The secret to decorating with black is in the sheen or finish you choose. In a casual room, black can be used for cabinetry, furniture, and even doors. You’ll want to choose a flat or matte paint sheen to get a relaxed style. With the right lighting, black paint can be used for an accent wall or for a dramatic dining room. Black paint has gone mainstream in the decorating industry, so look for pretty furniture and decor accessories if you aren’t ready to commit to black walls or cabinetry just yet. The easiest way to freshen up a tired color palette is by adding your favorite color. If your closet is filled with red clothes and accessories, but your home outside the closet has no red at all, then something is out of balance. Choose a color that makes you happy, then look for easy ways to incorporate it into your decor. Adding accessories is the simplest and most obvious way to add a new color to your space. A rug, throw pillow, or artwork, can change the vibe of any space in minutes. If you love the idea of living with your favorite color but it absolutely will not work with your existing color palette, you can still find ways to add it subtly. Add your favorite color away from the public spaces of your home. Consider new sheets and towels for your master bath, linens for your kitchen, or even decorating with fresh flowers in your favorite colors. For your kitchen, adding an island or a wall of cabinets in gray will give the space a custom look. Gray is a good color for a bathroom, especially for the vanity, and is something you can DIY with paint for a quick transformation. If you aren’t going to be choosing new kitchen or bathroom cabinets, you can still make a big change with paint. The secret to putting a trendy ceiling pattern in your home is preparation. Intricate designs like this gorgeous chevron design project from Benjamin Moore is more than just a Saturday afternoon project. Make sure you have the right tools, paint, and help. If you are adding a new ceiling color to your space, be sure to sample the color to be sure it’s perfect, and considering using an existing wall color, but have it mixed several shades lighter. You can also add color the back of bookcases, glass-front cabinets, and with weekend DIY painting projects. Your color palette may be perfect right now but may just need a little extra help and imagination. Choosing neutral colors is not easy, which is a surprise to most of us. The undertones of the neutral color in your home may be wrong. If you suspect that your neutral wall colors are the problem, try sampling other paint colors. Beige may be the perfect choice for your decor, but you may need to find the right one to pull everything together. The right beige may turn out to be more of a gray or greige, so be open to new ideas when you’re sampling. You may not feel adventurous enough to install a fuchsia carpet, but you can add touches of fuchsia, or any other bright color, on throw pillows or a gorgeous velvet ottoman. Even the smallest pop of bold color can wake up a tired room.
