Apartment and rental property dwellers, have no fear!  In Part II of this week’s series on adding color to a room without painting the walls, we’re going to focus on adding color through textiles.

Textiles are perhaps the best way to add texture to a room.  The combination of various types of fabric provides a great amount of tactile and visual interest.  When you add color into that mix, you have the recipe for a great room.

Although your pillows, throws and curtains can certainly all be in solid colors, I encourage you to explore the world of patterns.  A great pattern can really liven up a space, like this office by Gina at Shabby Creek Cottage.  Although Gina does keep her palette very neutral in this room (she DOES add tons of aqua in other spaces, though), the unexpected medallion pattern in the curtains gives the vintage space a little modern edge.

Another thing to consider when exploring patterns is that you need to coordinate either your colors or your theme.  The colors don’t need to be exactly the same throughout your room, though.  In fact, it’s better if they are not.  Varying shades of the same hue add more depth to your color palette.

Take these two pillows from World Market – one is a colorful Ikat and the other is a neutral with a paisley print.  Separately, they are very nice, but nothing too special.  Put them together, and you have a perfection combination of texture and varying shades of similar colors.

If you are seriously ready to embrace a bold pattern, go for something really fun on your windows.  I am obsessed with Anthropologie’s Finnia curtains, and I think they would look amazing in a bedroom.  With a pattern this loud, I’d probably keep the bedding very neutral.  Then, I’d pull one of the colors out of them other than the yellow (like maybe the purple or green) and do striped throw pillows on the bed.

Actually, Anthropologie has the market cornered on curtain panels, as far as I’m concerned.  They are pricey, each one makes a huge statement.

If you’d rather make a statement with your bedding, you can use another large pattern to do that.  Gone of the days of matching bedspreads and curtains.  Bring some color into your bedding and keep your curtain panels more neutral.  For example, this duvet cover from Urban Outfitters is simply stunning.

I love how they’ve styled the duvet with the bright blue side table like we discussed yesterday.  Romantic and vibrant – an unusual combination.  I’d keep my bedsheets white and probably do white curtain panels, too.

Also, don’t forget that the throw blanket on your sofa doesn’t have to be a solid color, either!  I have one that is striped in different shades of purple, and it looks so great on my dark chocolate sofa (until I get my turquoise sofa, that is).  You could use Z Gallerie’s orange chevron throw to add some color and movement in your living room, as it would add a contemporary vibe to the most traditional of neutral pieces.

Adding color to a room through textiles is probably one of the easiest ways to create a little more vibrancy in your space.  How do you add color via textiles?

One of the questions that I get most often comes from those of you who live in apartments or rental properties.  You want to add some color into your home, but your landlord will absolutely not allow you to paint your white or beige walls another color.

Or maybe you own your home, and you just do not feel like tackling the neutral walls.  I get it!  Painting a room can be a messy ordeal, and I completely understand wanting to avoid it altogether.

The truth is, painting your walls is only one of many ways to add color to a room.  As I was putting together a single post on the topic, I kept coming up with even more ways to bring in some color.  So, instead of a single post, I am bringing you a week long series.

Today, we are going to focus on adding color via your furniture pieces.

Whether you are just starting out or have an entire house of furniture, looking at those pieces with a fresh eye will definitely give you a different perspective on them.  If you are thinking about buying new (or new-to-you) furniture or just updating pieces you already own, consider what a coat of paint or new upholstery could do for your space.

Most people think of furniture in terms of neutral colors, so that they will be “safe” in any area of their home.  I agree with that sentiment, except for one key piece of advice that I wish to impart to the world.

Words to live by.  I think I want that statement on my tombstone.

Now, before that makes you neutral guys and gals start shaking, please know that I do not mean that you have to have a bright yellow dresser.  Just because I do, doesn’t mean that you have to.

Instead, you are certainly able to choose softer hues, such as aqua or salmon.  My friend Chris at Just a Girl took a leap from her normally neutral territory and painted a console table in a beautiful shade of blue.  It was outside of her comfort zone, but the addition of some color added personality and character to her space.

You don’t even have to paint an entire piece to get the visual impact made by a great color.  How about painting just the legs of your coffee table or just a pattern on the top of a side table?  My friend Kate at Centsational Girl painted just the back of a set of Ikea bookcases with stunning results.  The blue background perfectly offsets her collection of white ceramics and books.

If you aren’t in the mood to paint anything at all, many contemporary retailers are offering brightly colored furniture selections at reasonable prices.  For example, I have completely fallen for this emerald green Formosa tray table from CB2.  Priced under $50, this table could be perfect as a sofa side table or bedside table.

If you have more to spend, consider a chair or sofa upholstered in a great color instead of the traditional beige.  I have my eye on this Margo Sofa from Crate and Barrel in a deep turquoise.  I feel that this color would look great in many different color schemes, and it’s much more exciting than a neutral.

Adding color to a room via furniture isn’t an overnight process.  I work on it little by little, keeping it in the back of my mind when I’m looking in vintage stores or planning a room revamp.  Transforming a piece with paint is quick, easy and inexpensive.  Finding an upholstered piece takes a little more time (and money!)

What do you think?  Do you try to add one colored piece of furniture to each room or do you stick with only neutrals?

Tomorrow, we’ll discuss adding color through textiles.