Color Schemes to Brighten Your Apartment
Painting is the easiest way to spruce up a room without pouring massive amounts of time and money into the project. Especially if you live in an apartment, you want to be careful about which hue you choose for your room. Small rooms will look even smaller if you dress them up in dark colors. Brighten up your space by sticking to one of these color schemes for a room in your apartment:
Red + red. If you still adhere to the belief that red and pink should never mix, it’s time to revamp your thinking. Anything goes in fashion these days, and the same is true of decor. By layering different shades of red—yes, including some pinks if you like—you can create a striking scene. If you pick the proper scarlets, you’ll cultivate an aura of spring, painting mental images of roses and tulips. Red can also evoke everything from fire to love, so it’s an emotionally powerful hue to use in your home.
Hot and hotter. If you mingle pale shades of yellow and orange, you’ll create a “warm” atmosphere. Kick up the boldness of either color, and they become “hot.” By incorporating both warm and hot hues into a room, you’ll not only add spice, but also up the wow factor. Just keep in mind that too much of a good thing can backfire. Bold colors can trigger feelings of anxiety in some people and just plain overwhelm others, so don’t use hot and hotter colors for every single accent in your room. Incorporate them subtly and sparingly.
Striking white. Dressing your walls in a crisp, clean white might seem like a safe choice, but it actually looks rather bold when you accessorize correctly. Create a backdrop for splashy accents by covering your walls in a dazzling white. Once you have the backdrop prepared, add patterns to your room via throw pillows or hang a bold abstract painting on the wall for some extra flair.
Jewel tones. Shades like teal and emerald seem to break the cardinal rule of painting a small room: don’t go dark. But they’re actually light enough to emanate the warmth of a lighter color while still making a bold statement. Try a teal in the kitchen and offset it with bright yellow flowers. Cover your bedroom with a rich emerald and tone it down with a neutral comforter of gray or beige. There are many ways to play up and tone down jewel tones on the walls, so don’t be afraid to get a little bit creative.
Blue and orange. This combination of colors certainly makes for a bolder look, so if the rest of your apartment is dressed in neutral tones, you might want to steer clear. If you’re down for adding some whimsy to your space, however, try mixing a bold blue and equally vibrant orange. There’s a reason that these complementary colors bedeck the jerseys of many major sports teams. Even if you aren’t a fan of the Knicks, these springtime colors still brighten up a room.
