The Ultimate Guide to Decorating With Color Like a Pro

Key Takeaways:

• Renter-friendly or temporary decor prioritizes color in the form of transient, inexpensive, or easily replaceable pieces, such as cushion covers, throw blankets, vases, and florals.
• More permanent and grander decor ideas include colorful accent walls with paint or printed wallpaper. You can also invest in colorful furniture, like sofas or bed frames.
• Pepper your space with colorful Pantone-inspired pieces like cups, vases, and dishware. Do consult a color wheel to pick complementary shades.
• When in doubt, add nature-inspired colors like green and blue to liven up your space.

A home without textures and vivid, artistic pieces can begin to feel flat or uninspired. But decorating with color defines your space and sets it apart. It’s almost like picking out an outfit — but for a space you spend most of your time in.

Learning how to decorate with color isn’t rocket science. But just like choosing a sweater or accessories for your body, you need to be as thoughtful when selecting colors and decor for your living space. While dull shades rarely bring out the best features, too much color can drown out the details.

Striking a balance when decorating with color is the key to transforming your space into something that looks like it fell out of an AD magazine. So here are 5 of our top colorful decor ideas to upgrade your home.

5 Tips for Bringing Color Into Your Space

1. Commit to Color 101

• A+ Accent Wall

If you’re ready for a permanent change, decorating with colors can be as simple as reimagining your basic white walls into something more spectacular. Printed wallpaper and textured paint do wonders for tastefully decorating a small space.

This is one of the most popular ways to add color to your space, and the transformation is dramatic enough to refresh other aspects of the room, too.

• A-Door-able Hues

If you’re feeling brave, consider decorating your front door with a wash of color or painting the inside of your bedroom door a vivid shade for an unexpected pop that instantly uplifts the space.

• Sofa, So Good!

Bringing color to your space through thoughtfully chosen furniture for your living room is a fun way to add personality and character. On sofas and bed frames, especially, these pops of color are more gravitational and can help set the mood for your bedroom with modern decor.

2. A Renter-Friendly Rainbow

There’s nothing more confusing and challenging than decorating with color if you’re indecisive or you’re looking to upgrade a space that’s temporarily yours. But there is a way to go rogue with the rainbow through renter-friendly decor ideas that itch that colorful scratch without burning a hole in your pocket. Just add pops of color through accessories!

Throw blankets, cushion covers, art prints, and flowers are all transient features of a room that are easy to replace or switch out on a budget. That’s why these should be your top picks if you want to add color without committing to a specific style.

Whether you’re looking for rental-friendly decor ideas for your bathroom or just like changing how your space looks frequently, this is one way you can do it.

3. Pantone Products

Using the annual Pantone shade is a safe bet for decorating with a color you’ll be seeing a lot of for the rest of the year. The color Pantone picks every year is drawn from trends in cinema, fashion, social and political events, and international events. It’s not just a random color, but is actually a great representation of the mood worldwide.

While Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201) is the pick of the year, your decor ideas can take on a colorful hue with various shades of Pantone-inspired products from previous years’ picks. Select lovely shades that liven up your space with vibrant cups, vases, tote bags, and more.

4. Consult a Color Wheel

Most people are scared of decorating with colors because they’re worried they’ll create a mishmash of clashing shades, but the trick is to consult a color wheel. It’s like a cheat sheet for the aesthetically challenged. In fact, avid artists often rely on color wheels to create color stories that make sense, even to the untrained eye.

Using a color wheel is fairly straightforward. Just pick one shade and find a color at the exact opposite spot on the color wheel. In most cases, both shades enhance one another and work well in cohesion.

But in case decorating with the exact complementary color feels too loud for your taste, just pick something of that same hue instead. Even if you think you have no creative flair, using a color wheel to intentionally choose colors makes your space feel cohesive and stylish.

5. Bring Nature Inside

When nothing seems to make sense, the easiest trick for decorating with color is to bring natural elements into your space through artisanal decor pieces.  Think about it; your eyes are so used to seeing the usual colors of nature that they’re the safest to bring into your space. Think bright pops of green in the corners, or shades of blue in the artwork, and grounding browns through cushion covers or vases. In fact, adding color to a space doesn’t have to feel synthetic. Instead of using a green cushion, why not just decorate with plants instead?  Don’t simply look for blue artwork; curate pieces that depict the sky itself. And browns aren’t limited to just jute or wicker baskets. Wooden furniture in different finishes can bring out that earthiness you’re looking for.

Hopefully, Cribsi’s tips for decorating can help you get comfortable playing with colors in your space, find your interior style, and add a splash of the rainbow to your home. Have fun with these ideas and find unique, colorful decor that reflects who you are.

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