I decorated every room in my house with tan and white and didn't realize it... can I still add color??

Question

I must have gone crazy during college because somehow I decorated almost every room in my house with tan and white thinking it was a very clean simple look. Well it is, but it's also very boring. I finally realized what I'd done and added a green to my living room, but that's still very neutral. My bedroom and upstairs bathroom are tan and white also. Can I add splashes of color to tan and white or would that look ridiculous? I want to do deep colors like red and purple. Something bold. How do I do this without it looking dumb?

I rent. I can't paint.

Answer 1

just repaint it

Answer 2

Absolutely. Add deep purple (or red or royal, etc) towels, a floral shower curtain that has a white background with various shades of purple and tan. Purple candles, a white lamp with a purple lampshade, a picture of a landscape with purple iris' in bloom, etc.

You can change the entire feel of the rooms by adding accessories in the preferred color. Use throw pillows, pictures, lamps, vases, curtains, area rugs, etc. Be sure to use a variety of shades of the same color so that it doesn't end up looking like it is deliberate, but that it was a natural progression.

Try this link to get an idea of what the rooms might look like:
http://www.bhg.com/app/coloraroom/member/index.jsp

Hope this helps. :)

Answer 3

I actually did the same thing without realizing it. I wanted a warm look. Just add different color throw pillows or pictures, and maybe different nicknacks. I am in the process of doing the same thing right now. I really didn't want to repaint, so adding colorful things around the house really livens things up- just try to keep the color scheme the same in each room. The base color is neutral, so any color looks good.

Answer 4

Yeah, you can! Adding an individual, eye-catching color to every room will help keep it simple and clean, yet not boring. Like, if you had an all white house, you could put bright red in the kitchen and a deep blue in the bathroom or bedrooms. And continue doing that with each room.

Answer 5

Hi, try this. Go into Google or Yahoo image search. Key in room designs or bedroom designs or whatever you think best describes the item you're looking for. Voila, you now have thousands of photographs to choose from. Most images link to a website for more information. If you can’t find anything this way go to glidden.com. You can select from any color on their color chart and actually see a room painted in that color. It's good for color coordination. I use it quite often!

Answer 6

Sure, just add colourful throw pillows or blankets. Put some colourful art on the walls that matches the pillows. Or a colourful area rug. Ikea has some great, vibrant room accessories that you can basically just toss into a neutral room...just make sure that you keep a colour scheme for each room. Like, add blue, green and black to your bedroom, while adding deep red and royal purple to your living room.

Answer 7

Tan and white are neutrals. You can add any color to them, so pop out your rooms with your fave color in form of pillows, window treatments, area rugs, candles, dishes, flowers. Get a canvas and splash your favorite colors on it and hang on the wall. Make sure canvas is large enough for your wall space.

Answer 8

you can add sponge painting to the walls, or use plastic bags crumpled and dipped in other colors and put it on the walls.

You can actually pick a color for each room and do a wall in the room with that color. Almost any color goes with tan or white, but you need to look at the furnishings.

Answer 9

Go to the paint section of your local home center. Sometimes they have mis-matched paint (usually called "oops paint") that they sell for about $5.00 a gallon. They usually put a color sample on the top of the can to indicate the color of the paint. This is a cheap way of finding a color that just might work for you. I did this for a garage that needed paint & found a 5 gallon bucket of light tan paint for $20.00 (vs $100.00 regular price).
If you are really daring, get a couple of different colors & mix them yourself & see what happens.

Answer 10

I'd look at your rooms as a blank canvas. Look for great accents to put in your rooms.. big bold pictures, colorful throws and pillows--interesting drapery. Pick a color scheme for each room and have fun scouring for things to fit in!

Answer 11

It is called accessories!
1] pick your three favorite colors - one for living room, one for kitchen, and one for bedroom.
2] say LR color is green. Add different shadesof green in solids, patterns [ 3 max ] or textures [ velvet, satin, embroidered, brocade, etc. ] in throw pillows, quilt, or afghan.
3] repeat colors in lamps/shades, vases, ornaments, flowerpots, candles/holders
4] pick one fav metal to use - brass, chrome, iron, copper in small accessories for unity
5] frame all art in similar color/design
6] repeat room colors in artwork
7] purple would be great for the bedroom - get bedding and drapes that match, and get pillows in one of the colors or dif shades of purple in dif textures
8] red in a print or solid would work well in the kitchen - repeat the red in small accessories - pot holders, utensil carafe, salt and pepper shakers, a geranium