Monochromatic design: making it sparkle

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you are the type that will be reluctant to try a monochromatic design scheme because you think it is boring, take heed, there's great ways to make this soothing design aesthetic pop. When we think of monochromatic, we think of bland colors, similar shades and lackluster appeal. However, this is far from it once you understand the ways to make a monochromatic design wake up. Here are the key ways to make this design aesthetic work for you, without being boring.

1. Add plenty of interest to the room with texture. 
Textures add a lot of interest to design because they force the eye to stop and take in the subtle change in the color scheme. Texture in accessories can make the room feel more dimensional. Texture in patterns and fabrics can give off a subtle color change through the shadows created and this adds interest to the room without veering off the soft color scheme. Adding texture can be as easy as adding textured drapes, pillows, woven patterns and embossed wallpaper.




                                            
2. Add shine with metal accessories
When pressed to create a monochromatic design scheme that comes alive, it is important to recognize how important metallic accessories are in creating the sparkle that doesn't compete with the colors in the room but illuminates and reflects them. Warm metallic accessories like bronzes,golds, and copper will work wonderfully with creams, and beige,and warm pastels. Cool metallic accessories like silver, chrome, nickle will work great with whites, grays, and   soft cool pastels.                                                                            

Image via Wikipedia 3. Get sparkle from glass and lighting
Keeping a monochromatic design scheme simple doesn't mean leaving out all the details that make a room sparkle, in fact these details become more important since they serve more function. To wake up a room where color is simple, try incorporating sparkle through lighting. Crystal chandeliers often add not only sparkle to a room, and visual interest, but refract light and create more detail.








4. Using shapes, lines and curves
To continue to make soothing monochromatic design visually stunning the use of
interesting shapes in the room should be explored. Curvy headboards, or sharp angles that are repeated through the design will pull the room together and keep the eye traveling along the rooms space.

 

 

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Color trends that date a home

Image by MPR529 via Flickr

 

We all love color in our rooms, some more than others but if you aren't careful, your color choices could be a loud red flag that says your room has not been updated in a while. Color trends of eras gone by can hurt you if you are currently in the market to sell your home so paying close attention to what those colors and finishes are can help you figure out if your home has a chance of getting sold.

The Earthy 70's

The seventies was all about wood tones and earth tones. If you doubt me take a trip through time and look at old home photographs. See a lot of wood paneling? How about on the floor? Is that shag carpet rust colored? Or perhaps you had green carpeting? Lets talk about the kitchen, remember the Avocado green appliances? Or was it Brown, or Harvest Gold? Flooring was usually a wild pattern as well and you can bet greens, and oranges and browns were in them as well. Now if your home is still hanging on to the 70's look, you may want to get it into a time machine fast and move on up to the current decade. Leave that Brady Bunch home behind.

The Pastel 80's

You may think that your buyer will not notice your eighties décor, and in fact you may not even notice or be aware of your 80's décor either. Does your home look like it was used as the backdrop for the show The Golden Girls? To help you assess whether your home is dated, watch some shows from the era and pay close attention to the décor. Whether it is the Cosby Show or Different Strokes, chances are if your home looks similar it is time for an update. Look for these clues, large over stuffed pastel and floral furniture is usually a dead giveaway. Brightly polished brass was another popular finish in the 80's and 90's. While the 80's home furniture was over stuffed and larger than life, the kitchens were suddenly taking a turn as well and County blue and similar shades. You will also notice Oak furniture was all the rage, whether it was in the kitchen, or other parts of the home, Oak was in. Oak and brass was also seen paired together.

The Hunter Green and Burgundy 90's

When we left the 80's behind, someone decided to go from warm and sunny pastels to darker cooler shades such as good old Hunter green and Burgundy. What designers didn't think through in this era was how hard it is to neutralize this color scheme, and when a color scheme is hard to neutralize, it is hard to match it to other colors not in the same color group. What does this mean to a buyer? It means unless they have all neutral furniture, they may have trouble matching their décor in your home, assuming they still want to. Hopefully if your home is caught in this time warp, a can of paint will correct it all. If not, you may be looking at some more expensive measures. If this color scheme carries onto your solid surfaces and flooring, get ready to shell out some major coinage to correct the problem.

In a rosy world, we'd like to think “if a buyer loves my home, they will make the changes to it that need to be made..” however, buyers see “changes” as extra “money” they have to spend and if a buyer thinks they have to sink an additional 5 to 10 thousand dollars updating your home, they might as well look at a more expensive home that doesn't need updating. When selling your home, think like the buyer, not the seller. Disassociate yourself from your home, pull your head out of the past, and look toward the future, if you want to sell your home. Otherwise you will find yourself sitting year after year on your little piece of nostalgia and you will have to make peace with that.

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Neutral Painting

If you stick to the basics, you can have a great looking room inside your home every easily. Large surfaces should be neutral. You may be one of those that hates the idea of beige all over the walls, but don't worry, beige is just a backdrop for your true style to come out.

By sticking with a safe neutral backdrop, you have the ability to focus your attention to the really fun part of decorating a room and that is in the accessories! They can be as colorful or wild as you like in fact, you'd be surprised how well classic neutrals go with animal prints, blacks and reds. Your limit is your imagination, and you've played it smart in the meantime. By keeping your back drop neutral, should you sell in the future, you will not have to do any painting, and accessories can always be removed and switched out when showing a house.

Going bold with window treatments, and interesting elements will allow your style and taste to come through without being overwhelming at the same time. This is where style is born. True style is not about overwhelming the senses. Its about melding the senses into one. Your environment should have a great energy and flow. Check out Pier 1 Imports for neutrals that are faaaaaaaaaaar from boring...