This picture was sent to me from an international client and this was her initial email to me-
“My biggest struggle is that my kitchen and family room are connected so the decor has to flow. I have teal decor in each room as an accent and would like to still keep a little teal if possible. Right now I hate how matchy matchy my family room is. Almost too much teal. I’d like more sophisticated with patterns and textures. Possibly add gray. All can be eliminated except couch and tv stand.”
This is a common decorating mistake that I see very often. Clients oftentimes think they need to use A LOT of their favorite color in their room in order to “match” with their other accessories. But, it’s quite the opposite. Notice how she said she wants the rooms to flow, but it’s too “matchy-matchy” now. The reason it is too matchy-matchy is because she has TOO MUCH of the same color. There is no accent color in this room with the current decor.
There is a “rule” that I generally follow while decorating and that is the 60-30-10. This rule is a general guideline to help pick out colors for a cohesive room that flows without being too overwhelming or “match-matchy”.
You divide the colors into percentages:
60% of a dominant color
30% of a secondary color
10% of an accent color
Create a color scheme:
60% – WALL COLOR
30% – UPHOLSTERY
10% – ACCENT COLORS/ACCESSORIES
*I will go into more details about this in another post, i generally like to use more than 1 accent color in designs*
So, with that being said…here is the design board I created for her-
Tatiana purchased “I just need a little help” design package
Do you see how you can look at the design board and instantly recognize what the accent color is, without being too much teal at once? A little bit goes a long way. It is more mature, sophisticated, and put together.
Because her kitchen and living room are combined, I suggested she needs something that will flow together nicely. Her wall colors are gray. Her upholstery is brown. And her accent color is Turquoise/teal. You will use teal as an accent in SMALL amounts in accessories such as paintings, decorative items (vases, etc..), and in splashes of pillows/rug.
I am giving her lots of texture and patterns with a mix-match of modern/traditional pieces for a more sophisticated, but still modern look.
I suggest adding white faux brick to the accent wall (where the TV is). This can be done with wallpaper or panels. Brick will give that wall texture and depth without making the room feel closed in or too dark. I would also suggest some recessed lighting along that wall to highlight the TV.
I suggest picking up some decorative pillows with texture, mostly beige with accents of turquoise. Avoid dark brown as that will blend into your dark furniture. And also some turquoise pillows with texture on them with tiny amounts of brown/cream.
I would also suggest moving the sofa a tiny bit off the wall so the curtains aren’t bunch up and it doesn’t feel as though the sofa is being squeezed into the corner.
I would recommend textured floor-to-ceiling curtains. Placing your curtains from the top of the wall by the ceiling and extending them along the outside of the window will make the room feel bigger-and more expensive.
I would also place the area rug under the legs of the couch. This will center the space.
So, there it is. I hope this gave you guys a better understanding of how to use pops/accents of colors in your space. If you want to see some more of my work, follow me around + before and afters of interior decorating jobs subscribe to me on YouTube!
With every purchase I include a complimentary guide. In this instant downloadable guide I list all the basics of decorating to make your room look balanced, symmetrical, and beautifully designed. I discuss bedroom furniture layout, lighting, sizing of rugs/lamps/and artwork. I also list some ways to save money, but still get that “high end” design you’re looking for.