A Bold Way to Unify a Room

Finding the right paint color for a room can be tricky... how do you match the existing wood and other elements? What if the contrast is too stark or the colors don't have the right undertones?  Painting the walls, trim, and even ceiling in a room a single color is a fun and unique way to ensure that your color scheme is unified-- plus it adds style to your room without being too trendy.  Some examples...

This updated Highland Park manor was featured in the Dallas Morning News.  Designer James McEnroe was able to maintain the classic feel of the home's interior while adding an art deco twist with the monochromatic color scheme in the entryway.  I love how every surface in the room is painted a steely gray-blue except the floors and the banister.  And notice that the walls and trim in the living room just behind the entryway are painted two different colors-- you don't have to carry this trend throughout your entire house.  Use another element to unify the two rooms with one another, such as the gray-blue curtains that McEnroe has used on the windows in the living room to coordinate with the paint color in the entryway.

{Note:  This house will be explored further in another post-- it's just too amazing to ignore!  I fully intend on driving by to see it this weekend while I'm in Dallas to cheer on my Sooners...}

Here is another example of how painting every surface in a room a single color (except the floors, which I wouldn't recommend) can create a very dramatic effect.  This is a Restoration Hardware store in Columbus, Ohio.  The darker gray color pallet is accented by the light-colored sofa and coffee table, and the combination of these colors in the room creates a neutral color scheme. I think you could also add a variety of accent colors to this room to achieve a different result... adding pops of color such as bright orange, light powdery blue, or even a classic red with white would completely change the look of this room.

Oh, Elle Decor.... you never fail to inspire me.  If you like my blog, and you have never read Elle Decor (or House Beautiful for that matter) you need to go straight to the nearest Barnes & Noble and buy both immediately.  This room is from the pages of Elle Decor, and it is another great example of how a dark neutral paint color used on the walls and trim can create a stunning canvas for a beautiful room.  The ceiling in this example has been left unpainted, and I think it really opens up the space.  I also love the chocolate brown couch and love seat, but I think you could experiment with so many different furniture options in this room, which is what makes it so great!

Here's another example of a dark neutral paint color that is accented with bright creamy furniture.

Painting a room a single-color doesn't mean that you have to always use neutrals... here is an example of one way you can use monochromatic color to add an unexpected dash of style.  This picture is of the living room in Martha Stewart's guest house-- she used the same shade of blush pink throughout the entire house on the walls, trim, and ceiling, and it really gives it a rosy effect.  I can only imagine how the color magnifies as the day goes on and the light streaming into the room changes.

{For more pictures of Martha's dreamy guesthouse, follow this link.}

Here is another example of a room that has colorful trim and walls-- while I'm not a huge fan of the color-blocking that is going on in the main living area, I do love the mossy green alcove on the far wall.  If the entire living area was painted the light sky-blue color, the green alcove would really pop.

This trend really inspires me to try something different and think outside the box when decorating my own home in the future.  I hope you all find inspiration in the little things today, and don't forget to make life beautiful.

God Bless,

Julie