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Any room can look drab and uninspiring if it hasn’t been updated in years. You don’t need to do major renovations, buy all new furniture, or completely change around the room for a new look, however. Instead, you can revive a room using color in many easy and effective ways.

What Color Does to a Room

Color sets a room’s tone, from cool, restful shades of blue and green to warm, energetic reds and oranges to nurturing earth tones to sleek grays and silvers. But color actually does much more than project mood. The right color tones can pull a room’s décor together, instantly coordinating disparate objects for greater uniformity and pleasing aesthetics. Light colors can increase brightness and light to make a room seem larger and airier, while darker hues create a smaller sense of coziness and intimacy. But what colors are right for your room?

Choosing Colors for Your Room

When choosing the best colors for a room renovation, first decide what you want from the space. Are you planning a peaceful retreat, a powerful and confident workspace, a place for bold family fun, or an area to welcome guests? Each one may use a different color scheme. Consider the activities that are most common in the room, the overall room size, and your own favorite colors and design preferences to choose a palette you will love.

Easy Ways to Revive a Room Using Color

There are many ways to add color to a room without major overhauls. To revive your room with a new hue, try…

• Painting Painting a room will instantly transform the space, and even large rooms can be repainted in a weekend or less. Consider fully repainting walls, or just repaint trim such as baseboards, doorframes, and window frames for fresh edging. You could set the tone for the space by repainting the complete door, or even draw the eyes upward with a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling. For a pop of color without complete repainting, consider a colorful accent wall as a smaller project.
• Fabrics Changing fabric colors in a room can instantly update the color palette without the need for any painting at all. Slipcovers can transform even large pieces of furniture in just a few minutes, or new curtains or draperies can add color to neutral walls. A colorful rug will draw the eye into the room and update the flooring, while throw blankets and toss pillows are easy accents that come in a variety of colors to coordinate with any room and can be easily changed in different seasons, for holidays, or for any new mood.
• Frames Most rooms have a variety of frames that can easily be updated with new colors – window frames, mirror frames, and a wide range of photo frames, or even the mats inside framed photos. Changing the colors of these objects can quickly refresh a room, and will draw together the overall design palette for a classy, coordinated look.
• Collections A colorful collection on display in a room will add a burst of color and a coordinated focal point to draw attention. Glassware, such as vintage plates, vases, china, and bottles are popular options that are easy to find and rearrange to different tastes, or your collection might be houseplants to add a burst of living green to the space. Other groupings, such as baskets and candles, can be attractive options as well.
• Furniture For a bit more involved project, you can colorize your furniture to give it new life. Consider repainting or refinishing the furniture for a completely new look, or get creative with color when you paint or use colored paper inside bookshelves for an unexpected pop. You can even customize colors to a favorite team, school, or other theme, or use unexpected angles and finishes on your furniture for completely new looks and bold colors that will be instantly noticed.
• Accessories Don’t underestimate the power of colorful accessories in any room. Choosing a lamp, figurine, or artwork in an unexpected, contrasting shade will instantly revitalize your room, and you can then use other small accents – a candy dish, a throw pillow, etc. – to coordinate and spread the color throughout the adjacent space.
• Statement Piece If you want to go bold, opt for an instantly noticeable statement piece in your room. One well-chosen, colorful piece – an unusually colored coffee table, a large piece of artwork, a rug, a lamp – can stand out and become a focal point, emphasizing the color and style of the room without the need for redecorating every corner.

More Colorful Tips

No matter how you choose to use color to revive a room, take care to opt for shades you enjoy. You might prefer contrasting pieces that are instantly noticeable, or subtly coordinating hues may be more your style. Use paint samples or chips to see how the color will appear in your room’s exact lighting, and start small in order to see how you like the change and how powerful the color may be. Take care not to go overboard with too many wacky choices or outrageous color schemes, and you’ll soon have a beautifully colored room you will enjoy for many years.