Elegant textures. Mixing textures is a great way to create an elegant look. Here a hemp grass cloth brings richness and depth to the walls, while a high-gloss lacquered table brings the shine. The elegant chandelier, table lamp with black shade and soothing color palette are refined and graceful. Tip: Have a cute vintage desk with a poor finish? Revive it by having it professionally lacquered in a hue you love.
RoomService 360 SaveEmail Contrast Play with contrasts. Think of fresh flowers highlighting the patina of an antique bronze bell, or a delicate woven basket beside a heavy glass bowl. The unexpected bonsai, crystal lamp and sharp modern table offset this distressed Italianate wall finish with its bold flourishes.
1. Rule: Small spaces demand quiet colors. Why you should break it: Size isn’t everything, so use colors you love. After all, who wants to work in a boring home office? If you love bright or deep colors, don’t be shy about using them even in compact spaces. The life and energy they give will be worth the visual shrinkage of the room. Plus, using a deep neutral shade for the walls (which will recede) with bright items (which will advance) creates an interplay of depth that can actually make a room feel bigger. Tip: Use open furniture to balance bold colors. This room has a leggy desk and a mirrored cabinet to keep the sightlines of the floor stretching on as long as possible.
Colors always look a little different between the paint chip and on the wall, so when you’ve found a great one that you love in real life, there’s no reason not to use it again and again. I used one of my go-to off-whites (Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray) in the space in this photo and the next, and the results are totally different moods, but both beautiful.
When working with lots of color, don’t forget to add interesting texture, especially if the colorful pieces are mostly painted and therefore flatter. A bit of rich or rough texture lends depth that bright lacquered pieces can lack on their own, which keeps the look feeling sophisticated. Don’t happen to have a brick wall handy? Try a cement-effect side table, linen drapery, woven baskets or anything with a rugged appeal to balance out pristine pretty colors and bring your dreamy palette back down to Earth.
3. Wall-Mounted Lighting
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