Behind the Design: Carrying Color Throughout the Home
Written by
Palmetto Bluff
Dec 21, 2022
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Any good designer will tell you that a neutral palette is a great backdrop to create a well-curated interior. In fact, an amazing way to add a stylish cohesiveness throughout your home is by using neutral decor. However, there’s been a significant shift away from a neutral color palette in interior design. Designers are being adventurous with color; instead of one bold room, we’re seeing it throughout the entire home.
Designer Shell Neely from Kelly Caron Designs is an expert at incorporating bright colors throughout her interior design projects. Her latest project in the South Wilson neighborhood at Palmetto Bluff features traditional Lowcountry elements such as shiplap walls, wood beams, and brick details mixed with pops of vibrant colors, textured fabrics, and bold patterns. The result is a fresh, modern Lowcountry home that is a reflection of its owners’ fun personality: a place where entertaining is made easy.
A fun Barbie-pink Moke is the first hint of color welcoming visitors at this colorful Lowcountry retreat.
Contrasting bold and neutral done right. Here, the dining room really shines with its neutral interior paired with a bright and chic pattern on the ceiling and chairs in bold fabric.Pink and blue in various shades are carried throughout the house: every room has some variation of one or both of the colors. This gives unity to the house even though many different bold patterns in wallpaper and fabrics were used.Embrace darker shades: the vibrant blue mudroom is striking enough to take center stage, yet has an easy-living and beautifully balanced neutral feel. The deep, blue color of the custom built-ins adapts effortlessly to its surroundings, exuding a quiet intensity and breathing life into the space. The neutral trend continues to subtly move away from cold grays and traditional creams and towards warmer, more natural colors and textures as shown on the screened porch. Earthy, stonier tones can be used in all areas of the home adding warmth as well as a sophisticated, complementary canvas for fabrics, wallcoverings, and furnishings. The result? A warm cocooning space that feels intimate, inviting, and familiar.Contrasting black with white creates visual impact, but the key is to vary the proportions. A 50/50 split could feel cold, instead pair dark cabinets with bright, white marble and another vital ingredient: texture. Accessories and bold, patterned wallpaper will also break up the space beautifully and give a pleasurable richness and depth, as shown in this powder room.Another element that unites the home is the use of natural textures. Natural oak wood floors throughout, reclaimed wood beams, and lots of cane and wicker details are a great backdrop for smaller accent pieces like pillows and coffee table books that provide just the right amount of color needed to make a space feel renewed and refreshed. Say goodbye to the traditional, neutral cabinets! Painting your doors, window frames, trim, and cabinets lets you integrate a bolder color in just the right amounts. Here, the bold blue cabinets paired with the bright and airy lemon patterned wallpaper in the back kitchen lead the eye to the natural light coming in. Helpful in smaller spaces, this design trick helps the room appear expansive and roomier.
