Ways To Add Colour To Your Home
Sometimes we stand back, tilt our head to the side and wonder what the room needs. Does it need more furniture or less furniture? Are our homewares dated and do they need updating? Or do we just need a simple change like adding a pop of colour to liven up the space. There are a whole lot of ways to add colour to your home without the need for an expensive reno.
To combat the desire to revamp a whole area, there are smaller and more creative ways to freshen up your space. You can actually breathe new life into a room and make it feel like it’s had a fabulous makeover. We’ve put together our top tips for using colour as a single and effective way to make a whole lot of change.
Scatter cushions
Loads of people these days go for solid colour couches, sofas and armchairs. Whites and beige colour palettes are super popular and the shades-of-white trend is very much happening. But if you want to change the look of your room without buying a new sofa, why not use cushions?
A neutral coloured couch can be transformed into a hamptons haven with navy, stripes and other varieties of blue. It’s a quick, easy and inexpensive way to change the style of your living room. You can put floral or stripe cushions on a bed to change the look of a crisp white bedspread. Or you can add white cushions to change up a darker themed bedroom.
Scatter cushions can almost live anywhere. Whether they are textured, velvet, linen, patterned or plain they are going to be useful. You can use them on the sofa or in the bedroom, or even on your armchair, outdoors and in the kids rooms. Your dining room chairs can be uplifted by popping coloured chair pads on as well.
Colour on the ground
A new rug of any colour or style can change the whole look of a room dramatically. It also adds a cosy vibe to floors with tiles or floorboards underfoot. A bold coloured rug will add warmth and texture to the room as well. Try out darker shades if you have light coloured furniture.
Rooms with carpet will also easily accept rugs on top. Try to look at different textures when layering since shag on shag isn’t going to be ideal. Perhaps a rattan woven rug would look great on low pile carpet. Otherwise you can try a bold pattern or design for tiled flooring for a more significant lift.
Feature walls are the go
It’s been a trend for quite some time to paint one wall as a feature. It’s not just colour you need to consider either. You can buy suede paints, textured washed look paints and even velvety soft or stone textured paint. Of course matte and smooth paints are still very much in fashion too and simply selecting a new colour for one or more walls will change the look of your room entirely.
Just be careful not to use darker paints in smaller rooms as this can bring the walls in and create an even smaller aesthetic. If you’re set on a dark colour, consider adding a mirror to the same wall to recreate the illusion of space to make it work.
Bringing the outdoors in
Sometimes a room needs little more than some nature to bring it to life. Greenery is a striking colour that goes well in most settings. Cushions and other soft furnishings are a great way to bring non-permanent colour to the room.
You could also bring in some plants in trendy pots to set a more natural vibe. If your room is not going to be conducive to keeping plants alive there are plenty of artificial plants available that look very realistic. Large ferns and leafy plants in pots look great in room corners, as do smaller bunches of greenery and flowers to keep the room feeling fresh.
Make the walls pop
If you’re looking for less mess than painting, you can bring colour in by using wall art. Shop around and find something that suits your taste and personality. You can choose from huge bold abstract prints right through to scenic prints that will add multiple colours in.
Mirrors are a great way to open up a room. Black metallics are very much on trend as are lighter oak colours in the popular scandi style. You could also try buying a variety of black, white, timber or coloured photo frames and create a family montage on the wall. Make sure you plan out how it’s going to sit before you actually hang to avoid awkward shapes.
Consider the size of your wall when buying pieces for the space. You don’t want to overcrowd the area or be underwhelming either.
Lighting up the room
A new and colourful lamp can change the feel of almost any piece of furniture. A console table, buffet or side table can become a focal point with a new lamp on top. You can experiment with different coloured shades or bases, or go for pops of golds or blacks to add more depth.
You might find the one special piece by rummaging through antique stores or op-shops. Otherwise you could consider changing the lamp shade on the room lighting on the ceiling if you don’t have downlights. Plenty of people these days are adding hanging feature lights in corners above bedside tables or sofas.
Throwing on the colour
Soft furnishings aren’t just for bedrooms anymore. Blankets, throws, quilts and pillows can be found all over the house as accent pieces. Blankets and throws in particular will add colour, comfort and texture to a room. You could drape one effortlessly over the back of an armchair or fold one over the back of your sofa.
For these types of homewares, choose stand out colours. You want your throw rug or blanket to add colour not just blend in. Blankets and throws are a great way to add colour and are a true must-have accessory in the home.
Remember, House & Garden has an impressive range of homeware and furniture to bring life to your home. We are here to help you find ways to add colour to your home with beautiful pieces that create beautiful spaces.
