Decorate your living room with color. Step outside the box and add a burst of color to your space, or try a whole new color scheme:
Pattern Partners:
Fabulously bold patterned curtains dress up white walls and serve as the inspiration for this room's color scheme. Although the curtains and the rug underfoot contain different patterns, they feature the same colors and therefore complement each other. Choose furniture with solid fabrics within the color scheme to add stability and separate the patterns, like this blue sofa and green chair.
Enhance Neutrals:
Even when you are creating a colorful living room, you don't need to completely swear off neutrals. Here, warm shades of pink kick up the volume against a background of tans and browns. Nooks on either side of the fireplace serve as creative display cases and sport a shade of pink that coordinates with the pillows, chairs, and draperies.
Alternate Accessories:
Use a neutral background as the canvas for pops of bright color, clean lines, and funky patterns. In this living room, a coat of chic gray paint, a handsome stone fireplace, and chocolate brown sofas give a foundation to the bright plants, art, and accessories, which keep the room from looking cold. When you feel like a change in the color scheme, simply swap out the accessories for a whole new look!
Stand Out:
Be bold and choose a primary color that makes a statement, such as this vibrant yellow. Blue and pink accessories bring lively blocks of accent colors, and a classic black-and-white area rug and artwork ensure that color doesn't overwhelm the eye.
Create a Balance:
When deciding on a color scheme, commit to two main hues dispersed evenly throughout the room. Here, olive green and creamy yellow accessories are placed symmetrically to create a visually stunning space. The lines of the black-and-white carpet and painted wood paneling drive the eye toward the center and make the green-and-yellow pair even more dynamic. Choose asymmetrical art featuring the same color scheme for an element of surprise.
Darling Displays:
Get creative with your decor. Combine thrift store finds and bargain buys into a fun, colorful gallery. In this room, pretty prints in mismatched frames break up the striped wallpaper behind them. To bring a little coordination to an eclectic look, carry a common color theme throughout accessories. In this vignette, the greens and oranges that color the prints are also splashed on the throw and pillows.
Small Touches:
If elegant, dark tones are more your style, toss in a few bright accessories for an unexpected burst of color. In this space, red pillows and flowers pop against the cool, neutral color scheme
Color Burst:
Having trouble settling on a color scheme? Look for inspiration in a favorite fabric or accessory. The ottoman here, which doubles as a coffee table, served as the starting point for this energetic color palette. Bright orange pillows and curtains, coupled with a calming blue painting and lamp, pull colors from the fabric.
White as an Accent:
Strong blocks of neutral color, such as blue-gray walls and a chocolate brown couch, are the perfect backdrop for lively patterns. In this fun, inviting den, colorful patterns come in to play on accent furniture and accessories. A large-scale, orange-on-brown abstract-pattern rug anchors the space, while throw pillows and an ottoman show off smaller-scale patterns. All of the patterns in the space are unified by an orange, gray, and brown color scheme. Splashes of white, such as the wall art, lamp, and side chair, give the space a crisp finish.
White Canvas:
Color packs an extra punch when used against white walls. A robin's-egg blue sofa is the starting point for the infusion of color in this crisp white living room and the basis for the rest of the colors in the space. Sunny yellow, grassy green, and pool blue pillows complement the springlike nature of the peppy sofa. Subtle metallic accents, such as the tables and bowl, add shine to complete the airy, family-friendly look.
Chic and Fresh:
A little bit of color goes a long way, especially when coupled with one-of-a-kind accessories, such as this eye-catching light fixture and transparent side table. Directly beneath the fixture, the blue-and-white rug continues the funky theme. Cool blue vases, tall trees, and pink flower bouquets dress up the mostly neutral room.
Fit for a Princess:
Rich accent pillows and a deep red rug create an Arabian-inspired getaway. The white couch frame and artwork pop against the regal hues and fabrics, resulting in a sophisticated yet fun living space. Get the look by using a bold palette of jewel tones set against a foundation of sophisticated neutrals, such as a creamy beige and supple grays.
Beach Bliss:
Escape to an indoor oasis anytime you want with a beach-inspired living room. Pair a wicker chair and comfy floor cushions with calming oceanic blue walls. To carry the look, incorporate other beachy motifs, such as a striped rug reminiscent of a beach towel. Throw in bits of coral and orange accents to warm the space.
Retro Red:
Layered shades of red and brown mingle to add dimension to this space. The horizontal wood paneling and red cabinets give off a warm, retro vibe. Backless shelving offers a display for art and photographs.
Glamour and Glitz:
Fabulous fabrics and continuous color give this room a glamorous feel. A zebra-stripe chair and a glitzy light fixture provide a youthful oomph, while the colors in the collage of record covers are repeated in the throw pillows and centerpiece items.
Focus In:
Surrounded by chairs and popping against the clean white interior, a distressed blue coffee table serves as the focal point of this family room. To make pops of color stand out even more in a neutral room, repeat bright colors only a few times, such as in one or two pieces of artwork or accessories.
Accent Wall:
For a color addition that's not too permanent, paint one wall and leave the others white. Here, the blue wall stands out against the white ceiling, rug, and adjacent wall. The combination of blue and white invites the light from outside into the room, creating a feeling of openness. Add complementary accessories, like the blue throw pillows and bright painting above the fireplace.
Subtle and Sweet:
Colors don't need to be bright or bold to make a big impact in a space. In this room, powder blue walls and a white fireplace make a pleasant pair. Identical straight-back chairs and ottomans pull color from the walls, while decorative rosy pink pillows add a touch of warmth. For a little shine, choose a bejeweled chandelier to complete an elegant look.
New Twist:
Hang bright, graphic artwork to amp up the style of a cozy family den. Here, framed yellow and blue prints put a surprising contemporary twist on traditional style. A blue basket and yellow pillow provide a fun disruption to the gray, tan, and red color scheme and help pull the room together.
Out to Sea:
For a nautical theme, combine cool gray walls, white trim, and red stripes. Here, the red striped couch pops against the crisp paint and serves as an anchor for this space. Framed photos and accessories reminiscent of sailing days complete the theme, while white trim adds architectural interest.
Lighten Up:
For an easy splash of color, outfit windows in treatments with bold hues and unique patterns. Here, unlikely leafy curtains transform this muted space into a fabulously lively living room. Place a few accessories mimicking the color scheme around the room, such as the cute bowl of apples shown here. Glimmering candle sconces on either side of the mirror tie the natural theme together.
Cool Down:
To make a statement, throw a cool fabric into a mix of warm ones. In this rosy room, the teal sofa is a breath of fresh air among the rich wood floors and pink pillows. Slender blue lamps and candleholders help to integrate the colors.
Come Inside:
Use color to open up small spaces like this little nook. The cheerful green interior invites the eye and contrasts with the adjacent blue wall, while a blue ottoman cleverly connects the two spaces. Backless white bookshelves and a white sofa create clean lines to balance the white trim and doorway.
Relaxing and Rustic:
With its rich color and texture, exposed brick is a sure way to warm up a room. Here, white trim and a neutral adjacent wall and sofa allow the handsome stone to take center stage. Balance the rustic energy of the walls with something in the center that holds its own, like this vibrant patterned area rug.
Grab Attention:
Make your often-overlooked floor the center of attention. Use a bold area rug, like this deep blue one, as a starting point for your color scheme. Place the rug in the center and decorate around it, using the colors and patterns within it as inspiration for your space. Here, antique dishes and delicate linens on display complete the cozy vintage cottage room.
Sun in the Sky:
Was there ever a cuter color combination than blue and yellow? This bright, cheerful room suggests no. Varying shades of each color work in tandem to create a youthful, family-friendly gathering place. A blue sofa, chair and walls create a perfect backdrop for yellow accessories to shine, just like the sun in the sky. The blue tile on the fireplace surround is the perfect pop of color to polish off the look.
Simple Touches:
It's the little details that bring the most color to life -- and to this room. Subtle splashes of red amid the white furniture, walls, and carpet pick up the warmth of the brick tile underfoot. Delicate pink ribbons lace up a white slipcovered chair, and dreamy patterned pillows adorn the sofa. Sky blue cushions and a weathered blue dresser bring calmness to the color scheme.