Adding color to your home can be intimidating. How do you choose a color? How do you combine colors? What if you spend a lot of money on one color scheme and decide you no longer like it in 2 years?
This is why I always advise investing in classic neutral basics (gray or gray/beige are best) such as a sofa, rug, coffee table & side tables and then layering with color from there. That way, if your tastes change or you want to make swaps for a new season or holiday, you can easily start over with a classic foundation.
Now, how to add color? For newbies, I recommend building your color scheme around a piece of art or a pillow that you love.
In the pink room, I’ve taken two beautiful watercolor paintings and drawn out four colors – light pink, dark pink, peach and orange – in the fabrics and accents. I also brought in some additional greens. Lots of different textures make the room feel feminine and sophisticated.
The next room was designed around the colors of the beach and the photograph which has so many beautiful hues. I love working with blues because you can mix many different shades and they’ll still look good together. The middle pillow has two of the many shades (dark blue and turquoise), and it really helps bring the whole room together.
In the last room, I picked the colors first (primary red & blue) and chose the pillows. When mixing patterns always choose one large pattern and one small pattern, so that they don’t compete. From there, it was easy to add other red & navy accents that worked well with the pillow combo.
Don’t worry about trying to achieve a complete look all at once, either. Let it build over time. Start with a piece of art and let it be for a few months before you choose your pillows and other accents. I also recommend taking a picture of your room/art on your phone, so that when you’re out shopping you can refer to it to see if other accents will work. And remember, you can always return, so don’t be afraid to give something new a try!
one room, 3 ways to add color // alongcameollie.com
To my decorator friends & bloggers, how else do you recommend ‘colorphobes’ introduce color?
Along Came Ollie 
I love this. What an amazing post. I’ve always felt that neutral furniture was the best way to go. I tend to decorate with seasonal colors and it would be so easy to swap out a pillow, vase, or wall art.
Thanks so much, Ashley! Yes, and it ensures that the expensive pieces will really last you a long time. cheers!
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