Color is the Question

Last week I wrote a post about the overuse of the color gray.  If gray is not the answer, then I suppose color is the question.  The most common question I get regarding color is what color to paint the walls. The answer to that question is so dependent on the room you are considering and what is going on in the rest of the house.  Today I'd like to give you ideas of ways to add color if you already have a neutral backdrop.  Remember, the wall color is NOT the color scheme.  It can be part of a color scheme or it can be a compliment to the rest of the colors in the room. Here are a handful of ideas:

Colorful fabric is an obvious choice, even muted color.  

More colorful fabric, vibrant this time.  And colorful trim.

You may remember this colorful wallcovering from Dana Gibson with her matching trim on a white Roman shade.

Fresh flowers brighten any spot.

Colorful walls, tablecloth, artwork and draperies.  Notice how the adjacent wall space on the far left is another shade of blue!

This master bedrrom in shades of green and violet is still restful and inviting.

This trim from Brimar is able to withstand the elements, so your outdoor areas can be colorful, too!

The MOST colorful drapery hardware from Duralee.

Gorgeous fabrics and wallcoverings from Kim Parker.

Floral fabrics are everywhere! This one from Kravet Couture.

My all-time favorite fabric from Osborne and Little.

Pillows from Jaipur.

Pillow from Surya, when you want SOME color, but maybe not LOTS of color.

Colorful furniture, rugs and pillows in the EJ Victor showroom at High Point.

Gray is not the Answer

I'm going to make a politically charged statement:

You don't have to paint your walls gray!

I know, I know.  It's everywhere.  JoJo paints a lot of her walls gray on her show, as does Christina.  It's everywhere, and gray's demise has been predicted for months.  And yet.......it's still here.

My friend recently listed her house for sale and a stager was brought in who told her to not only paint her walls gray but her beautiful cherry kitchen cabinets as well.  She refused.  Seriously, do people think that gray is the only neutral color?

I get it.  The realtors are trying to present the most neutral home possible, but is it really true that people can't visualize their way past a paint color?

And don't get me wrong; I love gray.  When I was 10 years old it was my favorite color.  I have gray in two of my guest rooms.  One is gray and yellow (mostly yellow), and one is gray and pink.

Duvet cover by Callisto Home

All gray bedding from County Road. Pink pillows with glass bead trim designed by Antonia Korby Design.

And that's my point.  In a world where you can have any color you want, gray is not the answer.  I have decorated more gray on gray rooms than you would believe, but that is because it came at the request of the homeowner. "How about if we add a little yellow in the draperies, because there is some yellow in the painting in this family room?"  "No", was the answer, "I think I'd like some some white draperies with gray embroidery on them." The dining room was already gray and white, as were the living room and kitchen.  That kind of decorating is highly photograph-able, and also has a model home quality, but can get a little boring.  And drab. And lacking much personaltiy, or CHARACTER, as they say on TV.

Roller shades by LuXout

And I get it that gray goes with everything.  Everything. Every color looks good with the right gray.  So please, feel free to use a LOT of color.  Because that is the trend that I'm seeing now. 

I know that I have shown a lot of gray/yellow combinations but I also love gray with red and gray with bright green.

I agree that a technicolor house would be a difficult house to sell.  But if you are going for neutral, there are so many other "colors" to choose from.

In  the end, my friend sold her home for more than her asking price. The buyers said that when they walked through the house for the first time, it just "felt like home"!