By: Heather Bien
Have you ever walked into someone’s home and been immediately struck by their deep teal living room or mustard yellow sofa? Have you saved countless images of kitchens with bright orange cabinets? It’s easy to admire big, bold colors when they’re in someone else’s house.
When it comes to decorating your own space, those same colors can be intimidating. They seem like they’ll overwhelm your home, making it feel like a cacophony of bright hues thrown together haphazardly.
But color is what brings life to homes. And, when done right, bold colors can make your space look intentionally styled and elevated. To help you get this design choice right, we’re sharing interior designer-approved ways to incorporate bold colors into your home without overwhelming your space.
01. Don’t Be Afraid To Go Bold on the Ceiling
Once you’ve gone bold, keep going. In this room, the vivid peacock teal doesn’t stop with the walls; it extends to the sofa, the rug, and the ceiling. “By incorporating two shades that work well with the wall color, we brought the hue from the walls up to the ceiling, effectively enveloping the space,” says Nadia Watts, founder of Nadia Watts Interior Design.
02. Echo Color Across a Rug and Walls
A different way of color drenching is to echo a color throughout a room using the walls and the floor. The textures between the softness of the rug and the starkness of the walls add depth to the vivid color palette in this room.
“Start with a multicolored rug and play off the wall with the floor by selecting a bold color from the rug for the walls,” says Watts. “Being a little unexpected will create a powerful result.”
03. Use Books to Add Bold Color
Use a dark color to set the backdrop for boldly colored accessories you can switch out when the mood strikes. “Try choosing a deep dark color for bookshelves,” says Watts. “It will complement the colors of the books on the shelves, and it can create a bit of drama in an intimate space.”
04. Go For a Bold Cabinet
A bold kitchen cabinet is a playful way to incorporate color, and it’s one that you’ll spend time with every day. Balanced with a light or neutral color palette throughout the kitchen, it feels anything but overwhelming.
“We understand that choosing a bold color for cabinets can feel intimidating, but it elevates the design and makes a daring, timeless statement when done right,” says Erika Bonnell, owner and creative director of Erika Bonnell Interiors.
05. Embrace Dark, Bold Color in the Bedroom
Going bold in the bedroom can create a calming cocoon if you embrace a rich, dark color. It feels like a daring choice, yet it’s exactly the environment that will encourage you to settle in and rest. “Color drama in the bedroom is always a win. It brings out your personal style and flare and creates design magic for falling asleep and waking up each day,” says Sallie Lord, founder of GreyHunt Interiors.
06. Use Complementary Colors
In this space, a dark foundation sets the stage for several bold colors, and each one seems to play beautifully with the next. Pascale de Fouchier, architect, designer, and owner of Pascale de Fouchier Interiors, explains that a bold color can work when balanced by neutral elements and stays cohesive with the rest of the room’s color palette.
“This allows the bold to stand out without being overwhelming,” says de Fouchier. “But if you are conveying a playful and dynamic look, mix and match complementary bold colors and layer textures to make the colors pop even more.”
07. Think Beyond Bright Colors
Bold doesn’t have to mean neon orange or hot pink. Sometimes bold is strong, dark, and contrasting, says Molly Kunselman, owner and principal designer of Molly Kunselman Design. The darker, moodier color in this room makes a big impact, but its boldness doesn’t come from a vivid hue. Instead, it comes from its depth and strength.
08. Hang Colorful Art
Introduce bright colors while maintaining neutral walls by hanging a large piece of art in your space. “Art is a critical component of a room’s color palette and can be just as impactful as wall color or textile choices,” says Emily Vaughan, founder of Emily Vaughan Interiors. “The key is to choose artwork that complements the other colors and patterns in the room without feeling the need to match them exactly.”
Vaughan suggests looking to large-scale art to introduce bold color and adds that this is also a great choice for renters who can’t paint their walls.
09. Focus on a Colorful Sofa
If you love a color, choose a sofa in that hue at the focal point of your room. It’s less overwhelming than painting an entire room, but it still makes a big impact.
“Choosing a neutral upholstery piece with the intention of swapping out the pillows might signal a lack of commitment to the room’s design. In contrast, finding a bold sofa color that resonates with you and can become the foundation of a room elevates the entire space,” says Vaughan.
10. Accessorize Bold on Bold
You might think bold on bold would overwhelm a space, but sometimes, another bold pattern is exactly the layer you need. “Bold choices make a big impact, especially in small spaces. For this guest bathroom, we went all-in with a striking design that instantly catches the eye. But we didn’t stop there—we added a bold, flowered bathrobe with a contrasting pattern that creates interest and excites the eye,” says Rebecca Goodman, principal and creative director of Lola Tucker Interiors.
11. Use the Powder Room to Go Bold
Powder rooms are a popular spot to experiment with bold colors. There’s limited space, which means there’s limited room for color. It’s a quick, bold dose that makes an impact without being overwhelming.
“We love decorating small spaces with bold colors. One of our go-to rooms to introduce these colors is the powder room. It’s an easier sell for clients who want to inject personality into their home but are not ready to commit to drenching a main space in mauve,” says E. Norton, founder and principal of Norton Interiors.
12. Go All In On a Color
If you’re going to go bold, commit to it entirely rather than dipping your toe in. “Go all in with one paint color on the walls, ceiling, trim, millwork, and art. This works well in a discreet room that you want to feel cozy, like this den,” says Colleen Simonds, founder of Colleen Simonds Interior Design.
13. Keep Color Fresh
Contrasting bold colors can work when they’re used in appropriate doses, like in this space, which pairs the bright blue in the wallpaper with a cheerful yellow console.
“High contrast doesn’t mean the colors have to fight one another,” says Nureed Saeed, owner and creative director of Nu Interiors. “Thinking about color beyond the traditional spectrum means the possibilities are exciting and fresh.”
14. Balance Bold With Neutral
The easiest trick to prevent bold colors from over-saturating a space is to balance them with calming neutrals and warm organic textures. “Using bold colors in design is all about balance. In a recent project, we designed a modern white kitchen and added warm oak shelves, vintage wood stools, and a natural fiber rug,” says Dre Shapiro, founder of Dre Design.
The royal blue cabinets are the star of the show, but the white backsplash, light countertops, and touches of neutral wood throughout keep the space feeling serene rather than frenetic.
15. Switch Out Your Bedding
Painting a room a bold color is a commitment, as is investing in a royal blue sofa or a Kelly green dresser. But Lauren Coburn, founder of Lauren Coburn Interiors, has a lower-stakes suggestion that lets you experiment with bold colors without getting overwhelmed.
“An easy way to play with bold colors is by changing your bedding. For example, orange and blue colorways are bold and timeless choices for updating a room for the season,” says Coburn.
16. Keep Colors at the Same Saturation
If you’re working with bold colors, you don’t have to limit yourself. You can use multiple strong colors in one room, but there’s a trick. “To keep spaces from becoming a circus, I create balance by keeping colors at the same depth of saturation, even when they are complementary,” says Bethany Adams, principal interior designer at Bethany Adams Interiors. She adds that simple lines on furniture and décor help to prevent bold, colorful spaces from feeling too busy.
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