When it comes to accenting rooms with color, some prefer to exercise restraint, while others take a multi-hued approach.
Like the sweeping range of shades made possible by mixing red, yellow or blue, feelings regarding color are many, especially when designing with it. On one end of the spectrum are individuals who delight in chromatic lavishness. Either choosing to blanket a room in a single hue or enliven it with kaleidoscopic variety, they cast color as the star of the show.
Others take a more judicious approach, electing to accent otherwise neutral spaces with no more than a colorful splash. Artwork, such as vividly pigmented paintings and prints, is a favorite means of injecting a dose of saturated color into a room, particularly when displayed on museum-white walls. On the decorative front, rugs, painted millwork and accessories are also opportunities to chromatically punctuate a space without overwhelming it.
As far as color selections go, it is a matter of personal preference. Blues and greens are always refreshing choices. In sultry environments especially, they have a way of cooling off the interiors. Zesty shades, on the other hand, energize and imbue rooms with warmth and vitality. Then again, never forget the importance of achromatic hues. As legendary designer Albert Hadley often stressed, every room can use a drop of black.
Fiery tones, along with streaks of yellow and green, run throughout the stairwell of this San Francisco home designed by Studio Vara.