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Art of Accessorizing – part 5: Color

Terrie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:48:48 +0000

This series of posts has covered much of the basics of using accessories successfully. I’ve talked about decorating your walls, displaying your collections or favorite treasures, using flowers and plants, lighting and today I’ll wrap up with a dash of color.

We all stress about color – is it too bright? Does it match my other colors? Is it too bland or boring? Is it too safe? Too bold? What colors go with what I already have? What’s the hot new color and can I use it in my space? Some of the best things about accessories is that they’re portable (move them from room to room), often quite affordable (but not always), available in just about any color under the sun and the easiest way to make a difference in a room. (unless otherwise stated, these pictures are all from my vast -and old- photo archives)

STAND OUT COLOR ENERGIZES A ROOM

Accessories are really useful when you want a bold blast of color to contrast with a neutral room – or just to add a touch of brightness or variety in a colorful room. If you use a vivid or contrasting color, your room will have more energy and to really maximize the color, try to use it in a variety of forms and places around the room. Have the accent color in pillows, the rug, a vase on the mantel, book covers on the coffee table and maybe picture frames in a bookcase. You want to use that accent color to move your eye around the room…..but don’t make it too perfectly spaced, it starts to feel contrived.

A little too perfectly balanced. (via Do It Yourself magazine, winter 2009)

This room has the right idea with using the pink & teal accents spaced throughout the room as well as the white bookcase. But don’t you think it’s a little too perfect? Instead of feeling inviting, it feels …. too staged.

Flowers can reinforce a color theme.

Red is a very bold accent color and here’s a good example of using it judiciously. It proves you don’t have to be hit over the head with the color to appreciate it. A touch in the art, on the tabletop, flowers and even the ribbon, makes a very understated but attractive statement.

Lime green makes a good accent.

Here you’ve got an essentially neutral room and the pillows introduce the accent colors. The green is taken to the coffee table, the art and the vases on the console table (note how the vases overlap the art to visually connect the groupings). Although we can’t see the other side of the room, I’m sure there’s a touch of green opposite the sofa to draw your eye around the room.

A pop of lime green for pizzazz.

This room in shades of blue uses the same lime green as a pop of color to keep the room from being too boring. The throw in a totally different color (something rosey it seems) warms up this otherwise cool room.

Accessories can reinforce colors in the art.

Colorful accessories are a great way to pick up colors in a piece of art or rug and emphasize them. This pottery collection plays on the colors in the painting and the little bit of orange (the complementary color to the blues) makes the grouping more dynamic and not so matchy matchy.

The littlest touch of color can have an impact.

This room boldly uses small touches of a variety of colors – gold, green and cobalt blue. Don’t be afraid to mix the colors of your accessories to create something unexpected. Too much of a good thing will make a room feel jumbled and messy, but bold color balanced by blocks of neutral (sofa, flooring, walls) will be lovely.

Which is the accent color?

This room is a little confusing to me – it’s not so easy to pick out the accent color. Accessories are red – pillow, magazine basket, flowers, book covers. No, they’re blue - vases & plates on the shelves, chairs, valance. The colors are so evenly matched I think it’s not very interesting. The one thing I do like is the back of the bookshelves painted red. Now that’s some drama! So maybe that’s the accent color……

QUIET COLOR SOOTHES A ROOM

Accessories don’t have to contrast with the room to contribute. Quiet colors that blend with the room and don’t make an individual statement contribute to a soothing, relaxing, peaceful environment. Ideally your home would have both quiet rooms (bedrooms, maybe a dining room) and energetic rooms (family room, kitchen).

Everything in this room is blue or tan which makes a very restful room.

Soft blue, creamy beige with a tiny touch of blush rose - warm and cool - restful and calm. The blue and white accessories reinforce the color scheme in a quiet way while the few touches of darker wood furniture ground this room.

A monochromatic room.

A monochromatic room is all shades of one color - here it’s tan. From golden tans to creamy tans, the accessories blend right in and none of them stand apart and say “look at me”. The collection of pottery is used throughout the room but supports the color scheme rather than contrasting it.

A monochromatic dining room.

Another monochromatic room – brown, lots of brown and white. The art, the lamp, the flower bowl, the grouping on the console…everything stays within the scheme. And then there’s this fabulous pop of the only color in the room. Dramatic, elegant, unexpected and totally gorgeous.

A really quiet room.

This very quiet tan room has accessories that are …… brown. What makes the accessories shine is their shapes and the light background is perfect way to showcase those shapes.

Understated accessories work in this bedroom.

Sometimes accessories contribute color, sometimes scale (size). In this bedroom, the small size and limited color palette of the accessories contribute to the calm and restful atmosphere. If those vases were orange, red or even bright green, the energy of the room would feel different. Not wrong, just different.

A calm blue brightened by silver.

One last example of accessories that reinforce a quiet color scheme. All in shades of blue, this serene room could sink into drabness. What saves it? In my opinion the sparkling silver is the accent color and the gleam and shine of it moving around the room keeps this room from being bland.

MAXIMIZE YOUR ACCESSORIES

You now have all the tools that interior designers have when they create stunning accessory displays. You have the knowledge, the interest (it is your home after all), the doodads and tchotchkes, so go forth and accessorize with confidence.

To summarize: Start with your walls - make good use of proportion and scale to bring interest to the biggest segment of the room to fill. Next bring in your favorite treasures and display collections in one spot in the room to maximize their impact. Vary the height and size of the pieces for interest. Add a plant here and there in your groupings to bring life into the space, add a new texture and use a style appropriate flower to fill in. Lighting will make a huge difference in being able to see those wonderful displays so choose accent lighting carefully. And finally, use color to bring focus to an area or collection or use color to reinforce a calm, peaceful space.

Amazingly, as I was writing this series of posts I kept thinking of more tips to share …… so I’m sure I’ll revisit this topic after the first of the year. If you don’t want to miss all the tips I ran of out room to share here…..subscribe and you won’t miss a word.

Change a Wall Color

Terrie — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:30:41 +0000

Karen, a reader from sunny California has a dilemma. She wrote, “My living room is so blah and I don’t know which direction to take the wall color. The sofas are a soft green, the art and rug also have that sage green in them. Do I paint the walls more green or should I try something different?”

THE CURRENT ROOM

Karen, thanks for sending the photo of your room – it helps to visualize your style and the current colors.

This neutral room needs a little punch.

It looks like Karen currently has a light beige or taupe on her walls (those colors often read a little pink in photos). This traditional room can sure use a little spice. To help you all visualize the possibilities, I have used my art program to show what happens to a room with just a little change of wall color.

WALL COLOR OPTIONS

The first option shows a sage wall color which would make for a very monochromatic room. It appears the rug is a little darker than the sofa fabric so consider painting the walls that color or one shade darker for drama, one shade lighter for calm and serene. One thing we don’t know is how much light the room gets and that would certainly impact how dark you might like to go in the room.

A monochromatic room with sage green walls.

Try a warm golden color to play off the greens and warm the room up. Stay with a greyed down, duller gold, nothing too bright. Notice how the artwork now has more importance. I might suggest changing out a couple of the sofa pillows to a fabric that includes the rich gold and maybe a hint of another accent color (red or orange or something warm).

Warm golden walls invite you into the room.

Use pillows to reinforce the color scheme and put the wall color on the sofa.

A last, bolder option would be to paint the room a contrasting color for maximum drama and energy. The complementary color for green is red, but that would probably be too bold – take a duller version and use a rust tone. The greens will really take on new life against their complement.

A rusty, orange wall color will add high impact to a room.

Karen, as you contemplate these options, there are a couple other things to keep in mind. This room seems fairly self contained, however you should always consider the colors in the surrounding rooms. Integrate your new color carefully.

If you decide on one of the bolder options, pull the new color into the adjoining rooms with accessories – a few candles, a vase, a piece of art. It will help the house feel more cohesive.

Use your window treatments to reinforce your wall color. Either pick a pattern that incorporates the green and the new color or pick a softer version of the wall color. If the room doesn’t get much light, use sheers to let as much light in as possible. Or, if you want to really have a cozy, intimate space, choose a darker tone, use rich, heavy draperies (which would fit your traditional style) and really snuggle in to your new space.

Hopefully these ideas will get you thinking. If you want more assistance with specific colors, just let me know. I’m happy to help with any of your design dilemmas.

Home Decor Trend Forecasting for 2010

Terrie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:38:57 +0000

As a designer, one of the first questions I’m usually asked is, “What’s the hot new color/style going to be?”. I answer with predictions made by industry forecasters but the “hottest” new colors in fabrics and accessories are usually available only through interior designers. Forecasters are usually a year or two ahead of when the colors will actually be readily available to the average consumer in department stores.

Pantone is a leading color forecasting company and designers put a lot of trust in their predictions. I’ve pulled the following information from Pantone’s predictions as well as other industry sources. If you want a cutting edge look, try one of these:

COLOR PREDICTIONS FOR 2010

Neutrals for Today. The rationale for this palette is that when the economy is weak and people are worried, they retreat to an easy, comfortable design style and embrace more neutral tones. Shoppers don’t want to risk spending money on a trendy color. Colors in this palette include Taupe Gray, Silver Gray, Charcoal Gray, Tea and Champagne Beige and Angora. The Color Association predicts gray will be THE color of the season. To keep rooms from being too cold, think natural influences like Zinc, Stone, Mica, Silt and bring those textures and warmer tones of gray into your rooms.
Included in with neutrals, black and white continues to have a strong presence. This season you’ll see lots of graphic, bold black and white patterns available and combined with a single bright accent color like hot pink or bright yellow. While these rooms look fabulous and daring in magazines, I’ve never met a client bold enough to use this combo in even one room. But I am of the opinion that every room is better with a touch of black – a single piece of furniture, some accessories or picture frames. Every color sings it’s best song against black.
According to Pantone, shades of gray will be the new neutral.

These dove gray walls are a beautiful backdrop for the soft blue gray bedding. (via O at Home)

Not for the faint of heart, this painted brick fireplace is a showstopper. What I particularly like in this room is the soft blue rug that interjects something unexpected and calming.
Global Style and Color. For some, the reaction to a slowing economy is just the opposite of above – they want to escape to luxury and exotic looks. Benjamin Moore paints (also a good industry color forecaster) predicts the New Luxury with rich deep tones like Glowing Umber, Summer Plum, Wild Orchid and Granite. The use of gold returns – rich, shimmery, gold metallics to be the jewelry in a room. Silvers will cross to pewter and platinum tones.
A global color palette embraces deep jewel tones.

Your design color palette can extend to your place settings. This setting embodies the rich colors and shiny golds you'll be seeing in 2010.
Bold and Bright. Pantone and Benjamin Moore both also offer a palette that includes such unusual pairings as Lavender, Acid Green and Chipmunk Brown or maybe Mimosa Yellow, Strawberry Ice and Little Boy Blue. You’ll find colors like Salsa, Bronze Metallic, Mesquite and Midnight Navy. This trend is defined as “the irreverant direction that has been and continues to be influenced by Japanese anime”. Try using these colors with a hint of metallic in them to be really forward-looking.
To embrace the freshest palette, try some unusual color combinations.Bright and whimsical in color and pattern (via O at Home)

A bright and whimsical color sheme and style where all the colors are held together by the striped rug. White calls and furniture give the colors room to glow. (via O at Home)
Mother Nature. The desire to be eco-friendly not because it’s the ‘cool’ thing to do but because we believe it is our responsibility drives this color palette. Earth tone based colors are often thought to be dull and lifeless. Not so – think of the richness of fruit and vegetable colors like eggplant, tomato, paprika, lemon and apple.
Always a winning alternative because earth colors are so warm and easy to live with.

This room showcases the brighter earth colors we can use to spice up our rooms: paprika, orange, goldenrod and rich browns. (via Veranda)

Something I’ve always found interesting is that every year four or five styles and color palettes are introduced to designers and the public as the “latest / newest / hottest” trend. Each style is given a clever name and wrapped in lots of words of explanation. But when you really look at the four predictions given above, they aren’t that different than any other year.

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE COLOR WHEEL

Neutrals: Gee, what a surprise! Instead of Glorious Beige we’re now being offered Silver Gray. The quiet, soft palette of any neutral is always in style whether it’s based on beige, taupe, tan or gray. If you want to update your neutral palette, add some gray – just a little – and you’ll be right there at the cutting edge of design. If your home is primarily light beiges & tans, just choose a warm charcoal and it will blend beautifully. If you’re primarily dark brown, choose a shimmery silver gray for contrast. As always, when working with neutrals, play with texture to keep the room from being boring.

A charcoal palette may seem dark but can be rich and eveloping. (via Elle Decor)

This bedroom uses lighter gray - the flooring, walls, drapes and bedding combine to create a cocoon of calm. Notice how the bed frame is a warm tan, showing you can blend the 2 neutrals. (designed by Vincente Wolf)

How about a little black and white with your yellow? (via O at Home)

Global: There has been a version of global colors and ethnic design for years. Most recently Moroccan and Indian colors and stylings have been popular. Since most other cultures of the world embrace color and pattern and texture much more than we do, this is always a bold, dynamic look. Rich jewel tones are the cornerstone of any global design (with perhaps the exception of Asian influenced palettes). This year the forecasters are predicting a Russian influence with a decline in all things Asian. The new twist to this year’s Global look is the emphasis on luxurious finishes and textiles like velvets and satins.

Vibrant jewel tones representing a Global palette work beautifully with this classic bench shape. Eggplant, plum and caramel are just yummy!

This bedroom is another example of rich ethnic colors and textures (though not Russian inspired). Or should it be included in the earth tone palette? One of the best things about design is that the label doesn't really matter if you like it.

Bold: This is perhaps the most variable palette and most recently has been the terrific light blue paired with chocolate. This year’s predictions of a lighter, brighter, fresher range of colors is encouraging and tantalizing. The industry insiders are saying this style will include graphic patterns reflecting tech influences and an element of whimsy. Watch for innovative, fun designs in this style. Let your inner “wild side” flourish.

This color scheme plays with lime green and watermelon calmed by lots of white. The lighthearted floral in the near chairs is charming and the bold color is carried to the far end of the room.

In the family room of the same house you see another playful use of bright colors and notice that the drapes in the far dining room carry the color scheme throughout the house. (via Traditional Home)

Earth: We’ve all lived with earth tones since we were old enough to recognize colors. Remember Avocado? Avocado was reinvented and renamed Moss Green and now will show up again named something new and inspiring - spurring us to try the hot new color. Sand, Teal and other watery tones, Rust and versions of Olive Greens have been reworked, renamed and reoffered year after year. That’s because they work. They’re comfortable. They’re easy on the eye and easy to build a room around. If you’ve already got an earth-toned palette, it’s very easy to update with the newest tweaks of our favorite colors. Watch for pattern on pattern, florals and a focus on eco-friendly inspirations like bark, cardboard and felt.

The epitome of the new 'vegetable inspired' earth tones combined with natural textures and art create a very inviting space.

Tan, caramel, brown and creamy white make a stunning bedroom. A little pattern and a globally inspired chair again defy a label: Is it neutral? (yes) Is it earth-toned? (yes) Is it globally inspired? (yes) You pick.

GO WITH WHAT YOU LOVE

In the final analysis of color and style and trends, your home needs to reflect you and your interests. With the massive amount of paint color choices available, you can easily create any environment you choose. And change it whenever you like. So while the forecasters may influence what’s available to furnish your home, if you don’t like it, find your own path. As you can see from this smattering of photos, the most livable solution will likely be a blend of styles/colors creating a space that is uniquely your own. It will be personal to you and you’ll love the welcome your home extends to you every time you return.

Do you follow the home furnishing trends or do you have a defined style or color and stay with that look? Are you adventurous in trying out one or two trendy items or do you stick with classics? How do you introduce “hot new” colors or items into your home? Share your trials and successes; we’d love to hear about it.

Create a Bedroom Sanctuary

Fun With Stripes

Terrie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:32:40 +0000

Stripes show up everywhere from our country’s flag to fashion, from walls to floors, from food to mother nature. Every design style can benefit from the use of stripes because they pair so well with florals, big graphics, small ginghams and geometrics. The easy to remember rule of thumb when using stripes as discussed in an earlier post is to make sure the scale (size) of the stripe is different than the other fabric, i.e. if you’re using a big floral, use a narrow stripe. How about checking out the good, the bad and the ugly in stripes?

STRIPES ON WALLS

I absolutely love stripes; they’re versatile and classic and work in every decor style. Stripes of all kinds – painted, fabric, wide, narrow, tone on tone or bright. However, sometimes it’s possible to get a little carried away…..

Here's drama - a striped bathroom wall only for the bold.

Even when I don’t like a room, I look for something to use / adapt / inspire. The inspiration I can find in the photo above is that the chair fabric plays well against the stripes and the different stripe widths make for a really interesting treatment. It would certainly wake you up in the mornings, huh?

A more subtle treatment of wall stripes.

As I browsed through my photo archives I found this example…..just like the bold stripes in the first picture, taking the idea of several colors in several widths but in calmer tones and, to me, a much more livable solution.

Bold stripes and pattern in a bedroom.

Bold stripes on the wall, another type of stripes on the bedding, stripes on the pillows…Wow! This room demonstrates you don’t always need a bedroom to be calm and restful. And that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Compare that to the photo below – still a great wall stripe but lots of things contribute to a calmer effect: softer colors, wider stripes are less busy, the bedding is not patterned and even the horizontal stripe curtain works because of it’s scale and that it’s muted (except the one darker stripe).

A calmer bedroom stripe

One last stripe wall treatment. Whoever painted the room below was letting their creativity shine. Remember the paint treatment of circles I suggested in a previous post? Here’s another play on that idea.

A creative wall treatment combining stripes…and circles.

STRIPES ON FURNITURE – A GOOD THING?

Strong stripes on furniture will make a bold statement.

Bold stripes on these chairs flanking a fireplace reinforce the focal point of the room. Notice how the ottoman in between the chairs introduces a very organic pattern in contrast to the stripes. The photo below is a dining room chair I had recovered for a client. The stripe plays a much more subtle, but still important role.

A dining chair I had recovered for a client (photo by Terrie P)

This beautiful striped sofa would definitely be an eye-catcher.

You know how designers and books and magazines always encourage you to buy the bigger pieces of furniture in a solid neutral color so they’ll last forever in case you change design styles? Sometimes it’s good to fly in the face of convention. This classic shape sofa is full of great style. Made by Johnson & Osborne, UK, the quality is in the details. However, if you’re going to use stripes on a piece of upholstered furniture, they absolutely MUST match – from the cushions to the base to the curves of the arms. If the stripes are off even a little, keep looking.

From French Furniture Company

Sometimes a novelty piece of casegoods is easier to use than an upholstered piece of furniture. Try using a chest like this in an entry hall, at the end of a hallway, in a dining room or even a bedroom. Talk about personality! The smaller chest below has a more seaside or maybe country cottage look both in shape and color. In fact, doesn’t it look like it could be a DIY project to refurbish a flea market find? And how about using it in a bathroom for extra storage?

As pictured in Country Living.

Finally, I’ve collected a series of random stripe goodies – in case you’re not convinced of the loveliness of stripe-dom. Just to enjoy……

Stripes on the floor - photo from Better Homes & Gardens

Stripey pillows from Pottery Barn

Bright, summery outdoor stripes - Designers Guild

Subtle and classic, navy and white stripes are timeless - Coastal Living

Even kids love a stripe - designed by Sabrina Soto, HGTV

Kid sized chair & ottoman in bold stripes from YourLittleSweetpea.com

Maybe too many stripes?? From sweetpeagallery.com

Drapery panels available in lots of colorways from Smith+Noble.

This one "takes the cake" for masterful use of stripes. By Jena D Events

The original idea for this post was to show outlandish applications of stripes in a variety of rooms. It evolved to be more of a contrast & compare article, showing that stripes can be bold and over the top or subtle and oh-so-elegant. Whimsical or classic. Wide or narrow. If you have no stripes in your home, maybe it’s time to reconsider and try this design element chameleon.

Interior Designer Quotes to Make You Smile

Terrie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:33:22 +0000

I’m a quote junkie. I collect them obsessively and love to share them, so today is all about the cleverness of others. I hope you find one that strikes a chord, touches your heart or motivates you.

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” – Clairee Belcher, Steel Magnolias

Don’t you love this concept? I guess “ability to accessorize” encompasses opposable thumbs, higher reasoning, etc. Let’s do more accessorizing to show our superiority.

Accessories & art show we're superior?

Nicely accessorized bookshelves.

”Don’t make the mistake of picking out one hue and trying to match everything too closely. You always want 2-3 shades of the same color running through walls, carpet and upholstery to give a room some depth.” – Vincente Wolf, interior designer

The photo below is from his book Learning to See, available from my Amazon link on my Bookshelf page. The dark blue chairs and sofa in the niche anchor the room, the room is softened by the medium tone blues in the ottoman and side chairs and the very light blue walls and pillows brighten the room. The red used judiciously around the room balances and warms up the blues so the room isn’t so cold.

”Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.” -Mary Lou Cook, interior designer

Over the course of my design career I’ve certainly experimented and taken some risks – some not so successfully. I had a project for a home theater company and they wanted something dramatic in the lobby. I envisioned a water feature and convinced them of it’s feasibility. It was nothing but trouble and none of it worked out as I planned. The tile I specified was gorgeous but too rough and caused little droplets of water to spray all over the wood floor (so I added a throw rug). I framed it in stainless steel for a cool, really modern look, but the hard water splashes caused it to be spotted all the time. I had the company logo etched on glass and floated over the tile – again the splashes made spots and more spots (increased the distance from the tile). The water was supposed to trickle down from the top evenly across the width of the fountain – the sides were always dry…..you get the idea. So I experimented, took a risk and made several mistakes – it actually wasn’t much fun! But I did learn and grow and next time I designed a fountain, I was much more successful.

A lobby fountain (photo by Terrie P)

”Kitchens should be designed around what’s important - fun, food and life.” – Daniel Boulud, chef

I like that fun is in first place of what’s important – especially since I don’t really cook much and the food part is definitely secondary. Kitchens and bathrooms are rooms that definitely are designed more specifically around function…..but let’s not get too stuffy.

A kitchen that is the opposite of stuffy, and the epitome of fun.

A kitchen designed for entertaining.

This kitchen with it’s 2 layers of island countertops and lots of room looks like an ideal place for a party. (Did you notice the cabinet hardware? Set on an angle, it’s creative and makes a unique design statement.)

Another open plan kitchen for entertaining.

Another modern kitchen with 2 bar seating areas that really makes it easy for guests or family to keep you company while you prepare the meal. With the sink centrally located and the fridge at the end of the kitchen, a good work triangle is created.

Friendly and inviting, I'd love to attend a party here.

Great wall color, an unusual tile floor and that fabulous piece-of-furniture island make this kitchen ever-so-appealing. Let’s party!

One last quote to ponder:

“Move the table.” – Frank Lloyd Wright – his response to a client complaining that rain was leaking onto the dining table

I certainly hope I can offer better advice than that! Watch the site for lots of good tips and advice, and if you have a specific design dilemma or something that’s just driving you crazy, email me. The emails come directly to my email box and I’ll answer right away. Look forward to hearing from you.

Color Choices for a Large Accent Wall

Terrie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:20:00 +0000

A reader in Washington faces a dilemma that I’m sure is shared by many homeowners. What to do with a 2 story entry wall. Here’s her specific problem:

“I can’t figure out what color to paint the large stairwell wall in my open floor plan family room/kitchen. My cabinets are maple, light oak flooring, chocolate brown sofa and the fireplace wall is a deep faux finish red. The kitchen granite is light & dark gray with a pretty patina copper backsplash. I want to be able to look at that big wall from the kitchen and think “Wow, I love that wall”. I’ve tried shades of orange, painted it green and am out of ideas. I’m open to changing out the artwork and/or accessories but want to keep the sofa. What do you think?”

Sandy's wall color dilemma - and a couple of sample colors.

Sandy’s fireplace red wall & maple cabinetry.

SOLUTIONS FOR A LARGE WALL

Sandy’s instincts are right to want to make that wall a feature wall. Although she mentioned she’s okay with painting over the red wall, it looks so beautifully done, it would seem a shame to paint it (unless she’s really just sick of it). So, working with the deep red, the chocolate brown of the sofa (I’m only guessing at the actual color of it) and the light woodwork, I’ve come up with a couple of color options.

Before I share color ideas, here are a few other suggestions. You’ll notice I played with the art arrangement in the following pictures. If art, rather than a wall treatment, is going to be the focal point, I think you need something larger or a combination of art making a bigger statement. I also recommend painting the white railing. It feels too bright and almost country in what is a more transitional room. Paint the railing the darkest tone of the accent wall color. I wouldn’t introduce another color, just take the wall color really dark. I didn’t address changing the rug, but it would likely need to change based on whatever new color is selected.

Here's a conservative caramel wall color with the art as it is now.

Here’s the most conservative option – pulling a color from the current rug, soft enough not to compete with the red wall (on the left, just off camera) and would blend with the coppery color in the kitchen backsplash. The art fades away. Surely we can come up with more drama than this…..

A deep purple wall will give Sandy lots of WOW.

I’ve always like purple and red together; I think they make a striking combination. Choose a purple with a red undertone to blend best with the red wall. Calming the colors down with the light floors and dark sofa and it could be a winning combo. Adding a sprinkle of lime green will freshen the look. (I’d probably throw in a couple more pillows pulling all the colors together.) Notice there’s now a pair of paintings, making a much stronger statement and more size appropriate to that big wall.

Blues are always a livable color solution.

Since Sandy has tried most of the warm tones – oranges, red, copper – consider the complementary color of blue. There’s plenty of light in the room to use a medium to darker color but keep it light enough that the brown sofa contrasts with it a little. Then choose a pillow fabric or rug that has blue, red, tans & brown – a floral or paisley or stripe. Remember the wall color blue doesn’t have to exactly match the blue in the fabric or rug, just be simliar in undertone.

Try a warm gray for an unexpected accent color.

Emphasize the height of the wall with vertical stripes.

Gray is an excellent neutral and since it’s present in the kitchen granite, it would be a good color to carry to the other side of the room. Choose a warm gray with a yellow/orange undertone rather than a blue undertone so it blends with the sofa. The top picture shows the current art as is and a plain gray wall. The 2nd, more appealing, option is to double the size of the art and play up the height of the wall with a 2 tone vertical stripe. Keep the scale nice and big with wide stripes so it doesn’t get busy. Then introduce organic shapes in the accent pieces to balance all those straight lines. And with the red wall – yummy!

Keep it cool with this trendy aqua blue color.

Keep the color palette cool, but add a little green to the blue for this fresh aqua. Try this brighter, lighter version of the blue family but don’t tip the scale to turquoise. Still pretty with the reds & coppers. I’ve also shown another potential art arrangement. See how a more horizontal arrangment fills the wall better? The pillows & rug again will be the glue that holds this scheme together.

Be bold and put a huge, overscale pattern on the wall.

A current trend is to use these huge, overscale patterns in interiors – on walls, furnishings, draperies, etc. Damask patterns have been updated, simplified and applied to walls to create dramatic statements. If you don’t want the permanence of wallpaper, look for a stencil or a faux painter who can do something organic.

A totally “outside the box” idea would be to paint the wall a deep color of your choice. Then hang a VERY sheer fabric over the whole wall in very soft, gentle folds so the dark color shows through the sheers. Rather than a standard curtain rod, use something like a drawer pull or doorknob and hang the fabric in swoops between the “hooks”. Place the hooks 18-24″ apart (depending on the width of the wall).

Sandy, I hope one of these suggestions puts you on the path of inspiration. Good luck with your project and let us know how it turns out.