Interior designer and color queen Janelle Blakely shares tips on how to introduce new hues to specific areas of your home .
A neutral kitchen
JANELLE ’ S TIP : “ Window treatments are a great way to incorporate color into an otherwise neutral kitchen , i . e . Roman shade over the sink . Tie the color palette in with a floor runner , large colorful fruit bowl or tray and countertop accessories , such as snack jars . If you have a dining table in your kitchen , use a colorful runner for an additional pop .”
A shared living or family room
JANELLE ’ S TIP : “ If your tendency is to stay neutral on key pieces , bring color in through artwork and pillows . Pillows and throws are the single easiest way to incorporate color in your living room without a huge investment or commitment .” a sunny yellow will have a much higher RLV than a mid-tone blue ; you can typically find the RLV on the back of the paint swatch .”
PLUS Favorite color combo “ Oh , I have to pick just one ?! I love pink , orange and white together – feminine , fresh and a bit unexpected . Aqua , navy and red is unexpected and balances warm and cool tones nicely . Teal , navy and plum are a great combo . Can you tell I like unexpected color combos ?”
Least favorite color combo ? “ Anything with peach or sage green .”
A small powder room
JANELLE ’ S TIP : “ Wallpaper ! I love using wallpaper to add personality and color in a powder room . Small hand towels and a simple bud vase are a great way to bring the color palette full circle .”
A dark room , i . e . a finished lower level or a northfacing room without much natural light
JANELLE ’ S TIP : “ Keep walls light and opt for colors that have a high reflective value ( RLV ). The higher the RLV , the more light that color will reflect , keeping the space lighter and brighter – i . e .
Do you believe in the 60 , 30 , 10 rule for color dispersion ? “ I do , but also believe rules are meant to be broken at times . It ’ s a great way to start a color story , but as it evolves , you may land with a more complex color palette , not just three . I think it ’ s important to understand what your primary color is and work from there .” blakelyinteriordesign . com �
VICTORIAN OR CRAFTSMAN ?
MIDCENTURY OR COLONIAL ?
Visit RIMonthly . com / arch to learn all about your home ’ s architectural style and how to design alongside it .
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