Add a Drop of Color to Your Living Room
Try out a new hue with pillows, upholstery and a bold accent or two
I am an Interior Decorator in PA, stitching my urban roots into suburban spaces from NY to Philly. I am living my dream helping people achieve inspirational spaces. Visit me at www.loveyourroom.com and check out my blog for inspirational ideas.
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If your living room feels a little too neutral, but you are afraid of adding color or don't want to invest heavily in making colorful changes just yet, test the waters with a few accents that won't break the bank. Here are some easy, cost effective and flexible ways to do that.
Use a large vase to test out a new color in your room. I like the big size and different shapes of the Morph Vase from HomeDecorators.
Reupholster part of a favorite accent chair. Recover just the seat if it can be removed, or add a fun pattern to the back of a chair. I love adding a pattern to only a part of a chair. The pattern adds a cool vibe without being overwhelming.
Reupholster only the back cushions of your neutral sofa. If you have loose back cushions, have them recovered in a colorful solid or patterned fabric. You'll get a designer look without having to get a new sofa.
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| White walls can feel stark. Bring in color and texture by hanging a large piece of artwork like this one called Second City. Large stretched canvas art can be more reasonably priced and not as heavy as large glass-covered framed art. |
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| Try something as simple as adding a colorful tray to the center of your coffee table or ottoman. I love the colors of the Lacquer Wood trays at West Elm. For large coffee tables, get two to place side by side. |
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| Choose a colorful ottoman as your coffee table. Or slipcover the one you have. Center it in the middle of your conversation area. It becomes the fun pop! |
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| Bring just a bit of color to your neutral drapes by adding a band to the bottom of your solid neutral drapes. I like going up 30 inches in an 8- or 9-foot high space. |
by Niche Interiors
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Add color to your seating with a bold-hued pillow. Try a 20"x20" pillow cover with a feather down insert. It stays in place better than a smaller pillow and adds nice big color through just one piece.
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| Add greenery. A tall indoor plant brings in a bit of lush color and fragrance. Ask a plant specialist to help you pick out the right plant so you know how to take care of it. |
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| Drape a colorful throw horizontally over a sofa back or chair for a color infusion. Also consider draping it vertically down the center of the sofa. |
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by VisuaLingual
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| Paint an accent wall. It will add excitement to the room. Choose a wall that houses has dramatic artwork, showcases an important piece of furniture, or has an interesting architectural detail you can highlight. In a long narrow room, the best wall to paint is the farthest short wall. The color will draw your eye to it, making the wall appear closer to you. |
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| Bring in a new lamp base that has a vibrant color. Crate & Barrel's Boka lamps have delicious color choices. Or try spray painting your lamp base for a new finish in the color of your choice. |
You can bring the floor to life with color, too. Use a large patterned rug so the color comes through in a larger scale.
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| Add a garden stool in one of the many colorful finishes and shapes you can get these days. Try two side by side for more color and extra seating. They can be moved to wherever you need them.
More: Color Ideas for Commitment-Phobes Getting the Accent Wall Right Ease Your Way Into Bold Color |
Ideabook updated on Aug. 18, 2011.
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