Breaking Away from Beige

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

30 Mar 2006 08:04 AM

I love beige. Beige is soothing, it's neutral, and it goes with everything. However, sometimes you have to break away from beige and get some color into your life and into your home. If you are in a beige rut, and you want to try color but you are intimidated, start by taking baby steps. Just add a little color here or there or go ahead and stick to a neutral backdrop but liven it up a little bit with some richer or more vivid tones.

Start by adding small splashes of color. A new piece of artwork that pops against the beige backdrop is a good choice. As the new piece starts to grow on you, pull some of the colors from it into the space through other accents, like a multi-colored or even a solid color throw rug.

With these minor changes, you may begin to see that color really isn't so scary. You might decide to re-cover a few accent pillows to go with the remaining beige ones, so you can sprinkle even more color throughout the space. Be careful though, because you may discover that you really like color. You don't want to shock your family members and friends!

If you're really starting to love all this new color, try something a little more daring, like new window treatments or slip covering a large piece of furniture in colorful fabric. I don't want to push too hard, but you might want to bring in some pattern and texture too.

If vivid colors just don't work for you, experiment with rich colors like jewel tones, or maybe some deeper neutrals like chocolate brown or sage green. Brown will add a nice contrast while shades of sage green tend to blend more closely for those who aren't ready for a drastic change.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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