How do you use colour in your home? Are you a fan of big and bold, or are you on Team Subtle? After recently painting my apartment white (and still deciding on the rest of the palette), I've been looking at different combos and treatments for inspiration. So today's top 5 Friday is all about ways to use colour in your home, from floor to ceiling and everything in between.
Floors
Left, from House Beautiful; Right, from HGTV's Top 10
There are two ways to add colour to your floor: paint or rug. As a renter, painting my floors isn't an option, but I couldn't resist the lure of this gorgeous kitchen from House Beautiful, above. I love the idea of grounding a room with a rich colour. Rugs are more varietal option, but just keep in mind that the larger and more intricate they are, the more it's going to cost you. If your floor is the source of colour, keep the rest of the room neutral, like in the example from HGTV's Top 10, above.
Graphic Bedding
Left, from the Flickr group The Domino Magazine Files; Right, from Apartment Therapy
A colourful coverlet is super easy, but how do you choose? This my current dilemma. I've always loved suzani textiles, as seen in the photo at left, above. But they're hard to come by (they're made in Central Asian countries that often end in -stan, though you can find them online and in some stores), and they're pricey. But once you have a riot of colour on your bed, the possibilities are endless when it comes to accessories and accents. I like the idea of patterned, graphic bedding -- after all, your bed is the largest piece, hence the focal point of the room. Why not go all out and truly make it the star?
Large Furniture
Left, from Pure Design; Right, from Colin and Justin's Home Heist
Colourful couches -- a big commitment, but also big impact. Both rooms above are bright and welcoming without being overwhelming or cheesy. A yellow or lime green couch doesn't sound chic out loud. But it works, no? I can imagine how cheering it would be in icky, bland February to walk into these happy homes.
Pops of Colour
Left, from Apartment Therapy; Right, from Elle Decor
I admit, the phrase "pop of colour" kind of makes me zzzzz... You hear it everywhere! But, in the case of a mostly monochromatic room there's no other description, so I give in. I chose the examples above to show how colour can add personality to both an all-dark or light room. Left, combining a hot pink coffee table with hits of mustard and plum in a deep gray room is dramatic, but still homey (and is that a painted floor, too?). The room at right includes a simple piece of art with a lot of impact -- I have no idea whether it's a modern masterpiece or a square piece of MDF tilted and painted a deep teal. Either way, it could be a simple DIY that's easy to change.
Ceilings
Left, from Design Manifest blog; Right, from Nathan Turner
If you need any reassurance that painting the ceiling is a design do, Elana interviewed Sarah Richardson at the launch of Sarah's Para paint line and the doyenne herself loves a painted ceiling. There's something calming and cozy about a room with a coloured ceiling, and a little cheeky, too. The kitchen at left makes me happy, while the living room at right looks like a pre-thunderstorm sky. Dreamy and design-y. Love it!
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