If you’ve read all of my Home Tour Tuesday posts, you know that, for the most part, my house is decorated in lots of neutral colors. I have the occasional printed fabric covering a chair and the nursery is a fun hodge podge of print fabrics. But we’ve purchased mostly beige, tan, and white furniture. Our bedroom is a mix of soft, soothing blues, but there aren’t decor surprises in our bedroom.
I am so envious of the people who can take bold colors and bold prints and mix them all together to create a bright, vibrant room. My mom decorated one house in particular that has gorgeous prints and hot pinks and purples in the formal living room. I absolutely love it and would love to completely replicate that in my home.
The new issue of Southern Living features the home of interior designer, Megan Young, in an article called “Tradition With a Colorful Twist.” This is me! I’m traditional, but I love a twist. Now I just need the guts to make it a colorful twist.
Here, I love the orange wallpaper that has a bit of shimmer. I love the oriental mirror mixed with the modern green print on the chairs. The combination is all very unusual, but it works. You can see a hint of the blue silk draperies in the background. Swoon!
The blue china mixed with the red pattern cups and saucers are so interesting because they’re mixed and would no doubt be a conversation starter.
The hydrangeas on the table are so Southern. And I’m usually a fan of rugs under the dining room table, but the absence of the rug in this room isn’t even noticeable.
This entire space captures a personal sense of style for the homeowner.
The master bedroom reminds me a lot of our current guest bedroom. It at least shows me that if we just switched out our draperies and recovered the headboard, we could achieve a look like this.
I adore the traditional silk print headboard mixed with the more contemporary animal print rug.
You can also see the neutral zebra print pillows with green trim on the bed.
It’s all very thoughtful and I love her attention to detail. There’s nothing stuffy about this space. It looks comfortable, eclectic, and very personalized.
I absolutely love formal living rooms. I think they’re a safe place to get really creative.
This formal living room has a few prints, a family and pet-friend natural rug, and neutral sofa. The room has a lot of natural light, which is always beautiful.
But the show-stopper is the teal velvet chair. In the magazine, you can see the tiny border of green trim around the teal velvet.
The pink peonies add a beautiful touch of color, but that chair just takes the cake.
I think recovering old pieces of furniture in fun, vibrant fabrics is so much fun! You can see in this post that’s what we did with my grandmother’s chairs.
So what are your decorating phobias? Are you afraid to commit to color and pattern, like me? Or do you struggle with committing to a style?
One of our struggles is trying to combine new pieces with pieces that we’ve owned for years. As we get older and our tastes change, we aren’t sure how to mix the old (not antique) with the new.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
If you’re struggling on how to combine new pieces with older (not-antique) ones, think about re-inventing the use of the older piece. Have a set of club chairs that have been in front of the fireplace for eons? Could you repurpose them elsewhere in the house? Try moving them to the master bedroom in front of the window, etc.
I always like to think of the upholstered pieces as solid, neutral color fabrics. Add your color/pattern with accessories, and maybe on the floor with an area with a nice area rug/carpet.
Just remember, live with the things you love – and don’t make a purchase unless you can see yourself growing old with it.
xxABCD
I have a problem with too much pattern! I love patterns, but sometimes I wish I could be like you with clean neutral spaces.
I have neutral furniture, aka the sofa and chair/half, so I make new pillow covers each fall & spring. That way I don’t have to commit to just one pattern or color…
I am so afraid of color and patterns. I see them in homes and think they look great, but can’t commit to doing them in my own – too scared.
I think I’m the opposite of you, Erin – I am a pattern and color freak! I like to think I’m just saving my crisp light and white decor for the beach house. Now, will I ever have a beach house? Ha!
I am still struggling to figure out my style. I just need a decorator!
I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of color, but, I also don’t use bright colors. Our house has plenty of color, don’t get me wrong, but, I tend to find colors I like and stick with it–lots of sage green, beige, soft butter yellow and kind of a muted cranberry are the colors in our home. I guess I do have a fear of “mixing” colors–all the accents in our living room are the muted cranberry except for these blue vases and blue candles on our fireplace that I purchased when I thought ou accent color would be blue. It bugs the daylights out of me, but then, if I switch them out, is it too much cranberry?? Ha. I realize I sound totally nutty!
All the pictures you’ve shown of your home are just GORGEOUS!
I love the *idea* of a bold splash of color but like you, I have a hard time actually making myself implement it. I love these pics–great inspiration!
I say my problem is the opposite…I absolutely LOVE bright colors! Luckily, I married a man who is the same way! Our house is full of color…I’m sure we will have to repaint it before we ever sell it. Ha! Not sure if anyone else would appreciate our colorful walls:)
I love the drapes in that master bedroom.
we are alike in that we like a neutral palette. Everything I choose is khaki or white it seems, but it all seems to work together. We’ve recently renovated our kitchen and it has neutral colors. My co-worker pokes at me for using khaki, khaki, khaki! I told her we were going to paint the shutters and she guessed the color: khaki! She was correct. We’re replacing the carpet in the basement. Guess what color? Probably khaki or something neutral. My car is even neutral colors! The exterior is white with khaki interior. I just can’t get away from it!
I would never think of putting orange wallpaper up but it looks gorgeous! I just love. Now I’m longing for more color in my home. =)
Oh, everything is a phobia for me when it comes to decorating. I just need to go back and look at more of the stuff you’ve posted. I have no real “style” and I’m totally afraid of colors. And patterns? What’s that? Ha! We are moving to our new house in 3 weeks and I’m still in total denial over the fact that I haven’t chosen anything to decorate.
I am pretty decent at getting a room decorated, its reinventing it down the road that is a problem for me. I have trouble mixing feminine and masculine as well. My husband always thinks things are too girly.
I loved that article, too. It inspired me to find ways I can incorporate more colors in my home!
I’d like to see TC’s face when you tell him you want an orange dining room…
Patterns. Patterns. Patterns. And by Patterns I mean textures, stripes, dots, toile, plaid etc.. All of it. I can’t mix it and I can’t begin to draw inspiration from it. Don’t get my wrong, I LOVE when I see a beautiful room that mixes patterns or even has a pattern but I am stuck.
Also I can’t believe as a USC fan you’d have orange in your home!
I loveeeeee pops of color in home decor, but I am fearful to try it on my own. I feel like I need the enlist the help of a decorator because it can get tricky with mixing patterns and colors. That bedroom with the cheetah rug is basically what I would love to do with our room, but with pinks instead of greens (i know Rob would just love that!).
Love the dinning room chairs! They are a very classic shape with a twist of color and design. Oh and the bedroom, heavenly! I fall in love with every home featured in Southern Living for some reason
I love color, but struggle with adding too much color as well as patterns. I would love to add some leopard print in our living room as well as our master bedroom, but I don’t want to overdo it. *sigh*
Oh, and I love Southern Living! My mom has had me hooked on it since I was a lil’ girl.
I love neutral colors! People look at me in puzzlement when I tell them I’m doing the baby’s room in pink and taupe. I always say my next house will be done in aquas and corals though because I would love to step out of the box.
Kind of off subject – but I want your black doors. We recently bought an older home and all the doors were painted to match the walls of the room they are in. Ick. I don’t know if it was some kind of weird decorating trick to make the room appear larger or just some kind of sick joke to the buyers. Anyway…our doors are plain, no detailing, but I really want to paint them black. Did you paint yours or were they painted before you moved in? I’m trying to decide how glossy we should go..
I have the same fear of color. I tried to break out slowing by painting a bathroom a bold (for me) green. I’m already wishing it were some version of brown, khaki or gold. As much as I just love color in other people’s homes, I too am always drawn to the neutrals.
I love the look of mixing and matching with a fun color palette and patterns, but always resort to neutrals and solids too! Right now our furniture is largely a hodge-podge, but hopefully one day when we can really sink money into truly decorating I won’t be afraid of breaking out of my comfort zone!
My problem tends to be TOO MUCH color! I’ve always had trouble with basics – in my wardrobe, in my decorating tastes… I always have to toooooone it dooooown!
oops! Meant to add that I LOVE those patterned dinning chairs! I’m really looking for some lattice print curtains in my life!
I so relate! As Mr. Big once said, “My life is beige.” I was so afraid to commit to colors that my place looks almost staged for resale. I’ve been looking for some color pops and some great photos to liven it up.
I am a big fan of color! My home definitely reflects that, but lately I’ve been in the mood to revamp a couple of things. I really love the photo you posted with the orange walls and the green-printed chairs…so pretty!
I have been frothing at the mouth since I received my SL issue. I LOVE her look. I love the breakfast area with the Ikea table and traditional chairs with bright cushions. Very realistic with a toddler. So cute!!!
Ha! As I read this I can hear the rollers in my dining room and master bath as the painters add color to my house! No fear- just pick colors you love and you’ll do fine! I love having solid dishes and couches so that I can always spice it up with pillows, blanket and rugs in the LR and fun placemats and serving pieces in the dining room.
I love newer and older pieces mixed! I also love color..but I have yet to do any! I’m still working on Brent and a pink room
) I’ve had my eye on Windsor Smith’s pink room for a while..I want it 
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/windsor-smiths-home (scroll thru and u will see 
I have 2 huge challenges with decorating. The first is that we rent our home, and until we own one, it’s hard to want to spend time and money decorating. Second, sometimes what I want clashes with what my husband wants. Btw, I am in LOVE with that orange dining room!! I’m putting that in a file for later because I think we could both agree on the amazingness of the bright orange. Thanks for posting! :O)