Living With Vibrant Living Room Colors

Barcelona real estate Blog

Monday, 11 April 2011 12:20

If you watch enough home improvement shows, eventually you'll see a room that sports really vibrant, bold living room colors like turquoise, bright apple green or rich red. And maybe you have decided that this is just what you need to spice up your life. Think it over carefully first before comitting. While vibrant paint colors may not be the end of the world (since you can just paint over it for less than one hundred dollars), a vibrant color on furniture is another matter.

The cost of upholstered furniture can be a serious investment, meaning you may have to live with your choice for a long, long time. Yes, you can always purchase slip covers to tone it down, but was that what you had in mind when you bought the furniture in the first place? Probably not.

So take the time to investigate different color options. Purchase some material or towels in the colors you are considering and live with them laid over your furniture for a few days or a week. See them in daylight and darkness. How do you react to being exposed to them on a daily basis? Do the colors make you happy? Do they soothe you or make you edgy? Ask your family and friends for their honest opinion as well. Visit a furniture showroom and sit across from a large vibrant piece for awhile, see what you think and notice how you feel.

Vibrant living room colors usually work better in a large room with lots of natural light. A smaller, darker room may feel like it's closing in on you if the colors are too vivid/saturated. So if your living room resembles a shoe box more than a palace size-wise, use vibrant colors sparingly - on just one piece such as an ottoman, or on some of your throw pillows.

You can also bring life to your living room palette by choosing art that adds a splash of color. Try hunting for a bargain piece of art in thrift stores. That way you are not committing serious money just to add color (which you might get tired of in a couple of months). Or, check for local artists that may sell their work at reasonable prices. Who knows, maybe some day they will become famous and you will have a masterpiece on your hands!

The author is a professional color expert who teaches homeowners how to choose interior paint colors and create room color schemes that work.