This fall, it’s out with the boring, and in with the bright! The new neutral is big, bold, color. Beige and white will always work in any home yes, but sometimes a space just calls for a little color. These days, couches, walls, and furniture pieces are showing up in hues of orange, lavender, peacock blue, and emerald green. All these colors are surprisingly easy to work with, nearly serving as neutrals if used properly.
Start with shades and swatches:
It’s easiest to make these colors work by layering various shades of that color within a space. Take a deep navy blue, and add lighter shades of blue as accent colors. If you want a bolder look, try looking for the color’s complement on the color wheel. For example, blue works well with orange, green complements fuchsia, and purple pairs well with yellow.
You can also start with a swatch of fabric that you love and build off that. Often, one rug or one fabric incorporates multiple colors that you can accent elsewhere in the house (pillows, curtains, lamps etc.)
Add colorful furniture:
You can use these bold colors as neutrals when you pair them well with other colors. For example, paint the wall a light lavender, and add a dark emerald green couch. Against the lighter pastel color, the deep green almost looks like a neutral. Try pairing a spring green with white, brown, and black to create a more contemporary look.
Get painting:
Paint is the easiest way to add bold coloring to a space. In your all-white kitchen, try painting the lower cabinets a royal blue. Use a coat of periwinkle blue to an otherwise stark bathroom, turning it into a kid-friendly and cottage-chic room.
Don’t be afraid to try out a statement or an accent wall! Decide which wall you want to highlight – maybe the wall behind the bed in the master bedroom, or the wall near the stove in the kitchen. Use paint chips to pick out the perfect color – look at the colors at all hours of the day to see how the light will affect the shade.
Accessorize:
Touches of color here and there are a perfect way to start slowly incorporating bold colors into your home. Try an orange towel and a piece of art in an all-white bathroom. Add green and purple pillows to grey couches. A rusty red lamp looks beautiful in a green or blue room.
So when you start remodeling this fall, stop picking out paint in the boring white and beige shades. Find a subtle version of your favorite color, and get brainstorming! It’s the perfect way to spruce up an outdated room.
