Shake Up a Neutral Palette With a Bit of Brightness

You might be turning the calendar to a colder time of year, but that doesn’t mean that your decor needs to go bland with the landscape. Colorful decor additions can brighten up your home at any time of year. These can be large pieces, like brightly painted furniture, small accessories that provide a pop of color, or even just some added textiles to liven up the room.

Artwork is a great way to add color too. The main thing to remember is that you don’t need to abandon an overall neutral palette to add some colorful decor items. Here are some ideas for elements that can infuse your space with some colorful excitement.

Pots, Vases or Vessels

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Adding color with planters, pots or vases is a very easy-peasy way to freshen up decor. These pieces are so easy to swap out seasonally or any time you want something different. Although, if you find an artsy piece you love, like this planter by Fabien Capello, you might never want to change.

The sunny yellow on this planter is a bright pop and the pink and blue bring in some more happy shades. Capello has created more than 20 versions of these planters using a process that is similar to lost wax casting. His works are available through AGO Projects of Mexico. 

Brightly Painted Furniture

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It’s a credenza. It’s a bar. It’s a bardenza! Created by artist Matthew Day Jackson, this piece of furniture is a hybrid of the two pieces that can stand on legs or be mounted to the wall. Presented by The Future Perfect, it is part of the artist’s WONKY collection, which is a range of pieces he made without measuring and using only basic tools.

After the basic structure is made, the entire thing is coated in carbon fiber and epoxy which creates an imperfect, sometimes bubbly, surface that is not symmetrical. Jackson says the process is part performance and part bad comedy.

Whimsical Accessories

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Known for his whimsical design, both painted and three-dimensional, Spanish designer Jaime Hayon has many different pieces that could add color to your space, but this green vase is a fabulous one. The Verdino vase is made from Murano-hand blown glass that is set atop a marble base.

Presented by Galerie kreo, the vase is a limited edition of five pieces, two artist’s proofs and one prototype. The rich, bright green of the main vessel — and its funny face design — is highlighted by the cap of the yellow top.

Funky Statement Pieces

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For those who are bold enough, there’s nothing like a really funky, colorful piece that will make people stop and say “Whaaaat??”  For that, this lamp by Jonathan Trayte is a prime choice. We love the bold colors and the very Dr. Suess-like structure of this floor lamp, complete with  plant forms serving as bases for the round bulbs.

Trayte is known for making functional furniture that uses absurd elements as well as his mix of natural forms with totally unexpected finishes, like the fuzzy coating on this “Pink Hot Solar Buzzer Number 1.” 

Luxury Label Designs

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Some of your favorite luxury brands are getting into making — or already have been producing — furniture. Fendi has always been known for its innovations involving traditional methods and crafts being pushed in new directions.

This table was created by Studio Kueng Caputo for Fendi in a stunning, vibrant red. The unique part is that it fuses two divergent materials: The Fendi brand’s supple Selleria Roman leather and terra cotta materials. The contrast between the two is not so evident as the artists turned the leather into a material that seems to be rigidly structural. Regardless of the concept, the result is a gorgeous piece that is pure décor art.

A Bold Sofa

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Another red object that will completely transform a neutral living space is this boldly shaped sofa from Mercado Moderno of Brazil. Called “afrodite” canape, it was designed by Estúdio Mameluca as part of its Libido collection.

The sinuous lines of the sofa back and seat, along with the svelte legs create a sexy sofa that made even more sumptuous with velvet upholstery. While it has a feminine theme, it is ideal for any modern or contemporary living room that needs a daring element.

Organic Splashes of Color

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Looking a little like artful puddles, these coffee tables have a lot of pop value going for them. Not only are the bright colors a marvelous thing, but the organic shape is very distinctive. The lacquered wooden tables — aptly named Splash! — were designed by Odile Decq for the Philippe Gravier Gallery. Taller versions are also available. These tables are a veritable splash of color for your room and a sure cure for any seasonal doldrums.

Sculptural Objects With Color

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There’s a lot to love about sculptural pieces for your decor, and one of those is their easy ability to add color to a room. By choosing a piece that incorporates at least some bold hues, you can add a dash of color, even for a fleeting amount of time.

Or, amp up your neutral room by adding the main piece, along with just a few other small accessories that pick up the same color. By doing this you can see the transformative power that just a few small pops of color can have in a room.

Something Really Unusual

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Mind you, a piece like this by South African artist Porky Hefer will create a buzz no matter what color it’s in, but why not go for the gold with a brightly colored version like this? Created for the Southern Guild Gallery, this hanging seat is called Dihydrogen Monoxide, part of the Molecules Collection.

Crafted with a steel frame, upholstered in leather and lined with sheepskin, these are the coziest-ever nests for people. Hefer worked with Cape Town leather company Wolf & Maiden to create the hanging pieces.

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If you’re going to add a credenza to your space,  you can get more visual bang for your buck by adding one that is finished in a bright color. SIDE Gallery of Barcelona presents this buffet by Muller Van Severen that is crafted from lacquered steel. Not only does it have a rich blue finish on the outside, but the interior is also done in a complementary green hue.

Created by visual artists Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen, the design reflects the pair’s play between concepts such as lightness and heaviness, severity and playfulness, delicacy and sturdiness. In this case, the result is a cutting edge piece that will add not only color but also innovative design to your room.

There are so many ways to add color to a space that don’t involve painting the walls that there’s no excuse for bland decor. For the timid decorator, smaller elements of color can still make an impact,but for those who are brave enough to go for the bolder options, the addition of color can elevate the room on many levels.  Try one out and see what a difference color makes!