I’m a self-confessed color enthusiast. So much so, that I themed my entire living room pink — from the walls to the art prints to the furniture. You could say I’ve always been in my Barbie era, but I totally get that color can be scary and initially, it can be hard to introduce into your space. That’s why I’ve done some digging on the best interiors influencers in the biz, to see how they expertly fill their spaces with rainbow brights and the tricks and tips you can try to do the same at home.
Whether it's using an accent chair to make the corner of the room pop or trying out removable wallpaper in your rental, I’ve loved looking at all the ways you can give your apartment the kaleidoscope treatment. I hope you get as much of a buzz out of reading it as I did writing it!
Colorful living rooms that'll convert any minimalist
Unsure about color? These cute living rooms will change your mind or at least prove that bright and saturated hues can be used in a lot of different ways. Promise!
1. Go for low commitment color with removable wallpaper
New York-based interior influencer Megan Zietz has a dreamy rental that’s packed full of color and pattern. And, one of her biggest tips? Removable wallpaper! She uses temporary wallpaper murals all over her home, like this gorgeous shot of her living room. Not only does she say it makes rooms feel brighter, she even uses it to cover up parts of her apartment that are a bit, um, gross. Ugly tiles or backsplashes, or even across the front of your fridge, peel-and-stick wallpapers are everything RN!
2. Give your picture frames a glow-up
Who doesn’t love an upcycle challenge? Little to no budget necessary — all you need are some old paint cans or paint samples and you can give your picture frames a fresh new color. Better yet, go for something bright and daring that contrasts with the wall behind it. I love this example from influencer Lindsey Henderson who adds a shot of cobalt blue to her pretty, pastel living room.
3. Layer throw blankets to accessorize your sofa
Sofas are expensive, so I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly buying a new couch every season. What I might be able to do, though, is add some fun new throw blankets to give my seating a different look. I love this example with throws layered on top of each other in contrasting patterns and colors. My top tip is to use patterns of different scales and avoid pairing up two close, busy patterns or two blocky, open patterns. You’re looking for a total contrast, like we can see here, with a cottagecore floral and '70s psychedelic.
4. Have fun with transparent coffee tables
Want to bring a playful feel to your decor? Then, how amazing are these transparent coffee tables? Literally, I’m OBSESSED. This is such a smart way to introduce color to your space because the see-through vibe is actually kinda subtle and blends in with other pieces in the room. Even though these tables are orange (which is, like, the brightest, loudest color you can get), they actually look super chill and cool. Plus, they give a little '70s spin to the room, too.
5. Literally, just go wild
I mean, I have no words for this amount of fabulousness. All I can do is put this in front of your eyes and expect that you’ll be flooded with a lotta inspiration. The incredible, graphic murals covering all the walls, the furry Monsters, Inc.-esque pouf, and the Ancient Greek pastel plinth are just a few things that make this living room a literal riot of color, and I couldn’t love it more. I’ll definitely be channeling this bold take when I next redecorate.
6. Go fully tonal
Want to go bold with your living room decor but worried you’re not an expert at mixing colors and patterns? Well, don’t. Instead, go for one color and just stick with that. It’s called tonal decor honey, and it’s a thing. I’ve used this technique in my own living room choosing a pink rug, pink sofa, pink paint, and pink artwork. I even chose the pale paint color because it looked so similar to the sofa and I wanted the two to complement each other. It’s the easiest way to make color work, IMO.
7. Paint architectural features
You don’t have to paint a whole room to make an impact with color. Not all of us are lucky enough to live in an old building, but there’s often at least one or two architectural features you can paint to create a pop of interest. Here, it’s a pale pink mantel around a gorgeous, old fireplace, but you could try the same idea with a door frame or baseboards. In some ways, it actually looks more creative because it’s unexpected and therefore makes a bigger impact but costs less time and money. Win, win.
8. Make the ordinary extraordinary with a bright color
Influencer Luena took these basic metal shelves and turned them from a boring, practical storage piece into one of her most hyped homewares by going bright. It sounds super simple but even in a minimalist space, bright colors can work as they help add just one stand-out moment. With white walls and a Scandi style, a bright set of shelves like this look so stylish. You can try it yourself at home or just look out for something similar online.
9. Decorate with disco balls
Can you think of a more joyful addition to your living room than a party-ready disco ball? These beauties come in all sorts of colors and can be easily tracked down on Amazon for a super reasonable price (this set comes with 20 in different sizes). In the day, they reflect sunlight around the room, making the whole place shimmer (just like Tay Tay), and come evening it’s like a party every night. Position a small cluster in the corner of the room, next to a big plant, or at the base of your couch or bookshelf for a super cute, '70s disco feel. They're also perfect if you have a certain color theme going and don't want to mess with the vibe. The silver squares go with everything.
10. Deck out your coffee table
No budget to buy a pink velvet footstool? No problem. Zero space for a colorful retro chair? I hear ya. Landlord won’t let you paint the walls a vibrant green? We’ve all been there. You know what is an easy way to bring some color into your living room? Small decorations which work with what you already have. Coffee tables tend to sit in the center of the space so the eye is naturally drawn to them. Make yours a feature by taking a maximalist attitude and filling it with more colorful trinkets than you can handle. I love this example by interiors influencer Zeena, who has managed to cram everything from fuchsia coffee table books to striped vases on hers.
11. Try an accent chair
In the world of interior design, accent chairs are a fool-proof way of bringing character to a space — often, the wackier the better. Interesting shapes, bright colors, and over-the-top patterns are all welcome because the point is for this piece of furniture to stand out from everything else in the room. And, when you’re over it, just resell it or move it to a different spot in your apartment. This one’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
12. Put together the picture wall of all picture walls
There are so many ways to hang your art prints but a picture wall is definitely my favorite. I love how this technique instantly brings the whole space to life, and it’s so fun working out which prints will go together. I spend hours positioning them together on the floor and planning the perfect fit. If you want to make your living room feel more colorful, this is such an easy way to do that. Without having to paint the walls, you can still give the whole room a new overall aesthetic and you could theme your artwork collection on a certain color palette. For example, go for all bright, primary colors, art prints that feature pastels, or stick with one main color group like green or pink.
13. Layer contrasting rugs together
If you want to look like you really know your stuff, interior designers use this trick all the time to create depth and interest in a room. Take rugs with contrasting elements but one uniting theme and layer them across the space, overlapping or crisscrossing them over one another. Perhaps they all feature soft, pastel shades but the patterns are really different, or they could have the same texture but be from totally different eras. The trick is to not look too matchy-matchy and to give a layered, cozy feel.
14. Go for statement, multi-tonal lighting
I love statement lighting in all its forms but omg, how next-level gorgeous are these glass pendants? They’re both ultra-feminine and pretty, while being darn chic at the same time. When it comes to incorporating different colors into your space, this is such a cool way to do it. If I were to try this trend, TBH, I’d copy this image almost exactly and pick my pendants in peach hues, too.
15. Paint your walls halfway
This paint trend has been big for quite a few years now and I think it’s easy to see why. Not only is it quicker than painting the whole wall (I just never trust myself not to fall off a stepladder, y'know?), but it adds a creative edge, too. My advice is to go bold with whatever color you choose. After all, there’s kind of no point doing this one if you pick a muted, neutral tone. It’s definitely a go big or go home moment! It's also a lot less work if you need to repaint your apartment before moving out.