Using all-white or all-neutral colours might be a timeless and classic home décor idea, but plain walls and solid-coloured curtains can be a bit boring and make your space look gloomy. Of course, the best way to break the monotony is by picking up a brush and change the colour palette of your home. However, if you live in a rental property or simply don’t have the budget (or the required skillset) for such an exhausting home renovation project, painting your walls might simply not be an option.
However, all hope is not lost. There are several ways to add colour to your house without using a paint brush. While minimalistic design trends are all the rage, you can’t go wrong with adding some fun and bright colours to upgrade your monochromatic décor. Be it a bright rug or vibrant wall art, you can surround yourself with gorgeous hues by adding a few inexpensive items to your home that will not only add depth to a room but also increase the value of your home.
However, if you are worried about getting carried away while incorporating colour in your home, make sure to limit yourself to only two different shades to keep your décor from looking disconnected and overwhelming.
Living room
Here a few ways to add a pop of colour to your living room.
Add a colourful couch
One of the best home décor ideas for the living room is to upgrade your couch. If you have white or beige-coloured walls, either replace your sofa set or upholster it with a textured navy blue material. It will not only complement your walls but also simultaneously become the focal point of the room.
Adding a colourful couch to a room may seem like a big commitment, especially if you have become accustomed to an all-neutral décor. However, if you are smart about the fabric and the placement of your furniture, it can change the entire style of your living room. It is also perhaps one of the easiest and most practical ways to make your home look brand new.
Another budget-friendly way to add colour to your home is by covering your sofa with a colourful throw for a vibrant, chic look.
Replace your curtains
Nothing can make a room look more lifeless than solid-coloured curtains in dull grey or brown hues.
Firstly, you need to make sure your curtains are floor-length. This will give the illusion of taller ceilings and make your living room look much more elegant at the same time. Secondly, choose a textured fabric in bright hues to cover up your windows. For instance, if you are trying to add colour to a beige living room with a navy couch, you might as well buy curtains in the same shade to complete the look. If almost everything else in the room is in neutral colours, a vibrant curtain would undoubtedly the only other bright-hued item in the room.
Get a few throw pillows
Arranging a few throw pillows in different patterns and shades is a fail-safe and cheap way to add colour to a room. You can swap out your old cushions for new, fluffier ones and put them in bright, mismatched covers. If you like sewing, you can even make some DIY throw pillow covers using colourful fabric. However, if you want to buy them pre-made, there is a wide variety of pillow covers easily available in the market in rather affordable rates.
Most interior designers suggest using a variety of textures while choosing fabric for throw pillows instead of simply using different hues. While it is important to add a few accent pillows to bring out the colour of your sofa, you need to be careful it doesn’t end up becoming a visual mess.
Dining room
Take a look at some of the creative ways you can incorporate more colour into your dining room decor.
Invest in table runners
Decorating a dining room is not as easy as many appear to think. There is a fine line between sophisticated and boring – and many homeowners fail to realize that. However, a classic way to add colour to your dining room is by using a beautiful table runner, either in the same shade as the carpet or the curtains hanging on the wall. For a more personalized look, you can ditch the traditional décor trend and instead opt for something vibrant that could add character to the room.
Make sure to correctly measure your table before buying a table runner. Ideally, a runner should not only cover the entire length of the furniture but also hang about 6 inches over each end of the table. Moreover, it’s better to choose a material that doesn’t trap dust particles as quickly as others and is also more durable.
Get a tray full of knick-knacks
A popular way to add colour to a monochromatic room is by accessorizing it. If you have a big centrepiece sitting on your dining table, consider replacing it with a trendy wood tray filled with miscellaneous colourful items. You can use scented candles in vibrant hues, a beautiful scent diffuser, small decorative pieces and potted succulent plants like cacti among other objects.
For a better effect, you can frequently change the items and dress up your tray on a monthly or bi-monthly basis depending on the season and/or the occasion. It is also important to select a tray that contrasts well with the rest of your décor.
Reupholster your dining chairs
Choosing the right upholstery for your chairs and couches can be a little tricky but it is one of the easiest ways to add colour to your home without painting. On one hand, you might want to use bright and patterned fabric to upgrade your dining room chairs but on the other hand, you would also want to make sure the material is durable and the colour looks elegant.
While upholstery in bold hues can add colour to your dining room and transform its entire look, you need to remember functionality is the key. It’s also better to invest in stain-resistant upholstery to cut down on future costs. However, if you come across something you like while shopping for the fabric, try to imagine how it would contrast with the rest of the colours in the room. If the result is not satisfactory, look for something else.
Hallway
Give your boring hallways a colourful makeover with these tips.
Buy framed mirrors
Hallways and entryways tend to be a bit narrow and poorly-lit, especially if you are living in an apartment or a smaller house. While painting your hallways in a shade of white can open up the place, some strategically placed mirrors can actually make the area look brighter by amplifying light. You can also use mirrors to make a room look bigger.
In order to add colour to your hallway, use different shaped mirrors in thick frames depending on the theme of your décor. The opportunities are simply endless. You can choose metallic frames in silver and gold or go with bright ceramic frames with bold patterns for a modern look.
Invest in large-scale wall art
Apart from adding a pop of colour, large-scale wall art can make your home look expensive and luxurious without necessarily forcing you to spend a lot of money. If you have a passion for painting, you can just buy a large canvas and showcase your skills for everyone to appreciate. The other option is to buy a large painting and getting it framed. As stated above, wall art doesn’t have to super expensive. In fact, you can even use pieces of wallpaper or fabric in its place by framing a big beautiful patch and putting it up on the wall for a clean and minimal look.
Decorate with greens
Adding small indoor plants to your décor can make a big difference. If you have an empty corner in your house, fill it up with a big potted plant for an upgraded look and a better atmosphere. If your house doesn’t receive a lot of natural light, you can just purchase some succulents as they don’t require a lot of sun or water to survive. Meanwhile, seasonal flowers, although they are much more beautiful, require regular upkeep and a lot of care.
While artificial plants look fine as well, it’s always better to use actual greens as they can also make your room look more spacious and trendy.
Kitchen
Have a simple white kitchen? Well, here are a few ways you can add more colour to the area.
Add a colourful rug
Adding colour to a kitchen can be a little difficult. This is because despite being the most important room in the house, it is often the smallest in size. A cramped kitchen doesn’t allow a lot of room for décor, but that doesn’t mean you should leave it be.
To give your kitchen a bright look, invest in a colourful rug that is easy to clean and comfortable to stand on. It will also make your kitchen look bigger. Needless to say, this rug is bound to get dirty rather quickly, which means you need to select a durable material that won’t get damaged or discoloured after being washed a few times.
Peel and stick backsplash
There is a wide variety of tile decals easily available in the market that would upgrade your kitchen without ruining the walls. If you live in a rental or if tiles are completely out of your budget, using the peel-and-stick ones is perhaps your best option. Since you can customize decals with your choice of design or colour, they are perfect for creating an eye-catching backsplash that will instantly make your kitchen look modern and brand new.
Bedroom
Take a look at some DIY tips to upgrade your bedroom decor.
Use colourful bed covers
Invest in some bright, colourful bed covers and quilts to uplift your bedroom without doing any major remodelling jobs. Remember, your bedding sets the tone of your room. While the fabric you choose should depend largely on how comfortable it feels, you need to be mindful of hues and texture when you purchase the covers.
Although single tone white and grey linen sheets look minimal and clean, they can also be a bit tiring to the eyes if you keep swapping one for the other. Therefore, try mixing things up by opting for new colour palettes in fun and creative patterns to create a lively ambience. It is also a cheap way to add colour to your home.
Hang a colourful tapestry
A vibrant tapestry can immediately bring colour and brightness to space. If you want to add colour to a room with accessories without turning your wall into a photo gallery, consider hanging a tapestry. It will not only brighten up your space but also add some depth to your room. You can even hang it behind your bed to alternate as a headboard, but make sure you choose something bold and colourful depending on your décor and the theme of your room.
If you cannot use nails to hang a tapestry, install a curtain rod to hang the material or simply frame it for a striking display that is bound to draw attention as soon as someone crosses the threshold of your bedroom.
Bathroom
Make your bathroom feel luxurious (and colourful) with these easy tricks.
Opt for colourful tiles
Although tiles in the shade of white are supposed to make your bathroom look bigger, that is not always the case. More often than not, all-white bathrooms end up looking boring due to lack of colour. It is understandable that you would want to select tiles in neutral shades for your bathroom, but adding colour should not be off limits.
Even if your bathroom is all-neutral, you can replace a few tiles with bright, colourful ones to create fun motifs and designs. Instead of renovating the whole area, just replace 4 or 5 tiles for an instant result.
Buy colourful towels
Swap your old white and grey towels with new fluffy ones in bright hues. Hanging a colourful towel in your bathroom is one of the easiest ways to add colour to your home décor.
Instead of using towels in solid colours, buy multi-coloured patterned ones to add some texture to your space.
