Decorating in Color–Without Overpowering!

With Spring upon us, many homeowners are looking beyond the obvious “spring cleaning” to freshen up their homes. Redecorating with a color theme is a wonderful way to brighten up your home and your mood for the upcoming warmer months. Additionally, it’s often inexpensive enough that you can do it to more than just one room in your house! Here are a few steps to get your project started.

1. Choose a color theme.  ANY color will do! There are no restrictions here. The only thing you will want to pay attention to is the room you have decided to decorate. Those who view their bedroom as a relaxation zone may not want to pick an energizing color like red or yellow. Similarly, those who are looking to redecorate a home gym may not want to choose muted, relaxing colors like blue or violet. Also keep in mind that when you’re decorating, not every item needs to be this EXACT shade, rather something in the same color family. And remember–no color is exempt! If you love shades of black and gray, but have been afraid to use something so dark in your decoration—don’t be! There are ways to decorate with deep tones that won’t make a room feel tiny and dark.
2. To paint or not to paint? The trick to decorating in color—without being obnoxious—is to use color sparingly. For example, you don’t walk to walk into a room where EVERYTHING you see is yellow. So as long as your furniture doesn’t match your walls—you’re good to go. If the color you’ve chosen is darker and the room you are decorating is small, choose a muted or pastel version for the walls. You’ll be able to bring the deeper accents out through your accessories. Painting the walls surely isn’t a necessity though. If you’re already working with a white or ivory base, the accents you use throughout the room can be enough. And if you’re feeling like painting, but not up for a big job? Try just painting the trim!
3. Accessorize! Now comes the fun part. There are tons of ways to bring color through a room with accessories. The first and easiest of these is to incorporate throw pillows. We recommend 3-4 to a couch and 2-3 to a loveseat. Do not limit yourself to solid colors here. Choose pillows with different funky patterns on each one that incorporate your color choice. For example, you could find two paisley pillows to sit with a fun striped pillow. Another fun way to bring an unexpected pop of color to an otherwise boring area is to use a large rectangular wall mirror. These work best when the walls have not been painted or just the trim has been. However, they serve a double purpose as they will not only add a pop of color to your wall, but also create the illusion of space to an otherwise small room. Other accessories can include (but are CERTAINLY not limited to) window treatments, picture frames, lamps, vases or even unique custom chandeliers—all featuring a shade of your chosen color.

Decorating in color certainly isn’t rocket science. Choosing a color and finding accessories you love in a shade of the color you’ve chosen—can seem like difficult tasks. They key is to start looking for coordinating pieces before you begin the renovation. That way, when it comes time to paint or re-frame, you’ve already got the items you need and the room will come together quickly!

Hillary Hansen is the Director of Marketing, as well as a featured writer, for Unique Online Furniture. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her toddler or (when she’s asleep) getting lost in a good book.
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