. When considering the best way to satisfy your tastes, stick with simple choices. Afraid wallpaper will dominate the room? Use it sparingly, or as an additive to limited surfaces behind other large scale focal points, like a big screen TV or fireplace.
As with any and all of these choices, The Room at Coulters can help you discover the best way to pull off the art of color design. Call us today to set up an in-store or in-house consultation – because it is never too late to add just the right color that will fire up our imaginations, warm our hearts and stimulate our minds. Enjoy the hunt. Celebrate the results.
CONTACT OUR TEAM
The Room @ Coulters
Paulette Nicodemo, Cindy Catton, Robby Lynn Young
519-977-9998
