I love color.
Oh – those white-and-white-and-more-white rooms are pretty.
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I mean – what’s not to love about that??
But it’s not me. I need color and lots of it.
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So how do I reconcile that I love that room – and this one?
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And This?
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I think I’m fickle.
So here’s where I need your help.
I am not a decorator. And my house isn’t in terrible shape – but it’s nowhere near as cute as it should be. :)
It’s just an ordinary house with ordinary things in it.
But I have a serious itch to redo it. All of it.
I have couches that need to be recovered and plain white walls because I live in a rental.
So I can’t paper my walls in bright blue damask print – as much as I love this.
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I’m paralyzing myself with indecision.
Should I make the couch tan and decorate with fun funky pillows?
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Or make the couch itself colorful?
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Take pity on me here and help me out.
How do I incorporate color – and lots of it – but not too much?
If my living room flows into my family room and circles around to my dining room, do I have to stay with a main color scheme?
Any secret fancy ways to add interest to the walls of a rental?
Oh – and I’d like to avoid looking like the inside of a Vegas Casino.
Or Graceland.
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Because as much as I love Elvis – I’d just as soon not live in his house.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Anyone want to come over and help me redo my entire house?
It’ll be fun. :)
I’ve had colored walls, but guess what? My wall are all now antique white, yes, all of them. I add color by adding small amounts of it here and there. It seems to work for me and my husband is a fan of white walls. Not only that if you get tired of something it is always easy to change, just add a new pillow colors, drapes, a throw, for the living room, and the kitchen add drapes, a tray, wall hanging etc. Love to see what you come up with!
I love color too! All our walls are strong colors and our furniture is boring and neutral but the boring furniture color allows for me to decide to paint the walls a new color on a whim (I do this every couple of years much to my husband’s dismay!).
Since you can’t paint, I’d go the opposite route – lots of colorful pillow covers, wall decor, window coverings, etc. I’ve seen so many cute pictures of mismatched frames painted all sorts of bright, fun colors but that would never work on my walls but looks awesome on white wallls.
I’ve never tried it but I’ve seen on a blog somewhere, or maybe it was pinterest, that you can attach fabric to the walls with starch and it’s removeable and isn’t supposed to damage the walls. That could be a way to add a funky pattern to one wall to spice up the place.
I say stick with neutrals for your big, more expensive pieces. You may love that hot pink couch now but in ten years if you go “what was I thinking” you have to reupholster or buy new. Changing out pillows is so much easier. And tastes do change. As far as the walls, if you stick with one color in spaces that run together, it makes it look bigger. Also depending on how much your walls run together you need to have a natural stopping place for paint. Such as a corner. Otherwise it looks bad. You could look into putting up fabric on your walls. Then when you move just take it down. But if you don’t want that big of a project how about funky colorful curtains. Curtains can add color and break up a space visually. I wish I lived closer cus I would LOVE to come help you do it! My kind of project. Good luck I’m sure it will be great you have great style.–connie, measuredbytheheart.com
I’ve heard the book Style Statement is seriously awesome at helping you answer your questions. I haven’t read it yet, but more than 5 of my friends swear by it.
Also. I like a colorful couch more then colorful pillows.
Echoing Julie on the attach-fabric-to-wall-with-cornstarch route. I’ve done it with smaller pieces and it worked well. I’ve also used wrapping paper for vertical accents on the walls of my apartment using double-sided tape. I’ve been in my apartment 2 and a half years and have had to fix the top of ONE of the two pieces two or three times, the other piece never.
Also echoing on the neutral big pieces, color for accents, for the practical reasons other people have given.
Other than that, you do NOT want to listen to me for interior decorating advice!
No painting the walls? Boo!!
There’s always vinyl or the cornstarch + fabric method. My walls are all fairly neutral with color coming from the furniture. But then again… I’m no decorator! I wish I had that flair, but I think if a true decorator came into my home they would smack me over my head! lol!
I love color, but I l;ike change and do not stick with the same color scheme for long, so I just change my decorations, throw pillows and blanket throws are cheaper then new couches. You can also use slipcovers for your furniture and don’t forget curtains, wall hangings and rugs!
You sound like me! I LOVE color, too, but don’t really know how to bring it all together. Good luck & I can’t wait to see what ya do! :)
Blessings,
Heather
I am in the same train of thought. I love the colors but still like the white look. There is no way I could have all white. I would just add pops of color since you can’t paint your walls. I love the very pale yellow colors for walls, they look good with anything. But since you can’t paint. I also want to try the drop cloths for my couches as mine need redone or new ones. I wish I could come over. I need someone to come here as well. I’d just like to come and visit.
If you can’t paint or paper the walls, how about framing sections of funky wallpaper (or wallpaper swatches, if you can get hold of some) in colours/patterns of your choice, and hanging them up in groups?
And if your place is open plan, I guess you could use one colour throughout the living room, family room and dining room, but throw in different complimentary colours to define the separate spaces–e.g. using green as a main colour, mixing it with pink in the living room, yellow in the family room, blue in the dining room (and of course there’s the tonal colours and metallics to play with as well!)
Agreeing with everyone else on the neutrals for big pieces. It’s much easier to change little bits and pieces like cushions and vases (and gives you an excuse to buy/make a ton of cushions!)
On the other hand you could be really adventurous and recover your couch in brightly coloured fabric and use it as a focal point in the room (and a template for what colours to decorate everything else)
There are some really awesome ideas for injecting some colour on this site: http://www.livingetc.com/decorating/ I particularly love the idea of covering shelves in fabric!
Sorry for the hugely long comment, I grew up watching home decorating TV programs and always have lots to ramble about on this topic!
My best advice to organically find your style is to find one statement piece per room that you absolutely love. It could be large like a couch or a dresser or small like a vase or a painting. Analyze your chosen piece carefully and note the things that you love about it (like its color, its great drawer pulls, or perhaps its great texture). Once you have an idea of what it is you love, look for other items in your home or in a store that seem to share one or more of these qualities and start collecting them together in one room. My advice for using a lot of color is to make sure you balance it with neutrals. In my living room I have green, orange, and red accents all together, but because my walls are white and my furniture is all light to blond wood it looks cohesive. Best of luck and make sure to have fun and not stress!
I had white walls for years and bought bright red couches for just that reason. I added different pillows when I wanted a bit MORE, and found that I did not notice the boring white of the walls so much.
I love the advice of everyone above! In a rental (and just in general) I would stick with lots of colorful accents–preferably ones that you can slipcover when your mood or the season changes. Also, I wouldn’t forget about texture, which adds so much to a room, and helps boots color and give it interest!
have fun decorating!
Stephanie from Make Home Make Sense
Don’t quit too soon on walls- you can use fabric and liquid starch for that beautiful damask wall treatment you like- comes off easily with water spritzed on fabric.
I am partial to white (or cream) walls which provide a plain palette or canvas to work with. You can color up the room with accessories, furniture, and area rugs; or you can play it more subdued with other shades of cream and white. It really depends on the mood you are going for. Calm and soothing or fun and upbeat.
I am easily overstimulated visually and audibly so I stick with the 3 color palette scheme. 2 or 3 colors max and work them into the room with varying shades. I also get bored with “busyness” and through trial and error have found, I do best if I stick with plain colored (or white) upholstery and work the color and pattern into the accessories and rugs.
Plain walls may seem boring but if you have special items (and who doesn’t) plain walls provide a subdued background which makes treasures pop.
You could leave the walls white and put in colorful lamps, flowers, curtains and other decor. The couch could be a neutral color, white , black or beige or some brown tone.
if it were me, i’d go for the tan couch with colorful pillows, same for the walls..white or neutral, with pops of color like in art prints, or even picture/mirror frames…any furniture that’s easy to paint and then re paint would be fun to experiment with color on too.. like a bright teal shelf!! =) but to be honest, I want more pops of color in my house too! I went pretty muted initially when i painted and now I want orange and teals and bright bright bright! lol but i don’t wanna scare hubby away!
I’m a lot like you! I like color, but I’m not good at using it effectively. I’m loving all the comments. Good luck with redoing your WHOLE house:) That sounds crazy – fun and exhausting – at the same time!
A friend of mine had the same dilemna with wanting wallpaper in a rental. She purchased yards of Fabric and Bed Sheets in re place of the wallpaper and used thumb tacks to attach it too the wall. Not only did it look Great, but she was also able to hang wall decor on top of it.
Fondly, Nancy
http://www.coeurdalenegifts.com
That is the worst when you can’t paint a rental. I agree with the others that white walls could be very nice if you can add big pops of color throughout. Fabric would be an awesome way to do this. You could hang fabric on an entire wall floor to ceiling using a curtain rod, drapery clips or even one of those rails the fabric clips into so it sits flush on the wall (I think I have seen something like this at ikea). Another idea is to use large canvases wrapped in fabric to add interest to your walls. I always go with a neutral couch and add bright pillows. I get bored quickly and can not afford to buy a new couch every time my taste changes. Good luck and I can’t wait to see what you do! I know it will be great!
I am a color junkie myself..so when we bought a house..I chose greens(a moss green n a darker sap green) for most of the walls and subordinated them with off white. I painted the pillars a deep wine so that each room looked like a painting with wine frame and green background. I kept the upholstery in off-white/ beige, wood work in a dull natural wood colour. Depending on my mood, we use wine/pink cushions and throws or go monotonous with dark greens, olive and sun tan yellows. I have a lot of paintings around the house (self made) and they give a very cozy lived in feel to the space…I hope this helps
If you want color on your walls you can find a material that you like (blue damasks print) put it in starch and water and it will dry on your wall and when you are ready to take it down super easy and you just have to peel and wipe the wall clean. I like every room in my house to have a different look or color so that I don’t get bored with it. Even though your rooms wrap around I would do a main color on the wall that connects all of it together and then one or two walls in each room do a different color or different hues. I would also do different pops of color in pillows or art work, things sitting on a table or shelf. Good luck with the whole house. I work room by room cause I guess I just pick really expensive stuff or I am really picky and want it just so. I did the bathroom this year and hopefully will get to do my kitchen next year but I want a new floors and countertops so that will take a while. Good luck again!
Hello! I’m a 20 year old girl who LOVES to decorate!! We lived in a rental house (2 bed room with 7 kids :) ) for 4 years. We had quite the time of it decorating and trying not to make it look cluttery. It was a one story ranch style house. The walls were off-white. We like to put frames of scripture verses up on the walls with decrotive borders and backgrounds. It made it easy to change color schemes and themes (i.e. flowers or ivy or paintings etc.) Any
way the possibilities are endless!! Artificial flowers are also a good accent to add color and easily change. I have lots of ideas, but won’t state them all! Hopefully all these great ideas these ladies have given will get the creative juices flowing :) Have a lovely day!
I wouldn’t be much help, I love all the rooms!
You have to love Elvis’ decorating style. :) Can you imagine the dust that would collect in the pleated ceiling of that room?
I love color too! Unfortunately, my boyfriend does not….in fact I think he may be allergic to it! I’m having a time decorating our (rented) apartment as well.
One thing I do to spice up the walls is huge, statement wall art. Try covering a big canvas with fabric (staple-gun it!) and attach flowers or other embellishments to give it a 3-D effect. Good luck!
I also LOVE color, but definitely am interior design impaired. One of my favorite books is Susan Sargent’s New Country Color: The Art of Living. She also has other books on color in the home….I highly recommend her for inspiration and sheer eye pleasure. c
Is it wrong of me to tell you to do it all in flamingo pink? With feathers?
FINE! I have an open floor plan and I chose three colors that complemented each other for the “main” color. Then I accent with pops of color. For large chunks of color on the walls (this part will be really easy for you since you love fabric so) make large wooden frames and stretch then staple the fabric to them like you were making painting canvases. Those can be repositioned or repurposed any time you’d like. Plus, you can use it as your jumping off point, maybe you’d never have a couch in that fabric, but it’s great as art. Good luck and think about the flamingo pink before you make any major decisions :)
I am going to tell you a story ~ 9 yrs ago I bought a brand new couch. I had my choice of styles from all in the store and I was able to choose from a huge book of swatches which fabric I wanted on that couch. The ONLY requirement was that my 6’6″ brand new husband could lay down on that brand new couch without half his legs sticking out three feet beyond the arm of it. :) I drove the two hours to this store we had heard about and walked for over two hours in that store since it is the size of two city blocks and 2-3 stories high. We finally chose the style which fit that one requirement and then drove back home to discuss more about other things we might consider. I went back a week later with a girlfriend to pick the fabric out and I was extremely firm on making over my living room in my favorite color. Do you know that if you walked into my house you would not be able to even guess what my favorite color is? Nope. I haven’t got one single room although the hot tub room came close but that’s not quite right either. So, I decided this couch was going to be the most gorgeous color of deep, yet bright purple one had ever seen and then we’d work around that color.
Once there looking at the swatches, I chickened out and ordered a more subtle color while still staying within the purple colors. I ordered Eggplant which was still a pretty ‘purple’ yet a dark and boring purple. I was still excited since I had never bought a brand new couch that I got to choose the fabric. Then six very long weeks later my couch was delivered. I was so upset and wondered if I was nuts or if they changed what actual tone “Eggplant” was. It was horribly ugly and in my living room it looks brown. ewwwwwww I STILL HATE THAT THING to this day. HATE IT!
Why did I just bore you with this long story? It’s to tell you to do what YOU WANT TO DO. Do not be afraid of the color. If that’s what you want and what will make you soar when you walk into that room after working all day long or coming home from a long day out of the house the I say DO IT! In life there are so few chances to really do what we really want to do and you never know when something horrible could happen. You might never get the chance to really do what you want. If you like those rooms you see and the look good then copy those. You already know they work well together. So what if you are tired of the couch a few years from now. Did you pay a million dollars for it? If you get sick of looking at it then get rid of that or recover it all over again.
For what it’s worth ~ I really don’t like the look of the pillows being what brings color into your room. Unless you are just going to LOOK at that room and not use it then I’d bet those pillows will look good on the couch for about a week and then they’ll be tossed into a corner where you’ll end up having a great looking colorful corner. I know the gorgeous pillows I got to choose fabrics for since they all came with my couch and could be two different colors than the couch was have been stuck under the piano and some were removed from the room altogther because they are a pain to keep straight. LOL
Gosh, this is going to be really long once I submit. LOL Sorry.
I feel your pain, chickie. My suggestions are limited to stuff I’ve seen, because I’m not really a great decorator. So if you happen to have some favorite fabrics that you think would look great together, how about covering some canvas (thrift store art or blank painters canvas – doesn’t have to be expensive) with the fabrics? Then you can mix and match and hang tnem wherever you want.
Something that would be interesting to try would be to hem the sides of a strip of colorful fabric ( print or otherwise) while making a top casing for it .It would be hung on a curtain rod then placed near the top of a wall to flow with energy in an otherwise boring room !