Bye-Bye Beige: How to Embrace Colorful Home Decor

While neutral hues and black and white decor are easy on the eye, they don’t make much of a statement.  What better way to showcase your personality (and perhaps even your mood) than with color? 

Perhaps you’re looking to totally revamp the look and feel of your home.  Or, maybe you just want to add in bits of brightness and color that can easily be swapped out.  Either way, learn to showcase your style and experiment with color using these tips for embracing colorful home décor. 

Break Out the Color Wheel
Are you wanting to embrace the rainbow?  Or perhaps you want to create a colorful space that evokes a particular mood.  Either way, you’ll want to be mindful of hue, chroma, and value as you choose your colors.  Here is a quick guide on color terms:
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• Hue refers to the color perceived —  blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, red, pink, etc.
• Chroma is the saturation of a color, how far removed it is from gray.  Low chroma colors have more gray tones and result in a subdued color.  On the other hand, high chroma results in a pure, brilliant hue.
• Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.  The higher the value of color is the closer it is to white, whereas low-value colors are closer to black.

Whether you’re looking to stick to blues and greens or to embrace the full spectrum, you’ll want to ensure that you choose colors that have similar chroma and value to create a cohesive look.  Typically, colors with similar chroma and value are grouped into color families.  Some pallets you may already be familiar with include: primary colors, pastels, jewel tones and muted shades.

Be Mindful of Mood 
Color can have a major impact on your mood — and the mood of your space!  Low chroma colors and cool hues can result in a moody, dark room, whereas high-chroma colors and bright hues can add energy and warmth to your space. 

Consider the purpose of each room in your home and choose your colors accordingly.  For example, your colorful kitchen décor or bedroom color scheme may be light and airy to create the illusion of a larger — yet inviting — space. 

Flirt With Color 
Think you’ll get sick of color?  Find your style changes regularly? Start small by incorporating pops and hints of color into your décor pieces like colorful wall décor, throw pillows, area rugs, and curtains.  Adding in hints of color here and there while maintaining a neutral base will have you well on your way to a colorful and personality-filled home. 

Opt for Colorful Statement Furniture 
Incorporating colorful statement pieces — such as a colorful accent chair, sofa, or dining table — can make a major splash in your space. Opting for a large swath of color in the form of a statement piece is a quick and easy way to incorporate color to your space. 

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Hone Your DIY Skills
Take things up a notch and hone your DIY skills!  You can get creative and refinish existing furniture pieces by either painting them or completing a little DIY upholstery.  To make the most of your walls, consider creating your very own feature wall.  For a high-impact solution, consider creating a tablescape or vignette that encompasses a variety of colorful decor pieces. 

Don’t Forget the Tie-Ins
When you’re creating different feels in every room, you’ll need to find pieces that tie things together to create a cohesive look.  Consider incorporating multicolor art pieces or area rugs in transitional areas. This way each space will still be distinct but naturally “blend” together as you move from one room to the next, rather than there being an abrupt shift. 

Source: CORT Furniture Rental

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