Incorporating Color into your Home in Creative, Bold, Stylish (and only semi-permanent) Ways.

When looking for ideas for my last post “Neutral, Neutral, Neutral, SPLASH!” I came across bold ideas to creatively integrate color in the home. So I couldn’t resist doing a blog on incorporating color into your personal pallet in ways most of us would initially shy away from, but we shouldn’t have to! There are simple ways to bring life and character into your home through the use of color that are not permanent, costly, or only for the magazines.

I adore the stylish idea of painting the front door a unique color which gives immediate personality to your home and the neighborhood, if done respectively. Why is this a good idea? Because it’s a 1 day DYI project (once you’ve labored tenuously over the perfect hue). Two good blogs for painting your front door are LovePomegrantedHouse.com and YoungHouseLove.com … (or my mother). If you have an HOA, be sure to check with them before starting this project.

(photo sources bhg.com and Houzz.com)

Of course there is always simple changing up of wall colors, but consider leaving the walls a neutral tone and simply painting the window frames. This is ideal for rooms with a lot of sunlight where curtains or drapes are not required. If you need privacy in the evenings, you could use bamboo blinds or roman shades within the window frame.

(photo source mspmag.com)

I hesitate to add this one because I haven’t done it myself (and don’t know if i could), but its an amazing, creative, and audacious way to mix it up. I give major credit to those who can do this. (YoungHouseLove.com has good tutorials on painting your ceiling)

(photo sources swdesignconcepts.com, houzz.com, houseofturquoise.com)

So here is one of my FAVORITE uses of color in the home. It’s both daring and beautiful Especially the two shown in the photos below where they are only painting the base cabinets with color. This allows for more creativity and it’s not color overkill – it also allows the option to easily re-design these spaces in the future. I remodeled my kitchen a few years ago with dark espresso cabinets, which I love and don’t foresee myself outgrowing anytime soon, but should I move in the next few years, I have greatly limited my number of interested buyers just because of the dramatic choice of cabinetry that can’t really be changed (…except that it is an IKEA kitchen, which ultimately would allow for a new buyer to change out the doors and paneling to any style they choose without having to tear down the cabinets and completely remodel the kitchen – but who thinks about that when looking at houses …?)

Not quite sold on painting your cabinets? How about these unique alternatives? In one of my favorite photos, the canary yellow pantry door below is a quick, simple project that makes a great statement piece. Or adding color inside the cabinets is very trendy right now and can be done with contact paper….or paint.

Houzz.com, apartmenttherapy.com) (photo source Houzz.com Okay okay …I know I said non-permanent, but is furniture really permanent? I would not typically recommend going with bold furniture colors for so many obvious reasons, however, it can be done and it doesn’t have to be detrimental. If you have a color you love, you’ve always loved it, why not use it? As you can see from these photos, the couches are definitely statement pieces, but they don’t control the room. These rooms have so much personality that the sofa’s are simply the perfect addition. If you do have a couch or large piece of furniture that is bold and becoming tiresome, pull out the color wheel and find new ways to dress it up. ( HGTV.com or DimnstionsThruArt.com can walk you through color wheel basics.) And finally, for those who are truly crazy and not faint of heart, go all the way …put your color in stone. I am actually painting a fireplace next weekend. Can’t wait and will keep you posted! (photo source houzz.com)