Are you one of those people who've been grappling with color? Maybe your space is filled with neutrals, it's looking a little lifeless, and you want to add some style and spark? One of the easiest ways to achieve this is with splash accents.
What are splash accents?These are the pops and sprinkles of color that contrast with your dominant colors to add depth, drama and interest to a room.
Many of us have rooms dominated by neutral colors. When I was a novice I decorated in all beige because it's safe and easy to match. Realtors are always telling home sellers to play it safe and go with beige and other neutrals.
So how do you liven up a neutral room?This is where splash accents come in. What goes great with taupes, browns and creams? An interesting pairing that we're seeing today is blue or pink, red or even tangerine. Bold, vibrant colors are what you want, not pastels. A pale, washed-out yellow would not really stand out as a splash accent, but daisy or egg-yolk yellow would work.
Just remember, if you add that splash in a painting or new rug, don't just leave it there! Repeat it in a few other elements - add cushions, vases or candles in the same shade of your accent color. This will carry the color throughout the space and create a more cohesive look.
What else can splash accents do?First, they can highlight the colors you already have. If you're happy with your existing colors but want that extra touch, try adding a little black. I'm not saying you should go Gothic, but have you noticed how even a touch of black accentuates the colors around it?
I personally find that almost any room can use some black, and the easiest way to add this is with accessories - a bowl, a vase with sticks or flowers in it, a black matte frame around artwork or a mirror, or black candlesticks. You can even use furniture pieces with black trim, like a chair or side table.
Not comfortable with black as your splash accent? White also achieves this highlighting effect but may not be as easy to find in furniture trim.
A second reason to use splash accents is to add energy to a room. This works in rooms that already have a lot of color. You can do this in degrees.
For maximum pop, determine the dominant color in your space, then go to your color wheel and find its direct opposite. This will be your complementary, or contrasting, color. For example, if your main color is blue, you'll get a warm, dramatic pairing by choosing oranges like persimmon or burnt orange to pop things up.
If you want just a little more energy and not so much drama, go to the color wheel and find the colors on either side of your dominant color. Harmonious color schemes like these look good because all the colors are close to each other. So for your blue room, you could add a little green or yellow to get some subtle ripples of energy going - or try adding both.
Now what if you don't like your dominant color?It's important to surround yourself with colors that you want to live with - colors that make you happy. If you look around and realize that the colors you're seeing don't work for you, don't be afraid to start over!
Here's what you do: refocus your color scheme. Choose a new color to dominate, another as your secondary color, and let your old dominant color can remain here and there as splash accents.
Once you've figured out your new color scheme, bring in your new colors in furniture pieces, window treatments, upholstery, rugs, artwork or accessories. The majority of visual space in your room should be in your new dominant color. For the biggest impact, paint the walls - always the cheapest, fastest way to change the look of a space. Keeping a minority of the space in your secondary color will give the eye a pleasing sense of balance. Add your splash accent color in accessories here and there.
A second way to refocus is to ask yourself which pieces you want to keep. Items like window treatments, carpets or large furniture pieces aren't so easy to change out. Deciding which ones will stay will help you focus your dominant, secondary and splash accent colors.
Let's take an example. If your sofa is green and you want to keep it, but you don't want green to dominate, then turn this into your accent color. Your dominant and secondary colors should work with green: neutrals, colors with a yellow tinge, or even browns and tans. And don't forget to pick up green in other areas to carry that theme and tie the room together, so pick out a green area rug, plants, a vase, candles or artwork.
Try this in your home. You'll be amazed how accent splashes can add depth and energy to any room!
