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Anyone working with a neutral decor and adding color in accessories? Seems like th easiest and least expensive way to change my look which I love to do.

I've been inspired by Starfish blog and all her different looks.

Love the neutrals for summer:

adding color for seasons/holidays

Love these pictures Annie and I love using natural decor. It seems to be a very good way to add texture to a room (especially because I use a lot of white).

Thanks for sharing these.

Annie17,this room is beautiful both ways.I think I like the Christmas best.Thank you for sharing.

I havent been to her blog but I'll be checking it out today.

Skyler and Jackie,

This is the best solution I have come up with for someone (me) who likes something different every few months!!

Skyler, I was just looking at your pics the other day. So love your home! How is the beach condo coming along?

Annie17, I've been using neutral colors on the major upholstered pieces for years. I started doing it because I moved often and was always in a rental. I never knew what color the carpet would be, so having neutrals made it much easier to create a cohesive look. Now that I have been in one place for several years, I've maintained a neutral scheme because I like to change pillows and accessories for the different seasons.

However, as I've mentioned before, I recently passed my white dishes along to a new homeowner and have changed to a colorful pattern which breaks my guideline of keeping all basics neutral. I even bought a set of colorful towels. I must be going crazy...

Annie, I do like that blog, definitely a direction my style is heading.

Gracie, you should post some pics!!

Anniel, I'm amazed at how many different looks she has done. It is very inspiring.

you have the link to this blog? Thanks

And I like slip covers too, I intend to make some for my furniture after the casegoods are finished. Built-ins and storage solutions are our priorities right now. And DH does not work well in the house without support (so I can't be off deep into another project), does delay what I want done, BUT the whole idea is also for us to have positive experiences in our home...

Neutral furnishings don't have to be white slipcovers either. I have decorated a few homes with khaki or beige upholstery which has the same amount of versatility. The addition of aqua and coral in the summertime or dark red in the winter and you have yourself a whole new room.

SusanBradfordKent,
I so agree!

To me, in my home, my neutrals or baselines are:
Walls: pale Aqua
Wood: Mahogany and Maple colors
Metal: silver color
Pops of color: Turquoise, Cobalt blue
Main accessory colors: Seaglass and water tones
Textures: shells, baskets, coral, silver platters
Color that ties all together: White trim and accents, also opens up option for white slip covers for all upholstered pieces, or more blue, or aqua, or neutral. (gee maybe I could make all the colors and switch out??? wouldn't that be FUN?)

This does not work for everyone, BUT my house is not for everyone, it is for ME...
so it will be filled with what I love the most (in my affordable range) and so I made those rules for decorating to keep me on track, and knowing that if I add another element, I can repeat it through out the house and have it fit.

My goal is to build layers, AND have changing aspects such as for Holidays and seasonal.. which here in Florida, seasons are subtle changes... such as adding red at Christmas...

Just remembered a conversation we had in Studio class (back in college days) to NEVER decorate yourself into a corner. Layers will allow you to work other things in and balance them out. Always thing of the WHOLE SPACE and you will keep the flow going.

Good thread annie, really made me think about my direction and what I really want to do.

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I've used neutrals with color accents for many years in the public rooms. Definitely not white or even light but my walls are light brown, floors darkish hardwood, and large upholstered pieces are mid-brown tones. Sounds boring but the area rugs have green, cream, red, and blue in them so I use those colors as rotating accents. WT's are cream and my LR has windows on 3 sides so it's always bright and for night there is good lighting so I can adjust the level from bright to dim. I love the look at night with mood lighting only, it's like a cozy cave. My house is semi-open plan so my kitchen has the same light brown walls, brown flooring, black cabinets and mostly red accents. Kitchen also has windows on 3 sides. Both of these rooms have plate rails which have cream crown molding and I change the plate colors occasionally. Currently I'm using all blue plates in the LR and mixed colors in the kitchen/dining.

I occasionally wonder how I will eventually change my color scheme but I like this one very much so may never. I do dream about a red sofa tho!

The other rooms in my house are mostly not neutral altho carry the same color scheme throughout. Some walls are green and the red, blue, green, and cream are accents throughout.

Mary Ruth, your decor sounds exactly the direction I'm going in for the new place.

annie,
Here are a few photos I saved for that 'look' I like... http://pinterest.com/mary_ruth...iration-for-my-home/

Mary Ruth, great pictures you saved, I'm following you on Pinterest

quote:

I do dream about a red sofa tho!

I LOVE my red couch!!!!

I have noticed that over the years, my color palette has remained very similar - just different shades and tones.

I have ventured into a green kitchen though. But, it also is the color that goes w/ the other rooms since I didn't want a yellow kitchen again.

Mary Ruth, thanks for the link. I saved several of your pics. Noticed you also had one from Starfish blog!

OOAL, I'm envious that you are able to stay with one palette rather than changing your mind like I do!!

annie,
I get my FIX from Pinterest and other sources and blogs! I am too old (now disabled) to redo often. DH is wearing out of DIY. HE LOVES to do them but his recent health issues has slow him down. Soooo with that in mind... I have to pick something budget friendly, will last, and we can live with for many years... not so easy when I love so many things!

Mary Ruth,

I agree, that is why I want to stick with the neutral palette and change accessories. BTW, this is the pic from your pinterest page....

and here is the room decked out for spring....

This is definitely MY cup of tea. Never heard of it described quite this way before.

I LOVE neutral decor. And I love all those pictures. Such cute rooms

annie,
I LOVE those colors (in the photos)! I have always loved dark tones (mahogany wood or black) against white, I love the pop of sharp contrast.

The addition of seasonal colors and accessories are also refreshing. I lack the room now (no extra closets and storage) to store extras... but can find a way to add or change things out with fabric or something that doesn't require a lot of room to store out of sight until needed.

annie - I have realized that i ALWAYS come back to blues in some shade or tone. As a teenager back in the 70s, i did my bedroom in browns and oranges - popular color scheme back then. It was also my shortest lived color scheme in my bedroom.

I've tried to do neutrals - being defined as the tans, browns, and my eye is not drawn to those colors. I love white curtains - and in fact, they are all over my house.

Right now, my color schemes are minimizing pattern and having a simpler color scheme - wall color and white curtains...

Dont' get me wrong, i've done my share of colors - purples, coral, red, yellow, blues, even had mocha brown walls at one point (it was also short lived). Green is a relatively new color in my palette and i'm liking it.

I figure as long as the color goes w/ blue, i'll be ok

Mary Ruth, the owner of these rooms does discuss the importance of black in a white room.

Becca, I would be thrilled if I could stick with one color but I seem to pick one and then see something else that I like. This is my attempt to do neutrals and change accessoriees.

I do find that a white sofa and chairs always catches my eye.

Here she adds blue to the room....

Thank you Annie, that's really sweet of you to say. The beach condo is coming along but we really haven't done any big projects. We're still looking at wood floors and trying to find just the right one. We seem to be drawn to the very expensive ones and I really don't want to compromise because I believe quality is important in a wood floor. Soooo, we may put it on hold for a little while so we can save up some more pennies and buy the one we really want

I have the condo decorated a lot like our house in the Shabby Chic style. I just love the style and it's perfect for the beach.

Great pictures that you shared. I love how the looks change with just the changing of
accessories. Great timing for this thread as we're moving into Spring and summer. Thanks for starting it!