A lot of people are afraid of decorating with bold colors, and for a good reason. Bold is a lot riskier compared to neutrals.
If you haven’t seen bold colors poorly done before, just look up “bold colors gone wrong” to see dozens of first-hand accounts.
But you probably already know you’re dealing with tricky colors. And, you’re here to find out how you can pull off a gorgeous bold look without worrying about the mishaps.
Well, stay tuned. We sort it out with these essential tips to help you decorate with colors almost effortlessly.
Table of Contents
Go With a Few Colors
Unless you can hold your own with the likes of Guillermo Santomà or Patrick Mele, be careful about using several diverse colors all in one place.
You can always try to pull it off. But the risk of ending up with a busy look grows with the more colors you throw in.
The reason even the best designers stick with less is cohesion. Whether bold or neutral, it’s essential to tie your colors together and make sure they work seamlessly.
The thing is, nailing that cohesion is a challenge with bold hues.
It’s ideal to choose a base color and one or two more for a more effortless combination.
Think of the Lighting
Lighting and color go hand in hand. You can’t ignore the lighting needs of your space, as it has a massive impact on how that space looks and feels.
You may get the colors right, but if you didn’t consider how much light is ideal, your space could look either constrained or way too bright.
In addition, lighting affects color decisions. If your room appears light and airy, your bold color scheme shouldn’t be too vibrant. Go with darker colors. The opposite of this is also true.
Decide if You Need to Paint
Painting the walls or the ceiling is a crucial part of the bold look as it’ll affect the outcome of your space regardless. If you don’t paint, you’ll need a whole different approach to bring in the colors.
If you’re painting the walls, make sure you figure it down to the amount of space you’ll need.
Painting a considerable portion of the walls will demand other ways to balance out the brightness. It’s a lot different from painting a small area just to let the look dominate.
Let’s back up a bit.
When we say you need to figure out whether to paint or not, we mean going bold doesn’t necessarily mean giving your home a new paint job. You can get a bold look through accessories. We’ll explain that in the following points.
A Bold Statement Piece
If you’ve used muted colors for the walls, you can give your color scheme a jolt with a strong statement piece. Feel free to go on a colorful rampage here.
The toned-down shades and a colorful statement piece create a super contrast that makes the bold vibe felt.
Position your statement piece as the focal point of the space. Now, when you use saturated colors, say, bright red, deep blue, or coal black, you introduce a powerful interruption to your theme.
Create Balance With Accessories
The other side of a statement color is accessories. Use bold-colored accessories to transform your space into a daring haven.
If you don’t paint, accessories become your primary tools to work with. Assuming you have a muted backdrop, introducing colorful pieces to the space will do the job just fine.
However, tone down the accessories to avoid going over the top if you already have a bold accent wall. It comes down to balance.
If you have a neutral base color, select a few vibrant accessories such as rugs, furniture, or artworks to strike a balance. It also lets you bring boldness to the forefront.
The best part about using accessories to get the look you want is that you can always move things around as nothing is final.
One Color, Different Shades!
There’s a reason why many people are decorating with one color split into different shades. It makes it so easy to maintain flow and integration.
The use of varying shades of one color is one of the prevalent rules of interior design. You can adopt it whether you’re using a neutral or a bold color scheme.
Most of all, using one color is a sure bet for those who aren’t confident about pulling off bold combinations. You know it can be challenging to match vibrant colors as they’re like the east and west.
For instance, black and red are two bold colors that can go together with the correct execution. If you don’t get them right, however, the stark contrast may not be so lovely to look at.
Now let’s say you use a toned-down shade alongside its vibrant version and still maintain a bold look.
You could try emerald green with moss green, for instance. What about blue and pale turquoise or even aquamarine?
Step Away From Ordinary Hues
We’re so used to the standard colors, both primary and secondary, that it seems we’re afraid of stepping into unknown territories.
However, when you take a step away from ordinary colors, you’ll realize a world of rich, striking hues lying unexplored.
You may even find that these unique colors are easier to work with compared to the basic ones.
Think of colors like electric blue lemonade, blazing yellow, space cherry, and royal blue. They’re all stunning and exactly what you need to make a modern bold color statement.
Conclusion
If you haven’t realized yet, bold colors are a thing now, and if you like them, why not get onto the bandwagon?
While bold colors come with their challenges, the tips we’ve shared may be just what you need to blend things and nail the look you’re after.
Start experimenting, have fun, and try not to worry too much about getting it wrong.
Author bio:
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with Chelsea Museum District to help them with their online marketing.
