New This Week: 4 Colorful Living Rooms With Personality
See how designers mix creative color palettes with fashionable furnishings to make lively spaces full of character
Working with color isn’t easy. But when done right, a colorful room will leave a lasting impression. Here are four new living rooms on Houzz that show a range of memorable approaches, from subtle and tame to bold and dramatic.
2. Eclectic Escape
Designer: Carrie Hayward Design
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 240 square feet (22 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “We were going for a colorful, sophisticated take on Hollywood Regency, with a layout that worked for such a long room,” designer Carrie Hayward says. “We also wanted to minimize the large, dance-studio-style mirror between the windows.” (Hayward used this Houzz ideabook to gather inspiration photos and products for this project.)
Special features. Multicolored abstract rug. Teal sofa. Banana leaf wallpaper. Two armchairs reupholstered in hot pink fabric. “The custom credenza was tailored to the exact dimensions of the client’s record collection and hides all the home theater components,” Hayward says. “Plus, it’s secretly turquoise on the inside.”
Designer tip. “In order to minimize the huge mirror between the windows, we placed a console in front and topped it with a dramatic Jonathan Adler dragon lamp,” Hayward says. “Now the mirror magnifies the light and doubles the visual impact of the wallpaper on the opposite wall.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “They aren’t kidding when they say to start decorating with the rug,” Hayward says. “Because we started with the hot pink chairs and added elements from there, it took a long time to figure out what kind of rug would work in the space. We tried various one- and two-color rugs, but it wasn’t until we decided to look for one with all the colors that the room snapped together.”
Wall paint: Cotton Balls, Benjamin Moore
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Designer: Carrie Hayward Design
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 240 square feet (22 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “We were going for a colorful, sophisticated take on Hollywood Regency, with a layout that worked for such a long room,” designer Carrie Hayward says. “We also wanted to minimize the large, dance-studio-style mirror between the windows.” (Hayward used this Houzz ideabook to gather inspiration photos and products for this project.)
Special features. Multicolored abstract rug. Teal sofa. Banana leaf wallpaper. Two armchairs reupholstered in hot pink fabric. “The custom credenza was tailored to the exact dimensions of the client’s record collection and hides all the home theater components,” Hayward says. “Plus, it’s secretly turquoise on the inside.”
Designer tip. “In order to minimize the huge mirror between the windows, we placed a console in front and topped it with a dramatic Jonathan Adler dragon lamp,” Hayward says. “Now the mirror magnifies the light and doubles the visual impact of the wallpaper on the opposite wall.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “They aren’t kidding when they say to start decorating with the rug,” Hayward says. “Because we started with the hot pink chairs and added elements from there, it took a long time to figure out what kind of rug would work in the space. We tried various one- and two-color rugs, but it wasn’t until we decided to look for one with all the colors that the room snapped together.”
Wall paint: Cotton Balls, Benjamin Moore
Shop for sofas and sectionals
3. Dramatic Dress-Up
Designer: Amber Scott Design
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Convert an unused dining room into a living room for entertaining guests with whiskey tastings from a private collection.
Special features. Dark charcoal walls, wainscoting, trim, cabinetry, fireplace surround and ceiling (painted Off-Black by Farrow & Ball). “We wanted the owners’ whiskey collection to be the hero of the room and a natural focal point,” designer Amber Scott says. “Selecting a condensed color and material palette using black, brass, Carrara marble, gold tones, charcoal gray and a few pops of white creates a swanky and moody feeling that wraps you up and makes you want to stay a while.”
Designer tip. “Wrapping the same color on the walls, ceiling and trim will make a space appear larger, more cohesive and dramatic by minimizing all of the visual lines and highlighting the color,” Scott says. “Also, to add more dimension with this application, you can vary the sheens from the walls, ceiling and trim. For example, in this room we used [Farrow & Ball’s] Modern Emulsion finish on the walls in a 7% sheen, Estate Emulsion finish on the ceiling in a 2% sheen and Estate Eggshell finish on the trim in a 20% sheen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The ceiling had to be repainted four times because there was a round spot that kept appearing after the paint dried,” Scott says. “We initially thought it was water damage from the second floor, a roof leak or flashing from a patch, although everything checked out and it finally went away without any repairs needed.”
Chandelier: Beckham Modern in burnished brass, TOB Thomas O’Brien; project photography: Jeremiah Hull, Attic Fire Photography
Designer: Amber Scott Design
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Convert an unused dining room into a living room for entertaining guests with whiskey tastings from a private collection.
Special features. Dark charcoal walls, wainscoting, trim, cabinetry, fireplace surround and ceiling (painted Off-Black by Farrow & Ball). “We wanted the owners’ whiskey collection to be the hero of the room and a natural focal point,” designer Amber Scott says. “Selecting a condensed color and material palette using black, brass, Carrara marble, gold tones, charcoal gray and a few pops of white creates a swanky and moody feeling that wraps you up and makes you want to stay a while.”
Designer tip. “Wrapping the same color on the walls, ceiling and trim will make a space appear larger, more cohesive and dramatic by minimizing all of the visual lines and highlighting the color,” Scott says. “Also, to add more dimension with this application, you can vary the sheens from the walls, ceiling and trim. For example, in this room we used [Farrow & Ball’s] Modern Emulsion finish on the walls in a 7% sheen, Estate Emulsion finish on the ceiling in a 2% sheen and Estate Eggshell finish on the trim in a 20% sheen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The ceiling had to be repainted four times because there was a round spot that kept appearing after the paint dried,” Scott says. “We initially thought it was water damage from the second floor, a roof leak or flashing from a patch, although everything checked out and it finally went away without any repairs needed.”
Chandelier: Beckham Modern in burnished brass, TOB Thomas O’Brien; project photography: Jeremiah Hull, Attic Fire Photography
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4. Color Collection
Designer: Michael Howells of Howells Architecture + Design
Location: Portland, Oregon
Homeowners’ request. “This comprises the living room component in the great room of a large remodel for a family of four,” architect Michael Howells says. “The owners wanted an ‘upside-down’ living arrangement for their home, with the public rooms on the upper level because they have a wonderful view they wanted to maximize. A large deck extends from the living room. The kitchen is adjacent to — and open to — the living room, and there is also a space for music and crafting for this art-loving family.”
Special features. Yellow ochre sofa. Pale red armchair. Walnut trim around the fireplace coordinates with the adjacent walnut kitchen cabinets. A copper fireplace surround complements a copper kitchen sink and other details in the kitchen. “By repeating elements in this way, there is a consistency amid the eclectic mix,” Howells says.
Wall color: Lancaster Whitewash, Benjamin Moore
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room
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Find and hire pros in your area
Shop for furniture and other products
Designer: Michael Howells of Howells Architecture + Design
Location: Portland, Oregon
Homeowners’ request. “This comprises the living room component in the great room of a large remodel for a family of four,” architect Michael Howells says. “The owners wanted an ‘upside-down’ living arrangement for their home, with the public rooms on the upper level because they have a wonderful view they wanted to maximize. A large deck extends from the living room. The kitchen is adjacent to — and open to — the living room, and there is also a space for music and crafting for this art-loving family.”
Special features. Yellow ochre sofa. Pale red armchair. Walnut trim around the fireplace coordinates with the adjacent walnut kitchen cabinets. A copper fireplace surround complements a copper kitchen sink and other details in the kitchen. “By repeating elements in this way, there is a consistency amid the eclectic mix,” Howells says.
Wall color: Lancaster Whitewash, Benjamin Moore
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room
Get more home design ideas
Find and hire pros in your area
Shop for furniture and other products
Designer: Dina Varner of VPI Design
Location: Atlanta
Size: 600 square feet (56 square meters); 20 by 30 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The architecture of the home was inspired by Addison Mizner, who was famous for Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial styles,” interior designer Dina Varner says. “The homeowners wanted to lighten the feel of the home with the fabrics while maintaining the integrity of the antiques and the architecture. We used pale blue and white cotton and linen fabrics to soften the room.”
Special features. “The whole room centers around the fireplace and the French 19th-century landscape painting,” Varner says. “This painting incorporates all of the color in the fabrics with the traditional feel of the antiques.” The ceiling is cypress beams and boards.
Designer tip. “How do you make a 30-foot room more warm and cozy?” Varner asks. “The way we solved the problem was with art, small antique drink tables and a game table and four chairs in the far corner.”
Varner used Houzz Pro software to organize and manage this project.
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