How to Add Color to a Room Without Painting the Walls {Part V: Accessories}

In the excitement of being outdoors to finish the playscape and the front yard landscaping, I couldn’t bring myself to spend the hours on my computer that I normally do each day.  It’s really hard to be stuck inside all day when nature calls.  Okay, not nature calling like THAT, but you know what I mean.

I postponed (in my mind, but didn’t tell you guys) the last post in my series on Adding Color to a Room Without Painting the Walls.  I wanted to post them all back to back, but then the gorgeous Texas weather came along, and it just didn’t happen.  So here we are again.

If you think of your furniture and textiles as the clothing that dresses your room, you need to think of your accessories as the perfect necklace or a great pair of earrings.  Just like in your own wardrobe, the “jewelry” in your room should add unique character and charm while not detracting from the overall appearance.

“Okay, Lindsay.  That sounds all well and good, but how do I make it happen?”

This is the fun part!  One easy way to add color is to create a great gallery wall, like the wall Rhoda at Southern Hospitality created.  I love her mix of neutrals with the aqua bird cage and the painting above it.  Those pieces really do the talking and let the neutral pieces take the backseat.  It allows you to fill the wall and not be overwhelmed with color.

Another way to add color to a room is through your lighting choices.  Traditionally, lamps and fixtures will be silver, gold, black or white?  Why not red?  Or green?  Or blue?

Crate and Barrel Zing Lamp

Don’t want to buy a new lamp?  Try spray paint!  A lacquer or high gloss spray paint might change your life.

If you are particularly married to your silver lamp, why not give it a new shade?  Try Cost Plus/World Market for some really interesting patterns, textures, and colors.   Occasionally, Target will even have an interesting shade or two, like this scrolly yellow version.

If you need some personality to your end table (and no, your husband’s empty PBR can doesn’t count), why not pick up some junky statuettes at garage sales or the dollar store and hit them with a can of lacquer?  There’s a great old post at Apartment Therapy about this.

Of course, there’s always the tride and true brightly colored picture frame.  Even if you don’t hang a dozen of them all on top of each other, you could always add a few to your fireplace mantle or console table behind the couch.  Remember, not every picture frame needs to be neutral!

What ways to you like to add color to your room through your table top accessories?  Talk to me, Goose.